Coming Out:
Amanda's Story
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Amanda Hecker (formerly Porter) describes her earliest experiences with her transgender identity as “cross-dressing” as the term transgender was not known to her. In third grade she began to wear her mother’s clothing and even had her mother dress her up as a girl for Halloween—many times. However, the more she did this the more hesitant her family became, to the point where her father would berate her for refusing to change after trick-or-treating. Realizing that her family did not support this, she continued in secret. It was something that she needed for herself, but she did not fully understand why. |
Amanda discusses how she came to understand her transgender identity
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Brochures from a presentation on transgender identity given by Amanda Hecker
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Listen to Amanda discuss one of the first times her identity was validated at the
Renaissance Education Association |
While serving in the Air Force, Amanda thought that her desire to “cross-dress” had disappeared, however, upon returning home with her wife, was proven wrong. These urges returned and after discussing these feelings with her wife, she was allowed to wear panties to sleep. She would still dress as a woman but only in secret. This was not enough for Amanda, who began to start buying her own clothing and would even travel to her vacation home so that she could freely be Amanda. There, as Amanda, she attended the Renaissance Education Association, which helped her to understand her identity as a transgender woman.
Amanda voices that she is not looking to fully transition as she enjoys being able to explore the gender spectrum. Her experience as a transgender woman also motivated her to become a Democrat in order to combat discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. She is motivated to have transgender people be seen as fully themselves rather than transgender men or transgender women. |
