I came out as transgender for the first time over the summer of 2014. I cite broad period of time because my coming out was a process. I didn’t just say to someone, “I’m transgender.” I was in therapy for various other mental health concerns and that’s where this conversation began.

That said, I’ve always known that I wanted to be a boy; I didn’t always have the words for it. I used to religiously define myself as a tomboy. “Hi, I’m Schuyler, and I’m a tomboy.” I wanted people to know that I wasn’t a girl. I was a tomboy. So had I been able to replace that word with transgender, I probably would have been a bit more accurate earlier on. But I didn’t know that I was allowed to or able to be a boy. That wasn’t really something I saw much of and there wasn’t much to compare myself to. I tried to relate myself to other “tomboys” but they all grew out of that “phase” whereas I never did.

On March 10th, 2015, I underwent top surgery with Dr. Charles Garramone in Davie, Florida. I got a double incision mastectomy with the incisions joined in the center due to the size of my chest.  As I write this, I am a little more than two months post op and incredibly happy with the results and the lack of breasts.

I plan on starting hormones by the end of the month (by the end of May 2015) so I will have three months to adjust before I start college in the fall. I don't plan on doing bottom surgery at this point, but if the procedures improve, I might reconsider.

**Update** On Wednesday, June 3rd, 3015, I got my first injection of testosterone!