I felt more and more like I was putting on an act - like I was being shoved into this role of 'angry white man in a punk band.'
I look like a dude and feel like a dude, and it sucks. But eventually I'll flip, and I'll present as female.
I've never had trouble talking and expressing my feelings.
I'd never have imagined it when I was younger. A trans woman on the cover of 'Time?' That is unfathomable to the 15-year-old me.
As technology and science advances, I think the ability to alter yourself should be embraced.
A lot of people don't perceive me as female or trans, they just see some rocker.
I don't feel like I've ever been in mainstream society.
As a trans person, I don't feel welcome in most public spaces. Especially now with Trump, I don't feel faith or recognize that we're protected by the government or administration.
My first record I ever got was 'Full Moon Fever.' My dad gave me a copy when I was maybe nine years old or something. And I listened to the heck out of that record. I loved that record.
Chicago prides itself on being a mean city.
I grew up in Italy, so for me, Naples pizza is the only type of pizza that there really is.
To me, the songs that I'm most thankful to have been a part of creating are the songs that are able to adapt and change over the years and that mean different things to you at different periods of time in your life.
My favorite video game when I was a kid was this game called 'Metroid' and the main character of 'Metroid' was Samus. Samus has this body armor suit, helmet and everything except at the end of the game, the helmet comes off and it was revealed that Samus was actually a woman.
Society doesn't portray transsexual people in a very positive light.
I was always attracted to women.
If I want someone to recognize the gender identity I feel, I'd have to ask for that. I can't assume people will know how I'd like to be treated on their own.
Growing up, I never had a role model to show me that you can be trans and live a happy life. I hope that I can be that source of hope for someone out there who's struggling.
I'm totally fine with myself. It's the other people I run into out there who are so hung up on gender. The way it trips them up is their problem, not mine.
Being able to write about love through a trans lens is something that's not really represented when it comes to love songs.
I've always wanted to be a writer, and I've kept journals since I was eight years old.
