I currently work with a trans bodybuilder coach and I've been able to find trans and non-binary people who are currently lifting, and I get to share my experiences with them too.

Luckily I’ve also been around a great group of lifters who haven't really knocked me down from the mainstream perspective of misogyny and infantilization against trans folks.

They've been very supportive of my journey and have seen me prior to transitioning. They have seen my frustration with not being able to compete in powerlifting because I would have to compete in the non-drug tested league, which is where all the men can take additional steroids, whereas I'm only reaching a minimum level of male hormones.

And it's the same for trans women with all these rules being put into place, where they unfortunately get more harassment in the field. So it’s disappointing to be a part of the powerlifting bodybuilding world when I see that type of stuff, but I also want to continue being a part of it so that I can hopefully make a change to it.

I feel like the thing that's really stopping sports from being a space of comfort is the higher-up people who are involved in the associations. There's not enough trans representation in higher levels to bring an understanding of what hormones do, and just all the different things that people who are non-binary and trans experience.

Currently, people in these higher positions don't understand it.

I hope that as more people are continuing to push against these restrictions, that people can expand their thoughts and sports can be more open to everyone.

If enough of us try to be part of this, then it may cause a positive change.

[As told to @Ragi Gupta — continued]