What saved me was not affirmation of untruth but affirmation of reality.
Today, I spend my time taking my children ice skating, walking them through the park, and making art — painting, embroidery, anything that feels grounded and real. But a decade ago, I could not have imagined this life. Sexually assaulted at a young age and growing up in an alcoholic home, my childhood was anything but stable. In that vulnerable state, as a pubescent girl, I was conned into believing that altering my body would fix my trauma.