Casey’s Story

Gender:  trans fem – something?

Sexuality:  grey ace

Pronouns: she/her/they/them

Current home: Charles Town, West Virginia

From: Lansing, Michigan mainly, military brat, moved often

Cultural background/identity:  Welsh

Interests: Photography, painting, sculpting, drawing, camping, fishing, travel, architecture, fabrication… I could go on, like getting my hands on everything.

I’ve been through hell and back, and even twice more. Didn’t have a childhood. I grew up way too damn fast. Seen things I would never wish on anyone. Experienced sexual assault at a very young age and sadly a few more. Didn’t find out I was AuDHD till I was 32! Struggled all my life. The tattoo I cherish the most is just a simple small text. “Bruised;Battered;But;Free”

Built myself up from the ashes of a failed 501c3;  we operated a thrift store in which most of the money went to our mission -“to assist individuals to overcome barriers to further their education”  I was a participant in the program as well. I was kicked out of my bio family’s home at 16 and had a hard time going to school. I managed to graduate high school at the ripe ole age of 20.

Shortly after we closed our doors we sold everything we could. And I mean everything, yep even sold the kitchen sink in the break room. Payed off all our back bills and ended up having 5 grand left. Shortly after we sold all our personal belongings and moved to Los Angeles in a broken down van with me, my adoptive fathers, and our dog Goldie.

All my life, I felt something was wrong with my body. It was desired by others but brought me years of sorrow. My focus was never on gender. Just the physical bits if you will. I’ve never identified as a gender. Sure, I tell people I am female. And I like to look as such. Gender is nothing to me, never has been. To me the human body is just a customizable character. A dress up simulator where you spend all your time trying to be happy with how you look.

Gender is nothing. Just a word.

Photographer’s note: Despite coming from different paths in life, we found a shared language in our experiences—both shaped by the destructive weight of childhood sexual abuse and the challenges that come with neurodivergent traits.  We didn’t have to explicitly talk about our trauma; it’s the kind that needs no explanation to others who are unfortunately familiar with it.

When it came time to decide on a photoshoot location, Casey’s enthusiasm burst through the phone: “Urban decay!” Finding a spot that fit this description and allowed us legal access proved trickier than we thought in her NorthEast corner of West Virginia, so we ultimately settled on a quiet and peaceful waterway nearby. 

Casey’s parting words after the session stayed with me: “Sent everything off, comrade! Please be safe…” To anyone else, the phrase might have sounded unusual. But to me, it felt right. “Comrade” resonated not only because of our shared ties to military culture but also because of the unspoken camaraderie that comes from being trans, from surviving old, unspeakable traumas that demand daily acts of courage, and learning to thrive in spite of it all.

October 2024