B14 SPECIAL FEATURE

Digennaro navigates being transgender through

middle school, high school, neglects hatred
ADRIAN KAVAZOVIC it. At this point, I’m used to

E
managing editor it or have stopped caring
because I have a support
Everyone’s journey is different. People can make assump-
system of people who
tions without knowing the full story. Freshman Shay Di-
can actually help me,” Di-
gennaro’s journey of transitioning into their true self is no
gennaro said.
different. Digennaro began to transition in middle school
Digennaro has found
after being influenced by a YouTuber who created a shift
that being a transgen-
in their mindset.
der student in high
“I got hooked on this one YouTuber, Sam Collins, and I
school has been an
was like ‘Oh wait, not everyone feels like that? I thought that
overall welcoming
was a normal thing.’ Then it kind of spiraled from there,” Di-
env i ron men t
gennaro said. “Sam Collins exposed me to new information.
so far.
It’s not ‘normal’ to constantly wish that you were a different
“I some-
gender.”
times feel like
Sam Collins became an outlet for Digennaro to have
I’m accepted as
their questions answered. They learned that surround-
a trans student
ing yourself with the right
at HHS, [but] it
people is beneficial in most
depends on who
situations. For Digenna-
ro, surrounding themselves In middle school, I’m with. Some-
I felt like there times when I’m with
with the right people in high
people who are
school is what helped them was no one very far out of the
break out of their shell.
“I’m glad that I started to
similar to me, groups that I nor-
transition in middle school but it’s been a mally hang out with,
it’s kind of a culture
because then I could get lot easier finding shock, they don’t know
over compensating for ev- people like me in what this is,” Digennaro said.
erything. Then I would have
a new social group where high school.” According to Digennaro, Virginia schools
seem more accepting towards transgender
I know what I’m doing,” Di- -Freshman students in comparison to possibly other
gennaro said. Shay Digennaro states or schools.
Digennaro has found that
“There aren’t many people who are real-
being around people who
ly far in any direction [politically in] Virginia.
are like them helps them express themselves in a way they
There’s obviously people who bully others or
wouldn’t be able to otherwise.
are transphobic for fun. I haven’t found any-
“Being around people who relate to me makes it a lot
one that’s actually super vile,” Digennaro said.
easier for me to feel less ‘other-ish’ because that’s a con-
Digennaro found themselves initially
sistent issue with a lot of people. In middle school, I felt like
struggling with the repercussions of
there was no one similar to me, but it’s been a lot easier
facing bullying. As time pro-
finding people like me in high school,” Digennaro said.
gressed, they were
For Digennaro, transitioning was a learning experience.
able to ignore it.
When they first began to transition in middle school, they
“I started out re-
didn’t know where to start on their journey of self-expres-
sponding to bullying
sion.
very badly. I’d shrug it
“In middle school, I didn’t know anything about makeup
off in the moment then
or how to express myself. I had a goal to look like someone
when I got to a private
who I’m not in order to be perceived differently. I’ve changed
place, I’d start actual-
that mindset to look like how I feel,” Digennaro said.
ly feeling the effects.
For Digennaro, navigating being transgender was
Now I just ignore
toughest socially in middle school.
the bullying,”
“I would say I’ve been treated differently than other stu-
D i g e n n a ro
dents. It’s not as bad now as it was in middle school. I’ve
said.
noticed the bullying takes a different tone, it’s less of a ‘we
See more
don’t like this person’ [and] it’s more of a ‘we are repulsed by
on hhsme-
this person’,” Digennaro said.
dia.com
Encountering bullies isn’t something foreign for Digenn-
aro. They have dealt with being bullied since a young age,
but have learned to not take it to heart over time.
“Bullying has been prevalent in my whole life because
I had learning disabilities. I used to get really affected by

APRIL 14, 2023 PAGE DESIGN BY KASEY THOMPSON