A Transgender Child’s Last Letter to His Mother

Final Farewell: A Transgender Child’s Last Letter to His Mother Dear Mother, I was only nine or ten years old when Father dragged me out of our home, leaving me abandoned on the streets. I screamed and cried out for you, but you lay motionless, frozen in fear. The only thing that flowed freely were your tears—tears that dared not stop even in the face of Father’s furious wrath. Every drop was proof of your deep discontent with his actions, yet you were forced to submit to his every demand. When Father lost control, the barbs of neighbors, the taunts of relatives, and the accusing stares of society became unbearable. With his worn-out, dark leather sandals, he would lash out at my tender skin. I would flee towards the only refuge I knew—a cold storage room that became my sole sanctuary. In those nights of punishment, you would stealthily come, embracing me and soothing my wounds with the modest fabric of your scarf. You would hold me close for hours, gently pacifying me with your quiet,...