Discovering Identity
As Esther gets misgendered quite frequently from police officers to everyday members of the public it has caused her to undergo identity issues and not being able to feel comfortable in many environments, From a young age, Esther felt as though she had more of a connection with her masculinity than her femininity and details how it was all quite troublesome growing up. Esther now goes by the Pronouns she/them.
Growing up feeling different
In Atunrase’s early years she found joy in conforming to her masculine identity so wearing trousers in contrast to skirts and finding more of an attraction to females than males was comfortable. Also, with the help of a supportive family system. However, entering an all-girls Secondary school ‘La Retraite’ in Balham had a big impact in her character development she stated as she experienced Bullying from her peers due to her height 6’4 and her “alternative personality”. Many of the youth today are made to fit into this hierarchy of being popular and being like everyone else, however not every child has the same experiences and means to behave and share identical interests with one another.
The present
As Esther Atunrase now 20, has grown up she has made peace with her past and feels as though all her experiences shaped who she is today as a person because all the prejudice she faced just made her a stronger person with an open and opportunist to give a voice to the voiceless. They believe that if someone doesn’t fit into a space or doesn’t feel welcomed there, that should motivate the person experiencing exclusion to break the barriers and create a space in which they feel comfortable.
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