Pride of the Déise 2024: What it's like being a trans man in Waterford

As a trans guy who loves theatre and drama, it can be pretty tough. 

Since I was about 7 years old, I’ve been in countless shows and productions with school or stage schools. 

Before I was out, I never really played the girl parts. Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz being my first lead role ever, Pinocchio, Aladdin, I even auditioned to be Chip the teacup in Beauty and the Beast! 

As many trans masculine people do, I went through a stage of denial and hyper-feminization right around puberty starting, and then I played Vivian from Legally Blonde. 

It didn’t feel right; the long, straight hair, the skirt, the heels. I mean I did love that I was taller than everyone for once.  

When I came out as trans, Covid was stopping everyone from taking the stage. Zoom stage school (shudder) and no real performances happening. 

But as soon as we returned and picked a show, I couldn’t have been happier. I will never forget my first ever show as me, Sky! Playing Galileo from We Will Rock You, a boy, AS A BOY FOR THE FIRST TIME, is truly one of my favourite memories. 

For once, it wasn’t the awkward dance of pronouns when talking about the character I was playing and me. 

Every show since then I’ve been Sky, or Skyler, but most importantly me! Acting and playing a part is hard enough without having to act in real life too. I remember during one of the most stereotypical American high school musicals I was cast in at an all-boys school, I was so nervous that I wouldn’t fit in with the “lads”. 

I don’t really know what I expected since they all were literally theatre kids, but they were some of the most accepting and supportive people I have ever met. Not once did I feel less than a guy around them, and I almost cried multiple times during the rehearsals for “all the guys” I was part of.  

However, there’s a downside in all this. In my stage school, it was easy to play all the male leads. Being surrounded by cis girls meant I was the obvious choice for the role, and none of the musicals or songs we did were particularly challenging for a pre-T boy like me to sing. The drama world outside of that little bubble is different, however. 

I would never get a leading male role when put up against a cis guy. He is taller, his voice is lower and louder, he can breathe because he doesn’t have to stuff himself into a binder. I try to tell myself that these things don’t matter but I know they do. 

All my dream roles, dreaming of being on Broadway or the West End, the pain that comes with knowing I have that extra mountain to climb… but then I think. 

Things are changing, both for me and for the world. My voice is getting deeper, I’m saving for top surgery, and I will never stop auditioning for shows and parts I think I have no hope of getting cast in.  

I want to give hope to all the other trans people out there who have a deep love for theatre, and I want to encourage you to keep going and keep enjoying it. Ignore the stupid dysphoria, and voices telling you to compare yourself with anyone else. Love yourself and sing your heart out.