After U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that transgender Americans were no longer allowed to serve in the military, there was an outpouring of support for transgender rights and anger among activists.
鈥淲hat a coward. Thousands in the U.S. military today are afraid of getting expelled when they were told they were going to be taken care of. Talk about a violation of trust,鈥� said Morgane Oger, a trans-rights activist who鈥檚 been living openly as a transgender woman in Vancouver.
Oger shared her story with CTV News about what it鈥檚 like to live in Canada and why she鈥檚 willing to stand-up to anyone attacking her community.
Oger said she first realized she was different as a child.
鈥淚 got along much better with the girls in elementary school than the boys,鈥� she said.
However, her decision to transition didn鈥檛 come until much later in life. The 49-year-old had a successful IT career, a wife and two kids.
鈥淚 thought I could hack it and keep it under control and say, 鈥榊ou know what, it is just in my mind. It is not who I am,鈥欌�� she said.
But four years ago life as a man became a lie Oger wasn鈥檛 willing to live with anymore.
鈥淭here were some very dark times,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was struggling already and I did not want to teach my children to be someone but not be who I was teaching my children to be.鈥�
Oger came out and not everyone was accepting. She said that strangers verbally and physically attacked her.
鈥淚 am more likely to suffer a hate crime than you are,鈥� she said. Although she added: 鈥淧eople should know that it has all worked out for me. I was terrified but actually everything has worked out.鈥�
Oger has since become an advocate for transgender rights and has also gotten into politics. She is the first transgender candidate to win a nomination for a major political party in B.C., narrowly losing in the provincial election.
鈥淲e came from nowhere, ran a brilliant campaign. I was very proud of that,鈥� she said.
Oger hopes her story will encourage people to see transgender Canadians as an integral part of our diverse society.
With a report from CTV鈥檚 Melanie Nagy in Vancouver
