"I can play almost every instrument you can think of," says 16-year-old Luke, proudly. "Ukulele, piano, guitar, electric guitar, drums..."

He says he's "pretty masculine", although "usually people think because I'm transShort for transgender, an umbrella term for people whose gender identity (what they feel inside) matches the gender they were assigned at birth (based on their biological sex). I like football and sports. But I'm not really a fan of sport... I'm more of a quiet type." He says genderA person's gender identity (whether they feel like a man, woman or something else) is not the same as their biological sex (which is determined by genitals, hormones or chromosomes). is "how you feel and how you present yourself to others. And what you choose, or feel like you're born as, that's who you are. It's not something you should change for anybody."

When he was little, he remembers screaming as his mum tried to put him into pink shoes and dresses. "I would rather walk around the house with nothing on at all than wear something pink," he says.

Aged 10 or 11, he came out¹ to his mum in a letter. She took it well, but "she struggles a little bit, because of the generation she grew up in". He says seeing him wear boys' clothes was particularly difficult. "For quite a long period of time I was seen as her daughter and she always feels like... like she's kind of had a child that's been replaced," he explains, sadly. "It does break my heart when she says it."

It was easier for his father, he says. But he thinks that fighting for acceptance from parents can be one of the biggest struggles for transgender teens. Often, parents do not understand "how much it can hurt to be deadnamedWhen a transgender person is called by the name they were given at birth, rather than the name they have chosen for themselves. or misgenderedWhen a person is referred to as the wrong gender. ," he says.

"I always explain to my mum, it's like you're giving me something for Christmas, and then taking it away, and then giving it back... When they do use the right name or right pronounsA word referring to a person and functioning as a noun, such as he/him or she/her. While these are the two most common sets of pronouns, some people prefer non-gendered terms like they/them or xe/xyr., it's like getting the most amazing gift you can think of. And then when they misgender you - and sometimes it can feel like it's on purpose - it is like having something taken away that you loved so dearly. It's not nice."

There are struggles at school too. Since coming out, he says he has lost many of his guy friends, and that there are difficulties over issues like toilets and school uniforms.

Still, things are easier for his generation, he says, "probably because it's being spoken about a lot more". Transgender documentaries on TV have helped his mum to understand how he feels. But "it needs to be spoken about a lot more in schools".

"I think it should be thought about a lot less than it is currently," he says. "It just doesn't matter what someone identifies as or who they are, really. Like, if you're a guy and you say you're a guy, then you're a guy." 

What matters more is "just the person in general. Get to know them, understand them. Build a friendship! I don't know. Don't be like, 'yo, what's your gender?' I'd be quite triggeredWhen someone relives traumatic memories or experiences extreme distress due to a specific event. The term was originally used in the context of people with post-traumatic stress disorder. if somebody said that to me. Just see them how they are."

¹ In Luke's case, he was born with a female body but identifies as male.

Trans - Short for transgender, an umbrella term for people whose gender identity (what they feel inside) matches the gender they were assigned at birth (based on their biological sex).

Gender - A person's gender identity (whether they feel like a man, woman or something else) is not the same as their biological sex (which is determined by genitals, hormones or chromosomes).

Deadnamed - When a transgender person is called by the name they were given at birth, rather than the name they have chosen for themselves.

Misgendered - When a person is referred to as the wrong gender.

Pronouns - A word referring to a person and functioning as a noun, such as he/him or she/her. While these are the two most common sets of pronouns, some people prefer non-gendered terms like they/them or xe/xyr.

Triggered - When someone relives traumatic memories or experiences extreme distress due to a specific event. The term was originally used in the context of people with post-traumatic stress disorder.