Here’s why I stand in support and solidarity for LGBTQ folks and Survivors of all genders.

In 1988 I was forced to grow breasts at age 15. In 1991 I had plastic surgery to remove the breasts. The reason why I grew breasts was because I was given .psychiatric medication to cover up the abuse that I was experiencing. In 2015 I stopped taking all psychiatric drugs and had the fraudulent diagnoses removed from my medical file. It’s taken a long time but I’m getting better.

From age 15 to nearly 18, I was a teenage boy with breasts.

I lived in a locked facility with very rough kids who were placed there because of violence, sexual behavior and other very unpleasant things. I was victimized there because I was a teenage boy with breasts. Nobody protected me.

So one of the reasons why I stand publicly in solidarity with LGBTQ folks and survivors of all genders, is because I survived horrifically abusive violations that most people don’t know can be done to a person.

In particular I am proud to take a stand and state that people who are transgender, they’re people just like you and me. Don’t deny people their freedom, security, liberty, safety and opportunities,  because of something as non-existent as gender.

Who the fuck do I think I am to say that?

Look at this photo and look at my chest, and know what I’ve survived makes me able to have the balls to to stand up for people who simply want to have their outward appearance match how they feel on the inside.

If I was worthy of having plastic surgery to remove the unwanted breasts that I was forced to have, that conflicted with my biological parts; then transgender people are worthy of the same.

And let me be perfectly clear; if I’m witness to somebody harassing or abusing or attacking an LGBTQ person or violating or discriminating against or harassing or bullying another person because of how they look or how their body is, or where they come from or what language they speak or who they love, or what their papers say about the country they’re living in or what they believe or anything else:

I won’t think twice about throwing a punch or 20.

Because people matter. Period.

If you like this post you’re going to love my new book “the Craig Lewis Guide to Surviving the Impossible“