Valerie Montchalin, a transgender woman from the small French village of Saint-Victor-Malescours, shares her life-long struggle with gender identity and the challenges that came with her transition at 48. After decades of feeling discomfort, she revealed her true self to her family, facing both rejection and support from friends and co-workers. Despite initial shock, her colleagues now embrace her. Montchalin's experience reflects the isolation and difficulties many transgender individuals encounter, particularly in rural areas where acceptance remains limited and healthcare can be hard to access.
I did what was expected of me, she said. I became a builder, married at 22 and had two children.
Growing up, I was gruff, pretty macho -- the opposite of what I really was, Montchalin admitted.
My transition was not a dramatic flag-waving one, she says. This feeling was echoed by six other transgender people from rural areas.
Being transgender in the French countryside can be a long and lonely path.
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