Defining Womanhood, Nana Miller’s Perspective On Identity
From my first breath, society dictated who I should be based on the sex declared at my birth. ‘Congratulations, it’s a boy,’ they announced, sealing my fate with words that never matched the truth of my soul, but the person I was inside a girl didn’t match their expectations. Before I even understood what being transgender meant, I knew I wasn’t the boy everyone told me to be. Growing up, I embraced the truth of who I was, but not without the immense pressure of society to conform to a masculinity that felt alien to me. Imagine, for a moment, being forced into a role that clashes with your very core. In Uganda, as a transgender woman, this discord has been my life’s battle. But why should anyone have to fight so hard just to be themselves?
Every day, transgender women like me navigate a society that insists on viewing us through a lens of misunderstanding and prejudice. Today, we confront these gender walls with a question that challenges centuries of binary norms: Who is a woman? Is it merely biological sex, or is there room for a broader, more inclusive understanding of womanhood that includes womxn in all their diversities such as transgender women. I write to you today, a transgender woman, advocating for a world where our struggles are recognized as not distinct but parallel to those of all women. We, too, navigate the stereotypes based on our gender, the prescriptions on our appearance, our behavior echoes of a society that seeks to confine us within rigid boundaries which reveals the urgent need for rethinking what is gender? a concept far too complex for binary constraints.
What does it mean to be a transgender woman? Being a transgender woman means that you were assigned male at birth, but you identify as female. Their gender identity does not match the sex assigned at birth. For transgender women, womanhood is defined by their internal deeply felt sense of being a woman. Some transgender women choose to physically transition by taking hormones or having surgery to affirm their gender identity, while others do not . Although society argues that biology is destiny and transgender women can never be “real” women, but I believe womanhood encompasses so much more than body parts. At the core, being a transgender woman is about embracing your authentic self. There is a need to understand that the belief that there are only two genders – male and female – is overly simplistic. Gender exists on a spectrum and is complex, personal and unique to each individual. We must challenge the notion that womanhood depends on body parts and chromosomes to womanhood is a social construct, not a biological fact.
While the experience of being a trans woman is unique, there are common experiences we share with all women. We understand the power of patriarchal systems and misogyny that aims to control women’s lives and limit their potential. We know what it feels like to face discrimination, judgment and lack of equal opportunity just because of our gender. And we share the strength, resilience and compassion that comes from living life as a woman. It’s time to rethink the way we understand gender in society. We must move beyond the rigid boxes of “man” and “woman” and recognize gender as a complex human experience. For transgender women, womanhood is defined by the personal journey of becoming your authentic self, not by arbitrary societal standards of femininity. We all must work to deconstruct harmful stereotypes, learn to accept people for who they are, and create a more inclusive society where people of all gender identities feel empowered to live freely.
The daily reality for transgender women includes discrimination, violence, and exclusion, even from women spaces that should be safe and welcoming. Our fights for acceptance and equality are intertwined with those of all women. Feminism that excludes transgender women is incomplete. We share the pain, the struggle, and the desire for a world that sees us, respects us, and acknowledges our rights. Our liberation is bound together, and I believe inclusivity is the path forward. Let’s stand in solidarity, redefining and broadening what it means to be a woman.
The journey towards equality for transgender women in Uganda is filled with challenges, from accessing basic healthcare, identification documents with actual gender markers ,employment to achieving societal acceptance. Yet, our determination remains unshaken, fueled by the progress we have made and the solidarity we have found with other marginalized groups. Today, and tomorrow thereafter, we stand with transgender women everywhere. Your womanhood is valid, your identity is valid, your struggles are our struggles, your voice is important, and your rights are non-negotiable.
Together, we can dismantle the barriers to inclusion, advocate for the dignity of every woman, forge a future of true equality and liberation and celebrate the diverse expressions of womanhood. To the transgender women of Uganda and beyond: we see you, we support you, we are with you, fighting for a world where you can live freely and authentically. I vow to continue fighting alongside you for the freedom to live freely and authentically.The time for change is now; together, we can redefine what it means to be a woman.
Nana Millers
Executive Director
Trans Youth Initiative – Uganda
