I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much has changed in just a few months. When you start your journey as a trans girl, everything feels like it’s in high-definition—the good, the bad, and the extremely awkward. One of the biggest things I’ve realized is that you can’t really do this alone. You need a party, like in a high-stakes RPG, to help you navigate the maps you haven't explored yet. For me, that party has been the online communities I’ve stumbled into, especially the 17th Shard.
It’s weird to think that a website dedicated to a fantasy author would become my home base, but here we are. Finding a digital tribe isn't just about finding people who share your hyperfixations—though, trust me, we have plenty of those. It’s about finding a space where you don’t have to stealth mode your own personality just to fit in.
The Shard is where I spend most of my time, and it’s been a total game-changer. I remember when I first joined; I was a bit of a lurker, just kind of hovering on the edges. But once I got involved in Sanderson Elimination (SE) games, everything clicked. There’s something about the chaos of a game like Lords of Luthadel—where you’re frantically trying to figure out who the Spiked are while roleplaying a character—that just breaks the ice.
If the rest of the forums are the main quest, the Trans Hangout Thread is my safe zone. Honestly, I don’t think I’d be as far along in my journey without the girls in that thread.
Transitioning can feel like playing a game on Extreme Mode without a tutorial. There are so many boss fights you don't expect—like the first time you have to explain things to a therapist or the internal struggle of setting a "coming out" deadline so you don't just procrastinate forever. In the Hangout thread, I don't have to explain why those things are hard. Everyone already knows. We celebrate the small wins, like a new outfit or a successful voice training session, and we help each other through the Long Chasm days where everything feels a bit too much. It’s the place where I finally stopped lurking in my own life.
Beyond the heavy stuff, my digital tribe is held together by the absolute chaos of our shared interests. I’ve found so much joy in the Singing Epic: The Musical threads. There is something genuinely therapeutic about screaming lyrics with a bunch of other nerds who are just as obsessed with the Saga as I am. (Although I should participate more.)
Then there’s the gaming side of things. Whether it’s talking about Age of Calamity (and how Sooga is hands-down the best character) or my latest Minecraft project, these hobbies are the bridge that connects me to everyone else. They remind me that even though my life is changing in these huge, fundamental ways, I’m still the same person who gets way too excited about redstone or Zelda lore.
When I look back at my Early Journey, these communities are what I’m going to remember most.
To anyone else out there still looking for their tribe: keep looking. Whether it’s on a forum, a Discord server, or a subreddit, your people are out there. They’re the ones who will celebrate your level ups, help you through the game overs, and remind you that you’re a vital part of the story. I’m just lucky mine happens to involve a lot of crem, some dragon roleplay, and the best group of nerds on the internet.