TYRA
WYOMING | SERIES #4
Hi my birth name is Tyojawan Zaverriek Presbury and my new name is Tyra Kiari Leshay, better know as Miss Rendezvous 2017-2018. I am a young Trans woman on the road to becoming an LGBTQ mentor and Advocate.
When I was a kid, I always knew I wasn't going to be like other boys, I never fit in. My teachers would always tell me I was not different from the other boys in the class, I was just more creative, but I knew that already, I just didn't understand why the other boys didn't want to play with me at recess, or even sit by me in class. I always lived an out of this world kind of life, my reality was always fantasy because I felt normal that way.
My mom told me we were moving to Casper, Wyoming when I finished fifth grade, and that's when everything started to go downhill. In Casper, sixth through ninth grade was junior high, so everyone was starting to date and do different things. I tried my best to stay in my fantasy world, but it got hard when girls would ask about my sexuality and boys avoided me even more. I joined the cheerleading team and made a new friend who was foreign and amazingly "different", as in openly gay. He was a bright big rainbow and he could match my fantasy and go above it too. He made me realize that I'm not straight, so I ended up telling my mom I was gay and it was almost heartbreaking to see that she didn't have any reaction, it was almost like she didn't care, but I knew she cared a lot because she always helped me out and she has gotten me to the point I'm at today.
I struggled with my grades and just being at school in general because after I came out to my mom, I came out to everyone I knew and even people I didn't know. I was bullied every day after that. Despite the happiness I felt for being open about liking men I still didn't feel like it matched who I was exactly. I started doing drag, and while doing my first performance at 14 I met a beautiful post-op trans woman. She showed me I was more than just a drag queen or a fem-boy, she showed me that I am a strong Woman confined to a body where I didn't belong in the first place.
When my grandma got sick we moved back to Cheyenne, Wyoming to help keep her healthy – It was terrible. I started struggling with more than just my great-grandma’s health, my grades dropped again, I started ditching class to avoid being bullied, and doing drugs to bring back my fantasy life. It didn't work and I ended up spiraling out of control. I was jumped in the Central High School locker room for being myself, the school didn't do anything, so I started fighting more, using drugs more and I truly became a different person.
I finally met my now 2-year match/ companion/ and best friend. He helped me become myself again, without drugs, alcohol, or fighting. I made it off with 1-year of probation and am now a transgender Drag Queen pursuing her many different talents and skills to become as successful as possible.
I just want to say thank you for the chance to share my story and thank you too all the people who helped me get to where I am now, because if I didn't have their support I'd most likely be in a worse place than when I was younger.
