Today is Transgender day of rememberance and we've asked our Norwegian friend Elisabeth to share her thoughts:

Transgender day of rememberance is a day where I pay my respect to those of my transgender siblings that have either experienced violence, or who have even been killed because they are transgender. It is also important to remember those that took their own life because life became too hard.

Being transgender is not a choice, and it’s not a lifestyle. For many of us it has been a long journey in order to fully accept ourselves. The discomfort we experience is called gender dysphoria, and dysphoria is hell. Something I would not wish on anybody. The constant experience of the mismatch, combined with the shame and guilt for not fitting in the gender role one was born into.

For my own part my faith has been such an important factor in finally accepting myself, where Jesus showed me that I am loved and affirmed as the woman I have always been on the inside. I can now say that I have never ever experienced such peace that I feel now, and I know that transitioning was my route in order to fully live.

The fact that many in my situation have experienced discrimination, violence and even death for being transgender and for being true to themselves is not ok. Being transgender is not a choice, but being ignorant is.

God loves us with an eternal love!

- Elisabeth Meling