In first grade, Evan Bell, whose birth sex was female, started feeling his gender was male. He dressed like a boy and asked friends not to use his birth name.
Evan Bell, 15, of Sun Prairie, was in fourth grade when he told his parents he's a transgender male. He has received puberty blockers and hormone therapy, and plans to get "top" surgery, or breast removal. “Phases don’t last five, six years,” he said. “This is just who I am.”
Evan and his mother, Shannon Cady, make monkey bread at their Sun Prairie home. “All I want is for my kid to be happy with who he is,” said Cady, who initially resisted helping Evan transition.
Shannon Cady, right, has supported gender treatment for her son, Evan Bell, who is transgender. Evan shared his story with the Wisconsin State Journal to show other transgender youth that they are not alone.
Sam Contreras, right, is a mentor to Evan through FLYY, or Forward Learning Youth and Young Adults, a Madison nonprofit where Contreras is a counselor. Contreras has helped Evan Bell grow tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and pumpkins. "Sometimes we just go to Starbucks and talk," Evan said.
Evan Bell, 15, of Sun Prairie, was in fourth grade when he told his parents he's a transgender male. He has received puberty blockers and hormone therapy, and plans to get "top" surgery, or breast removal. “Phases don’t last five, six years,” he said. “This is just who I am.”
Evan and his mother, Shannon Cady, make monkey bread at their Sun Prairie home. “All I want is for my kid to be happy with who he is,” said Cady, who initially resisted helping Evan transition.
Sam Contreras, right, is a mentor to Evan through FLYY, or Forward Learning Youth and Young Adults, a Madison nonprofit where Contreras is a counselor. Contreras has helped Evan Bell grow tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and pumpkins. "Sometimes we just go to Starbucks and talk," Evan said.
Shannon Cady, right, has supported gender treatment for her son, Evan Bell, who is transgender. Evan shared his story with the Wisconsin State Journal to show other transgender youth that they are not alone.
