At 6 I remember asking my mama, “why don’t boys wear dresses?” She answered, “That’s just the way things are dear.” With this moment as a starting point, I’ll be talking about my journey as a trans woman and how that relates to all journeys of self discovery. I’ll discuss the particular importance of desire ( “de” = of, “sire” = star; “of the star”) in guiding us away from a colonized self towards an authentic self.