Meet Quinte

Quinte (he/they) has been trying to access transition-related medical care for over a decade, ever since discovering the word “transmasculine” in an article about the NC bathroom bill. Before that moment, he thought living openly as himself was something possible only in dreams. As a child, Quinte even taught himself lucid dreaming just to know what it might feel like to be recognized as a boy, even if only in fantasy. Learning that there was a name for his experience and that medical transition was real.

Unfortunately, barriers have piled up ever since. Moving to a more restrictive state left him with only one informed-consent clinic, accessible only virtually, and chronic illness has made travel impossible. A mis-booked appointment right before his insurance became active left him in debt to the clinic without ever being able to start HRT. Now, Quinte must prioritize paying medical bills, replacing broken glasses and hearing aids, and addressing complications from systemic lupus and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Despite years of pain and disability, he continues to fight for access to the care he has always known he needs.

Quinte is a Deaf/HoH, neurodivergent, gay, and chronically disabled Chicano/Mexican-American, second-generation, born to a naturalized immigrant. He has endured aggressive treatments since childhood, including chemotherapy agents, biologics, and even a total joint replacement that resulted in permanent nerve injury. These challenges forced him to leave in-person school and later work, yet his passion for learning never faded. He loves STEM and the arts, finds wonder in birdwatching, astronomy, sketching, writing, and playing string instruments, and when health allows, he volunteers for justice and liberation movements.

Receiving HRT for the first time will finally remove the unbearable choice he’s faced for years, between basic functioning (hearing, vision, mobility) and his transition. It will allow him to live authentically, focus on his health, and contribute more fully to the world around him. “You may likely have no idea just what this truly means to me, but I can assure you that it means the world. More than even that, really."