By Tim Collins

This is the story of a courageous man who has travelled a tough road to find himself.

His name is Eli Mitchell.

He lives in Sidney and two years ago, at 62 years old, he chose to transition from being a woman to a man. But before we talk about Eli, let91裸聊视频檚 consider a little background.

The evolving nature of gender identity has galvanized opinions around the world and, some would say, created a disproportionate level of concern on the subject. Canadians have not been immune to this phenomenon.

A 2023 Angus Reid survey found more than half (56 per cent) of Canadians are entrenched in their view that individuals should be identified as male or female 91裸聊视频� while 34 per cent said that is too limiting 91裸聊视频� and hate crimes against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are on the rise, according to Canadians United Against Hate.

The 2021 census and information compiled by Statistics Canada found that one in 300 people in Canada aged 15 and older identified as transgender or non-binary.

Protests that mirror the transphobia, biphobia and homophobia wave that has engulfed parts of the United States have been on the rise in Canada. Books have been banned while protests and threats of violence have been on the rise.

Within that context, let91裸聊视频檚 get back to Mitchell.

Elizabeth Mitchell moved to Sidney in January 2018 after retiring from a career as a radio operator for the Canadian Coast Guard.

She started attending St. Paul91裸聊视频檚 United Church and became a valued volunteer, joining the property committee and then branching out to take on other volunteer jobs in the community such as driving seniors to their medical appointments.

Then life changed.

91裸聊视频淚 was on a cruise in 2022 and something happened,91裸聊视频� Mitchell said. 91裸聊视频淚 can91裸聊视频檛 explain it, but something happened. Eli woke up and I realized that what I was doing just wasn91裸聊视频檛 working. That91裸聊视频檚 when I came out to myself.91裸聊视频�

It wasn91裸聊视频檛 long after that, returning home, Mitchell announced his epiphany to the congregation of his church.

91裸聊视频淚 stood up in church one day 91裸聊视频� and I had no idea that this was coming 91裸聊视频� and I went up to the mike and told them [that I wanted to transition]. It was something I just needed to do.91裸聊视频�

According to Mitchell, this awakening took a long time coming.

91裸聊视频淚 grew up as a girl but never felt like a girl or, later, a woman. I was definitely never a lady,91裸聊视频� Mitchell said. 91裸聊视频淚f someone had called me that, I would have slugged them.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲hen I was a little kid, I wanted my mother to put a fly in my pajamas. She wouldn91裸聊视频檛 do it,91裸聊视频� Mitchell added. 91裸聊视频淚n grade four at school, I always wanted to line up with the boys. I liked going out when I was eight or nine wearing shorts and no top, just like the other boys. In high school, I wanted to take shop instead of home economics. The list goes on, but all the markers were always there.91裸聊视频�

And in terms of sexual attraction, things were equally confusing.

91裸聊视频淚 was never a lesbian. I91裸聊视频檓 not attracted to women; I91裸聊视频檓 attracted to men. But all the boyfriends I91裸聊视频檇 had had not been right because they were straight. I was attracted to gay guys, but they were not accessible to me.91裸聊视频�

Mitchell also relayed how he91裸聊视频檇 always wanted a beard (he has one now) and how he finally has been able to join a men91裸聊视频檚 choir, something he91裸聊视频檇 wanted to do for 30 years.

But beyond the numerous 91裸聊视频榤arkers91裸聊视频�, Mitchell said he91裸聊视频檇 always known he was not in the right body.

After coming out to the community, Mitchell started his hormone therapy and began his surgical transition. He also changed his name to Eli and was re-baptized under that name.

And while Mitchell reports that he is now happy with himself, perhaps for the first time in his life, he doesn91裸聊视频檛 see himself as an advocate for the trans-community or for 2SLGBTQIA+ issues.

91裸聊视频淚 won91裸聊视频檛 stand on a soapbox and try to change people91裸聊视频檚 minds about things; all I know is what was right for me,91裸聊视频� Mitchell said.

Asked about his feelings on the anti-trans sentiment that seems to be on the rise, he91裸聊视频檚 philosophic.

91裸聊视频淚t saddens me,91裸聊视频� Mitchell said. 91裸聊视频淯nderstand that I didn91裸聊视频檛 have a choice. It wasn91裸聊视频檛 me making a choice. It would have been a choice not to do it once I had woken up. If I can just talk to people openly as I meet them and maybe change a few minds or educate some people, then I91裸聊视频檝e done my job.91裸聊视频�

And while Mitchell is now at peace with his transition, he wondered how the community had reacted.

91裸聊视频淲hen I made my announcement in church, all I felt was the love and acceptance all around me,91裸聊视频� Mitchell said.

Reverend Cheryl Black confirmed Mitchell91裸聊视频檚 perception.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think there was a single person (in the congregation) that was negative about it,91裸聊视频� Black said. 91裸聊视频淓lizabeth was well known by the congregation and people didn91裸聊视频檛 know exactly what it meant91裸聊视频� nor, I suppose, did Eli. We just said, 91裸聊视频榃hatever this transition is, we love you; whatever happens91裸聊视频�.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淧eople can now see the difference in his zest for life. Becoming himself has released energy and his enthusiasm for life. He now has an anticipation of what the days are going to bring and is comfortable in how he thinks and presents himself. It91裸聊视频檚 in congruence with who he91裸聊视频檚 always been.91裸聊视频�

Mitchell91裸聊视频檚 neighbour (who asked to go unnamed) agrees.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e known Eli since 2015 and I91裸聊视频檓 very happy for him. He seems so much happier,91裸聊视频� said the neighbour. 91裸聊视频淚t takes some courage. Even if he isn91裸聊视频檛 facing people who openly take him on right now, you know that he91裸聊视频檚 going to encounter some at some point91裸聊视频�even if it91裸聊视频檚 just microaggressions.91裸聊视频�

The neighbour is particularly relevant to the situation since, more than two years ago, one of his two sons began the transition process and is now identified as a girl.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been apparent for years that she is trapped in the wrong body. She91裸聊视频檚 on hormone blockers now and we are working with her to allow her the time to develop the maturity she needs to make her final decisions,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭his fall, she91裸聊视频檒l be attending a new school where some of the kids know her, but for the most part everyone has been very supportive.91裸聊视频�

Mitchell spoke about witnessing this transition as an important, perhaps critical factor in his own awakening.

91裸聊视频淚 saw this little girl doing this very hard thing and I saw that she had the courage to do what I wished I91裸聊视频檇 done when I was young,91裸聊视频� said Mitchell. 91裸聊视频淭here are people who oppose transitioning and come up with excuses like the (monetary) cost to society. My response is that you can pay those costs, or you can deal with the costs of cleaning up after people who turn to drugs and alcohol to deal with a broken life. Even worse, you can deal with suicides.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淎ll I know is that I91裸聊视频檓 happy now,91裸聊视频� said Mitchell. 91裸聊视频淚 know that I won91裸聊视频檛 be dying in the wrong body.91裸聊视频�