• Transgender people have been sharing their pre and post-transition photos on social media for International Transgender Day of Visibility.
  • The images celebrate both those who have been through their journey and people who are just starting to question their gender identity.
  • It can be painful for transgender people to revisit the past, but many share their photos to show anyone who might be struggling that things can and do get better.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

March 31 marked International Transgender Day of Visibility, and many trans people shared photos of before and after their transitions on social media with the hashtag #TDOV.

Twitter is now filled with images that celebrate and support trans people – both those who have already been through their own personal journeys and those who are just starting to question their gender identity.

“TDOV is a day that means a lot to the trans community in general,” Leah, who shared her own photos, told Insider. “It represents our personal struggles for our authenticity and to show others that we exist. We are out there. We’re your cashiers, your wait staff, your doctors, your lawyers and so much more.”

Leah said she posts because she wants to show people who might not be out yet that things do get better.

"It can take time, but it does get better!" she said.

https://twitter.com/LeahAmelia1/status/1245014956703207425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

There are tons of #TDOV posts on Twitter and Instagram. Here is a handful of them.

https://twitter.com/sidneemeow/status/1244961723829739520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/Shlatz/status/1245005291302924288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/backtrvck/status/1245014381483528192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

One of the most important messages from celebrating TDOV is that all trans people are valid, whether or not they have been through their transition.

Sharing old photos can be painful for trans people because often pre-transition memories are paired with looking back on struggles they had with coming out, mental health, and anxieties over acceptance. So understandably, some choose to keep their former identities hidden to the wider public.

For others, like Leah, remembering how much these kinds of posts helped her overpower any worries. Back then, Leah thought to herself: "Wow, they're so pretty, I really want to look like them someday."

"It can be difficult to share those photos but I see it as something that could help a scared or lonely pre-transition person," she said. "It's only one photo, but maybe it'll help someone out there to feel less alone or less scared, knowing that there's a whole community out there for them."

Read more:

Transgender people are having to indefinitely postpone gender-affirming surgeries due to the coronavirus pandemic

Meet the transgender YouTubers and their partners teaching viewers there is no set narrative to being trans and everyone is so much more than their gender identity

A transgender drag performer with coronavirus symptoms said it's 'the least scary' thing she's been through

Bad Bunny paid tribute to a murdered transgender woman on the Jimmy Fallon Show

Dwyane Wade said his daughter Zaya knew her gender identity for 9 years before coming out