To document his progress, Raines started taking a selfie a day in 2012 to see how hormone therapy would change his body.
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After three years of testosterone Jamie had achieved a full beard.
“I just wanted something for me to document my transition”. The following video provides even more details on his transition.
After two years on testosterone medication, facial hair began to appear and more and more changes are now noticeable.
Raines has shared that he was about for when he realized he was born a female and not a male.
Raines said his parents are very supportive and accepting of his decision.
As well as support from his family, Jamie also had his girlfriend Shaaba to turn to.
That film ended up being seen by a TV producer, who featured Jamie and his photos in the Channel 4 documentary Girls to Men. But being able to go back to photos of themselves weeks, months or years prior allows trans people to see the transformation they don’t recognize by just looking at themselves in the mirror each day.
“It feels like it takes ages for things to start happening but then when it does start everything changes really quickly”, Raines said, when asked his advice to those about to start testosterone treatment.
By the time he was 17, Raines knew he identified as transgender.
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Last week, Gabrielle Diana Gladu, 16 years old from Ontario, was caught emotional in a video when she found out her name had been legally changed after months of waiting.
