Imagine taking a selfie every single morning, no exceptions, with the same neutral face, capturing every day of your transformation. That’s exactly what Chevonne Mecan, a brave trans woman and journalist from Boston, did. After years of filming others, she turned the camera on herself. The result? An intimate, raw, and deeply moving video diary of her journey from a confused young man to an authentic woman.
Chevonne grew up in Florida but as a teenager couldn’t articulate the discomfort she felt with her body. Only after finishing college and working as a camerawoman at a local TV station did she realize something was deeply missing. Watching the people she filmed, they all seemed somehow more at peace in their own skin than she was. After coming across a series of before-and-after transition graphics, it dawned on her: she was transgender. Soon after, she began hormone therapy, and taking daily selfies became her routine and way to document her path.
Her video collages show not just physical changes but her acceptance of herself and the liberation of her authentic identity. They capture the hard days too — exhaustion after Hurricane Ian, eczema covering her face, but also moments of love and support from her boyfriend Noah Vandeverf, who occasionally appears in the montages. Despite the political climate in Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis is imposing restrictions on medical treatments for trans people, Chevonne decided to start therapy immediately and moved to New Hampshire, then Boston, for better healthcare access.
Chevonne doesn’t plan on gender confirmation surgery or voice training, feeling she is already finally herself. Humor was her medicine during the transition — she filmed a series of selfies where she appears to shave her mustache gradually over weeks, though she actually shaved it all at once, and another video jokingly attributing her transition to living near a 5G tower for five months, which sparked confused messages from Russia and the Middle East. She says humor helped make the transition process less scary and easier to understand for those who might doubt.
Today, Chevonne doesn’t edit videos as often, preferring to live her transition rather than constantly document it. Still, she hopes her footage will help others recognize themselves and make decisions. As a journalist, she calls this her most authentic and honest work ever.
If you thought transition was just a physical change, think again! Chevonne Mecan teaches us that it’s a journey full of challenges, political hurdles, personal battles, but also love, humor, and liberation. So, do you have the guts to face yourself every day? Or will you just watch from the sidelines? Share your thoughts — maybe your story is the next one to be told!
