About Me

My name is Micah Leroy I have cerebral palsy and many more conditions. I am also a trans masc human. When I was born my umbilical cord was wrapped around my neck 3 times, and I didn't breathe independently for 27 minutes. this is why I'm in a wheelchair and what caused me to get cerebral palsy. 

I'm sharing my life as a trans man and disabled adult with you because I want people to know that it's possible to be disabled and trans.

Cerebral Palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement, balance, and posture. They are categorized into four types: Spastic, Athetoid, Ataxic, and Mixed. I have mixed CP. Intellectual or cognitive delays may sometimes occur with CP, but that is a result of the brain damage causing the condition, not because of the CP itself. There is nothing about Cerebral Palsy that affects a person's potential to comprehend the world on its own, make choices, or understand concepts such as gender and sex. But if you have other things going on with you then you might but that is not the case for me. It is a spectrum of disability, and it affects everyone differently.

Following resuscitation at birth, I spent nearly three weeks in an incubator at Children's Hospital before my parents could finally take me home. Looking back, I am lucky to have survived, but the experience left me disabled. I cannot walk and also have a speech impediment and must rely on other individuals to assist me with numerous tasks. It wasn't until I was two years old that I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

My life has been a process of adjusting and attempting to make things simpler my entire life. I heard about Deep Brain Stimulators (DBS) in the first grade after my doctor brought it up and questioned whether or not they would be able to assist. My family did not pursue obtaining one until I was 13 since it was still experimental. Since receiving the device implanted, I have discovered that I am able to manage my movements a lot more.

When I was 14 I joined a student group and was with other LGBTQ students who asked me about my pronouns. I didn't even know what pronouns were at the time, but that's how I knew I was trans. Due to COVID-19, I didn't come out to my family and friends until the final day of 8th grade, June 7 2020. I sent a text to my closest friends and told them I was transgender and that I wished to be called Mike. I saw a video with my favorite actor, Micah Fowler, and his name just resonated with me, so I decided to use it. That’s how I became Micah Leroy.

I realized I just wanted to be myself, so I went ahead and came out publicly, started hormone therapy, and underwent top surgery. These decisions were my own, and I made them independently. Throughout high school, I managed to make doctor's appointments, change my name and sex legally, and remind others to adjust to using my new name and pronouns. I knew most of what I did about transitioning through the internet, specifically YouTube, as it was easier for me to access.

My gender identity in everyday life does not affect me much in the way that I interact with others, my disability affects me more. It was assumed by some friends that I was a cis man—not due to disability, but because I pass well. Disability does NOT equal lack or quality of life.