Some ways to communicate are voice, body language, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. I use a few ways to communicate:Â
My first way is my voice. It is hard to understand but people who know me like staff, friends, and family can usually tell what I am saying. It takes longer than when most people speak but I like it better than other strategies. Almost everyone I hang out with can somewhat understand me after hanging out enough. For really complex words or if someone isn't getting a word, sometimes I sing the alphabet to spell each letter. I'm terrible at spelling but usually I can get at least the first letter.
My second way is body language and expressions. I point with my eyes to what I am referring to if it's in view. I communicate with a lot of facial expressions and head movements.
My third way is using my eye gaze AAC. I avoid using it as a AAC since it is slower and more difficult. I mostly use it as a computer, not for my voice, but it is helpful when I am in class in case nobody understands what my voice is saying.
My fourth way is my phone. I can use my thumb to type on the phone keyboard. Autocomplete helps a lot, since typing out a full word can take a long time.
I graduated from my IB high school with highest honors, and I'm in college now. Class materials aren't always very accessible, so it takes work to get them in a format I can use, and often more time to use them even if they are in an accessible format. Because my eye gaze computer takes longer to type, writing can take a long time. I also sometimes dictate with my voice to a staff to write which takes much less time. To read, I need to use an E-reader, an audio book, or have staff read aloud. That's why I have accommodations and am taking reduced credits per semester.
In high school I had 1:1 help. I used to have my para with me for the majority of the day to write things for me on paper because I can't handwrite. In college, most stuff is online, and professors can put it online if it isn't already, since that is the only way I can use materials.
Since the school doesn't have the major I want, I'm building my own. I'm majoring in political science, disability studies, and LGBT+ studies, with an emphasis on trans studies.
It's really hard to find helpful advice about social life and dating as a disabled trans person. People (especially older folks) tend to baby-talk to me. Other people avoid me because they are bigoted or uncomfortable. Once I know people it is fine, but making new friends, and especially dating is hard. Generally because of the ableism, not because I'm trans. People don't always recognize me as a full social, romantic, and sexual being. People often have invasive questions around my body, or are afraid to ask actual useful, practical questions. Usually the ones they ask are just rude. I want to break down the stigma around being disabled and dating.