To get a better sense of how England’s new policy will impact the country’s trans youth, we spoke with 18-year-old trans man and Mermaids service userAlex Vellins However, Mandy has been singing since she was a child, and she was determined not to let her hearing loss impact her love of music. "[I] figured out how to get back into singing using muscle memory, visual tuners, and trusting my pitch," she explained. She added that she often takes her shoes off while performing because she's able to feel the tempo through vibrations in the floor. I definitely would like to see more of my talent being utilized outside of it being about my gender and the pain that comes with being ostracized by society. I think that's the only use that people see trans people for right now. The only time people are finding a use for our performance or our ability to act is to demonstrate pain, the pain of [being ostracized], the pain of our gender being dissected. I think we're reaching a place where we're getting to work outside of it just being about our gender. We just get to see cis people reflect and utilize their ability to perform in ways that get to represent doctors. They get to represent different occupations, cashiers, just different heroes. We get to imagine cis people outside of even everyday functions, but trans people only seem to be seen through our gender and what people dislike or like or fetishize about that. I'm waiting for us to move past that point. Because I can direct my services, I get to do many things other young adults with disabilities don’t get to do. I am a volunteer teacher’s assistant at a school where I work with kids from preschool to eighth grade, and I used to work at a clothing store for young girls and pre-teens. I’ve been learning skills to help me live more independently, such as shopping, understanding nutrition, cooking, and doing my laundry. My support staff also helps me do fun things like bowling, going on trips to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, or seeingHello, Dolly!