Hi! I am Lee David Carter, and this is my story.

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For the longest time, I felt trapped. I was always waiting. Waiting for something good to happen, something to change, and for an experience to jolt me out of my oblivion and put me on the path to recovery, and I would know what to do to get there. But little did I know, more than the journey to recovery, it knows that you need it that hurts. Yes, cleaning up is messy, but how do you know what to clean up and where to start? I will be honest with you; I did not do it alone. I think I was one of the lucky ones who had someone all along. Between my spiritual guidance, me, and my friends and family, everyone has been a different guiding light, showing me parts of me that I didn’t even know existed.

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I lost myself to the sexually, emotionally, and mentally traumatic situations I was put in mainly by my parents as I was a little child. I am the oldest of three siblings, and we would often wind up alone at home, without even knowing if mom or dad would come home for dinner. When I was Lisa, the only thing I knew was that I wanted to get out of my body because Lee was fighting his way through to let the world know who I really was. With no guidance as a child and financial, mental, and emotional burdens to manage, I repressed myself into gender dysphoria, which kept pressing through for years and caused a plethora of other mental and physical issues such as depression, identity crisis, anger issues, and so many other related and unrelated issues where untangling them has taken quite a few years, although I am not complaining!

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Once I started getting better, I started understanding the purpose of my life, although I still have a long way to go. I decided it was enough what others had done to me and that fixing myself should come with making sure no one else has to meet the fate that I did. Years later, I worked my way up the ladder, and today, I am one of the core advocates for the LGBTQ2S+ community and a member of the Clacton Pride Committee, working to raise awareness about queer youth through knowledge and education.

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In my time here, I wish to be the change I want to see; an inclusive world where everyone, especially the troubled LGBTQ2S+ youth, is empowered to do what it wants to make a difference in the world. I wish to provide a platform for my people to grow and evolve in a safe environment where they are proud of who they are!