Jessica Vorster is a young South African transgender woman who documents her transition journey on YouTube. Initially, she started sharing her experiences in the hope of raising money for gender-affirming surgeries, but soon discovered that people were also interested in the personal story behind her transition. Living full time since December 2013, Jessica was happy with the changes brought about by hormone therapy and looked forward to the next stages of her transition. A cheerful, talkative person who enjoyed helping others, she hoped that sharing her story would encourage other transgender women to embrace themselves and find the courage to live authentically.
Jessica is also outspoken about the challenges facing transgender women in South Africa, including discrimination in the workplace and difficulties navigating the legal process of changing one's name and gender. Although she is not directly involved in politics, she believes that transgender women can make a real difference by entering political life. She also recognizes the importance of transgender representation in the media, both in helping cisgender people understand their experiences and in reassuring young transgender people that they are not alone. Supported by her loving fiancé, Jessica dreams of completing her surgeries, running her own business and establishing a nonprofit organization to help transgender people who cannot afford gender-affirming care.
