My name is Taylor Melamed, and I’m a communications major with an emphasis in public relations — and I’m a very proud Wolverine.

I grew up in Los Angeles, California, in an Iranian-American family. For lack of a better phrase, I always knew I was different. I knew from a very early age that I was different from all the other girls, and it wasn't until I began attending college that I realized I was transgender. I had a crush on another girl in kindergarten, and it did not go over well with those around me. This was in the early 2000s, so LGBTQ acceptance wasn't as widespread as it is now. Though my parents had LGBTQ friends, they did not know how to respond to me, but they did their best.

When I got to high school, I began to struggle with my mental health. I was diagnosed with ADHD, and learning was difficult for me. After my junior year, I told my parents, "Enough is enough. I need to transfer schools — I can't be here anymore." They found a therapeutic boarding school called Discovery Academy in Provo, Utah, and I transferred there to get the help that I needed. There, I learned coping skills and how to be the best version of myself. I also realized at Discovery Academy that my then-current identity as a lesbian was not quite fitting. I met a non-binary student at the academy and learned more about gender identity and selecting pronouns, and up until that point, I had not realized that was an option for me. I'd always felt like "one of the guys" and struggled to relate to my female friends.

I was attracted to UVU because I wanted to stay in Utah once I was done at Discovery Academy. I thought I would transfer to another university after a couple of years, but I ended up loving it here so much that I didn’t want to leave! I got involved in UVUSA and found my own chosen family, and I realized that this was the place for me. UVUSA helped me blossom into the leader I felt was always within me. I love our mission statement and the diversity among the students, and I truly feel that I’ve received a well-rounded education here. My professors and mentors believed in me when no one else did, including myself. They were willing to meet me halfway and propel me to where I wanted to be, kind of like a cannon. 

Once I began attending UVU, I started experimenting with different pronouns to see what made me feel comfortable and what did not. During my freshman year, I was in a stress management class, and my professor asked me what my pronouns were. I told her that my pronouns were he/him but that I was scared of people finding out, so she could refer to me as she/her in front of everyone else. At the end of the semester, I felt comfortable enough to tell everyone that I was transgender — and since then, I have not looked back.

Everyone reacted very well when I came out as trans, which is something I did not expect. My parents do their very best to support me. There are no pronouns in Farsi — a native language of Iran — so sometimes they get my pronouns wrong, but I know that they're trying and love me. I remember shaking when I told some of my friends in the UVUSA offices, but they were so supportive and accepting. I realized that the phrase "Come as you are '' really rang true. I felt free of judgment, and people came to my aid to fight for me as I had always wanted. I felt for a long time that the person I always wanted to be was hiding, but at UVU, I’ve grown into my personality and become that person.

I will be graduating from UVU in May 2022. Post-graduation, I would love to work for a sportswear company like Nike or Adidas and advocate for the transgender community. I don’t like to be tokenized, but I think I have a good grasp of what is and what isn’t okay. I’m a very avid sports fan and would love to work with the leagues, teams, and players and gain “a seat at the table.” UVU has given me the tools to chase after my dreams and the drive to do what I want.

To any current or prospective students that may be in a similar situation to me, I would say hang in there and stay strong. There is love and acceptance for you, and UVU can be a place for you. Don't be afraid to reach out to LGBTQ Student Services or to people that you trust. Just do YOU! The best advice that I can give is always to be you and stay true to yourself. Don't try to change for anyone else, and live with no regrets.