What are you supposed to do when you are forced to adopt a narrative about your experience that doesn’t tell the whole story? Transgender people have to be diagnosed with “gender dysphoria” in order to gain access to medically transitioning through surgery and hormones. And
transgender people are often only offered media narratives of transgender people “feeling trapped in the wrong body”. Now more than ever, there is a vital need for more expansive transgender narratives that go beyond focusing on just the physical aspects of gender transition.

Ashton Colby is a social entrepreneur, certified yoga teacher, YouTuber https://www.youtube.com/ashtoncolby

He began his gender transition in 2012 and has since become a spiritual bridge-builder reimagining the traditional media narratives of what it means to be transgender. Ashton speaks on not just the physical, but the mental, emotional, and spiritual changes one must undergo to not simply transition but thrive.

Ashton founded Gender YOUphoria, a movement that flips the script on the diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Gender YOUphoria gives name to the profound peak experience of finally aligning all areas of life through gender expression. Ashton Colby is a social entrepreneur, certified yoga teacher, YouTuber and writer from Columbus, Ohio. He began his gender transition in 2012 and has since become a spiritual bridge-builder reimagining the traditional media narratives of what it means to be transgender.
His story and YouTube channel, “Beyond the Body,” have been featured on People.com, Today.com and many other media outlets. Ashton speaks on not just the physical, but the mental, emotional, and spiritual changes one must undergo to not simply transition but thrive.

As a social entrepreneur, Ashton founded Gender YOUphoria, a movement that flips the script on the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, which is required for transgender people to access medical transition. Gender YOUphoria gives name to the profound peak experience of finally aligning all areas of life through gender expression.

Ashton regularly teaches yoga and meditation to transgender youth. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx