Noni Salma whose original name is Habeeb Lawal, is a Nigerian
transgender. In an interview with Young Africa Media, Noni said she
wished she had transitioned earlier than when she did. According to her,
the only regrets she has about transitioning is that she didn't do it
when she was much younger
"My 20s was just full of emptiness. The only regrets I have is that I
wished I transitioned way earlier. I wish I did it when I was in my
teens".
Noni says she was convinced she was a girl when she was about 5/6 years
old
"When I was 5/6 years old, I was convinced I was a girl and then people started telling people me about it"she said
Noni adds that she doesn't have a problem with Nigerians writing about
her but she however doesn't like it when she is described as a man who
turned into a woman.
"My problem is not about them putting out a story about me. It's about
how they put out the story, Nigerian man turns himself into a woman". I
have never been a man. If you want to find out what transgender is, you
need to find out. Identity varies. There are people who their identity
matches the one they were assigned at birth. Good for them. There are
people whose identity doesn't match with the sex they were assigned at
birth" she said
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