Queensland transgender woman shares challenges she's faced
While caring for her dying grandfather, Sarah Dowell was in a very dark place.
The transgender woman, 34, from South Australia had finally come out after almost three decades, but claims her family struggled to accept her.
But despite her ongoing battle for acceptance in society, Sarah told FEMAIL on Monday that she has found an 'incredibly positive influence' in her girlfriend, Alexa Charles.
Sarah Dowell (left), 34, told FEMAIL on Monday that she has found an 'incredibly positive influence' in her girlfriend, Alexa Charles (right) since moving to Queensland's Sunshine Coast
She came out to her family after almost three decades
The pair met online almost two years ago and continue to date to this day after an awkward first encounter on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
'It was the most awful date in existence, I thought I would never see her again,' Sarah said.
The pair didn't meet again for another year before Sarah mustered up the courage to ask Alexa for a second date.
'I remembered she mentioned she liked Pokemon Go, which had just come out, and so I asked if she wanted to go play,' she said.
Alexa then moved into Sarah's studio apartment where she continues to offer her unwavering support as she takes transitional hormones.
The pair met online almost two years ago and continue date after an awkward first encounter on Queensland's Sunshine Coast
The pair didn't meet again for another year before Sarah (left) mustered up the courage to ask Alexa (right) for a second date
Sarah - who has been diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety - said the pair act as a team in helping each other through their hardest times.
'Lex has been an incredibly positive influence in my life - she has helped me through some of my lowest points and I've helped her too,' she said.
Now living on the Sunshine Coast, she grew up in rural South Australia in the 1990s where she said homophobia and transphobia were prevalent.
Despite questioning her gender representation as early as five, she said she decided to hide who she was and pretend 'to be what people wanted' her to be.
She then moved to Queensland in 2015 to look after her grandfather who was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.
Sarah (left) - who has long been diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety - said the pair act as a team in helping each other through their hardest times
'I looked after him for last six months of his life... I knew I couldn't transition while he was alive because he didn't understand those kinds of things,' Sarah said.
'Once he passed I started on my way.'
Sarah's darkest time came during the Australian marriage law postal survey, which she said led to herself and Alexa experiencing hate both online and in public.
Nonetheless, Sarah welcomed the result of the survey, saying she has plans to eventually marry Alexa once she has gender-affirming surgery in Thailand.
She added: 'We’re just people who have struggled our entire lives to be taken seriously as the people we are.'