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Natalie Medina tells PEOPLE her cousin helped teach her hair care after years of feeling she had missed those experiences growing up in a conservative household
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Natalie Medina, 28, shared a TikTok showing her cousin, Yesenia Gamboa, helping her dye and care for her curly hair after her transition
Medina tells PEOPLE that growing up in a conservative household meant she wasn’t allowed many experiences she now associates with womanhood
She says her family’s acceptance, from regular FaceTime calls to her 89-year-old great-grandmother correcting herself when she misgenders her, has given her the confidence to live authentically
Natalie Medina didn’t expect one of the most meaningful moments of her transition to happen over a box of hair dye.
In a TikTok that has resonated with viewers, the 28-year-old sat beside her cousin, Yesenia Gamboa, 29, as the pair dyed their hair together. The text overlay read, “POV: your family teaching you girl things as a baby trans girl,” capturing what Medina says was the first time she’d gotten to experience those everyday moments with her family after coming out as transgender.
“Having recently undergone two major surgeries, facial feminization surgery and a breast augmentation, this was my very first time going out to do activities as my true self with my family,” Medina tells PEOPLE. “Because I wanted to learn how to properly take care of and style my hair, she stepped in to guide me through the process.”
Gamboa had traveled from the Midwest to visit Medina in California, and she came prepared. Since the cousins share the same curly, wavy hair texture, Gamboa picked up curling cream designed for their hair type and walked Medina through how to use it, from styling techniques to everyday hair care.
“She spent that time showing me the exact techniques to use, making it a deeply meaningful and practical moment of connection for us,” Medina says.
Growing up, Medina never imagined she’d have moments like that with her family. She says she waited until later in life to come out because she was raised in a conservative household, unsure how the people closest to her would respond.
“When I finally did come out, they chose to love and accept me completely, though it has been a continuous journey rather than something that just happened overnight,” she says. “Having their support and encouragement changes absolutely everything in my day-to-day life because it means I am finally free to just exist as myself.”
That support doesn’t stop when the visits end. Although most of Medina’s family lives thousands of miles away, she says they regularly call, FaceTime and text to check in, reminding her to stay strong and encouraging her to be unapologetically herself.
The TikTok also prompted conversations about Medina’s use of the phrase “girl things.” Some viewers questioned the wording, but Medina says the message wasn’t about suggesting hair care belongs to women.
Instead, she says it reflected something much more personal. Growing up, she wasn’t allowed to grow out her hair because she had been assigned male at birth, leaving her to figure out basic hair care as an adult.
“Taking care of yourself ultimately isn’t tied to any specific gender,” Medina says. “But the real significance is being allowed to do the things my family previously restricted simply because I was assigned male at birth.”
She hopes others who are beginning their own transitions take comfort in knowing there’s no single roadmap.
“There is no official handbook on how to be trans, especially when you are finally allowing yourself later in life to evolve into your true, authentic self,” she says. “Things happen exactly when they are supposed to, and it is always okay to ask for help when you feel lost.”
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While Medina says she’s fortunate to have several queer family members, no one in her family had come out as transgender before she did. Learning how to support her was new for everyone, but she says most of her relatives embraced that opportunity with love.
Some of the gestures have been small, but they’ve stayed with her.
“Even my 89-year-old great-grandmother intentionally corrects herself whenever she accidentally misgenders me,” Medina says. “It reminds me that we should always allow people the space to continue to evolve and spread love.”
Read the original article on People
