Sheng hopes sharing photos of his transition educates others and encourages transgender teens to share their stories

Adopted from China and raised by two moms in a small Michigan town, Leo Sheng learned to embrace his and others’ differences from an early age.

With help from the supportive LBGTQ community surrounding him and his loving parents, Sheng felt comfortable enough to start identifying as a transgender man in middle school. At the time, Sheng was one of the only transgender males he knew, which led to some difficult moments growing up, but things got better with each passing day.

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In high school, the teen began to share the journey of his transition with others, starting with a school social media project in 10th grade. On Tumblr, Sheng discussed the details of his transition process and the complex feelings that can arise as a result. His initial Tumblr posts received such a positive response from friends, teachers and total strangers, Sheng began sharing photos of his transition on Instagram as well.

Now, Sheng looks forward to opening up to the social following he has built through sharing his journey. The University of Michigan freshman especially enjoys posting to Instagram on #transformationtuesday, adding pictures of the physical and emotional changes he has gone through.

Talking about his transition online has allowed the 18-year-old to connect with other transgender men and women and their families and friends. Overall, he hopes his Instagram account educates others about his life as a transgender man and encourages more transgender individuals to proudly share their stories, especially with National Coming Out Day approaching on Oct. 11.

Take a look below at some of Sheng’s most revealing and inspiring posts about his journey. //storify.com/peoplemag/leo-sheng-shares-story-of-his-transition-on-instag.js?header=none&border=false

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