Mathew Wilkie did not consider the idea of being transgender until the age of 21.

Growing up female in Sheffield, Mat had always been confused about the differences between girls and boys but had never given the concept much thought.

“I didn’t know that other people understood or felt similar things to how I felt”, he told STV News.

“We didn’t have any mention of it when I was at school or anything, and I didn’t pay much attention to media.

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“I’d always felt that I didn’t understand gender or why girls were treated differently to boys when I was a young person, I suppose because I didn’t realise that society didn’t see me as a boy.”

It wasn’t until a friend’s offhand comment that Mat realised there were more facets to gender identity.

“After this person mentioned that they were genderqueer I started talking to them about what it meant to be transgender, and I did a lot of reading online and talking to different people, whilst beginning my own social transition too.”

The term resonated with Mat’s own experiences of confusion and anguish around identity, and he made the decision to tell his parents of his newfound gender.

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Mat’s family “didn’t really know anything” about being transgender and were worried about his decision.

“My parents were initially dubious about me being transgender. They are now fully supportive and see me as who I am, but that has taken a few years,” he explained.

When I first came out to them I was at a low point in my life, struggling with a lot of gender dysphoria and depression so they understandably wanted me to try and get mental health support before I made any ‘big decisions’ like changing my name or medically transitioning.

“They questioned whether I was really trans – it was new to them, despite it being something I had known for a long time.”

The social transition meant buying a chest binder to wear to work and speaking to close friends about his feeling and issues of self-identification.

A student at the time, Mat was working on a placement in Sweden, and on return to Edinburgh he took the opportunity to forge his new identity.

“I started to present as a man every day, changed my name, and asked my friends to refer to me using ‘he/him’ pronouns.

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“During this time I went to my GP and asked them to refer me to the gender identity clinic so I could begin my medical transition too.”

But while in social terms Mat was beginning to feel more comfortable presenting as a man; he was also facing significant problems in achieving the transition he needed.

On Thursday, the Scottish Transgender Alliance (STA) gave evidence at Holyrood about the issues faced by transgender people when getting treatment on the NHS, with MSPS hearing that transgender people in Scotland still face discrimination and delays in the health service.

Mat himself faced a huge wait in his quest to transition.

“From initial referral it was a 17 month wait until I got my first appointment to see the gender specialist at the Sandyford Clinic,” he said.

“I then waited three months for a second appointment, where I was prescribed testosterone to begin my medical transition.

“From there it was another four months until I was next seen.”

He has not yet completed his treatment, and is still waiting for news on the timescale of his continued transition.

Treatment struggle: Mathew had to wait 17 months. Mathew Wilkie

STA manager James told STV News that attitudes were changing but more funding was needed in the NHS.

“Gender Identity Clinics are severely understaffed so transgender people have to wait over a year just to get a first appointment to speak to one of the four gender specialists in Scotland.

“The distress caused by being left waiting in limbo for over a year can result in severe depression, self-harm and even suicide.”

Mat recalls his 17-month wait for a referral as “excruciating”, and found he was falling into depression and even contemplating suicide as he faced his gender dysphoria.

“It felt like I couldn’t progress with my life as myself and having to live how I was took so much mental energy,” he said.

“I was depressed and even suicidal at some points, as well as having very high levels of anxiety.”

“Gender dysphoria means that I am unhappy with the way that my body is perceived by society – and when you go out every day and are misgendered because you don’t look masculine or feminine enough it really impacts your confidence and your ability to interact with others.”

The toll of his mental health struggles nearly cost Mat his future career.

“It is exhausting. You don’t want to do things like go swimming or to the gym, or sign up to new clubs, or are worried about making new friends in case they don’t see you as the gender you are.

“You can’t leave the house without making sure you look as much as possible how you want to be perceived and that can be very isolating.

“This got so bad that I nearly dropped out of my mechanical engineering degree, which would have been disastrous.”

LGBTQI+: Mathew has found comfort in the trans community. Mathew Wilkie

Now 25 and studying for a PhD, Mat credits the strength and support of his family and friends as helping him get through the battle.

“It makes such a difference having their support. Now they are excited with me about physical and mental changes I’m experiencing, as they can see how much healthier I am.”

He has also found comfort among Glasgow’s LGBTQI+ community, and credits the Scottish Transgender Alliance for their practical and emotional help.

“All my friends now are supportive of me, because if a friend wasn’t supportive I cut them out of my life – there’s no point being around people who don’t accept me for who I am, when there are loads of brilliant people who do.”