By Liana Jacob

 

MEET the brothers who were shunned by their family after coming out as transgender just ONE YEAR APART.

Karson pictured (on the left) with Hunter before their transition. MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

Dairy Queen manager, Hunter Myles Wilburn (21), from Georgia, USA, was just a 17-year-old girl when they began to identify as male after years of struggling with gender dysphoria. Despite his friends being supportive when he came out to everyone on Facebook in 2016, his family didnā€™t take it so well.

Karson pictured during his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

The only members of his family that supported him was his youngest brother Taylor and his other brother and chef, Karson Wyatt Inkly (18), who was also going through similar struggles in secret. In October 2018, Hunter began taking testosterone, while his brother, Karson, came out to his family and friends in 2017 and is due to begin taking testosterone in January 2019.

 

Their journeys have helped each other get through their body insecurities and Karson has had a lot of support from his girlfriend, Harmony, since he came out as transgender.

Hunter pictured during his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œI have to try and avoid using public restrooms because I am judged no matter which restroom I use. Weā€™re human and we have feelings too,ā€ Hunter said.

Hunter pictured (on the left) with Karson (on the right) amidst their transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œI first started identifying as male during my junior year of high school where I came out to a close friend. She was and still is very supportive.

Karson pictured with his girlfriend, Harmony, during his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

ā€œI was nervous about coming out to others, but slowly I did and every time I told someone new it took so much weight off my shoulders.

 

ā€œI struggle with dysphoria a lot; mainly with my chest and my voice.Ā I did hide it from my family for the longest time and I hated the way it made me feel.

Karson pictured with his girlfriend, Harmony, during his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œMy mum supports me somewhat, but again my siblings Taylor and Karson are my biggest supporters.

 

ā€œI just made a long post on Facebook telling everyone; the majority of people responded positively but my mum didnā€™t like it one bit.ā€

Hunter pictured before his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

Hunterā€™s big reveal was followed by Karsonā€™s own journey as transgender. While his transition is still fresh, Karson explains how he has now fully embraced his journey along with his brother.

Hunter pictured (on the left) with Karson (on the right) amidst their transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œAt the age of fourteen, I began to feel more comfortable identifying as a man but was still very confused about it all, it wasnā€™t until I was sixteen that I realised that I was transgender,ā€ Karson said.

Hunter pictured (on the left) with Karson before as children before their transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œI began closing myself off from everyone and refused to make friends.Ā I donā€™t have anyone in my family that is supportive. My main supporters are my girlfriend, Harmony, and my best friend and brother, Myles (Hunter).

 

ā€œSince my family didnā€™t accept my transition, I had to hide my true self until I was eighteen-years-old.Ā At age sixteen, I told my brother Myles and my girlfriend Harmony.

Hunter pictured with Karson amidst their transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œAt the age of seventeen, I told my aunt and when I was eighteen, I came out publicly. When I came out to my brother and girlfriend they were accepting.

Hunter pictured as a child before his transition. MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œBut when I came out to my aunt she was not accepting and acted as if I hadnā€™t told her anything at all. When I came out publicly, I was kicked out of my parentsā€™ house at the beginning of this year in February.ā€

Hunter pictured with Karson amidst their transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

Despite the fallout from coming out to their family, Hunter and Karson say they have never felt more like themselves since the reveal.

 

ā€œNow, that Iā€™ve started my transition I feel so much better mentally. Beforehand I really couldnā€™t stand the way I looked because it wasnā€™t the way I saw myself,ā€ Hunter said.

Hunter pictured with Karson amidst their transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œI was always the ā€˜tomboyā€™ growing up, but it was much more than that; growing up my mum always said that our cat was really a dog trapped in a catā€™s body and in the fifth grade I told my classmates that I was really a boy trapped in a girlā€™s body.

Hunter pictured during his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œI recently just started testosterone. Every Wednesday I give myself my shot and thatā€™s my favourite day of the week.ā€

Hunter pictured (on the left) with Karson (on the right) amidst their transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

Karson explains how he has felt since coming out.

 

ā€œBefore coming out, it felt asĀ if there was a weight on my shoulders.Ā I never wanted to look at myself in a mirror and hated the way my body felt and looked,ā€ Karson said.

Karson pictured (on the left) with Hunter before as children before their transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œWhile I havenā€™t yet started my transition yet, I feel I am truly becoming who I am and no longer having to hide my true self.Ā The hardest part is being patient to see results.ā€

Hunter pictured before his transition holding his younger brother Tyler as a baby.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

Hunter explains his new-found confidence.

Hunter pictured during his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œIt has made me more confident in myself and I feel like Iā€™m slowly becoming the person Iā€™ve always been,ā€ Hunter said.

 

ā€œIā€™m slowly learning to love myself and it hasnā€™t really affected my relationships. My family doesnā€™t like it, but I finally stopped worrying about how they feel about it and Iā€™m just focusing on myself and how I feel.

Karson pictured before his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn

 

ā€œThe hardest part was just the starting process. Living in Tennessee is very hard due to being in whatā€™s classified as the ā€˜bible beltā€™ it was very hard finding resources to help me.

 

ā€œMy next step is having top surgery. Iā€™m actually very interested in this surgeon located in Texas.ā€

 

Karson pictured during his transition.
MDWfeatures / Hunter Wilburn