Digital Transgender Archive

Interview with Dominic Giovon Chilko

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Dominic Giovon Chilko identifies as a biracial straight trans man and was assigned female at birth. He grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and was adopted as a baby by his parents. Around the age of 7 or 8 they moved to Minnesota. He grew up always wanting to take his shirt off, play in the dirt, and not deal with girly stuff. He remembers feeling like a man or boy even at the age of 3. He doesn’t have any girl memories, he explains. He didn’t dress up or style his hair. Instead he played with trucks and GI Joes, played in the mud, and always wanted to be around boys. In school he states that he was an openly gay woman dating girls, dressing as a “thugged out” dude with short hair, sagging pants, and no belt. He identified as a lesbian, then as a stud. He felt like he wanted something more, however. He went to school at Everest Institute in Eagan, Minnesota to be a medical assistant. He didn’t like working as a medical assistant, however, and so he started delivering dry cleaning, worked for Uber, and then settled into being a PCA, which he loves. After college he began to figure things out. After he met a white trans guy who explained transitioning to him, he was shocked and no longer felt like he was crazy. He saw Boys Don’t Cry previously but he didn’t realize transitioning and going on hormones was a possibility. He then called the University of Minnesota Center for Sexual Health and got a therapist who suggested going on hormones to him. He started working out and now is into competitive bodybuilding. Two months later he started testosterone. He’s now been on testosterone for 3 years. He now feels comfortable and safe knowing that he’s doing what he needs to do for himself. He also had top surgery and has no plans for bottom surgery. He’s in the process of getting his hysterectomy. He calls Buck Angel his dad. Buck Angel is an adult film star who is a mentor to Chilko. He’s on good terms with his adopted family who accept him. Chilko is aslo featured in a documentary about trans male bodybuilders called Man Made. He’s been a performer since he was 11 in plays and choir and then later drag. He’s also a rapper under the name Lil One. He wears a packer every day and has a STP, a Stand to Pee. He lives with his partner in St. Paul, Minnesota, and they are talking about having kids.

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