Farmer comes out as trans at 65, proving it’s never too late to be your true, authentic self
Erica Coates wears pink wellington boots around the farm since she told the world she is trans (Pexels)
A farmer from rural Ireland has proven that it’s never too late to be your authentic self by coming out as trans at the age of 65.
Erica Coates, who runs her own farm in Cork, Ireland, told the world that she is a trans woman on RTÉ Radio One yesterday (July 3).
Erica always knew there was something “a bit different” about her – but it was when she saw a trans person on Irish television that things started to change.
“I always wanted to leave my hair long and loved the idea of having earrings and jewellery but I never knew anything about transgender,” she said.
“I had just kept it to myself totally for years and years,” she said.
Erica Coates, a farmer from Ireland, wears pink wellington boots on the farm since she came out as trans.
Last year, Erica went into a local Debenhams store in Cork to buy make-up and ended up telling the woman working at the stand that she is a trans woman.
“She was the first person in the world that I said it to her, a complete stranger. I was getting that way, slowly but surely, more feminine bit by bit but that was the day the gate opened and from then on, I was just going across that bridge and I wasn’t going back and that was it.”
I wake in the morning and see my nails done and I wear a dress or a skirt or something and I can’t explain it, but it just feels so right.
From that day on, Erica started to feel free to live her life. She went to her GP and has been receiving support from the Cork Transgender Peer Support Group.
“A lot of people have said to me that from the time I came out and crossed that bridge, they told me ‘You’ve totally changed completely – you’re always happy now’,” Erica said.
“I wake in the morning and see my nails done and I wear a dress or a skirt or something and I can’t explain it, but it just feels so right.”
She now wears pink wellington boots and a skirt while working on the farm.
She is ‘delighted’ she told the world she is trans.
Speaking to The Irish Times, Erica said she was “nervous as hell” about telling the world that she is trans, but has been overwhelmed by the positive reaction.
“Since I came off the radio this afternoon, the phone hasn’t stopped between calls and texts and emails,” she said.
“All these people ringing up to say fair play, well done and congratulations. It’s all been positive so I’m delighted.”
