Though he was employed as a female professional model, he was generally dissatisfied with his identity and existence, and 'was not loving life'. This was not well received by his family, and according to Angel, 'They were going to put me in a mental institution.' Unaware of the existence of treatments for gender dysphoria such as hormone replacement therapy, he lived for years trying to conform to expectations of femininity, during which time he took drugs and drank alcohol. They thought that he needed help because he claimed to have reached a point of 'total disconnection' from society. Īfter a suicidal gesture in high school, Angel's parents sent him to therapy.
To cope with his distress, he used alcohol and marijuana as a means of self-medication. Angel described the bullying as harming his communication skills as a result of psychological distress. He was subjected to bullying in school, due to gender non-conforming behavior and clothing. Growing up as a tomboy, his gender-atypical behavior during childhood was generally accepted at home, but as his secondary sex characteristics continued to develop around age 16, his home and school life became increasingly tense. He was born female and given a feminine name. Angel was born in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles on June 5, 1962.
