I was born a boy in 1998 in the quiet city of Namur. A single soft-voiced mother raised me. I used to gaze into her mirror as a child while she applied her makeup. I wanted to be like her.
Mum was fabulous. A former model and a single parent. We were inseparable. I was her little Corygan. Little did she know that choosing mascara over truck toys would lead her young 'boy' to an adolescence surviving verbal abuse, physical attacks, and police officers in uniforms deliberately calling me sir.
My childhood was marked by a natural attraction to feminine objects, including makeup, clothing, and high heels. Even at school, I didn't fit into any box, and that led to bullying. Heavy bullying. I internalised the hurt and refused to conform to the stereotypes. I embraced my androgynous appearance.
Around 2015, I began to explore my identity with what I thought was my 'homosexuality' and developed two primary passions: makeup and photography. I started participating in photo shoots and runway shows. My visibility skyrocketed quickly. Facebook and Instagram Lives and Reels reached hundreds of thousands of views.
Calysta (Corygan) as a child in her mother's home
That didn't sit well with my family, some of whom are Jehovah's Witnesses. I already knew they'd be reluctant to accept me. I've never been close to my extended family anyway. The only person who's truly been there for me has always been my mum. She supported me even when it wasn't easy for her; she had a lot of fears and questions, but to this day, I get choked up when she calls me 'my darling daughter'. It's the unconditional love of a mother and a reassurance that I am being seen and heard.
But my life changed when I decided to go on a delightful little French 'freak' show where marginalised people came to be judged and made fun of by the entire nation. I was 18, and I was confused. I called myself 'androgynous' on the programme and was presented as such. Later on, I came to understand that the title I gave the programme wasn't a lie; it was a survival mechanism. The 'me' inside, the 'her' inside, was screaming to get out, but was scared.
I started posting videos of my life on YouTube. Transitioning publicly and being visible gave me the attention I was craving as a woman. The irony is that I was also deeply terrified. It felt less like an act of courage and more like a sport that gave me the right amount of adrenaline rush. And that can be addictive.
I used to live in Marche-en-Famenne because I was looking for peace and quiet, but I felt stuck very quickly. Brussels seemed to be a more tolerant and vibrant city, where everything was constantly in motion. And moving here was worth it. I am the woman that I am today because of this chapter in Brussels. But that is just the better side of the story. The day-to-day life of a trans woman in Brussels in 2025 is not easy; you try to live hidden and are pretty uncomfortable in public spaces. I still get stares, judgements, heavy sexualisation, discrimination, backhanded compliments, and sometimes physical attacks.
Calysta with her mother
Recent photo shooting
The incident
It was around 02:30 at The Big Game bar in the centre of Brussels, a group of young men speaking Arabic and broken French outside on the terrace were doing what groups of drunk young men do best, being mean, loudly commenting, and being confused whether they see me as disgusting or attractive. The harassment got way out of hand, and I felt the tension rising inside of me, and my body was preparing for violence.
I threw a drink at one of them, just the liquid (water), not the glass. And at that moment, everything went haywire. I got a full broken sharp glass in my face with alcohol that blinded me. Everything was blurry and bloody. I could hear the shouting and crying of my friend who was witg and was desperately trying to lure them away.
Calysta Goblet bruises 2 hours after the attack. Credit: Handout
Calysta Goblet bruises 2 hours after the attack. Credit: Handout
The police eventually arrived. And it was almost natural, if not deliberate, to call me 'monsieur'. It felt sadistic. As if to add salt to the wound. The officer even suggested that I might be partially responsible. A flamboyant man in a wig in a bar at 2 am? I should've known better not to be visibly trans in a public space.
You can imagine how dissuasive that is to file a complaint, which I did not. I already knew I wouldn't be supported or recognised as a victim. Not only did I feel judged by the officer, but this type of night-related incident happens frequently, so it's almost a known fact that it's unnecessary to file a complaint. Calling me 'sir' was already enough of a humiliation that I preferred to go to the hospital and get my wounds stitched because I was scared to be disfigured or scarred for life. And I chose to tell my story on my own accord.
I want people to understand something: being trans is not a choice. People need to realise that this is not a mouvance, it's not a hype, trans people have always existed. Nobody will choose to regularly take hormones and get their body parts chopped because they chose to be different.
Gender dysphoria is the distress a person experiences when their gender identity doesn't align with their sex assigned at birth. It's a condition recognised by the DSM-5, where individuals like me feel a strong incongruence between their experienced gender and the one assigned at birth, leading to significant distress or impairment in daily life.
Nobody would want to deliberately go through daily humiliation and social ostracism because it's their choice. It's a deeper and personal experience that takes years of struggle and daily fights, sometimes just to stay alive and get out of bed, just to wake up and feel normal. Feel alive and feel loved, like everyone else.
The Big Game bar's owner confirmed to Bruzz that the camera footage was reviewed afterwards. He said they take these kinds of incidents very seriously and added that the Big Game is an inclusive bar and does not tolerate any form of homophobia or transphobia. Although Calysta refused to file a complaint, the police officers informed her that a report will be filed. An investigation is has been opened.
- As told to Anas El Baye
