Following the trend of transgenders publicly announcing their status, Juliet Evancho (the sister of the famous opera-singing prodigy Jackie Evancho) has come out about her transition from male to female. Walking the red carpet with her sister, the trans teen was welcomed to the spotlight as she announced that she was once her sister's brother.
The night proved to be a major step for Juliet, 17, who played arm candy to her sister at the Global Lyme Alliance's inaugural gala on Oct. 8. At the gala she revealed her "true" identity as well as spoke out about her journey to becoming whole.
Juliet told People, "I was so nervous, I was excited - so many emotions. I couldn't sleep last night.
She continued, "But when we finally got [here], it was just like, 'It's happening."
According to the article, Juliet had early on exhibited signs that she would make the transition from male to female later in her life.
She stated, "Ever since I was little, I always played with Barbies. I put on makeup and played dress-up with my sister, to the point where my mom started getting me princess dresses...She was the one who was like, 'Maybe you're transgender.' So I did a bunch of research...[and] was just so immersed in all of these different stories that people told...I knew deep in me that this was not me, and I needed to make the change."
The family also recounted the trials of coming to terms with Juliet's decision to change. Both Mike and Lisa Evancho have supported their daughter and have acted as a support system for the teen as she navigates a new life.
While Juliet is certainly coming into her "new skin," Jackie continues to be outwardly supportive of her sister. Jackie is a lauded opera singer who gained national attention as a contestant on America's Got Talent. She continues to top headlines as a budding opera legend.
You can listen to Jackie, sing in the following video.
