For the first day of pride month 2024, Meowth chose to honor a brave and strong woman who not only gave him a voice but a woman who in her life had to go through a lot to become her true self, Maddie Blaustein!

Maddie was born in New York in 1960. She was born intersex and “assigned male at birth”. For many years she struggled with her own identity. Even when she had a successful career in voice over acting, Maddie was still dealing with gender dysphoria. So eventually, she came out as transgender and changed her name to Maddie.

However, despite finally becoming her true self, she died on December 11, 2008. From sources I’ve read, she had an untreated stomach virus and after that, she was gone.

Real talk for the moment:
Maddie was the first person that I ever knew about who was both intersex and transgender. Her journey to become her true self inspired me to become my true self as well. I wasn’t born intersex but I was assigned male at birth. And I never liked it, EVER!

So after years of pretending to be someone I’m not I decided to become the woman that I’ve always been on the inside. I started my hormone replacement therapy (HRT) two years ago and while I still have a way to go, I’m a lot happier now than I was before. And it’s all thanks to certain people who accept me for who I am and to Maddie for being an inspiration for my life journey.

Maddie Blaustein, thank you for making me laugh as Meowth and for inspiring me to be my true self. Being me is my own version of becoming a Pokémon Master! 🏳️‍⚧️

Also special thanks to the artist of the picture too! Thank you!☺️


Meowth & Pokémon © Nintendo, Creatures, Game Freak & The Pokémon Company
Artwork © KaiKaiDraws
Maddie’s Photo belongs to her family