'BALLS: It Takes Some To Get Some': Wayland Native Talks Transition

WAYLAND, MA—He was only five when he felt the stirring that something just "wasn't right." His grandmother would call him and his older sister by yelling, "Come on, girls, dinner's ready!" Wendy would jump up and follow their Gram. He didn't flinch. "I honestly didn't think she was talking to me."

A proud member of the Wayland High School class of '87, Chris Edwards grew up in town as the "daughter" of Ed and Nancy Eskandarian, and "as far as everyone knew, I lived a normal life."

In honor of Transgender Awareness Month, Edwards discusses life before, during and after his transition, and how he used what he learned working in advertising to "rebrand himself with dignity and grace at a time before the word transgender was part of the vernacular." The program takes place on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 3 p.m. at the Wayland Free Library.

Edwards said that despite being a worrier (he was voted "Most Likely to Get An Ulcer" senior year), he had lots of friends, played sports and was in the Top 10 of his class. Attending Colgate University, Edwards cultivated a successful advertising career at Arnold Worldwide in Boston, working on award-winning projects such as "Truth," an anti-big tobacco industry campaign. His most well-known work is likely the "gimme back that Filet-O-Fish, gimme that fish" earworm for McDonald's.

But his biggest, and perhaps most fulfilling, accomplishment came a few years into his career when he "mustered up the courage to be my true self and openly began my very public transition from female to male.

"I have yet to develop an ulcer."

Edwards changed his name right away. "But I wavered back and forth on changing my last name," he said. “'Eskandarian' is very unique, and while I was proud of my heritage, I felt a more generic last name would give me more anonymity and make publicly transitioning easier. It would also signify a new beginning for me. It was a tough decision though, giving up my family name, so in the end I decided to take my father’s first name as my last. So I still feel there’s a connection there."

He was 24 when he told the family. They were shocked and didn't really get it. "You're gay," they thought he meant. It was in the early '90s, and that word "transgender" hadn't hit the vernacular yet. It took a lot of time, and a lot of conversations, before people could fully understand.

"There were a lot of tears but promises that we would get through it together as a family and they stood by me every step of the way," said Edwards. "But that’s not the norm. Even today with all the information and research out there, 50 percent of trans people say they’ve been rejected by their families. I was very lucky mine was so supportive. They still are."

He's "always been male in my brain and my heart," but Edwards completed his physical transformation in 2005.

It was a long road. There was a five-year period in which Edwards underwent 22 surgical procedures, the most painful part hardly the surgery. The painful part was pretending to be someone he was not for 25 years.

Edwards is still single, despite being ranked one of the Improper Bostonian's most eligible bachelors.

"Sadly, the only thing I got out of that article was a lot of cyber-stalkers," said Edwards. "I definitely want to get married. I just haven’t found the right woman yet. I know she's out there somewhere!"

After working on it for four years, Edwards published his heartwarming and funny memoir, "BALLS: It Takes Some To Get Some," in October 2016. He references the book in his talks, trying to keep things "light and fun and conversational."

In his program, Edwards shares his personal story about life before, during and after his transition, explaining how he used what he learned working in advertising to rebrand even himself.

"But you don’t have to be transgender to get something out of my presentation," he said. "You can expect to get some laughs, learn how to be better allies to transgender people in your community, school or workplace and walk away with some tips on how you too have the power to control how other people define you."

The event also includes a question and answer period. And while Edwards says he'd love to change minds, at the least he hopes to open some.

"While my transition is the backdrop, at its core, the book is really a story about family, friends and the courage to be your true self," Edwards said. "It covers my life before, during and after my transition in heartwarming and hilarious detail, including surgery, dating ups and downs and the powerful role my family, friends and therapist played in my success."

Since its release, it has become an Amazon best-seller and a Foreword Reviews Indies gold-winner. It was also rated one of the best books of 2016 by Shelf Awareness. It won’t be for sale at the event, but you can get a copy on Amazon or at the Wayland Depot. Edwards will sign books after the presentation.

For more information, visit Edwards' site.

Courtesy photo