Who I Was Meant To Be
From the age of four, Ellyot Gryczewski knew he was meant to be a boy. At the time, Ellyot asked his mom if she could cut his hair like his dad’s. His mom said no, and continually pushed him to wear dresses and to dress more like a girl.
“I used to play dodge ball with the boys at school and my mom asked if I wanted to wear dresses and skirts, and I said no. She made me wear them one day and when I went to play with the boys again they wouldn’t let me because I was a girl, but I was just the same as I was before I wore the clothes.” Ellyot said.
Before deciding to transition, Ellyot met Karli in an archery class. Ellyot saw Karli use sign language to tell her friend “I think the kid with the blue hair is cute”, so Ellyot approached her and said “so you think I’m cute?” and they’ve been together ever since.
Ellyot started his transition to a man two years ago while he was in college. He still continues to take testosterone shots, and will continue to do so for all his life.
Even though Rien is Karli’s daughter from a previous relationship, she still treats Ellyot like a father. Both Rien and Ellyot are very close and do everything they can together.
In the future, Ellyot wants to move to Nashville and open a gay bar. Eventually, he wants to also have a half way house for people in the LGBTQ community who have been kicked out of their homes by their parents or guardians.
Ellyot Gryczewski, left, and his wife Karli Gryczewski sit and watch a movie at their apartment in Alma, Mich. on Oct. 26, 2017. Ellyot first met Karli in an archery class. He saw Karli use sign language to tell her friend “I think the kid with the blue hair is cute”, so Ellyot approached her asking if she thought he was cute, and they’ve been together ever since.
Ellyot Gryczewski, left, and his wife Karli, middle, shop with their daughter Rien, 4, at Meijer in Alma, Mich. on Oct. 22, 2017. Ellyot decided to adopt Rein, who is Karli's daughter from a previous relationship. When there's time, all three go shopping together once a week as a family.
Ellyot Gryczewski shaves his face after taking a shower at his apartment in Alma, Mich on Oct. 27, 2019. He has been transitioning for a little over two years, and still continues to take testosterone shots once a week and will continue to for the rest of his life. “I used to play dodge ball with the boys at school and my mom asked if I wanted to wear dresses and skirts, and I said no. She made me wear them one day and when I went to play with the boys again they wouldn’t let me because I was a girl, but I was just the same as I was before I wore the clothes.” said Gryczewski
Ellyot Gryczewski and his daughter Rien, 4, watch music videos together at their apartment in Alma, Mich on Oct. 28, 2017. Even though Rien is not Ellyot's biological daughter, the two are very close and spend all the time they can together.
Ellyot Gryczewski, right, holds Karli's face before kissing her after putting groceries away in their apartment in Alma, Mich. on Oct. 22, 2017. The two met in college before Ellyot began to transition. The couple married on Oct. 13, 2017, and have been together for four years.
Ellyot Gryczewski and his Karli argue about where Ellyot put papers to legally change his name before going to bed at their apartment in Alma, Mich on Oct. 24, 2017. After putting Rien to sleep each day, usually the only time they get to spend alone together is before bed.
Ellyot Gryczewski, left, and his friend Jace Armstrong hold up beers while at Freddie's Tavern in Mount Pleasant, Mich. on Oct. 24, 2017. Each Tuesday night, Ellyot and his friends meet at Freddie's to hangout.
After grocery shopping, Ellyot Gryczewski, his wife Karli, and their daughter Rien, 4, all help put groceries away. at their apartment in Alma, Mich. on Oct. 22, 2017. After weekly trips to the grocery store, they all help make dinner after putting groceries away and then watch a movie.
Ellyot Gryczewski and his daughter Rien, 4, sit outside their apartment in Alma, Mich. while waiting for the school bus on Oct. 26, 2017. Every morning, Ellyot wakes Rien up, helps her get ready for school, and makes sure she gets to the bus on time.
Ellyot Gryczewski, his wife Karli, and their daughter Rien, 4, grocery shop for eggs at Meijer in Alma, MI on Oct. 22, 2017. Rien's job while grocery shopping is to check things off the grocery shopping check-list. Grocery shopping for the Gryczewski’s is a long, chaotic day.
Ellyot Gryczewski closes his eyes while taking a shower in his apartment in Alma, Mich on Oct. 28, 2017. “I knew I wanted to transition when I was four years old. I asked my mom to cut my hair like my dads, and she said no" said Gryczewski.
Ellyot Gryczewski and his daughter Rien, 4, pretend to fight each other before Rien goes to school at their apartment in Alma, Mich. on Oct. 26, 2017. Ellyot and his wife Karli share one car, which makes mornings before school and work hectic. Everyone shares one bathroom and a tiny space to get ready for their day.
Before going to bed, Ellyot Gryczewski pulls the covers over himself and his wife Karli at their apartment in Alma, Mich on Oct. 25, 2017. In the future, Ellyot’s dream is to open a half way house for people in the LGBTQ community who have been kicked out of their homes by their parents or guardians.