CARIMAC Times 2016: The JREAM Edition Journalists Reviving Awareness of what Matters | Page 92

I t is hard to miss her bold zebra-striped leggings as she takes her seat, crosses her legs, and taps her phone with brightly coloured, manicured nails. When she walks the streets, no one knows that, just a year ago, she lived under the name Jermaine Burton. Even those who know her find it hard to forget this name. I learnt this the day I approached the receptionist at the agency I would be meeting Burton, and asked for the name “Jessica Burton.” The receptionist eyed me for several seconds, frowning with confusion. “Jessica?” she asked. “Jessica Burton.” I repeated. The receptionist scanned her papers, mumbling the name to herself. A minute or two had passed before the recognition registered on her face. “Oh! Jermaine!” she chirped. Later, Burton explained that “Some still aren’t used to it”; it being in reference to her identity, her appearance, and her name. ‘Jermaine’ was the name given to her by a traditional, faith-based family, which consisted of eight children living in Kingston. Even a child can separate the day from the night, and young Burton knew she was not like her six brothers. “Between the ages of three and four, I could remember vividly that I liked to play with dolls, and I always wanted to be the mother, the auntie; but I never wanted to be the father,” she said. 88