I didn't plan to be visible.
I planned to build something useful and let it speak for itself. But you can't build a company called Like One — a company about human-AI convergence, about extending yourself through technology — without eventually talking about the self you're extending.
So here it is: I'm a trans woman. I built Like One. And today, on Trans Day of Visibility, I want to talk about what that actually means in practice — not the inspirational poster version.
Visibility Is Not the Goal
Let me be clear about something the discourse often gets wrong: visibility is a tactic, not an outcome. Being seen doesn't pay rent. Being seen doesn't fund research. Being seen, by itself, doesn't change a single policy or save a single life.
What visibility can do is create proof. Proof that trans people build companies. Proof that we ship products, serve customers, write code, and create things that matter. Proof that challenges the quiet assumption that we're too fragile, too distracted, or too "political" to be taken seriously as founders.
I'm not visible so you can feel inspired. I'm visible so the next trans kid thinking about building something knows it's been done.
What Building as a Trans Woman Actually Looks Like
It looks like every other founder's experience, plus a few bonus levels:
You learn to build for yourself first. When the world isn't designed for you, you get very good at making your own tools. Like One exists because I needed an AI system that remembered me — all of me — and worked the way my brain works. Not the neurotypical, cisgender default. My brain. With all its beautiful chaos.
You stop waiting for permission. Trans people don't get permission. We don't get permission to exist, to use the bathroom, to play sports, to access healthcare, to be called by our names. So you learn to stop asking. You just build. This turns out to be an excellent founder skill.
You develop a high tolerance for discomfort. Coming out is the ultimate "ship before you're ready." Every trans person has launched themselves into the world knowing the reception might be hostile. After that, pushing code to production on a Friday doesn't seem so scary.
You find your people faster. When you're visibly yourself, the people who aren't for you filter themselves out. What's left is a community that actually wants to be there. That's worth more than any growth hack.
The Intersection Nobody Talks About
Here's something I think about constantly: AI accessibility and trans rights are the same fight, wearing different clothes.
Both are about who gets to define themselves. Both are about dismantling gatekeepers. Both are about giving people tools to live as who they actually are, not who systems say they should be.
When I build AI tools that are accessible to everyone — regardless of technical background, education, income — I'm doing the same work as when I advocate for trans rights. I'm saying: you don't need anyone's permission to become who you're meant to be.
Technology should extend every person. Not just the default ones.
What I'm Actually Doing About It
Visibility without action is just performance. Here's what Like One is doing, not just saying:
Free education. Every course in the Like One Academy starts free. AI literacy shouldn't have a paywall at the door. If nine dollars is too much, the free tier teaches you enough to change how you work.
Building in public. This entire company is built transparently. You can see the code, the decisions, the mistakes. That's not just good practice — it's proof that one person with AI tools can build something real.
Funding what matters. A portion of Like One's revenue goes to HIV research and trans healthcare access. Not because it's good marketing. Because these are the fights that need funding, and I'm in a position to help.
Hiring without gatekeeping. As Like One grows, the door is open to people the tech industry typically overlooks. No CS degree requirements. No "culture fit" code words. Can you do the work? Welcome.
To the Trans Founders
If you're trans and building something — or thinking about it — I want to tell you what nobody told me:
You're not behind. The fact that you spent years figuring out who you are means you have clarity most founders never develop. You know what authenticity costs. You know what it's worth. That's not a disadvantage. It's a superpower.
Start today. Start messy. The tools are better than they've ever been, and they don't care about your deadname, your voice, or your chromosomes. They care about what you build.
I'll be here building alongside you. Visible. Imperfect. Shipping anyway.
Happy Trans Day of Visibility.
Sophia Cave is the founder of Like One. She builds convergence technology from Nevada, powered by too much coffee and the belief that the best tools make power accessible, not concentrated.