"No one feels 100 percent about their body," Ian Harvie said.

The comedian and actor spoke Tuesday, Nov. 2, in Grupp Fireside Lounge about his journey that led to him to decide to become transgendered, and how it has affected his life. The lecture was sponsored by Unity, in order to promote diversity among students.

"This was a great step forward for Canisius in promoting diversity and awareness on campus, and the students should know that the administration was behind us in making this happen," said senior Bart Simon, vice president of Unity. "Getting up in front of a bunch of strangers and putting yourself out there is difficult enough, and his message carried a lot of weight and controversy in some circles."

Harvie has been a comedian for nine years, and he makes light of his transgender situation. He is inspired by comedians Carol Burnett and Rich Little and got into comedy because of Whoopi Goldberg. He has also been on tour with Margaret Cho.

Harvie was born in Portland, Maine, as a female named Janet. He recalled struggles that he had as a child with his mother and his gender identity.

"I wanted the boy things. I wanted the masculine things," said Harvie. He recalled fighting with his mother over clothing.

Harvie used to feel that he was not meant to be a female and always associated more with the males in his classes. Starting around age eight, Harvie hung out with the boys.

It was not until Harvie's mother told him that he could no longer run around without a shirt when he was physically starting to mature as a young girl, that he realized he was different from all the boys.

Harvie and his mother would get into more fights over what clothing he would wear to school when he entered junior high.

"You look like an idiot. I can't believe you are going to school like that," Harvie's mother would tell him. Harvie eventually started dressing like a female in the clothes his mother would approve of, but would change when he got to school. He often got caught when he failed to remember to change back into his mother's clothing choices. Harvie realized later in life that his mother was trying to protect him from being bullied by dressing him in girl's clothing.

Harvie's family moved when he was in eighth grade. His mother suggested that he should change his name to Casey so that he would not get teased as much. It was a gender ambiguous name, according to Harvie.

He discussed his troubles throughout high school with drinking and dating. Boyfriends that Harvie had in high school were mentors to him.

"I wanted to be like them, not with them," he said.

Harvie mentioned he dated guys mainly for their cars. One of his boyfriends taught him how to drive manual transmission.

"It was all about cars, girls and motorcycles," he added. 

Harvie went to an all-girls college when he was 18 and drank too much his first semester; his grade point average was a 0.9. He finally recognized being an alcoholic at the age of 19; it was also at this age that Harvie felt right for the first time in his life.

Harvie met a woman at a bar, and she ended up driving him home. He described this situation as "feeling right" after having his first kiss with her.

Harvie was taken to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting two years later by one of his friends. After attending that first meeting, he was sober for two years before relapsing. Since that relapse, however, Harvie will celebrate his 18th year of sobriety later this month.

When Harvie was in his 30s, he decided that he would undergo the full transgender transformation. He made this decision after hearing a transgender male talk at Bates College in Maine.

The speaker, P.J., talked about being who you truly are.

"You are who you say you are," Harvie said, quoting P.J. He realized that P.J.'s story was the same as how he was feeling; he finally had someone to identify with.

To decide on a new name, Harvie was going to ask his mother what his name would've been if he was a boy.

"I had two boys at home. I brought a pink dress to the hospital; you were coming home a girl," Harvie's mother said.

When his mother was not helpful, Harvie's friends gave him a baby book full of names. Harvie came up with three names that he liked: Justin, Ethan and Ian.

"I had my friends go into TJ Maxx with me into the men's section and call out names to me," said Harvie. Ian stuck with him. It took him eight years to decide to change his name.

When Harvie had to tell his parents about his decision, he had a hard time. It took him five years to find the courage to tell his mother.

"I wrote my parents a 15-page letter and left it on their nightstand on Easter Sunday," Harvie said.

It took a few weeks for he and his parents to talk, but they were supportive of him in the end.

Two years ago, Harvie had chest reduction surgery.

"I set the date for the surgery and started saving money," he said. "When people ask me, ‘Do you feel like a million bucks?' I answer, ‘No. Just about $11,500.'"

Harvie also started to take testosterone three years ago to have a more manly appearance.

Harvie talked about going to class reunions now that he is Ian and not Janet.

"I look forward to class reunions because the guy who thought he was going to be voted most changed is screwed," said Harvie, jokingly.

Harvie reminded students that, "you are who you say you are," and that this applies even if what you are on a day-to-day basis changes.

Students seemed to enjoy Harvie's lecture.

"I thought it was really great.," Simon said. "I've seen a lot of speakers and he stood out among them. I could tell he was connecting with the audience once he got rolling. He was funny and very honest, and he laid his entire story out for us, including some parts of his past he isn't exactly proud of."