This trans woman is taking followers on a journey through New York for a good cause
We're walking through New York City with you, Bea!
Mark
Between its rich history, lively LGBTQ+ community, and iconic spots, there’s so much to do in the Big Apple that it’s impossible to see it all — unless you’re Bea, a trans content creator who posts as @thatbeaoverthere.
After losing 60 pounds, the 40-year-old trans woman is on a mission to lose about 50 more to get gender-affirming surgery, so she’s walking “every inch of New York City,” and she’s turning to her thousands of Instagram and TikTok followers for support.
“I’m asking the internet to help cheer me on and to keep me motivated while I walk the avenues, bridges, and parks of NYC,” she explained in a video.
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At one point, she even incentivized her social media reactions, turning likes into a minute of walking, comments into two minutes, and follows into 10 minutes. Suffice to say, she had her workouts laid out for her quickly!
Bea’s videos are not only filled with first-person peeks at New York City life, but pure unadulterated trans joy, as she often smiles while strolling past iconic buildings, views, and people.
“If you’ve ever wondered about losing weight by walking, walking for mental health, or what it takes to build a daily routine as a trans person trying to access gender-affirming care, this journey is for you too,” she explained in a video’s caption.
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These types of spaces in New York are more vital to the community than ever before.
Furthermore, Bea has used her platform to open up about her trans identity, answer questions, and, naturally, school some trolls.
And if the comments section is any indication, she’s not only working towards her goal, but she’s inspiring others.
“What a great idea! Love your energy and smile. You got this,” one user wrote. “You got this Bea,” another follower added. “We’re in your corner.”
Here are some of the most iconic must-see New York spots that Bea has explored.
1. The High Line
One of the most iconic sights Bea has walked through is The High Line, located in our favorite gayborhood, Chelsea. The nearly 1.5-mile-long park rests above your head on old freight tracks from the 1930s, which have been filled with some of the most diverse plant life in the Big Apple, plus access to shops, bars, restaurants, and art installations.
Notably, as one of Bea’s followers pointed out, you can snag a peek at the ginormous “Mount Rushmore of Art” mural from the High Line’s heights. The piece features vibrant and colorful likenesses of LGBTQ+ legends Andy Warhol and Keith Haring alongside other art history icons, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Frida Kahlo.
2. Times Square
The larger-than-life screens, the blasting lights, the people everywhere. As Bea’s video showed, Times Square is one of the most chaotic areas of New York City, but one of those can’t-miss visual gags, nonetheless. It’s not all just skyscraper-sized Olive Garden restaurants, either; thanks to its proximity to Broadway, you can score budget tickets at the TKTS Discount Booth, get a solid slice of pizza at John’s of Times Square, or drink, dine, and relax at the Moxy NYC Times Square.
3. Brooklyn Bridge
“Why am I freezing my butt off on the Brooklyn Bridge?” Bea captioned one video of a particularly snowy strut across the East River. “Because I made a deal with the internet: every follow adds 10 minutes of cardio.”
Of course, the 1.1-mile-long bridge isn’t just a good excuse for some exercise — “Every errand, every walk, even picking up my HRT turns into a workout,” she told her followers — its pedestrian walkway also provides some of the most stunning skyline views of the city.
On the Brooklyn end, you can visit both the trendy DUMBO (“Down under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass”) neighborhood or take a short walk to Metropolitan, one of our go-to Williamsburg gay bars.
4. Prospect Park
There’s a recent reason why locals refer to Prospect Park as the “Central Park of Brooklyn.” The massive 585-acre patch of green features a zoo, concert hall, and some of the most impressive foliage in the entire borough.
As Bea showcased, even in the snow, there are plenty of bridges, trees, lakes, fields to explore, and most importantly, dogs to pet.
5. Rockefeller Center
On her journey to lose weight for her gender-affirming surgery, Bea made a bold move: She walked through one of the busiest attractions in New York City on Christmas Eve.
That said, there’s nothing like Rockefeller Center in the winter, with views of its massive showpiece Christmas tree, ice skating, decorated shop windows, and the iconic neon of Radio City Music Hall.
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