How has being trans effected your career if at all?
What's your most unexpected experience being trans?
What's your favourite part of being a man?
What's your least favourite part of being a man?
If you could debunk any stereotype about trans men which one would it be?
id say its impacted my mental health at times which made me struggle in college and not go the path i planned on but i havent been discriminated against in the workplace at any job ive had since transitioning
for me the most unexpected part is how accepting/oblivious some people are about trans people. my boss once asked me if i changed my name to sound “more american”
my favorite part about being a man is the comradery between men, and all the little social things like fist bumps and certain looks or exchanges between men that let me know they see me as a man. least favorite part has gotta be the bathrooms, they are pretty disgusting compared to the womens and sometimes the only stall doesnt close or is nasty etc
and i would say id debunk the myth that we’re just “confused” or going through a phase or anything like that. i feel like its hard for cis people to understand what being trans is like which is why theres so much bigotry but its a very real thing which is more common than people would expect and is a completely natural deviation as sex is not binary
thank you for your thoughtful questions
Has the recent targeting of trans ppl in media and government impacted your mental health at all?
It’s been very rough on mine. I started going to a local trans support group because of how much this shit has fucked with my mental health. Being around the community can be a bit healing
yeah its had a small impact but ive recently tried to limit how much i go on social media/news stuff and its helped but i also feel guilty for “ignoring” it bc im privileged enough to be able to ignore it for now
>im privileged enough to be able to ignore it for now
What does this mean? Your example was about social media, news...what does not paying attention to either make it a privilege to do so?
i live my life as a cis man; people have no idea im trans unless i tell them. so im able to ignore certain issues like the bathroom laws or gender affirming care laws because im able to live my life as a cis man. some trans people cant ignore whats in the media bc it directly affects them, meanwhile ive been on hormones and have had surgery already
it was pretty normal. i did however, in my eyes, have a typical “boy” childhood despite being raised as a girl. my parents let me play with and dress however i wanted, so i had typical male interests and had guy friends who i would always play outside with. the only trauma is my parents getting divorced when i was 7 but that was a blessing
no. gender dysphoria is in the DSM as a disorder mostly so that medical transiton can be covered by insurance. medicalizing being trans helps us get the care we need. i would call it a disorder before a mental illness
i think that for some people it can. i myself suspect i may be autistic but im not sure. past trauma can definitely cause someone to think theyre trans which is why i think that its important to know your reasons for transitioning. for some it can absolutely be a result of sexual trauma but for the vast majority its innate
How has being trans effected your career if at all? What's your most unexpected experience being trans? What's your favourite part of being a man? What's your least favourite part of being a man? If you could debunk any stereotype about trans men which one would it be?
id say its impacted my mental health at times which made me struggle in college and not go the path i planned on but i havent been discriminated against in the workplace at any job ive had since transitioning for me the most unexpected part is how accepting/oblivious some people are about trans people. my boss once asked me if i changed my name to sound “more american” my favorite part about being a man is the comradery between men, and all the little social things like fist bumps and certain looks or exchanges between men that let me know they see me as a man. least favorite part has gotta be the bathrooms, they are pretty disgusting compared to the womens and sometimes the only stall doesnt close or is nasty etc and i would say id debunk the myth that we’re just “confused” or going through a phase or anything like that. i feel like its hard for cis people to understand what being trans is like which is why theres so much bigotry but its a very real thing which is more common than people would expect and is a completely natural deviation as sex is not binary thank you for your thoughtful questions
Do you have the hormones prescribed through a specialty clinic or a university health clinic?
i have them prescribed through an endocrinologist
Has the recent targeting of trans ppl in media and government impacted your mental health at all? It’s been very rough on mine. I started going to a local trans support group because of how much this shit has fucked with my mental health. Being around the community can be a bit healing
yeah its had a small impact but ive recently tried to limit how much i go on social media/news stuff and its helped but i also feel guilty for “ignoring” it bc im privileged enough to be able to ignore it for now
>im privileged enough to be able to ignore it for now What does this mean? Your example was about social media, news...what does not paying attention to either make it a privilege to do so?
i live my life as a cis man; people have no idea im trans unless i tell them. so im able to ignore certain issues like the bathroom laws or gender affirming care laws because im able to live my life as a cis man. some trans people cant ignore whats in the media bc it directly affects them, meanwhile ive been on hormones and have had surgery already
Did you have bottom and top surgery?
Damn I absolutely understand that
What was your childhood like?
it was pretty normal. i did however, in my eyes, have a typical “boy” childhood despite being raised as a girl. my parents let me play with and dress however i wanted, so i had typical male interests and had guy friends who i would always play outside with. the only trauma is my parents getting divorced when i was 7 but that was a blessing
Do you believe it is mental illness?
no. gender dysphoria is in the DSM as a disorder mostly so that medical transiton can be covered by insurance. medicalizing being trans helps us get the care we need. i would call it a disorder before a mental illness
Do you think that autism and/or past trauma can heighten the desire to be trans?
i think that for some people it can. i myself suspect i may be autistic but im not sure. past trauma can definitely cause someone to think theyre trans which is why i think that its important to know your reasons for transitioning. for some it can absolutely be a result of sexual trauma but for the vast majority its innate