I’ve found myself interacting my gender much more through theoreticals than through actually trying anything and it’s been hellish. I need to start actually doing stuff but I’m terrified of how I’m going to be perceived.

    • pixelghost [any]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      10 months ago

      Start small. I tried out new pronouns and presentation within my close friend group before I moved it out to my public image—and I flip-flopped and hesitated a lot in the process.

      Anxiety sucks but you’ll get there eventually.

  • MechanizedPossum [she/her]@hexbear.net
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    15
    ·
    10 months ago

    I’ve supressed being trans for decades and let me tell you, it doesn’t get better. Anything besides being fully out, living as your actual gender(s) fulltime and taking all the physical transition steps you need to feel comfortable in your own skin will only hurt yourself more and more and if it turns out that your environment is not accepting and that you need a completely new social circle, breaking off all contact and starting all over again within the trans community is both possible and worth it. If moving to another state or to another country even is the only option, that’s how it is. If you’re trans, you’ll never do more than surviving in absolute misery if you keep up the lie of being your AGAB.

    After i finally cracked, i needed almost a year to sort myself out and start actually experimenting, and that’s a process in itself, but i’m begging you people to do yourself a favor and stop being closeted. You’re missing out on so much. I get that the first steps are scary, but once you realize that you can just go out and present as your actual gender in public and nobody’s stopping you, life becomes so much better.

  • Cromalin [she/her]@hexbear.netM
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    10 months ago

    yes. i spent years like that. i started fully transitioning a few years ago and i cannot emphasize how much better i feel now

  • Findom_DeLuise [she/her, they/them]@hexbear.net
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    10 months ago

    yea

    I’m only out to two people, and I still present as a guy because that path to “passing” looks like fucking Everest right now. I’ve got a little ways to go with HRT before I really need to start taking it more seriously, but damn. Shit looks scary outside this cocoon right about now.

  • good_girl [she/her, they/them]@hexbear.net
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    12
    ·
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    Yeah for four years, i came out to my partner in november and started hrt in December and i feel much better.

    Over those four years my dysphoria built up until i started having some dark ass thoughts because I was effectively bottling up those feelings.

  • GaveUp [she/her]@hexbear.netM
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    Yep, started estrogen half a year ago (after half a year of doing absolutely nothing), and came out to all my friends and workplace but that’s pretty much all I’ve done

    This only held back my dysphoria till a few months ago and now I feel like shit again

  • SnowySkyes [she/her]@hexbear.netM
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    I honestly started my transition very shortly after figuring myself out as I played around in the nonbinary space for about 3 years (which was, in reality, me denying that I was trans in a way). But once my egg cracked, I said fuck it and slammed the gas pedal. I started HRT within 3 months of it cracking. A lot longer if you include me sitting in nonbinary space for those 3 years.

    EDIT: To answer your question directly, the answer is probably not unless you count the nonbinary time.

  • SexUnderSocialism [she/her]@hexbear.netM
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    10 months ago

    Yeah, that seems to be quite common actually. Taking the first steps towards transitioning, even if it’s just socially, can be daunting. The amount of time people need to take those steps and in what order they take them is different for everyone, and totally depends on your situation. But you’ll notice that when you take one step forward, the other steps become easier.

    I remember how I wanted to socially transition before I could start HRT, but the idea of going out in public as a woman was scary to me. It then took me a few years before I eventually managed to find a perfect moment to do it, which felt so good it helped me overcome the one hurdle that was still holding me back. With fear turned into excitement, I was only looking forward to what was yet to come. Felt so fucking good.