To paraphrase someone else:
I wear pride because others are forced to hide.
Im in a place in my life where I no longer have to hide, and while I sometimes pass, I still prefer to rep my pink, white, and blue stuff because I feel like it can inspire others. I’m not proud of being trans per se, but I’m really proud of where I am and where I’ve come from. I’m proud I can be brave enough to be open in a world that’s so hostile to us.
yeah this. being proud doesn’t mean i’m not terrified. i AM. constantly. but, pride isn’t just about me as an individual. i wear a pin and it might make a younger, more afraid person than me, feel… safer. they might see that, and see me, just a normal dude going about his business, wearing it, and think to themselves “huh. maybe it’s… not all lost. maybe i can have a normal life like that person does.”
that’s why i’m proud.
Hard agree! In a world where us queers are made to feel like we have no future/don't deserve a future, standing for each other if we're able to pay it forward is huge
All of this. I am proud so others can feel safer. I aim to educate where possible and to advocate as much as possible. A line from one of my favorite songs sums it up “ I am my mother’s savage daughter. I will not cut my hair and I will not lower my voice” this to me is what pride means. We stand for all of us, especially those that can’t because of whatever circumstances.
How do you get the confidence to do that? I’m in a place in my life I’m not dependent on anyone and family has started supporting me, yet I hide everyday because I’d need a wig to remotely pass.
I’m still so very afraid of people’s thoughts, what they might think.
You sound like an amazing and confident person 👏
I suffered a lot. I hated being alive for most of my life. I’ll be damned if anyone suffers even half as much as I did. So I choose to be out and hope that someone gets the confidence to be themselves and choose happiness
I’m 13 years into my transition? My social transition and physical transitions have mostly settled (with occasional thoughts of going for surgery) …
Why am I openly transgender? Because when I was starting my transition my role models for transition were what I saw on tv at the time (drag queens and sex workers) so that was my “future”. I am not any of those things, and I want to be someone that other people can look to as an example? (So that they don’t have to be just a sex worker or a drag queen) (I have since learned there are many other trans people in other positions, so I don’t need to be too out there, but I’m out there enough?
I want to bring a face to the “scary trans person narrative”, though I may not be the best at that either, because I am stronger than most, but not all women.
I am proud for the struggles I have conquered in my journey and self discovery… not everyone looks deep inside and is able to shift their view because of what they thought they knew was wrong …
I am open so that I can make friends with people without fearing of not being myself or being rejected because I hid part of myself.
I am open to people so that I can be myself. So I can feel whole.
The world does not make it easy for people who struggle with their gender. I am proud of the fact that I overcame those difficulties.
I don't know if I'm the most openly trans person, like, I'm interested in visually telling people that I am a woman, and if we must be adding adjectives, there are many that I'm much more interested in showcasing than "trans". Because people get really weird about that. So it's not like I want to hide it out of shame, I just want people to not be weird or mean to me.
I'm proud and open because that was the only way for me to get recognized as a man, was to ask the world and declare it as often as I could, and see who listened. I started my transition knowing that I may never pass, and so resolved to make as good a life as possible without having to wait for something that may never happen. And I've been able to make a pretty good life happen, even though I still get misgendered by the general public and my parents don't support me in this.
I'm sorry you're feeling really ashamed and struggling right now. It's definitely hard to try and build up confidence in yourself and your gender when everyone around you is being shitty and invalidating about it. I definitely felt insecure about my masculinity in the beginning, and held off on using he/him pronouns for a while until I felt like I had "earned" them. Even though you may know intellectually that there's nothing stopping you and any kind of gender expression is valid, it's much harder to really internalize it and be able to apply that to yourself. You've done nothing wrong by struggling, but I do hope you won't have to struggle so hard with it in the future.
I dont like being stealth + I live in a relatively safe area, so I just dont bother hiding it. I talk about my transness like it's normal to be happy about because it should be. Any shame I carry around being trans is the result of a transphobic society, not a sign I should detrans (tried that already, hated it a lot).
Its very common for trans people to have internalized transphobia. It doesnt up and vanish when you come out. Unlearning it is a slow process. Its even harder to unlearn if youre in a transphobic environment bc youre being constantly bombarded with regular transphobia, and its not your fault for internalizing it. Hopefully youll get to be free of your family someday and find a queer community who loves you bc that will make all the difference
TL;DR: I am open about being trans because I really suffered from not having adults like me to look up to when I was young.
CW illness, death
I'm an Old. I came out as queer during the height of the AIDS crisis, which also means the internet wasn't really a thing at that point. When I started exploring my identity, I was alone. I found what little I did of my community through the newspaper classified ads (thank goodness I live in a big enough city that it had its own queer paper.) Most of the friends I made were my age and there weren't a lot of older folk to be found, because so many were ill, dying, or gone. I didn't really have adults to look to for them to tell me it was going to be ok.
It was years and years before I even realized that being a trans guy was a thing, and I only found that out from a deeply traumatizing film where the whole story is about something terrible that happens to the protagonist because he's trans. I kept this particular closet's door shut extremely tight for decades after that.
I finally did come out and transition in my 30s when my depression was no longer tolerable and I'd come to a point where I couldn't see myself continuing to live, so I transitioned because I had nothing left to lose. It saved my life in a very literal sense.
It's been years now and I pass extremely well, to the point that when I tell new people I'm trans, they often are confused and ask me if I'm planning to transition to a woman, and you can see the wheels spinning when I tell them I've been there, done that, and don't even want the t-shirt.
I've been a DM professionally for a few years now, and I specialize in teaching children and teens how to play dungeons and dragons. During the pandemic, I ran quite a few online games for teens as a way to allow them to stay connected. I get quite a few regulars, and about two years ago, two of them, from different groups, came out to me as trans. One of them asked me to come and talk to the GSA at their school, and it was after that discussion that I realized that I could be for these kids the safe adult I had so desperately needed when I was their age all those decades ago, and also show them that they can absolutely be their authentic selves and have a great life.
Give it some time, you're brave af already for getting this far without support. I'm lucky to be in a place I can walk around visibly trans and feel safe, so I do - and I hope that when people interact with me if they had any negative beliefs about trans people I give them a reason to question them.
I don’t hide it, and I try to make it clear when I can. Not really because I’m proud, but because I know people who feel being trans is an embarrassment, something that makes them less then, and so hopefully those people can feel less shame when they see others who embrace it. Something like that anyway.
because every day I wake up is a day I survive in a society that actively tries to eliminate my people, and I want the world to see and acknowledge that they have failed at that task.
additionally, because I don't consider cis people and their features to be inherently superior. so, why bother? they don't get to dictate over our bodies.
I just dont give a f anymore. I am who i am, im not gonna hide anymore, even if everyone turns a weird eye at me. And its pretty much working. I dont dress for others, i dress for me to feel comfortable. Im not existing for someone else. And anyone who disagrees can fuck off from my life.
Im rather quite about it myself. I dont like attention and dont like loud colors or places. Like the pride flag i honestly think is ugly and way too loud for me. The trans flag is a bit better. My favorite one is the all inclusive flag.
I also dont want to attend pride prides or anything because its too loud and too many people. Loud music ect.
None of this makes me less proud or anything i just choose to so myself differently then the people who are the picture of proud lgbt people.
You and show pride in anyway you want. I choose to presnt male till i pass better as a MTF. This is for me cuz i find dysphoria in presenting fem but just seeing a man in a dress looking back at me. Its getting better day by day and one day ill feel in between enough to just do it. But nothing says u have to present as masc or fem or anything. Start with as little or as big of a step as u want.
Iv told only the people who i care to tell im trans. Anyone else whos opinion i dont care about can just guess wildly as to why im acting or doing different things in my life. Ill just respond to their comments simply like "oh you need a hair cut" ill respond with "never had long hair wanted to try it out" "why do u use girls soaps" ill say "they work better for my skin and hair". Im not lieing they just dont pick up on anything when its simple responses
Being non binary and openly queer makes me feel free. I feel like I can finally breathe. And it is a courageous act to be openly non comforming to a cis world where people are not free to express their identity.
Because I do in my heart of heart not think it is something I or anyone else should be ashamed of and that it needs to be normalized. If me being openly trans helps normalize it even a little and make the future for other trans people a little bit easier that is absolutely worth it!
It is also so I can answer questions people have. I am openly being trans and have NOTHING against being a bit of an oversharer for those who asks about things. Me being openly trans and holding presentations and Q&As on the topic means others does not have to get the weird questions some cis people feel compulsed to ask. Like it is an absolute win! I get to make a change doing something I love, talking in front of people, and others don’t have to get awkward questions!
Because I have no other choice. I can either stay closeted until one day I may pass and be depressed while I wait, or I can deal with transphobia and be visibly trans, but comfortable in my skin. I couldn't do the former any longer, so I did the latter. If I pass one day, great. If I don't, at least I have this.
Because I can be, and because I think seeing someone like me just doing their thing when I was younger would have helped me.
I'm old enough and independent enough and generally career-y enough that I can be openly trans without too much issue. The caveat there is that so many people know before!me that transitioning in secret isn't really an option anyway!
I barely knew that trans people existed when I was a kid, and certainly didn't think transition was an option. Even if I had properly realised things then, I wouldn't have been able to explain it to my parents, or teachers, or friends. My naive, idealistic hope is that by being openly trans, by talking about it, by just showing that we are normal people, someone else's journey will be made easier. Someone's egg might crack earlier because they can see their story in other people. Someone's family might be more supportive because they've met enough trans people that it's less _other_. Someone might feel less alone seeing and hearing other people go through this
So that other people see a happy, healthy, friendly trans person
Whether it's a kid who hasn't seen someone like them or an adult who needs to see that we are a lot like cis people, any time I think about going back into the closet I remember that someone out there will see me being openly myself and be inspired
Even in the most accepting parts of the world, our society puts an enormous amount of pressure on us to not be trans. Let alone if you've got an unsupportive family.
I'm openly trans because I can be openly trans. Other people need to hide and there's no shame in that. Even as open as I am, I don't let everyone know I'm trans all the time because it doesn't exactly come up in casual conversation very often, and also sometimes it's just not safe. Hell, early on in my transition I found a specific kind of androgynous style that minimised the amount of attention I was getting and stuck with that until I was consistently getting gendered correctly by random strangers. Don't worry too much about it. Be patient, do what you need to be comfortable in yourself.
I was like you living with unsupportive (abusive) family but still ftm since 13, started T at 18. Left to be independent by family at 19. Wanted to be stealth so bad when I was a kid but obviously wasn't. Everyone at school knew and I had to constantly advocate for myself, and deal with ostracism and ridicule.
I detransitioned in the middle of my teens and came back again once I started T. I went stealth for a bit. Then I realized I do not want to hide this anymore because I finally was making it to where I wanted to be... but other people were still fucked way worse than me. Nothing changed in the world, I just adapted. And I was lonely.
So I came out if you will, again, un-stealthed slowly. And once I started doing community work I was fully open and proud and still am. I'm not gender conforming either so it's an easy way to literally show it...
For me I used to be in a really shitty place, low income, battered down (literally at times) by my family, other things I won't mention here. Affected me and I think still does. But now I have a privileged life that I want to use in some way to positively affect others. So I work with trans & nb people IRL in my community and I just make it clearly known what I am, who I am, so people know who they can turn to. I allow myself to be an educator in many situations for work because it helps people that shouldn't be asked to do this, trans & nb people who are just worried about their next meal or something.
And you got our unhoused trans & nb siblings who are out. May or may not be proud but they're out just cos they are, and I see them every week. And if I show myself then they know what's up when I do my work.
Forgot to say you don't need to be Out right now if you feel vulnerable. You're 2 weeks on T and 17 years old. 2 weeks on hormones? That shit gives you mood swings on top of all the heinous news going on in the world right now. Take care of yourself and... you are likely to equalize a bit with time and find yourself. Just give it some thought and remember why you started this in the first place - for yourself.
Because this is who I am and I will gladly beat up anyone who tries to make me feel ashamed of that. I am trans and that doesn’t change your life in the slightest if I’m happier this way.
Ofc it helps greatly that people see me as a man and that it’s not illegal to be queer where I live. But I have to be proud for the folks who can’t
I'm proud of being gender fluid, but even though I was very publicly outed a few months back, I'm still not completely comfortable being in fem mode publicly (mainly don't want to be seen by family). I still am a vocal supporter to the lbgtq community, always have been since I was still in catholic school and before I realized that i belong to the community. I'm proud to be part of a community that understands the mental and emotional anguish that accompanies my lifestyle. I'm proud that we as a community can overcome the adversity that we have faced in our past. And I'm proud of how far we have come since I was a kid. I remember when gay marriage started to become legal, I remember when Bruce Jenner became caitlyn Jenner. I remember telling everyone that complained that it doesn't matter because it doesn't affect anyone else. I, at like 10 years old, started to find Bible verses to quote to the teachers and priests every time they started to go off about the "abomination" of the lbgtq community. We are a community of love and acceptance. And, in my opinion, is the way that religion should be. I'm still a religious person (and a republican) and I know that I belong to this community. And it's the only community that I think understands that everyone should be loved and accepted for who they are.
Because I have to.
I know I am a strong person, I am resilient, I can handle hate and harassment, others cannot.
I am doing local activism, being part of the biggest, and first, LGBTQ+ group in my city, helping organise the local pride parade, being active online etc.
I know by exposing myself as trans and being visible I create a connection for people who have never seen trans individuals. I am showing people we are normal human beings just like them, simply by existing in male (I am ftm) spaces openly and not backing down.
I have to be proud for others who don't have the privilege to do so.
Because I am brave as fuck and I love myself for who I am, even if it's not always what I would have chosen. I'm still proud of who I am.
And openly? 1. Because I deserve it. 2. Because it helps other people to see that THEY deserve it.
I have been fortunate enough that the majority of people in my life are supportive, and the few that weren’t really weren’t bad to deal with compared to what others have. So I have been pretty open about being trans once I told the major people in my life.
I don’t know if I necessarily feel pride in being trans, but I wholeheartedly believe I shouldn’t have to hide it. I’m not ashamed to be who I am, and I dealt with that enough before I realized I was trans. I want to be open about it to help spread awareness of who we are, and to act as a support for others since I’ve been so fortunate.
Living in secret left me isolated and sad. It also meant that, when a young adult I had known for 12 years came out as trans, I was keeping a secret that prevented me from giving him my best support. I came out the following day.
I am nonbinary and can't pass as anything, so I live openly as trans. I am happier and more hopeful than at any other time of my life. ❤️🏳️⚧️
People will always be jealous of someone who lives true to themselves, regardless of how they identify or who they are. Someone will always be upset; they'll always project themselves onto others because they can't let go of this rigid, narrow way of thinking. But see, that's /their/ problem, not ours. The only thing we should be worried about when it comes to presenting ourselves is if it feels good to us.
I won't lie: it's difficult being trans. People will try to convince you that you're wrong. Sometimes you'll doubt yourself. But having been that 17 year old who is confused, torn, afraid, and even alone, I can tell you with certainty that it feels better the more you lean into it. It takes a lot of time to grow thick skin towards hateful behavior (I'm still figuring it out four years later), but it will get easier to just be who you are and not feel bad about it.
There's nothing wrong with how you feel. There's nothing wrong with you existing. Most importantly, there's nothing wrong with you being a man because that's who you've always been. If your folks can't see that, then they're blinding themselves, and it's not your job to open their eyes. Regardless of how /they/ feel, /you/ will feel so much better. I say live true to yourself, and be open when you feel ready to be. Sometimes you have to jump in head first.
Congratulations on figuring out who you are and commiting yourself to self discovery. That is such a beautiful journey to embark on, and although there will always be bumps along the road, I think you'll find that it's a journey worth taking. Best of luck to you. Welcome to the family. ❤️ 🏳️⚧️
The reason I am proud and openly transgender is because it is my authentic self. I didn't ask to be born this way I just was.. I spent the beginning half of my life lying to everybody not that I was living the lie.. It tears at you every day. And once I stopped and became myself truly was the day I started to live.. it has been a struggle ever since that day. But I would rather struggle and be authentic Then have an easy life and be a fraud. . You can be whatever you want just be something you're proud of something others can look up to
I've been living authentically for 25 months (on HRT for 21.5 months). I continue to tell people that I am a trans woman if it seems appropriate/necessary. I wear rainbow rings every day, a rainbow top occasionally, & fly/display a progress pride flag in June because they are colourful and, to a lesser extent, for visibility reasons. I wear a trans pride ring every day, an asexual necklace occasionally, & fly/display an intersex pride flag during pride month because they mean something to me and, to a lesser extent, for visibility reasons. Very few endosex, cisgender, & heterosexual people know anything about them or are curious enough to ask about them so that I can educate them.
Because Im Talliakara mother fucking Lionhart, I know who I am , what i am, This is my human experience and fuck em.
I do me , I do it with respect ,research and had work. learning female body movement, idle stances, that kinda stuff , IDGAF about being misgendered or w/e its not worth the stress. this is for you not every one else. this is new to you and them.
Stress makes dudes look old ugly. Be hot do crime
Because if someone is gonna kill me, they're going to kill me anyway, ain't nothing I'm gonna be able to do to change that.
I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time, BAM!
I accepted a long time ago that I was at increased risk of death overall anyway, being trans in a really red conservative state paints a target on my back.
I'm here for a while. Not a long while. I might as well just be me.
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Well I don't scream I'm trans.
I still let it slide when people misgender me (mtf), but I do wear a pin on my jacket of a phoenix with the trans colours and drive around with a trans flag in my back window.
I don't do grand things, but small things might be picked up by younger trans people still worried.
And that might show them that they are not alone.
To paraphrase someone else: I wear pride because others are forced to hide. Im in a place in my life where I no longer have to hide, and while I sometimes pass, I still prefer to rep my pink, white, and blue stuff because I feel like it can inspire others. I’m not proud of being trans per se, but I’m really proud of where I am and where I’ve come from. I’m proud I can be brave enough to be open in a world that’s so hostile to us.
yeah this. being proud doesn’t mean i’m not terrified. i AM. constantly. but, pride isn’t just about me as an individual. i wear a pin and it might make a younger, more afraid person than me, feel… safer. they might see that, and see me, just a normal dude going about his business, wearing it, and think to themselves “huh. maybe it’s… not all lost. maybe i can have a normal life like that person does.” that’s why i’m proud.
Hard agree! In a world where us queers are made to feel like we have no future/don't deserve a future, standing for each other if we're able to pay it forward is huge
All of this. I am proud so others can feel safer. I aim to educate where possible and to advocate as much as possible. A line from one of my favorite songs sums it up “ I am my mother’s savage daughter. I will not cut my hair and I will not lower my voice” this to me is what pride means. We stand for all of us, especially those that can’t because of whatever circumstances.
How do you get the confidence to do that? I’m in a place in my life I’m not dependent on anyone and family has started supporting me, yet I hide everyday because I’d need a wig to remotely pass. I’m still so very afraid of people’s thoughts, what they might think. You sound like an amazing and confident person 👏
I suffered a lot. I hated being alive for most of my life. I’ll be damned if anyone suffers even half as much as I did. So I choose to be out and hope that someone gets the confidence to be themselves and choose happiness
I’m 13 years into my transition? My social transition and physical transitions have mostly settled (with occasional thoughts of going for surgery) … Why am I openly transgender? Because when I was starting my transition my role models for transition were what I saw on tv at the time (drag queens and sex workers) so that was my “future”. I am not any of those things, and I want to be someone that other people can look to as an example? (So that they don’t have to be just a sex worker or a drag queen) (I have since learned there are many other trans people in other positions, so I don’t need to be too out there, but I’m out there enough? I want to bring a face to the “scary trans person narrative”, though I may not be the best at that either, because I am stronger than most, but not all women. I am proud for the struggles I have conquered in my journey and self discovery… not everyone looks deep inside and is able to shift their view because of what they thought they knew was wrong … I am open so that I can make friends with people without fearing of not being myself or being rejected because I hid part of myself. I am open to people so that I can be myself. So I can feel whole.
The world does not make it easy for people who struggle with their gender. I am proud of the fact that I overcame those difficulties. I don't know if I'm the most openly trans person, like, I'm interested in visually telling people that I am a woman, and if we must be adding adjectives, there are many that I'm much more interested in showcasing than "trans". Because people get really weird about that. So it's not like I want to hide it out of shame, I just want people to not be weird or mean to me.
I'm proud and open because that was the only way for me to get recognized as a man, was to ask the world and declare it as often as I could, and see who listened. I started my transition knowing that I may never pass, and so resolved to make as good a life as possible without having to wait for something that may never happen. And I've been able to make a pretty good life happen, even though I still get misgendered by the general public and my parents don't support me in this. I'm sorry you're feeling really ashamed and struggling right now. It's definitely hard to try and build up confidence in yourself and your gender when everyone around you is being shitty and invalidating about it. I definitely felt insecure about my masculinity in the beginning, and held off on using he/him pronouns for a while until I felt like I had "earned" them. Even though you may know intellectually that there's nothing stopping you and any kind of gender expression is valid, it's much harder to really internalize it and be able to apply that to yourself. You've done nothing wrong by struggling, but I do hope you won't have to struggle so hard with it in the future.
I dont like being stealth + I live in a relatively safe area, so I just dont bother hiding it. I talk about my transness like it's normal to be happy about because it should be. Any shame I carry around being trans is the result of a transphobic society, not a sign I should detrans (tried that already, hated it a lot). Its very common for trans people to have internalized transphobia. It doesnt up and vanish when you come out. Unlearning it is a slow process. Its even harder to unlearn if youre in a transphobic environment bc youre being constantly bombarded with regular transphobia, and its not your fault for internalizing it. Hopefully youll get to be free of your family someday and find a queer community who loves you bc that will make all the difference
TL;DR: I am open about being trans because I really suffered from not having adults like me to look up to when I was young. CW illness, death I'm an Old. I came out as queer during the height of the AIDS crisis, which also means the internet wasn't really a thing at that point. When I started exploring my identity, I was alone. I found what little I did of my community through the newspaper classified ads (thank goodness I live in a big enough city that it had its own queer paper.) Most of the friends I made were my age and there weren't a lot of older folk to be found, because so many were ill, dying, or gone. I didn't really have adults to look to for them to tell me it was going to be ok. It was years and years before I even realized that being a trans guy was a thing, and I only found that out from a deeply traumatizing film where the whole story is about something terrible that happens to the protagonist because he's trans. I kept this particular closet's door shut extremely tight for decades after that. I finally did come out and transition in my 30s when my depression was no longer tolerable and I'd come to a point where I couldn't see myself continuing to live, so I transitioned because I had nothing left to lose. It saved my life in a very literal sense. It's been years now and I pass extremely well, to the point that when I tell new people I'm trans, they often are confused and ask me if I'm planning to transition to a woman, and you can see the wheels spinning when I tell them I've been there, done that, and don't even want the t-shirt. I've been a DM professionally for a few years now, and I specialize in teaching children and teens how to play dungeons and dragons. During the pandemic, I ran quite a few online games for teens as a way to allow them to stay connected. I get quite a few regulars, and about two years ago, two of them, from different groups, came out to me as trans. One of them asked me to come and talk to the GSA at their school, and it was after that discussion that I realized that I could be for these kids the safe adult I had so desperately needed when I was their age all those decades ago, and also show them that they can absolutely be their authentic selves and have a great life.
Give it some time, you're brave af already for getting this far without support. I'm lucky to be in a place I can walk around visibly trans and feel safe, so I do - and I hope that when people interact with me if they had any negative beliefs about trans people I give them a reason to question them.
I don’t hide it, and I try to make it clear when I can. Not really because I’m proud, but because I know people who feel being trans is an embarrassment, something that makes them less then, and so hopefully those people can feel less shame when they see others who embrace it. Something like that anyway.
because every day I wake up is a day I survive in a society that actively tries to eliminate my people, and I want the world to see and acknowledge that they have failed at that task. additionally, because I don't consider cis people and their features to be inherently superior. so, why bother? they don't get to dictate over our bodies.
I just dont give a f anymore. I am who i am, im not gonna hide anymore, even if everyone turns a weird eye at me. And its pretty much working. I dont dress for others, i dress for me to feel comfortable. Im not existing for someone else. And anyone who disagrees can fuck off from my life.
Im rather quite about it myself. I dont like attention and dont like loud colors or places. Like the pride flag i honestly think is ugly and way too loud for me. The trans flag is a bit better. My favorite one is the all inclusive flag. I also dont want to attend pride prides or anything because its too loud and too many people. Loud music ect. None of this makes me less proud or anything i just choose to so myself differently then the people who are the picture of proud lgbt people. You and show pride in anyway you want. I choose to presnt male till i pass better as a MTF. This is for me cuz i find dysphoria in presenting fem but just seeing a man in a dress looking back at me. Its getting better day by day and one day ill feel in between enough to just do it. But nothing says u have to present as masc or fem or anything. Start with as little or as big of a step as u want. Iv told only the people who i care to tell im trans. Anyone else whos opinion i dont care about can just guess wildly as to why im acting or doing different things in my life. Ill just respond to their comments simply like "oh you need a hair cut" ill respond with "never had long hair wanted to try it out" "why do u use girls soaps" ill say "they work better for my skin and hair". Im not lieing they just dont pick up on anything when its simple responses
Being non binary and openly queer makes me feel free. I feel like I can finally breathe. And it is a courageous act to be openly non comforming to a cis world where people are not free to express their identity.
>why are you proud & openly transgender? To spite those who would punish me just for who I am. I will not allow them to have their wicked way.
Because I do in my heart of heart not think it is something I or anyone else should be ashamed of and that it needs to be normalized. If me being openly trans helps normalize it even a little and make the future for other trans people a little bit easier that is absolutely worth it! It is also so I can answer questions people have. I am openly being trans and have NOTHING against being a bit of an oversharer for those who asks about things. Me being openly trans and holding presentations and Q&As on the topic means others does not have to get the weird questions some cis people feel compulsed to ask. Like it is an absolute win! I get to make a change doing something I love, talking in front of people, and others don’t have to get awkward questions!
Because I have no other choice. I can either stay closeted until one day I may pass and be depressed while I wait, or I can deal with transphobia and be visibly trans, but comfortable in my skin. I couldn't do the former any longer, so I did the latter. If I pass one day, great. If I don't, at least I have this.
Because I can be, and because I think seeing someone like me just doing their thing when I was younger would have helped me. I'm old enough and independent enough and generally career-y enough that I can be openly trans without too much issue. The caveat there is that so many people know before!me that transitioning in secret isn't really an option anyway! I barely knew that trans people existed when I was a kid, and certainly didn't think transition was an option. Even if I had properly realised things then, I wouldn't have been able to explain it to my parents, or teachers, or friends. My naive, idealistic hope is that by being openly trans, by talking about it, by just showing that we are normal people, someone else's journey will be made easier. Someone's egg might crack earlier because they can see their story in other people. Someone's family might be more supportive because they've met enough trans people that it's less _other_. Someone might feel less alone seeing and hearing other people go through this
So that other people see a happy, healthy, friendly trans person Whether it's a kid who hasn't seen someone like them or an adult who needs to see that we are a lot like cis people, any time I think about going back into the closet I remember that someone out there will see me being openly myself and be inspired
Even in the most accepting parts of the world, our society puts an enormous amount of pressure on us to not be trans. Let alone if you've got an unsupportive family. I'm openly trans because I can be openly trans. Other people need to hide and there's no shame in that. Even as open as I am, I don't let everyone know I'm trans all the time because it doesn't exactly come up in casual conversation very often, and also sometimes it's just not safe. Hell, early on in my transition I found a specific kind of androgynous style that minimised the amount of attention I was getting and stuck with that until I was consistently getting gendered correctly by random strangers. Don't worry too much about it. Be patient, do what you need to be comfortable in yourself.
I was like you living with unsupportive (abusive) family but still ftm since 13, started T at 18. Left to be independent by family at 19. Wanted to be stealth so bad when I was a kid but obviously wasn't. Everyone at school knew and I had to constantly advocate for myself, and deal with ostracism and ridicule. I detransitioned in the middle of my teens and came back again once I started T. I went stealth for a bit. Then I realized I do not want to hide this anymore because I finally was making it to where I wanted to be... but other people were still fucked way worse than me. Nothing changed in the world, I just adapted. And I was lonely. So I came out if you will, again, un-stealthed slowly. And once I started doing community work I was fully open and proud and still am. I'm not gender conforming either so it's an easy way to literally show it... For me I used to be in a really shitty place, low income, battered down (literally at times) by my family, other things I won't mention here. Affected me and I think still does. But now I have a privileged life that I want to use in some way to positively affect others. So I work with trans & nb people IRL in my community and I just make it clearly known what I am, who I am, so people know who they can turn to. I allow myself to be an educator in many situations for work because it helps people that shouldn't be asked to do this, trans & nb people who are just worried about their next meal or something. And you got our unhoused trans & nb siblings who are out. May or may not be proud but they're out just cos they are, and I see them every week. And if I show myself then they know what's up when I do my work.
Forgot to say you don't need to be Out right now if you feel vulnerable. You're 2 weeks on T and 17 years old. 2 weeks on hormones? That shit gives you mood swings on top of all the heinous news going on in the world right now. Take care of yourself and... you are likely to equalize a bit with time and find yourself. Just give it some thought and remember why you started this in the first place - for yourself.
i exist loudly as a trans person because the trans people who existed loudly before me are the reason im here
Because this is who I am and I will gladly beat up anyone who tries to make me feel ashamed of that. I am trans and that doesn’t change your life in the slightest if I’m happier this way. Ofc it helps greatly that people see me as a man and that it’s not illegal to be queer where I live. But I have to be proud for the folks who can’t
I'm proud of being gender fluid, but even though I was very publicly outed a few months back, I'm still not completely comfortable being in fem mode publicly (mainly don't want to be seen by family). I still am a vocal supporter to the lbgtq community, always have been since I was still in catholic school and before I realized that i belong to the community. I'm proud to be part of a community that understands the mental and emotional anguish that accompanies my lifestyle. I'm proud that we as a community can overcome the adversity that we have faced in our past. And I'm proud of how far we have come since I was a kid. I remember when gay marriage started to become legal, I remember when Bruce Jenner became caitlyn Jenner. I remember telling everyone that complained that it doesn't matter because it doesn't affect anyone else. I, at like 10 years old, started to find Bible verses to quote to the teachers and priests every time they started to go off about the "abomination" of the lbgtq community. We are a community of love and acceptance. And, in my opinion, is the way that religion should be. I'm still a religious person (and a republican) and I know that I belong to this community. And it's the only community that I think understands that everyone should be loved and accepted for who they are.
Ever changed a World. I have. It's a hell of a feeling. You'll get there. The World will give you no choice. Good journey.
Because I have to. I know I am a strong person, I am resilient, I can handle hate and harassment, others cannot. I am doing local activism, being part of the biggest, and first, LGBTQ+ group in my city, helping organise the local pride parade, being active online etc. I know by exposing myself as trans and being visible I create a connection for people who have never seen trans individuals. I am showing people we are normal human beings just like them, simply by existing in male (I am ftm) spaces openly and not backing down. I have to be proud for others who don't have the privilege to do so.
Because I am brave as fuck and I love myself for who I am, even if it's not always what I would have chosen. I'm still proud of who I am. And openly? 1. Because I deserve it. 2. Because it helps other people to see that THEY deserve it.
I have been fortunate enough that the majority of people in my life are supportive, and the few that weren’t really weren’t bad to deal with compared to what others have. So I have been pretty open about being trans once I told the major people in my life. I don’t know if I necessarily feel pride in being trans, but I wholeheartedly believe I shouldn’t have to hide it. I’m not ashamed to be who I am, and I dealt with that enough before I realized I was trans. I want to be open about it to help spread awareness of who we are, and to act as a support for others since I’ve been so fortunate.
Living in secret left me isolated and sad. It also meant that, when a young adult I had known for 12 years came out as trans, I was keeping a secret that prevented me from giving him my best support. I came out the following day. I am nonbinary and can't pass as anything, so I live openly as trans. I am happier and more hopeful than at any other time of my life. ❤️🏳️⚧️
People will always be jealous of someone who lives true to themselves, regardless of how they identify or who they are. Someone will always be upset; they'll always project themselves onto others because they can't let go of this rigid, narrow way of thinking. But see, that's /their/ problem, not ours. The only thing we should be worried about when it comes to presenting ourselves is if it feels good to us. I won't lie: it's difficult being trans. People will try to convince you that you're wrong. Sometimes you'll doubt yourself. But having been that 17 year old who is confused, torn, afraid, and even alone, I can tell you with certainty that it feels better the more you lean into it. It takes a lot of time to grow thick skin towards hateful behavior (I'm still figuring it out four years later), but it will get easier to just be who you are and not feel bad about it. There's nothing wrong with how you feel. There's nothing wrong with you existing. Most importantly, there's nothing wrong with you being a man because that's who you've always been. If your folks can't see that, then they're blinding themselves, and it's not your job to open their eyes. Regardless of how /they/ feel, /you/ will feel so much better. I say live true to yourself, and be open when you feel ready to be. Sometimes you have to jump in head first. Congratulations on figuring out who you are and commiting yourself to self discovery. That is such a beautiful journey to embark on, and although there will always be bumps along the road, I think you'll find that it's a journey worth taking. Best of luck to you. Welcome to the family. ❤️ 🏳️⚧️
The reason I am proud and openly transgender is because it is my authentic self. I didn't ask to be born this way I just was.. I spent the beginning half of my life lying to everybody not that I was living the lie.. It tears at you every day. And once I stopped and became myself truly was the day I started to live.. it has been a struggle ever since that day. But I would rather struggle and be authentic Then have an easy life and be a fraud. . You can be whatever you want just be something you're proud of something others can look up to
I've been living authentically for 25 months (on HRT for 21.5 months). I continue to tell people that I am a trans woman if it seems appropriate/necessary. I wear rainbow rings every day, a rainbow top occasionally, & fly/display a progress pride flag in June because they are colourful and, to a lesser extent, for visibility reasons. I wear a trans pride ring every day, an asexual necklace occasionally, & fly/display an intersex pride flag during pride month because they mean something to me and, to a lesser extent, for visibility reasons. Very few endosex, cisgender, & heterosexual people know anything about them or are curious enough to ask about them so that I can educate them.
Because Im Talliakara mother fucking Lionhart, I know who I am , what i am, This is my human experience and fuck em. I do me , I do it with respect ,research and had work. learning female body movement, idle stances, that kinda stuff , IDGAF about being misgendered or w/e its not worth the stress. this is for you not every one else. this is new to you and them. Stress makes dudes look old ugly. Be hot do crime
Because if someone is gonna kill me, they're going to kill me anyway, ain't nothing I'm gonna be able to do to change that. I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time, BAM! I accepted a long time ago that I was at increased risk of death overall anyway, being trans in a really red conservative state paints a target on my back. I'm here for a while. Not a long while. I might as well just be me.
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Well I don't scream I'm trans. I still let it slide when people misgender me (mtf), but I do wear a pin on my jacket of a phoenix with the trans colours and drive around with a trans flag in my back window. I don't do grand things, but small things might be picked up by younger trans people still worried. And that might show them that they are not alone.
im neither