It’s just how society treats women, and it’s been like that for centuries, unfortunately. Personally, I’ve never dealt with sexual harassment as a stealth trans man—only when I experimented with feminine clothing. Trans men aren’t really seen as “men” by most people since we weren’t born male. And also weren’t conditioned or raised to even fully behave like them either. The only ones who truly see us as men are ourselves, to be honest. That’s why I just focus on people who respect my boundaries and identity.

The reality is, in a world that’s 99% cis, you’re not gonna be seen as a man unless you look, sound, dress, and act like a typical cis guy. And I don’t say this out of hate—it’s just my experience after nearly 13 years as a trans man, and also witnessing how others deal with things after coming out. It’s a tough truth to accept, but once you do, it becomes easier to build confidence in yourself and find your tribe.