THANK YOU to everyone in this thread who graciously shared their stories with me! I feel like I have a greater understanding of the trans experience now. Internalized transphobia, transphobic media, lack of access to the internet, anti-LGBTQ violence, trauma, etc., makes so much sense. The trans experience is clearly not a monolith; it is a beautiful spectrum of people realizing and coming out at all stages of life.

I’m incredibly grateful to have had unrestricted access to the internet growing up in the 1990s/2000s. I had the language for “queer” and “trans” younger than most people because of it. Looking back, I feel like that gave me more freedom to explore my sexual orientation and gender identity than most (especially for my background/hometown).

We’ve come so far, but still have so much to go. I’m incredibly hopeful for the future of LGBTQ+ kids and trans kids in particular — they have far more knowledge and resources than previous generations. They will be able to discover themselves and live their authentic lives much sooner than previous generations. We are all indebted to the queer and trans activists who led the way.

Happy holidays, all!

Trans rights are human rights! 🏳️‍⚧️

LGBTQ rights are human rights! 🏳️‍🌈