Something that needs to be known: Being transgender does not mean transitioning. Quite a few detransitioners regret bottom surgery because they had felt pressured to go all the way through. You don't have to go all the way. Many trans people do not undergo bottom surgery because they have no genital dysphoria. But they still take hormones. Same goes for top surgery and even the way you express your gender. You don't have to pick all or nothing. You should only do the things that you really want. You should only take hormones if you feel body dysphoria. You should only have bottom surgery if you feel genital dysphoria. You can be transgender without dysphoria but the more important question is whether to transition.

I am a white straight male raised in a religious family. That is why questioning my gender came as such a surprise to me. I did for about... a year and a half. I almost did it, too. At least, I almost decided to go on hormones, and live life as a male in public, and a woman in private (or something)

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My problem is the "rightness" flip-flops. Some days I absolutely MUST be a woman. "Must must MUST! This is me! I want to live!". Whereas other days it feels burdensome and excessive and I don't care about gender at all, or am content to stick with the simple, familiar default. At least for a while. Or when occupied with one of the 99% things we do in life which don't require having a gender: Mowing the yard, doing the dishes, vacuuming the floor, ironing the laundry, cooking the meals, etc.

I’m 70 years old, been this way my whole life and is ok. However, no matter where you are on your trans path every day is new and different. Stay safe and enjoy. Peace, Charlene

I know since my youth. I move to full time at 54, but I always expressed my feminity in some way. Hormones came months later.

I'm 29 and I always knew how I felt from a young age but I didn't have the vocabulary for it growing up in the rural deep south. At age 12 I found out that the word "transgender" existed and immediately identified with it. I thought it meant I was a freak and my teenage years were spent riddled with dysphoria, internalized transphobia, and suicidal ideation. I eventually learned that I wasn't an abhorrent sexual deviant that it's perfectly normal to be transgender. I became proud of who I am and now I'm a decade into transition and I haven't attempted suicide once since accepting myself as a woman. ❤

Hiii Ashley! I’m pretty early in my transition. I’m doing what feels right to me, I’m 22 and I’m not rushing. I feel like there is pressure to transition as early as possible but you need to trust yourself first. I’m learning to trust the process and to keep feeling good as a woman

Thank you for approaching this subject from a more spiritual perspective. I'm a 59 year old biolgical male I just started taking testosterone blockers and estrogen three months ago. I started HRT for my mental health not to transition. I have had low level depression for my whole life. So far the improvements in my mental health have been amazing. I still don't know if I'm transgender or non binary. I only know that I can't go back to feeling the way I did so I guess we'll just have to see were this journey takes me.

hi ashley ...i have to strugling with my gender for i guess about an year and i actually think i m a trans ... i even tried my sisters dress when there was no one around at my home and it felt great ...it made me happy ...i have been thinking about experimenting different stuff but i cant do as i live with my family and i cant come out ...it really sucks ... and the thought of me being a girl makes me sad as i look at my current situation

I heard of transgender ocd for the first time the other day and it just threw me for a loop. Sounds a lot like i dealt with to some extent with all the research i did and nights staying up worrying if i wasn't. I know I'm trans and i feel comfortable identifying as such, but there's still all this confusion and doubt. Overall when i try things an think about being transmasculine it feels good.

I always think the best thing is to just go as slowly as you can. The journey is the best part.

I cried when you said pretending to be masculine, I've been trying to play the roll of masculine my entire life , feeling like something is wrong with me because I'm attracted to women but I feel like one myself, it's sad that at my age I'm only starting my transition ❤🎉 I thank you for your courage to help people like myself who struggle with pretending to be someone your not for a bunch of people who could care less anyway .

After 12 years, transition was the best thing I ever did for myself.

I love the fact trans people exist. They challenge gender norms and gender identity 'rules' and they really prove just be yourself is the most right choice

Hello nice video 👌🏻 and helps a lot .

Hiiiiiii! I hope you're having a great day!

thank you so much for this! I am in the 5th stage of discovering whether I'm trans. these videos are so helpful.

Of the countless videos, quizzes, articles, and documents I’ve read on this topic, this feels like the single best answer/video I’ve come across lol

I really really love your energy in this video. I'm just about 8 months on hormones (estrogen and progesterone and spironolactone) and Its been awesome discovering your channel in the past year or so when I was really weighing some heavy decisions and struggling everyday constantly, reaching that tipping point of 'yeah, I've pretty much known this was the path I need to take since like mid high school, so why haven't I jumped in yet?' Well, at 29 years old now I feel like I have my whole life and a good amount of youth left to explore myself fully and push myself and my femininity. Starting transitioning has saved my life.