What is the mask and what is me ?
One of the great mysteries of realising you are trans is unknotting what was the the act, the 'armour' and what is the real you...
1. Protection from those who would harm them , sadly in some cases this includes family, i'm lucky that even if i had come out at a child or teen my parents would have continued to love and support me, however i do fear a bit about the medical worlds attitudes then
2. Socialisation - The amateur form of 'Conversion therapy' that people often try when a loved one 'comes out' with some behaviour or belief that challenges their own
3. Defence from Society - the bullying of others in school or the workplace and until relatively recently the tacit approval of management towards bullying and the like
Many trans people become adept at building a mask, for many reasons
1. Protection from those who would harm them , sadly in some cases this includes family, i'm lucky that even if i had come out at a child or teen my parents would have continued to love and support me, however i do fear a bit about the medical worlds attitudes then
2. Socialisation - The amateur form of 'Conversion therapy' that people often try when a loved one 'comes out' with some behaviour or belief that challenges their own
3. Defence from Society - the bullying of others in school or the workplace and until relatively recently the tacit approval of management towards bullying and the like
4. Trying to fulfill other people's expectations... a belief that you can 'cure' yourself of what's wrong whether that is through 'manning up ' ( plenty of trans women who are military veterans ,whether regular or reserve - also if you read some of the stuff Hannah Graf ne Winterbourne has written about her pre coming out service... then there are the macho or high risk sports ... some people stay involved e.g. Charlie Martin others step back or even let it go completely ... ( would link to a friend but I also know she doesn't really like her past exploits of that nature brought up).
So with your realisation of being trans especially once you have reached your mid 20s or beyond before you click all those puzzle pieces together, comes the world of unpeeling the mask that has been stuck on and trying to do it without ripping (too much ) your skin off...
So with your realisation of being trans especially once you have reached your mid 20s or beyond before you click all those puzzle pieces together, comes the world of unpeeling the mask that has been stuck on and trying to do it without ripping (too much ) your skin off...
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