A Question for Understanding

[SelfMadeMan]

Originally Posted by G Snap!

I am curious to know why any transguy would want to be identified as a transguy and not just a guy. Just asking.

It means different things for different people - not all of us take the same path along this journey. That doesn't mean that any one of our stories are more real or more genuine than anothers. I started off, over 15 years ago when I transitioned, not wanting to be known as a transman. I never told anyone I wasn't intimate with. However, I realized that my past was a very special part of who I am, and that I had nothing to be scared of or ashamed of. As my self esteem evolved, I realized that being transgender - wherever you are on that spectrum (and we're all over the spectrum) is something to be proud of. I consider myself completely out now, and I am so proud of who I am. I speak at universities, youth groups, companies, etc. and I feel honored to tell my story and try to help educate society. And fast forward to now - and I don't really want to be seen as "just a guy" - not to the people who really know me anyway. I don't tell everyone I meet, "hey, I'm trans" but I don't hide it either.

And I may be derailing a little - but I just want to say that I see and hear about a lot of judging going on in the trans community - people being denigrated for not being on T, or choosing not to have surgery, or not being able to transition medically because of health reasons, etc etc. And I want to call this out as complete bullshit. There's no checklist, no rules, no preconceived model of what transgender is. None of us are any better, or any more trans than another, regardless.