Being Transgender isn’t a Choice
Coming to this realization isn’t a simple decision
Recently I had an unfortunate altercation with a distant family member. She had kept her silence regarding my transition until some drama bubbled to the surface regarding another hot button topic. That’s when she revealed her genuine feelings and accused me of being unable to decide which gender I am.
The fact I am a transgender man is neither a decision nor a choice I made. It’s something I have always been, even if I could not articulate it until recently. Once I realized that I am transgender, the only decision I had to make was whether to come out or to remain closeted the rest of my life.
Presenting as your birth sex does not invalidate your gender identity
I know I’m not the only transgender person to have people question the sincerity of my being transgender, merely because I used to dress and present as my biological sex. Not everyone I know has made this accusation, but some have implied it.
My presenting as female in the past doesn’t mean I’m not transgender. It meant that I had fun occasionally presenting in a feminine way. Just because some cisgender gay men occasionally like to dress in drag doesn’t make them transgender or mean they want to be…
