I did my thesis on this about ten years ago and a lot of people realize they're trans the first time they encounter a story or image or actual trans person of their approximate gender who is presented in a way that is sympathetic or relatable or just not actively stigmatizing. Trans men cite photographs a lot, seeing a trans man one time and instantly going "oh that's it, me too." Those stories used to be about rifling through porn magazines in gay shops. Now they're about movie stars.
Would love to read this thesis!
Hi 👋 one of the aforementioned trans people who transitioned 16 years ago and knew I was trans the first time I *encountered* the term. Up until then was identifying as a butch lesbian because 1. I knew I liked women and 2. I knew I was masc, but that was the only option I knew of at the time.
I talked to the most masculine lesbians I knew and said “well on the inside you feel like a man, right?” And they said “no, we feel like women who like women.” And I was like, well that doesn’t explain this.
I had vaguely heard the word but didn’t know what it was so I looked it up on YouTube and all of these videos started popping up, “One year on T” and “Top surgery reveal” and was like !!!! I can be a guy?! I didn’t know that was possible!!!
16 years out as trans, 15 years on T, 14 years post top surgery, and still here ✨🖤✨
