It's Not A Choice

One of the constant wrong impressions of transgender women and men is we had any choice when we chose to live a trans life.. It is one of the points I tried to get across along with my transgender sisters and brothers during the Trans Ohio Symposium. And, as a matter of fact, to a couple of my health care providers too.

My easiest explanation it seems is, cross dressing just never "got it done." My life just didn't feel right. Let me rephrase it, my life didn't feel seriously right.

Key note speakers this year at the Symposium were a serious blend of trans youth. Four, to be exact. All completely unique in their own way. One, was getting reading to head this fall to the University of Cincinnati and identified as more of an androgynous "agender" person. She spoke of waking in the morning and knowing she wasn't necessarily a girl, but definitely not a boy. Looking back into the dark ages of gender information when I grew up, I think I would have identified the closest with "Em's" story.

Perhaps the most serious impact was made by a 13 year old transgender boy who attended with his Mother and Aunt. His story was simply one of knowing his gender path and getting Mom on board after a very rough start.

If I could go back in time, maybe I could replace many of the trial and error cross dressing public trips I made with one or more symposium visits.

After all, I never had a choice and never knew it.