So lately I’ve been confused. I was born female and I’ve always been told that that’s exactly what I am. For the past couple of months, I know that physically I am female and I accept that and I wouldn’t change that, but emotionally I feel like a male. I don’t really know much about the different genders and I am interested in knowing more about them. Please help!
Dear Jordyn,
First, I’m so glad you reached out. You are the only person who knows how you truly feel on the inside and what gender you are. A person’s birth assigned sex is determined by hormones, chromosomes and genitalia which does not imply a person’s gender. It sounds like you feel like you’re male and that is valid and it is completely normal to feel this way. Gender exists outside of a binary as a spectrum with infinite possibilities for a how a person may identify. Some folks identify as a man, some folks identify as a woman. Some folks identify as both a man and a woman at the same time or neither, or a different gender. Here are some great resources that include different gender identities.
http://www.transstudent.org/definitions
LGBTQ+ Definitions – Trans Student Educational Resources
www.transstudent.org
Learn LGBTQ+ terms and definitions by LGBTQ+ youth!
https://www.glaad.org/reference/transgender
GLAAD Media Reference Guide – Transgender | GLAAD
www.glaad.org
For additional resources on how to fairly and accurately report on transgender people, please see “In Focus: Covering the Transgender Community” and visit glaad.org …
It may also help for you to connect with other folks who are going through a similar experience. Here are some other resources that may be useful:
http://www.lgbteachesco.org/resources/lgbt-support/
https://www.meetup.com/cities/us/pa/oxford/lgbtq/
https://www.oxfordlighthouse.org/
Always keep in mind that you are the only person who can self-determine your gender, no matter what your birth-assigned sex is or how other may perceive you. You can always reach out again if you should ever need support. We are always here.
Your friend,
~Ally