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*URGENT* Swim team anxiety + coping (plus a long ramble woohoo)

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Pistachio, Jun 28, 2016.

  1. Pistachio

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    Summary- I have swim team for the first time this year tomorrow and I'm really not looking forward to it on the grounds of being uncomfortable with gender stuff.
    I'm pretty sure no one will see this in time for early tomorrow morning.. Grr.. Oh well..
    --
    I guess since I've finally broken away from clinging to the idea of being cis and/or not caring about my gender at all, I've just been slowly suctioned towards the idea of being a guy. And it's great that I've finally reached an identity that makes me feel comfortable.. On the flip side, it's like magnetic attraction. The further away I kept myself from my own thoughts, and feelings of discomfort around being female, the easier it was.. The less real.. But I guess the closer I got to being true to how I feel and how things are for me (at least right now).. It became more difficult to resist the pull.
    I almost wonder if I should be more hesitant to acknowledge this part of myself, more ashamed, more in denial, but apart from the nasty comments I see on social media sites, and my mom cherry-picking apart my explanations of my experience thus far, and everyone who genders me as a girl without even thinking about it, there's nothing and no one in my life telling me off. No one to say "no, you're a girl, and you have to live with that".
    Now it seems that the magnets are pretty well stuck together, and I don't think I could pry them apart if I wanted to. The ideas of "who I am", and "boy", have sort of adhered to each other.
    That scares me a lot. And now I look at pictures of myself from even just a while ago before I cut my hair, and feel an odd sort of disconnect from that other person.
    Sometimes I feel like I'm floating and that things still don't make sense, but what brings me back is that.. Rush. The rush of excitement I know I've felt every time I push away an obstacle in between the magnets. Imagining myself in a relationship with someone /as a guy/, gives me that rush. Looking flat chested gives me that rush. Hell, just thinking about having beard stubble and a deeper voice gives me that rush.
    I don't know.
    Anyway.
    Now that I'm more solid in my feelings, the blows just throw me more off center and make me more unhappy.
    I do not want to use the girl's locker room tomorrow.
    I do not want to wear a girl's swimsuit tomorrow. (Luckily I've found an 80% remedy to that issue last weekend by layering a sports bra, then a one piece, then a "girl's" rash guard and swim shorts.. But in a way it's still not quite enough).
    I do not even want to be seen as a girl tomorrow.
    But it's inevitable and I hate it.
    And I have nobody to tell me- "It's okay, you're valid, you're a boy, you're whoever you feel you are and this doesn't change that". Nobody to counter all of the "girl" and "young lady" and "daughter"s. It feels dumb to try and ask someone to do that. Especially because something terrible in my mind still tells me that none of it's true, and that nobody does or ever will see me as male.
    I've had some anxiety issues since Fall, and that is really not helping things..

    Any advice on how to cope?
     
  2. Really

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    Hey Pistachio! Great name. :]

    I'm sorry you're going through all of this. It sounds like you've got a pretty good idea what you want/need so that's good.

    As for the swimming, is there and individual bathroom separate from the locker room you could use? Or maybe you could already have your suit on underneath shorts and a t-shirt so you can change quickly on the pool deck?

    Have you thought about boy short bottoms and a tankini top? Some can be quite utilitarian.

    Good luck tomorrow. And remember, in the water, you are just a fish.
     
  3. Rickystarr

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    I totally feel you. I'm glad I'm not in that situation since I am never comfortable in a swimsuit period. But all I can say is I kinda understand in a totally unrelated way. Like, now that I have accepted that I am a guy, I don't want to meet anyone as female. I feel this need to transition first and stop living my life until I can be seen as male. But I know that is silly and we both need to keep living our lives until that is possible. Soon, you can be the real you, when you are ready.
     
  4. randomconnorcon

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    I think, in this situation (and any situation, really), the person validating your identity as a boy is yourself and (or, if the need for others really helps you) imagining we're there. Because we know who you are and we know you are valid and so do you. For now, as much as it can suck, that can be enough.

    Good luck, Anthony. I hope it goes okay.
     
  5. AmyBee

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    I know how hard it can be because swimsuits both guy and girl have been a big source of dysphoria and/or relief at times for me, too. But whatever you wear or whatever locker room you use nothing can erase the essential truth of who you are and that is you're a boy. And you ARE okay! Also, Anthony is a great name. There's a Pixies song called Tony's Theme. It's a lot of fun. It starts with "This is a song about a superhero named Tony, it's called 'Tony's Theme.'"
     
  6. Pistachio

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    "In the water, I'm just a fish" has sort of become my mantra for when I'm feeling stressed at the pool. You were all definitely with me in spirit, even when I felt really alone. I've powered through. I know I can't just click the pause button and fix everything that's wrong with how I am right now.. I've gotta move forward! And Tony's theme is indeed a really fun song. I listened to it before swim team yesterday and it cheered me up a lot.
    My first two days have gone pretty well.. I feel somewhere from a little nervous to very anxious for a lot of the time, (especially in the girl's locker room eesh. It feels like everyone's staring at me.. And like I'm not supposed to be in there) and both emotionally and physically drained afterwards.. But I'm really enjoying the swimming itself, which is something I love to do, and getting so much excersize on a daily basis is good for me, I think. I'd forgotten the wonders it does for my mood and self esteem.
    Thank you guys for your replies and encouragement.. They made the whole experience much easier on me. :')
     
    #6 Pistachio, Jun 30, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2016
  7. AmyBee

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    Yay! I'm jealous you're a good swimmer! It took me forever to learn and I still suck at it!
     
  8. Pistachio

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    Haha! Well, I try my best..