Keep your chin up and know that you, my brother, are an awesome guy. I have a few words to say to you. Words that I have to remind myself too often when I look in that mirror and have nasty things to say. Don't pretend you haven't done it. You look at your body and hate it. You try to run but you can't. When people call you a girl, condescend you, or just don't understand, it boils under your skin and threatens to suffocate you. But it won't. No, it won't. Because you and I are getting through this. Because we are stronger than all the bullshit being thrown at us. Do not let what others think and say dictate your state of mind. The only person you need to worry about right now is you. Learn, for once, to love yourself. You don't need T to do that. You don't need top surgery or bottom surgery to do that. You don't need a binder or a packer or masculine clothing or a haircut to do that. Self love is here and now. You're a guy, now. You are just as worthy of love and respect as anyone else. The first day of living doesn't need to begin at that point you've set for yourself. It can happen now. Life will go on as it always does. So don't wait. When I look around here at EC, I see a lot of pain that looks so like my own. But you know what I also see? Kindness, and so many beautiful, valuable lives behind that pain. Don't give up on yourself. There is so much life beyond this. Sometimes we fail to see it and sometimes we beat ourselves up to a bloody pulp, but please, don't. Lower your fist and breathe. Open your eyes and look at how far you've come. That man in the mirror is worth living for.
Wow, this was beautiful and well articulated. I'm not trans but I think I'm going to cry. I've experienced dysphoria before and it was horrendous and suffocating. To imagine you guys having to experience it 24/7 is unbelievable. You are all strong, we can get through this together. It hurts to see so many people going through so much pain to be their authentic self.
That's a very nice post. To add: In our hearts, we are hunters and warriors. Boys don't cry. They fix the shit. And we are real men. There is no obstacle that can stop us.
Boys can cry, before, during and after an event. It doesn't invalidate their masculinity at all. Crying is a natural human response to pain, anger and suffering which everyone has a right to express and in which everyone does need to express. Tears don't care whether you are male or female. Heck, when a classmate had died everyone - including the alpha males - were bawling.
@Danni: Yes, if there is something unfixable terrible that happend. But the rest, yeah I'm kinda conservative about that.
Much love to my brothers. And to our supporters. It's such a huge thing we're going through and to remember that we are stronger together is extremely important. And to remember we are strong men is a great thought to have.
This is very inspirational and well-put! Chin up, there's always tomorrow, and while you may not be out or maybe your family, the people who you love most of all, don't use your pronouns or your name and maybe your big brother who you respect and who is your role-model says your identity is a phase or that you just want attention but no matter what you will always be who you are, you can be anything you want to be! You don't have to have short hair and boys clothing to do it!