I've recently 'come out' as trans at school, but most people just don't understand what I'm saying to them. They say things like, I'm not a guy, because I don't have a male body. Or that if you're born a girl, then you're a girl, you can't change it. I know that what they're saying isn't true, but I don't know what I can say or do to make them realise that too. I've told them that I was just born in the wrong body, but it doesn't seem to make a difference, they still just think I'm being stupid, or crazy. I just want to be able to help them understand, and I don't know how. What am I supposed to say? How do I make them understand how I feel? :help:
Sadly, being your age, I know that this is something most 14 year olds can't quite grasp without having exposure. Hopefully in time they'll get used to the idea, I did after joining the site. I'm no expert on trans stuff, but I think the best you can do is educate them, and be patient. I'll leave what you actually tell them to posters with more experience, but I thought i'd check how they reacted, was it generally positive? It doesn't sound like you've gotten a great deal of hate, just a lack of understanding really. That's good, I suppose.
The explanation that helped me get transsexualism was, "a man's brain in a woman's body, or a woman's brain in a man's body". I don't know if that will help you explain it to your friends, but I wish you all the best of luck in trying to help your friends understand this.
Ohhh I found a pamphlet somewhere on the internet about it; it's short and well explained, aimed mostly at health professionals. Here it is: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_097168.pdf
I've explained it as "someone who feels their soul was born into a body with the wrong gender," though of course this is just my rephrasing. Once one of my friends got it into her head that she wanted a sex change operation, and she asked my opinion on it, so I told her it's all the same to me as long as it's what the person wants and they're sure that they're completely dissatisfied with the gender they were born with. I was just skeptic in her case because it was so sudden and out of the blue to me, so it seemed just on a whim. I agree, educate them and be patient. There will always be the thick-headed ones who will never truly understand :dry: but you'd be amazed how many allies you get on your side after a short time! :icon_bigg Best of luck!
