Trans youth describe what gives them gender euphoria in massive new study

LGBTQ+@beehaw.org – 88 points – 12 months ago

Trans youth describe what gives them gender euphoria in massive new study

The kids are alright when they're treated like themselves...

Not very surprising results, but that's what science is about. Gotta question even what seems obvious because sometimes what's obvious is wrong.

It's nice to have affirmation, and it gives me the warm fuzzies to think about all the other trans people out there feeling those good good euphoria feelings.

For me, I'd say top euphoric moments so far are: getting my engagement photos done with my partner in a dress and professional hair and makeup -- I've never felt so pretty, having long time friends who knew me before transitioning ask which of us is going to get pregnant and carry the child when I mentioned having kids to them, getting flirted with by old school lesbians is so affirming too -- one even said, after telling her I'm trans, "well, you're all woman to me!"

There's been so much more, just a constant daily glow of joy from the very core of my being, but those are the top moments for me. I hope it gives others some warm fuzzies to read about my experiences so far.

The thread description reminded me -

Back when I was a school advisor, I learned something from a coworker (teacher).
Some of our teachers were "oldschool" and refused using a new name a student had because of their beliefs. And that the main (or a big) reason why certain kids do suicides is because they are not called by the names they want to be called.

When someone refuses to use a trans person's new name because of their "beliefs", that's them effectively saying "my beliefs are that I know who you are better than you do, so you'd better conform to who I think you should be". Trans people commit suicide not because of the name, but because of what refusing the name really means: that society wants to define their identity, denying them the personal autonomy to define themselves. I think if you denied such autonomy to cis people, plenty of them would commit suicide too, because living as an identity someone else has chosen for you is intolerable to most humans.

It is more than "a name that they want to be called". Sometimes people don't fit in the social constuct that was assigned to them without their choice. What you describe is someone affirming themselves by themselves. When we are denied the right to define ourselves, that can be devastating.

I know that the name is not all that belongs to building a self image

Wow, I really should have calles the Trevor project as a teen. I was so aware of this organization and didn't make a call when I started questioning my gender. Coming out went poorly, and... I deserved outside help, but looking back, I felt like I had to do it all alone.