Transitioning

There is no right age at which to transition, transgender individuals are often not accepted socially and therefore it can be difficult to transition at an early age when they are reliant on others. The average age to start transition is 40, although that age is slowly coming down as transgender people become more socially accepted. One theory is that being brought up and conditioned in the gender you were assigned at birth for 20 years takes another 20 years to get over that conditioning. Another theory is that when the transgender individual reaches middle age they realise how unhappy they have been and they are eager to change themselves for a happier future. There is no set age for transition though and individuals transition from as early as 18 (when medically allowed) and as late in life as their 90s. Often social factors like being accepted by their family or financial factors like being employed are the main reasons individuals transition later in life.

If you know someone who is transitioning you should try to give them as much support as possible. Shockingly there are statistics that show 41% of transgender individuals will attempt suicide at some point in their lives. Gender dysphoria often causes severe depression in transgender individuals and those that feel they cannot transition due to social, financial or religious reasons feel trapped and suicide is a way out for them. Also a large number of transgender individuals commit suicide after transition, they hope that transitioning will bring them peace and while often it does within their own feelings about themselves they are still subjected to transphobia, they may be shunned by family and friends or colleagues or be unable to find work. Some may transition back if possible but others again feel trapped by society and use suicide as a way out. It is for this reason that transphobia must be stamped out in society. No one should have to feel they cannot be themselves. Insults such as “It’s just a wrong” or “You simply want attention” should never be used on a transgender individual. Why would someone subject themselves to so much pain, effort and public scorn for attention? Medical alterations of the individual are often extremely painful, and actions that can help them look like their preferred gender can also be painful, chest binding for example in Trans Men or electrolysis in Trans Women. Transition is not an easy journey and often involves a lot of effort, to alter one's voice for example can take years, why would they put in that much effort for attention reasons only. Finally, they know they are going to face transphobia, comments such as “You were born a boy, you will always be a boy.” etc. No one would willingly want comments such as this simply for attention. Please be aware that while your preferred gender is a choice, suffering from Gender Dysmorphia is not. The transgender individual did not ask to be this way, they simply are, you would not criticise an individual for being gay or for being born with only one arm so you should not criticise others or yourself for being transgender.

Next: Depression