Starting at 27!

[sophia001]

Hi All,

I've been thinking a lot lately about gender expression and coming to terms with how I feel inside. I've felt unsure of where I fit in on the gender spectrum (or whether I'd consider myself trans or androgynous) since early childhood, and have kept on burying it in the back of my mind.

Then it hit me - im 27 ack!!!


It never bothered me until I realised that my early 20's - the best possible time to experiment with gender identity, going through uni, not having a set career or more adult expectations is nearly over

I kind of feel like now I have a serious job and potentially kids on the way in a few years I'm running out of time here. Maybe I'm just freaking myself out needlessly? * just breathe* This is still do-able right? Is there anyone here that has started trying to find themselves a little bit late?

On the positive side I've started coming out of my assigned gender box that never really felt right and feeling really good about it 
Sorry if I'm coming over all melodramatic, I know 27 isn't really the end of the world, but still 

- Soph

[Eva Marie]

I was finally able to put a label on what i'd been feeling all of my life when i was around 42, and this year i'll turn 50. I can sport a short skirt and heels very nicely and i don't scare small children or make dogs start to bark so yes, it can be done at any age. At 27 you still have lots of time to make choices and decisions.

I wish we would have had the internet back when i was 27; maybe i could have figured this whole thing out sooner.

[Bird]

27 is not too late! You will be fine.

[saint]

I am 33, I started working through and exploring gender about 18 years ago.  I do sometimes think of all the opportunities I missed had I dealt with this earlier in my life.  But then when I look back, if my gender issues had been at the forefront of my mind when I was in my early 20's I would not have dealt with it well - I was just about coping with being out as bisexual, and I had a whole lot of problems with alcohol, cannabis, ecstacy, unemployment, anxiety, depression etc etc without throwing gender into the mix as well! 

Right now I have enough work to keep me going from week to week, I am in a supportive relationship, I deal with my issues in a positive way instead of self-destructing.  I have the stability and self-confidence to work through what I need to work through (although it is hard at times).  I might be a bit more wrinkly than when I was 20 but that is not the most important thing to me

[foosnark]

I'm 40 and started at 39.  Too late?  Nah.

[Pica Pica]

now I have a serious job and potentially kids on the way in a few years I'm running out of time here.

Wow, I'm 27, I haven't managed those things. Maybe having sorted out a more settled place in the world will anchor much of who you are enough to make the gender bit easier to work out. There tends to be a shake-up in most people as they approach 30, a re-examining of the choices made thus far - you probably won't be the only one trying to make changes.

[Cindy]

I'm 59, Geez 27 sounds pretty old

Hugs, we do what we do when we can

Cindy

[Jamie D]

  Youngsters 

[justmeinoz]

I am 58, started FT about a year ago, and haven't looked back.  Some things just surface when we are in a position to deal with them.  You are ready when you are ready. 
27 is a good age to think about transition seriously, you have achieved a degree of life experience, and are still young enough to see some marked improvements.
Personally I felt 27 for most of the next 30 years, but have now regressed to being a 16 year old in many ways.  I now feel like I took a life detour at 15 and finally managed to get back on track about where I left.

Karen.

[sophia001]

Youngsters 

LOL! i know...
I didn't want it to sound like it obviously did

Just feels as though I should have tried dealing with it earlier, but I don't think I was in a position to until I had some more life experience

[sophia001]

I am 58, started FT about a year ago, and haven't looked back.  Some things just surface when we are in a position to deal with them.  You are ready when you are ready. 
27 is a good age to think about transition seriously, you have achieved a degree of life experience, and are still young enough to see some marked improvements.
Personally I felt 27 for most of the next 30 years, but have now regressed to being a 16 year old in many ways.  I now feel like I took a life detour at 15 and finally managed to get back on track about where I left.

Karen.

I think that's right Karen, think I was just feeling sorry for myself yesterday 

I had an idea that the issue was there since early childhood but think I was in no way ready to take it on.
Only now feel that I'm strong enough to think about it in a constructive (and non-destructive!) way

[Kinkly]

I wish I had started accepting myself at 27 I started acknowledging my gender issues and searching for answers at 30

[Harper85]

I can relate to pretty much everything said in this post!  Really, I am 26 and I have to say I feel where you are coming from. I know logically I have PLENTY of time, but it still seems kinda scary.