Let's just say, I work as a counsellor to juvenile sexual offenders. Which puts me in odd circumstances.. as I end up being groped sexually from time to time, and all sorts of physical and verbal abuse. One kid likes to call me a girl and tell me how lovely I look (however it's likely due to a crush on me then him actually having any clue to my identity). I'm comfortable in my identity, so there's nothing these kids can tell me that is going to bother me. I could care less that I get called all sorts of offensive terms every day. I am not comfortable with the fact of being trans though - purely for the fact that I know that I will be treated differently by coworkers/friends/etc. if I were to come out. I like being seen as equal, in friends that I have come out to - even the most understanding of friends - you suddenly become less then male, or more then male the instant you come out. I identify as male, not trans, so I guess that's how I want to be known. I guess it's kind of contradictory, because I'm comfortable in my identity, but not enough to let many people in on my transness.
However, One of my boys.. he just came out as bi (huge step for him! YAY!), however it is suspected that he may be trans. His friends in the program have talked about it with him present and he hasn't denied it. And there's many classic pointers. One of my coworkers knows my situation, and she thinks I could do wonders if I let this kid in on my life. he's been having a really hard time pinpointing any of his identity (sexual, gender, everything), other then that he wants to be Lady Gaga when he grows up (he's nearly an adult), and that he likes gender bending (getting make up and hair done and whatever)
We as a group of his workers are working at being very accepting towards this young man, however.. do any of you mtf's have any suggestions on how I can be very subtle about helping this kid figure out his identity? He's approaching his identity way different then I ever did. I don't want to tell him about me, as he would tell the other youth, who would tell the staff, who would then gossip and soon all of the greater organization would know due to the nature of the organization, and then I would face discrimination in the workplace.
