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Worried I am a Transexual But I Don't Want To Be

Started by FreshGuy, February 10, 2013, 10:32:35 AM

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FreshGuy

Hey guys, first of all sorry if this is in the wrong section but I didn't know where to post it:

Hey guys,

I am really worried I am transexual but I wish I could just stay as a man (I was born male)

I've been worried about being a transexual since April last year (so I am only one year away from being diagnosed with gender identity disorder  )

I just wish there was another route.

I'm really scared to tell anybody I know that I might be transgender.

When I think about being a transexual I get pain in my chest (i.e. it feels tight) and I worry about being a transexual most of the time. Sometimes I go an hour or two without worrying then I feel really happy then I remember about the trans worries and I start worrying again.

My local LGBT society done a drag day yesterday and I dressed up as a girl, when I was dressed as a girl I didn't feel particularly gender euphoric or anything. Although I think that it will be easier to flirt with boys dressed as a girl (but I've not tried this)

I'm quite a shy person and at the end of the day one of the people giving the drag workshop said that they had seen shy people like me before and I should do what makes me happy (e.g. wearing dresses) but I don't know if I want to dress as a female or not.

After the drag workshop we all went to a bar where a drag act was performed and we were gonna dress in drag again but in the end we didn't. When we first got there I didn't want to dress in drag, then I wanted to then I decided I didn't again lol BUT I don't know if going in drags makes me a transexual anyway but it could be an indicator

I don't want to be a transexual but I am worried that I am one and it seems like I wait forever to be seen by services that can help.

Worrying I am a trans makes me really scared and unhappy and I am worried that I will lose my sex drive and I am worried that my penis will stop working cos of the thoughts.

But yesterday I went clubbing and I hooked up with someone in the club (not sex, we just snogged) and I got an erection so it shows my penis is still working which is good.

I want to keep my penis but I'm worried I'm in denial

Can anyone else help? Can any transexuals relate to what I am saying or does this not sound like I'm trans?

Uhhh, this is so tough. I was starting to worry about this situation less because I was going to get CBT to treat my OCD (my main OCD worry is about being trans but I am worried that maybe it's not OCD and I am trans, especially since they decided not to give me CBT, I think maybe it was there way of telling me that it sounds more like I am trans)

They said that they didn't specialise in obsessive thoughts, more rituals (but mine is more obsessive thoughts) and they said it would be harder to treat

Can anybody help mee? 
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anya921

Quote from: FreshGuy on February 10, 2013, 10:32:35 AM

I am really worried I am transexual but I wish I could just stay as a man (I was born male)


This is really confusing.  What make you feel you are a transsexual person, If you were born male and want to stay as a male.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transsexualism
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Anna++

Whoa, calm down and take a deep breath :).  Maybe you are transgendered, maybe you're not (that really is something you need to decide yourself).  The important thing to keep in mind is that nobody is going to force you into doing anything you don't want to.  If you don't want to transition, you don't have to.

It looks like you've been experimenting a little bit, and that's a good way to figure out who you are.  If you find yourself thinking about it too much, you could try writing out your thoughts (if they're on paper then you don't need to keep them in your mind, right?).  You might want to consider looking up a gender therapist in your area, they're there to help you sort through your feelings.
Sometimes I blog things

Of course I'm sane.  When trees start talking to me, I don't talk back.



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Heather

You might just be a cross dresser. Even if you are ts it doesn't mean you have to get rid of your penis. Nobody is going to make you become a woman if you don't want to be one. But I imagine this must be a confusing time for you. I've dealt with this my whole life For as long as I can remember. Its a part of everyday life for me. I don't know what I would do if I just woke up and started having these feelings. Have you tried seeing a therapist to sort out these feelings your having? BTW just because your having these thoughts doesn't mean your penis is going to stop working. Its hrt that does that to you!
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Elspeth

There are a variety of coping strategies you can try, and as others have said, it's not entirely possible at this point in any case to firmly diagnose that someone is transsexual (in fact there's at least some controversy about the term itself, for some transgendered folks).  I doubt there are any of us who would choose this, and in my therapy comments have been made about my obsessiveness, never a formal diagnosis of OCD, though.

I've gone for years avoiding transition based on several different rationales, and some of my coping strategies more or less worked for a time. The feelings haven't gone away, though, and I'm skeptical about describing them as obsessive thoughts when it feels more like knowing what I am inside, and being conflicted about the best ways of externalizing that, and finding ways of being seen by others without putting myself at dangerous risk.

I can't say my own approach would work for you, or even that it was a good course for me. It just happens to be what I've done (and not done) with my life.  I'd suggest trying to map out what it is that you feel is lacking, and what are the possible actions you could take that might make that better.  It could be something like androgyny, or something else. But it sounds to me from your description of the drag event, that for you, it's not about a performance, but more a desire to express something within yourself.

I don't know -- you haven't said -- what all your feelings are, so I'm hesitant to suggest anything more than this.
"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future."
- Sonmi-451 in Cloud Atlas
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Adabelle

I was worried too that I was transsexual for a long time. But then for me I realized that I needed to think about it not in terms of whether I was a transsexual or not, but whether I felt like more a girl or a boy, and what I wanted to live as. In my case I never wanted to be a transsexual, nor do I really think of myself as one. I have always wanted to just be a girl and have a girl body - I guess that means I could be transsexual even though I don't really think of myself that way; just as a girl who was born into a male body.

As others have said it might be helpful to think about what you want to be, and how you identify deep inside. Nobody can tell you this for you. Also, even if you do like to dress as a girl doesn't mean you have to transition. Or even if you do transition it doesn't mean that you can't have a penis. And even if you did take HRT one day it doesn't even mean your penis wouldn't work anymore. There are lots of different ways to be authentic to yourself.

It's okay to question, and to even have fear. That's pretty normal. I hope you are able to find some peace and observe how you feel and what you want, and then you can think later about what 'label' to put on yourself.
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anya921

Quote from: Adabelle on February 10, 2013, 11:44:50 AM

I was worried too that I was transsexual for a long time. But then for me I realized that I needed to think about it not in terms of whether I was a transsexual or not, but whether I felt like more a girl or a boy, and what I wanted to live as. In my case I never wanted to be a transsexual, nor do I really think of myself as one. I have always wanted to just be a girl and have a girl body - I guess that means I could be transsexual even though I don't really think of myself that way; just as a girl who was born into a male body.


This is true for me too. I always knew I was a girl inside and I wanted to be a girl and nothing else.


Quote from: Elspeth on February 10, 2013, 11:37:39 AM

I don't know -- you haven't said -- what all your feelings are, so I'm hesitant to suggest anything more than this.


I think putting things on paper might be the best way to start. Then may be you can figure out why you think you are transgendered and how you really feel inside.
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Keira

#7
From just a cursory look at what you've said...it just seems to be OCD. But I could be wrong.

For me, I don't worry about being trans, I worry about how other people will react to the real me. I worry about my body becoming more masculine than it already is. I worry that if "the perfect guy" comes along I won't be able to date him because he'll see me as a male.

A few questions you might want to ask yourself...

1. If you could choose to be transformed overnight into a girl, would you?

2. Would you like to be treated as female by others? (eg. Guys won't give you the "man talk" and girls won't immediately think your flirting with them because your talking to them) Think of an effeminate gay guy talking to a group of girls.

3. Alternatively, would you prefer to be somewhere between genders?

You can't really be Trans* if you WANT to still live as male; since you would then be cisgender if you WANT/enjoy living as male.

This is for you alone to explore, I am only guiding you a bit. You may be trans or you may not be, it is not for anyone BUT you to decide.
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Robyn

Whoa, Freshboy. Slow down and take a deep breath.

From what you said, it will take awhile for you to see a therapist/counselor. I assume you have called for an appointment and are on the list. Just try to remain calm while you wait.

You mentioned wanting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for your OCD and that worry is your main OCD. Before that, it would be good to dig into your preoccupation with 'becoming a transsexual'. You don't really 'become' TS; either you are or you aren't. Perhaps the best idea is to let the therapist help YOU to decide who you are: man, woman? Once you have figured whether you are really a man or really a woman, then you and the therapist can decide on how to proceed.

No amount of worry, no amount of CBT can change who you are, only how you relate to who you are.

I hope these early Sunday morning thoughts help.

Robyn
When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly. — Patrick Overton
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FreshGuy

Thank you so much for all your replies! They have been very useful to me. I think I will try writing out all the thoughts onto paper. I think that will be a good way to externalise them. I will let you all know how it goes  :)
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JoanneB

Quote from: anya on February 10, 2013, 10:49:40 AM
This is really confusing.  What make you feel you are a transsexual person, If you were born male and want to stay as a male.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transsexualism
+1

I did see one minute clue as to why you think you are, only why not  ???

I don't think you'll be able to find anyone who WANTS to be trans. Any of us can give a dozen reasons why without even thinking about it. And likely about as many reasons why not. After all we don't want to be trans. At the end of the day, if you are, there aren't many options as to how to handle it.
.          (Pile Driver)  
                    |
                    |
                    ^
(ROCK) ---> ME <--- (HARD PLACE)
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FreshGuy

Quote from: JoanneB on February 10, 2013, 05:00:35 PM
+1

I did see one minute clue as to why you think you are, only why not  ???

I don't think you'll be able to find anyone who WANTS to be trans. Any of us can give a dozen reasons why without even thinking about it. And likely about as many reasons why not. After all we don't want to be trans. At the end of the day, if you are, there aren't many options as to how to handle it.

Ok, I understand. I will rephrase, I don't want to be a woman, I wish I could stay as a man but I think that I am transgender and it upsets me
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Adam (birkin)

Quote from: Heather on February 10, 2013, 11:30:55 AM
Even if you are ts it doesn't mean you have to get rid of your penis. Nobody is going to make you become a woman if you don't want to be one.

This, I think, is pretty important. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. If you are TS, and you need to transition to be happy, you will be ready when you are ready. In the meanwhile...and if you are not TS...you have your penis and it still functions, you're still seen as male and living as male. You're not under any obligation to make a decision, now or ever. Just try to think in the present. What do you want to be, how do you want to be seen, what do you want to do? What is it that will make you comfortable now?
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oZma

Quote from: FreshGuy on February 10, 2013, 05:18:09 PM
Ok, I understand. I will rephrase, I don't want to be a woman, I wish I could stay as a man but I think that I am transgender and it upsets me

it upsets me too... i hate it... i fought it... sometimes i think if i fought it more, i could have overcome it... but that was way too stressful LOL especially when you can go on youtube and watch all these boys turn into pretty girls?! ugghh, i got so jealous and anxiety driven cause SOMETHING in my noodle wanted to be a girl, but my ego said NOPE! your a dood... get used to it...

instead of attacking the trans feelings, maybe try attacking the ego that says "i wish i could stay a man"... and of course i mean through professional therapy!

just talking in real life with someone about these feelings... admitting to another HUMAN BEING that you have these feelings can do alot :) and try reading Julia Serrano's "Whipping Girl" ~ did wonders for me!
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Elspeth

Quote from: FreshGuy on February 10, 2013, 05:18:09 PM
Ok, I understand. I will rephrase, I don't want to be a woman, I wish I could stay as a man but I think that I am transgender and it upsets me

For me, long before therapy, reading feminist literature helped me understand in part, why I had the reservations I did about being a woman in our culture... that and life experience and conversations with my mother, who, among other things, did a lot of work with battered women's shelters during my early 20s. For me, I had to admit that there were some ways that I felt that, having as many issues with self-esteem as I already did have, "losing" whatever "male privilege" I had by default was likely to put me at risk. Personally, I tend to think this is a big part of why many of us wind up on such a tangled path, speaking only of those who really do conclude that they identify as and with women.

You may reach other conclusions, but I'd encourage you to explore those issues to whatever degree you find you can. I could be wrong here, but it's something that worked for me on at least some levels, at least in terms of understanding my own ambivalence... then again, my life has been in a different context than yours, and such issues might be something you will see as irrelevant.
"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future."
- Sonmi-451 in Cloud Atlas
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aleon515

Perhaps you might read the androgyne sub-forum on susan's and see what you think. You can be transgender but not actually want to go thru any kind of surgery or medical treatment.

Some people who cross dress are transgender but not all are transsexual.

I always hated the term transsexual but I guess I am one.  ::)

--Jay
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