Trans teen survival guide

[jayyylmao]

So, I volunteer with a blog of that same name, and I am making a trans teens survival guide, like a leaflet or book for trans teens to help them along. Any ideas for topics and issues to cover?

[ImagineKate]

I think physically most teens have little to worry about compared to older transitioners who have to basically undo puberty. Their biggest obstacles are social, such as coming out to parents, dealing with school, bullying etc. I would start there.

[suzifrommd]

I think physically most teens have little to worry about compared to older transitioners who have to basically undo puberty. Their biggest obstacles are social, such as coming out to parents, dealing with school, bullying etc. I would start there.

Sorry Kate, gotta disagree here. It's much harder for them. We have financial resources, wisdom, and experience to draw from. Teenagers don't. They don't have an adult perspective. Being misgendered, for example. For adults, after a lifetime of setbacks we're emotionally equipped to handle disappointment or even hostility. For teenagers, however, such things are a much bigger deal. Don't underestimate emotional maturity.

[jayyylmao]

Sorry Kate, gotta disagree here. It's much harder for them. We have financial resources, wisdom, and experience to draw from. Teenagers don't. They don't have an adult perspective. Being misgendered, for example. For adults, after a lifetime of setbacks we're emotionally equipped to handle disappointment or even hostility. For teenagers, however, such things are a much bigger deal. Don't underestimate emotional maturity.

And, for most teenagers, they're starting hormones at sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, rather than later, because the have better access to these things now.
On the same line, I found that knowing what procedures are availible to me and how they affect me helped me cope and come to terms with things.

[ImagineKate]

Sorry Kate, gotta disagree here. It's much harder for them. We have financial resources, wisdom, and experience to draw from. Teenagers don't. They don't have an adult perspective. Being misgendered, for example. For adults, after a lifetime of setbacks we're emotionally equipped to handle disappointment or even hostility. For teenagers, however, such things are a much bigger deal. Don't underestimate emotional maturity.

I did not say anything was easier/harder, just that priorities are different. However physically it is easier for teens than older MtFs.

Misgendering would fall under or be close to bullying, because it's deeply tied to that. Mostly what you're saying is what I'm saying - social issues are more at the forefront, not things like "will I need FFS to pass" because most do not.

I don't think it's harder once you have understanding parents/support. In fact it would be much easier. However getting parents and support from places like school is extremely hard for many, if not most teens. This is where I think the focus should be, getting parents, schools, medical institutions and others on board.

[ImagineKate]

One good resource I've found on YouTube (and I've watched all of her videos) is Natalie sweetwine's channel. She has a "girlfriend" kind of vibe going on and is on the older end of the teenage spectrum. But her videos are more about progression and hormones which doesn't really cover the social issues. But her videos actually helped encourage me to transition being a person of color and her being just a normal everyday person.

[jayyylmao]

I did not say anything was easier/harder, just that priorities are different. However physically it is easier for teens than older MtFs.

Misgendering would fall under or be close to bullying, because it's deeply tied to that. Mostly what you're saying is what I'm saying - social issues are more at the forefront, not things like "will I need FFS to pass" because most do not.

I don't think it's harder once you have understanding parents/support. In fact it would be much easier. However getting parents and support from places like school is extremely hard for many, if not most teens. This is where I think the focus should be, getting parents, schools, medical institutions and others on board.

You're right, priorities are very different. As teenagers, still in school, there is a much more urgent need to just fit in and blend in with the crowd, and there can be a lot of feelings that our childhood is being robbed by this.
Parents and schools are very varied and temperamental, so there definitely needs to be advice on that. Medical institutions and getting therapy and a diagnosis of GID can be very difficult too, and even if you are legally old enough for hormones, there can still be a lot of hoop jumping necessary. Thanks for the suggestions