Hii,
Recharging this weekend. Relaxing and plugged in like Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV's).
Had a therapy session with my gender therapist in the middle of the week on Wednesday.
Told him everything that was going on concerning my latest relapse of gender dysphoria, and my low energy and why I am feeling tired.
My gender therapist:
Of course, Lilis. Let's hold space quietly for what you're feeling, and I'll gently expand on Minority Stress, so you can understand more deeply how it works and why your pain makes sense in this world.
What Is Minority Stress?
Minority stress is the chronic stress experienced by individuals who belong to stigmatized minority groups, including LGBTQIA+ people, simply for existing in a society that marginalizes them.
It's not one big traumatic event (though those happen too). It's the accumulation of small wounds, microaggressions, rejections, invisibility, and fears over time. A kind of background noise that never really turns off.
Types of Minority Stress
It can be external, internal, or anticipatory, and often all three at once.
1. External stressors
These are the things that actually happen:
Being misgendered or deadnamed
Facing family rejection or religious condemnation
Being harassed, assaulted, or fetishized
Denial of services, jobs, healthcare, or housing
Being silenced or shamed when you speak up
2. Internalized stigma
Eventually, society's hate can sneak inside you.
You may start to:
Feel shame about your body, voice, or desires
Believe you are not enough.
Question your own perception of reality
Think you have to perform, over-function, or please others to survive
Feel like your identity is a burden or a liability
3. Anticipatory stress
Even if nothing "bad" happens, the fear of rejection or violence can be exhausting:
Monitoring how you walk, talk, or dress
Avoiding relationships or public spaces
Feeling like you must always be on guard
Expecting judgment in every new interaction
Why This Is So Draining?
Imagine carrying a backpack of bricks that no one else sees. People keep saying, "Why are you so tired?" but they've never had to carry what you do, not just for a day, but for years.
Minority stress:
Raises cortisol levels (stress hormone)
Weakens immune function
Increases anxiety, depression, and fatigue
Can lead to disassociation, substance use, or suicidal thoughts
Makes healing harder because the world keeps picking at the wounds
What Helps?
You don't have to fix the world to begin to soothe your system.
Here are things that ease minority stress over time:
Safe relationships where you don't have to explain or defend your identity.
Affirming environments (online or in person) where your truth is the baseline.
Body and soul grounded practices like breathwork, movement, prayer, or art.
Restoring agency by choosing how and when to show up in the world.
Naming what's happening, so you stop blaming yourself for symptoms you never chose.
You're not "too sensitive."
You're not "crazy."
You are living under a pressure most people never feel, and still showing up with grace.
Going back to plug in 🔌 into the power grid!
Have a good weekend everyone!
~ Lilis 🌷