i chose under 6, because i began to act out by cross dressing around 5. it just felt right. honestly, i didn't know that i was different really at that time, so technically i didn't know something was really wrong until 10+. but i think i answered your intended question correctly

There were some inconsistencies going on pretty much ever since I was born, which my mom is now telling me that she always noticed, namely my more feminine social behavior. But since the question is not about when these "symptoms" actually started showing up, but rather when I noticed them myself, that answer would be at about age 13. As a kid, I didn't really care. I was myself, and I didn't really have much of a concept of gender beyond the traditional stereotypes. And since I didn't have many stereotypically feminine interests, I didn't really have any reason to question.

Middle school was when things RAPIDLY changed. While boys and girls are pretty much physically the same as kids, they start rapidly diverging at puberty. And that was when I started feeling like what I had was wrong, and that I should be a girl instead. Thinking about my voice changing, and having a male sex drive, and getting more buff, and being forced to wear loose baggy shapeless male clothing all really started getting to me. (Unfortunately, though, it wasn't until age 27 that I discovered that I could actually do something about it.)

I felt DIFFERENT pretty much since the ages of 3 or 4.

Here I'm highlighting different, because I don't see anything that's 'wrong' about being trans. I don't see it as an issue or problem. It's just a difference, a variation, it's still natural and doesn't make me or anyone else here any less of a human being.

I can remember playing with other kids, though I can't remember whether it was doctors and nurses or families or whatever, all I know it was some sort of role. The difference was that when we all went home the other kids stopped playing. I didn't.

I played because I didn't know who I was. At 12 I thought that I might be female, at 17 I was pretty much sure but still sceptical. I've arrived at who I am by way of a process of elimination and experimentation. 

I was very similar to you, Carrie, when I knew something was "wrong" and not having a full concept of my gender until later on.

Although I can remember back as early as 2nd grade (7 or 8 yrs old) playing games with myself wishing/praying/hoping to wake up with a girl's body. At some point it switched to wishing I had a body that I could change at will and it was always about the curvature / overall body shape. I was so fascinated by seeing my body with female curves. It completely engulfed me mentally at times, but I still went along with being a boy.

It wasn't until I was about 12 when I started padding my hips in public that I realized there was something wrong. I also knew after my first experience being witnessed that I would never be able to ignore that inner feeling, whatever it was. It was the only way I could make myself feel slightly corrected physically.

But I tried to ignore it anyway, until I finally put everything together with my first experience crossdressing at 25. That's when the snow atop the mountain slowly started to get heavy. The gender avalanche was imminent. 28 hit and heaven poured down the mountain. At that point there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Quote from: Jennygirl on June 23, 2013, 04:32:30 AM
.....wishing/praying/hoping to wake up with a girl's body. At some point it switched to wishing I had a body that I could change at will....

I want to thank you for sharing all of that. i can really relate to your whole post , but i thought i may have been the only one who did this. for 2 years straight i would include some form of this in my prayers every night, often in tears. it feels good to know i'm not alone

I knew something was wrong around 1st grade because I wanted to play with the girls.  I ended up getting bullied for it and had to change schools.  I conformed after that.

I didn't truly recognize what was "wrong" until I had turned 19.

12 years old but looking back there were hints that I started feeling a little different earlier but 12 when is when I realized exactly what it was

I remember knowing at 3, I tried telling my mom at 5 and was dismissed, I kept informing her and still they were shocked when I finally transitioned at 23

Quote from: vegie271 on August 11, 2013, 11:48:09 AM

I kept informing her and still they were shocked when I finally transitioned at 23

That was actually quite comforting to read. Sometimes, I did wonder, what would have happened if I insisted. I guess the answer is "Nothing would have changed".

Quote from: -Emily- on August 12, 2013, 02:38:40 AM
That was actually quite comforting to read. Sometimes, I did wonder, what would have happened if I insisted. I guess the answer is "Nothing would have changed".

I guess it depends on the parents - mine were fundamentalists & quite in denial about everything - I even tried suicide and they even told me to hide that, they even had us hide my half brothers epilepsy from everyone even though it was something people should know about for safety

Not until puberty. Before that I was a little jealous of girls for being girls, but I got over it until my body started becoming more masculine.

I was 11 (6th grade) smoking a cigarette under a bridge on a stop during my walk home from school.  I was severely depressed and said it out loud, "I want to be a girl." I finished my smoke and walked home.

Second memory was noticing a very petite boy about the same time and I said to myself "if I was as short as him, I would totally do it" (meaning transition). That was the same year.

Third memory was in 7th grade athletics and I saw a naked boy who had started puberty.  I was so shocked I cried.  I was afraid that would happen to me soon. 

Then the Internet was invented in college and here I am... An X'er stuck in the middle with life, responsibility, love and all of its complications...

This is a tough question to answer because I didn't know what was wrong for most of my life, but something definitely wasn't clicking for me. I had an identity issue and a gender issue, but it took a long time for me to put the two together and realize they were the same thing.

I chose "under 6" because when I was little (pre school-kindergarten age) I only played with girls and we would take off our clothes, so I was familiar with girl parts and I didn't want my boy parts. But it wasn't distressing to me until later in life. At that age it was just an early taste of feeling different and unhappy with my body.

On the other hand, it became a problem when I went out on my own and no longer had my parents to take care of me. My inability to live even some semblace of a life came as a bit of a shock. I was completely non-functional. That's when I knew something was wrong.

But looking back, I realize I always knew. So I guess it's either a question of when did it start or when did you realize it.

Anyway, I chose "under 6" because the feelings go back as far as I can remember. Even if I didn't understand them at the time.

I chose "under six" since as far back as I can remember I never felt like a boy. I remember being like 4 years old dressing up and painting my nails with my Mom's nail polish. As I grew I noticed the difference between boys and girls and always wondered why I didn't have parts like girls did. Then around 12 or so I would wish upon a star to wake up as a girl. I always (kinda like now) just did what was normal and did guy stuff with the guys like any other normal guy trying to fit in. I didn't know until I was about 16 when i discovered what SRS is that I could really be a girl but was too afraid to step out of what I felt as being safe from ridicule.

Now though it doesn't seem so bad and I'm finally doing little things at a time that I've always wanted to do and a lot of the time with a couple of my girlfriends it's so much fun it's like I missed out on so much and what they experienced 10 years ago I am finally.