Hi y'all! I'm struggling with my gender identity right now -- I think I might be a guy -- but I'm at the ~lost and confused~ stage, so I can't say anything for sure.

When I look back on my life through the lens of 'nope-actually-a-dude' everything makes sense. I never consciously thought of myself as male, but when I was little I would always take on the guy role, I've always identified with men, etc. Initially I thought maybe I was a butch woman, but that label never fit quite right and I always hesitated to identify myself as 'butch'.

I'm also not dysphoric. It's frustrating and a little upsetting that I can't get my chest to bind flat (cup size: DD + hourglass figure ), but never to the level of dysphoria. I've always felt pretty neutral (sometimes negative) towards my body. I'm also 19, so I wonder -- if this is real, would I have figured it out sooner?

Anywayyy. So my question is: any similar experiences/late bloomers?

A lot of people figure themselves out later in life, so I don't think you can apply the "late-bloomer" label to something like gender identity. Some folks don't figure it out until they are in their fifties, and I swear it seems like they have more fun than some younger folks.

But, I guess I didn't know for sure until I was about 17. Well, rather, I just didn't know there was a word for it when I was kid, and couple that with the fact that I like guys, I really just figured I had to be a straight girl. But when I look back at certain events in my life and certain memories, everything seems to make more sense to me. The important thing to remember is that identity is a very personal thing, and it's okay to take the time to figure it out for yourself. My other bit of advice is not to get too worried with fitting into a label perfectly. Plenty of transguys, like me, adore girly things or wear women's shoes or whatever.

On the topic of body dysphoria: you don't have to use that as an indicator. Some transfolks have extreme dysphoria about their bodies, some only have it in regards to certain parts of their bodies. I hate my chest, my hourglass figure, and my voice but I feel relatively comfortable with my narrow shoulders. I don't like anything below the belt, but I also don't hate it either. I am sure that there are lots of non-op folks out there who choose to live in their natural bodies because they are comfortable with it.

So, take some time to look around, get advice from others, and don't get so caught up with worrying about if you are really something. Take this time to take a deep breathe and take it at your own pace.

My other bit of advice is not to get too worried with fitting into a label perfectly. Plenty of transguys, like me, adore girly things or wear women's shoes or whatever.

I don't care for women's shoes, but I can be pretty feminine myself sometimes. That's actually one of the reasons I never identified as butch -- I have plenty of "feminine" traits, but it feels wrong and almost shameful when I frame that femininity within a female identity, if that makes any sense. But when I think of it as a male femininity, instead of the other way around... it just fits.

thanks for the advice, ayden. sometimes I just need someone to remind me to relax and take it slow. <3 I'll probably hang around here a bit, y'all seem friendly and super cool. 

You're not old figuring it out. I'm 26 and just starting my journey.

Nothing of substance to add to the already-given great advice.  Lots of folks erroneously believe that "real" trans* people are required to have known about their gender issues from childhood which is of course BS.  There is the transgender spectrum, no such thing as "real" transfolk, as everyone is different.

I'm 37 and will be starting T next week, so no, you're definitely not too late at 19.