Before starting my transition from male to female, I experienced many years of social anxiety. There were times when I would be out in public, it didn’t matter where, and it felt like I was under a microscope. Everyone had to be looking at me, picking apart my appearance, and uncovering all my insecurities, right? I mean, what else would they be doing? Living their lives completely separate from mine? Don’t be ridiculous!
Anxiety
All About Coming Out: The 5 Stages
Coming out is a massive undertaking that can be overwhelming. As I have gone through the process of coming out, I have noticed 5 distinct stages that help to break up the colossal task of converting inner-confusion to exterior recognition. These five stages are: self, loved ones, peers, workplace, and world. Moving through these stages one at a time made the idea of coming out much more manageable.
The very first step to coming out was admitting it to myself. Until I reached this point, it was impossible to make progress. Everyone will come to the realization of who they are differently, but it is important to be able to be able to say it and believe it. I got to this point after about 5 months of therapy sessions, and testing a lot of theories. I still remember the relief and joy I felt when I could finally say that I was a woman, and I believed it.
Passing The Test
The term “passing” in regards to being transgender refers to the idea that a person can convincingly portray themselves as a member of the gender they feel they are meant to be. For me, this would mean that although I am biologically male, I would pass if I am able to go into public and socialize without anyone noticing anything related to my natural-born gender. Passing is difficult, but the good news is, it is relative.
Transgender Unfiltered 