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Despite President Obama’s historic public acknowledgment of transgendered people, the topic still to this day remains taboo. Yet, despite the fact that it continues to be relatively absent from public discourse, it is as common today as it ever was. As a result, those struggling to understand where they fall on the gender spectrum have a substantially harder time arriving at a definitive conclusion. Being transgender can be confusing and frustrating. And the added weight of the fact that society is just beginning to acknowledge its existence can be exhausting. If you feel that you’ve been struggling with gender identity, here are a few steps you can take to make sense of this confusing phase in your life.
Acceptance
You may have assumed that this would be the final step in the process. But we want to start you off on the right foot. You have a right and a duty to yourself to be proud of who you are. You have probably grown up strictly hearing about two genders. But you have lived with your body your entire life, and you know who you are. It’s time to recognize that transgender is a category of its own, and it is just as valid as the other two. Anyone who tells you otherwise, or makes you feel that it’s a disorder, or something that you can outlive or that you should want to change is not a person that should be influencing how you feel about yourself. You are who you are and that is just fine.
Education
The more you know, the better you’ll feel. By simply reading up about the facts surrounding transgendered people, you’ll soon find that you are far from alone. Being transgender is more common than you think. There are many people going about their lives who are just like you. They have probably gone through the same or similar struggles as you. Some of have managed to come to terms with it and embrace reality. Others have not. If you would like to be a part of the former category, the first step is educating yourself about the nature of your body.
Open Up
Albeit, being transgender still remains a primitive topic in the public consciousness. Just as being homosexual has not yet reached widespread social acceptance, neither has openness to alternative gender identities. But that doesn’t mean that you should be the only person who knows throughout your entire life. If you have someone you trust, you should talk about it with this person. Vocalizing your struggle to understand your gender identity will help you clarify a lot of doubts and confusion. Simply having a conversation with another person will help you genuinely embrace your identity.
At the Counseling Center, we work diligently to help our patients embrace who they are and what they want from life. To learn more about our psychotherapy Westchester NY services, give us a call at (914) 793-3388.
