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How do I know if I am transgender?

302 Answers
Last Updated: 11/06/2020 at 8:15pm
How do I know if I am transgender?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Kare M, MS, LCMHC, NCC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Imagine a life where you're able to embrace your true self in all areas. Together, my hope is to unlock your potential towards building more self-awareness and authenticity.

Top Rated Answers
Kaydenchatss
November 18th, 2017 2:48am
For some people they ‘just know’ but for a lot of people it takes some experimentation to find out what you like, what you don’t and what kind of person you’d like to be and from there, you can figure out what path is best for you. That be to physically transition to look more like the opposite sex by taking hormones and getting surgeries or it might not be. If you feel that you are transgender and that’s how you would like to and feel comfortable identifying then that’s okay and there is no standard to being transgender, it’s all about you and your journey to feel more comfortable and happy in your own body. Going back to the original question I would say to try new things, get a hair cut, change your style, maybe try binder (ftm) or try wearing a bra (mtf), try on some make up just do a lot of different to see what you like and what you would like to move forward with and hopefully that can give you a base to work with :)
caligulamAquarius
November 17th, 2017 3:17pm
You may feel trapped inside your own body, and feel jealousy or envy toward the opposite gender. You may expirience intrigue towards the opposite gender. More than sexual attraction. More like Envy.
Anonymous
November 15th, 2017 9:22pm
The definition of transgender is "denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex." . Yet I believe it's whatever you feel.
StormL22
November 15th, 2017 4:37pm
This is a hard question, even for me, a fellow transgender. I guess only you can know if you're transgender or not. Try listening to what your mind tells you about your body. If you need alternatives, try talking to a therapist if you see one or talk to a friend that is a part of the lgbt community.
fantasticUnicorns82
November 9th, 2017 6:14am
Well, that's different from every trans. The best way to know is to feel it. If you feel like you are than you are trans.
Anonymous
November 8th, 2017 7:17pm
Hey,, I’m 14 yers old and I think I might be trans,, but I’m not sure and I have no one to talk to so I was kinda hoping you would help me :)
JayGrayson101
November 4th, 2017 6:16pm
Being transgender is when you don't identify with the same gender that you were assigned with when you were born, for example: you are born female and you feel like you don't identify or you don't feel comfortable with being a female, and you want to be a boy or anything else, vice versa. If you feel that way, well I guess that you are trans. (And just a reminder, being transgender isn't a choice, it's who you are)!
Jerimy
September 17th, 2017 2:48pm
Only you can know for sure, and I think that there will come a time when you know deep down in your heart and soul. Pursue what you are passionate about and interested in. Find local groups that meet and can support you. Be uniquely you and you will find your tribe. Whatever the case, do not be afraid to explore these feelings...and never forget that there is an army of people here to support you.
Anonymous
August 23rd, 2017 12:19am
Being transgender is a very sensitive thing to think about and judge. The only person who can truly say you are transgender is yourself. Take time to think on it. Try asking friends to call you by certain things to get a feel for it and to help your decision for if that is what you want/if that is what feels right. Not everyone has the same story about know thing they're trans.
AlexCaresAboutYou
August 19th, 2017 7:48pm
Figuring out your gender identity is a very personal experience, so there's no one surefire way to know if you're transgender. For me, realizing that I'm transgender was a process, but there were some things that helped. Going on YouTube and listening to other trans people's experiences to see how much I related to them definitely helped, as did being able to find a few people who would let me experiment with my name, pronouns, and gender presentation around them to find what felt right, But like I said before, it's a very personal journey and something everyone needs to figure out for themselves
GivingstonTreegull
August 16th, 2017 5:14am
You might feel as though your skin just isn't right. Or you were raised playing the wrong sports or wearing the wrong clothes. Maybe you wish you did/didn't have the sexual parts of the other sex. Maybe you picture yourself growing old as the opposite sex, or even finding a mate as the opposite sex. There are many thoughts that go into being transgender. At the end of the day you are the only one who knows how you feel. It could be helpful to meet with a specialist and get the conversation going so that they can help you decide what your next step it. Because when it comes down to it, gender is often fluid. Just because you sometimes feel more masculine/fem' does not always mean you are trans.
Anonymous
August 11th, 2017 5:17am
You feel like you were meant to be the opposite gender. You lean towards more masculine things if you're a female and you lean towards more feminine things if you're a male.
camtsp7
August 3rd, 2017 7:57am
You don't necessarily know but it's how you feel towards yourself. You decide that you're going to make a change in your life that will hopefully make a good impact. Through your journey called life you figure out your puzzle of a brain piece by piece and find your true identity.
Lucinda91
July 22nd, 2017 6:09am
Only you can decide if you are transgender. There is no wrong way to be transgender and no right way. Every trans person's experiences are different and only you can decide if transgender is the right label for you. Look online for trans people's stories and do some research on transgender. Make sure you come up with the decision on your own. Do not get anyone else to label you as this can only be decided by you.
LadySkeleton
July 21st, 2017 5:47am
There's a very simple way to tell. Imagine if there is a pill. If you take the pill, it can automatically change you body into that of your preferred gender with no repercussions. But no matter what you will never be able to change back to the sex you were beforehand. Would you take the pill? For myself, the answer was an immediate yes. That's how I knew, there wasn't any doubt in my mind that I would take the pill.
fancyWings27
July 9th, 2017 4:22am
Being transgender is rare and special. If you have not yet gone through puberty or are experiencing puberty, it could be normal discomfort with your changing shape and appearance or emotional changes caused by hormone fluctuation. If you are post-puberty, and you feel discomfort with your gender, think about why and what causes that discomfort. There are so many ways to express yourself or align your behavior with you desired gender expression. You may not feel you match a specific definition of gender, but it is important to explore what makes you feel most comfortable. If you feel discomfort and need advice, seek expert help and consult a Gender Therapist to talk you through your experience, or find a community online that supports LGBTQA+ individuals.
Personalvendetta
June 2nd, 2017 5:21pm
Have you ever felt wrong in your body? Or envied what the opposite gender had - mentally or physically? Childhood experiences, and curiosity could be simple triggers to accessing if you want to have the gender change. There are a lot of factors to consider when and if you truly are sure of feeling and being transgender. Social roles are also something you can base these feelings on partically. Do you fedl erong in your everyday societal roles or mental thoughts? Consider also how you feel with pronouns and switching to roles that are traditionally reserced for rhe opposite gender. Maybe experimenting with these conditions and factors, could lead you to the decision. The 7 cups community and I are available for this.
paleblueeyes
May 3rd, 2017 1:15am
Do you feel comfortable with you body? How about the pronouns people use to refer to you? Does it bother you? If it's something you are questioning, the there's a good possibility you don't think of yourself as cisgender. It is good to know about other people's stories. Read about people who are transitioning and see if you can relate to any of them. It is always good to know you are not alone and that questioning is a big part of evolving as a human being.
Kawaiikittykat
March 1st, 2016 5:41pm
When you think you are a transgender you feel it in your heart that you are supposed to be the opposite sex. When you feel more masculine or feminine, you know it in your mind.
PinkHope
October 22nd, 2016 12:56am
I knew I was Transgender when I was younger, I always got into my moms makeup, nail polish, and other things. I have always been more in touch with my feminine side and just felt more natural around girls. I always felt like I was suppose to be a girl, and I still feel like that. I've been kinda laying down hints for some of my friends, but they still haven't caught on. Anyways, thats how I know I'm Transgender.
invisiblepeanut
April 4th, 2018 4:55am
Sometimes, you just know. In most cases, however, it unfortunately just takes time, which is an answer most people don't want to hear. It takes a lot of self discovery and self evaluation sometimes.
StarryLove
October 8th, 2016 8:22am
I believe that you identify yourself as a transgender when you're not really comfortable with your whole biological feeling and that it seems like you're more of the other gender.
phoenixpsy
October 6th, 2016 10:33pm
Transgendered individuals often feel that their outside body does not match how they feel on the inside.
rainyforest76
September 18th, 2016 11:55pm
There are lot of different ways people discover themselves. There's no one, single way to experience gender. There are lot of different ways to figure that out as well. If you feel like you might be, look into different online resources or talk to other trans people. Take your time and don't feel rushed to do anything or label yourself if you don't want to and know that you're wonderful no matter what!
freshLove97
June 13th, 2016 3:47pm
You would just know it. The most common thing trans people feel, that helps them address the issue and figure out they're transgender is body dysphoria.
cloudconnection
June 13th, 2016 8:58am
You know if you're transgender by the fact that your thought process does not go with the gender that you were given at birth. If you would prefer to be called something else, or feel uncomfortable in your own skin then that clearly means that you're transgender.
Anonymous
April 12th, 2018 6:05am
one might notice they are transgender if they do not feel as though they match their assigned gender at birth, whether they feel as though they are the other side of the binary or otherwise.
Anonymous
February 5th, 2016 9:29pm
If you feel as if you were born in the wrong body, or you might feel differently as in gender.......
Anonymous
February 10th, 2016 1:15am
A step in finding out if you are transgender, can be contacting transgender people, and talking about their experiences, to try and find out with you identify with them in that sense.
blanket7
January 30th, 2016 11:41pm
If you feel that your assigned gender does not define you and you feel that you would rather be defined as a different gender.