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Facial hair is considered an attractive part of masculinity. The stereotype of the super ripped and rugged hyper-masculine guy with that formidable beard is like the main stuff of masculine folklore. But times are changing and the metrosexual guy with just a bit of stubble or even no facial hair is making his presence felt. Many trans guys still seem to be stuck in the age-old complex though that it’s mandatory to sport facial hair in order to look like a guy.

Nothing can be farther from the truth. How many cis guys you have seen who have facial hair? Not all of them obviously. There is a certain percentage of cis guys who have prominent facial hair while others might have little or none. While growing facial hair will certainly complement your appearance, it shouldn’t be like a do or die situation.

Because of the enormous pressure that trans men face in order to grow facial hair, a number of myths have sprung up regarding this. When you are desperate for something, you become vulnerable and then you are prone to trying out anything that promises you the thing you are after.

This article sets out to debunk certain myths about how to grow facial hair in transgender men.  Let’s take a look at these myths one by one.

Myth – Certain Facial Products Can Help You Grow a Beard

Reality Check

There are many claims circulating around those facial products like Minoxidil can help a FTM transgender guy grow a beard. In fact, these claims propagate those particular facial products can actually play an important role in the growth of facial hair. The reality is there is absolutely no scientific basis to these claims. There is no evidence to support these claims. As a matter of fact, facial hair growth is largely determined by genetics. Look into your family history and see if your father or uncles sport a beard. It is largely your genes that determine the extent of your facial hair growth.

As a FTM trans guy, it’s very easy to fall into the trap of such a myth because you are obsessed with the idea of growing a beard. It’s obvious that you are willing to try out anything that promises you one.

But you need to use a little bit of rationality and common sense and realize that a beard will not grow overnight by some magic wand of a product. Just trust your doctor. If you are undergoing hormone replacement therapy and your genes support the growth of facial hair, you will definitely see results soon. Just have patience. Growing a beard takes time.

You have to be prepared for the scenario that you might not develop any facial hair at all. Don’t let this impact your self-esteem. There are so many other markers of manliness. As a result of medical transitioning and hormone therapy, your face is looking more masculine, you are developing muscles and you are confidently embracing men’s clothing. Celebrate all these wonderful things about your masculine identity rather than fretting about something that’s not in your control.

Myth – Taking Testosterone Promotes Facial Hair Growth

Reality Check

Reality check – Now, this is a very dangerous myth. It can actually have hazardous consequences on your health. The male hormone testosterone should be only taken in quantities prescribed by the doctor. If you overdose yourself with this hormone, it might have serious complications for your health. Testosterone by itself does not promote hair growth. Do not fall into the trap of making this simplistic cause and effect analysis that since it’s the most important male hormone, taking more of it would help you develop typical make characteristics like facial hair. If that were the case, all cis guys naturally having a high level of testosterone would be walking around with long beards!

The testosterone dosage that you are given during the Hormone Replacement Therapy, that itself will sufficiently aid the development of facial hair if your genetics support it. If you are unable to grow a beard, that’s alright too. Don’t risk your health and well-being for something that’s clearly beyond your control.

More importantly, don’t let superficial characteristics of masculinity determine your self-worth. Your identity is a lot more than a beard or facial hair. It’s more important that you feel like a man. Start dating someone through a trans dating site. Being with a woman who admires you and finds you attractive would make you feel way manlier than any amount of facial hair could ever do.

If you are still unhappy about not being able to grow a beard, check out trans male icons on the internet. You could check out their profiles on social media sites like Instagram. By taking a look at their personalities and style statement, your own sense of self-worth as a FTM transgender guy will increase manifold. And you will also notice that not all of them sport beards and yet, they are some of the hottest and most sought-after men around!

Myth – Shaving Promotes Beard Growth

Reality Check

This is yet another myth doing the rounds. Many FTM trans guys seem to think that shaving more and more would make their facial hair grow faster and thicker. Nothing can be farther from the truth. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to support the claim that shaving promotes beard growth. On the contrary, it will just ruin whatever little growth you have. So, if you are growing a beard at a super slow pace, just be patient and you will see some results sooner or later. Do not rush into shaving.

This point cannot be reiterated more that do not make facial hair growth an ego issue. It is not the ultimate sign of your masculinity. Embrace other manifestations of your masculinity like dressing, grooming, dating, relationships, etc. Check out specific avenues for trans men dating. Do not let something as arbitrary as the absence or presence of facial hair define your masculinity.

If you are unable to grow a beard and are totally freaked out and traumatized, consider joining a transgender forum. Talk to other FTM transgender guys out there. Mutual sharing of experiences would help you understand that it’s not a big deal to be not able to grow facial hair.

If nothing works out and not being able to grow facial hair is making you feel depressed and miserable, you could consider getting a facial hair transplant. Many medical establishments offer this surgery and it is getting increasingly popular. Although, it is strongly advised that a FTM transgender guy waits for at least a year after the initiation of hormone therapy if they are considering a facial hair implant. This would enable the surgeons to give you a more targeted treatment and concentrate on regions in your face that are in maximum need of facial hair.

Although before taking any decision, you must do ample research from your end regarding the details of this surgery or if there are any possible complications or side effects. Only after you’ve undertaken a comprehensive and impartial assessment from your side, should you reach a final decision. Take your doctor into confidence as well; the one who is giving you hormone therapy. To be honest, they are the best person to advise on this matter that you need a facial hair transplant or not.

Beard Transplantation is also a popular technique within plastic surgery. Many cis men who are unable to grow a beard because of their genetic characteristics but desire one also opt for this procedure. Although the disclaimer for all these procedures is that you need to ideally have sufficient healthy hair on your scalp because that’s from where the hair is taken.

If you are a FTM transgender guy wanting to grow a beard and your genes do not favour it, you could consider these cosmetic surgery procedures. But you have to be very careful and make sure that such a treatment does not interfere with any other procedures you are undergoing, as part of medical transitioning. Give it some time. Do not take a decision in a jiffy.

Try and focus on other aspects of your masculinity. Exercise, eat well, maintain good personal hygiene and just generally be well-groomed. This routine, along with the hormone replacement therapy should work well for your masculine appearance. Some people even choose to undergo facial masculinization surgery in order to make their faces more masculine and chiselled. If you still think that beard is an inseparable part of your masculine identity, consider a facial hair transplant. But weigh the pros and cons well before deciding to undergo the procedure. Also, make sure you are getting it done from a reputed place where the surgeon has expertise in this particular surgery. Always check out the reviews of a medical establishment before you choose it for treatment. Try finding out if there is anyone from your own circle of friends and acquaintances who have opted for a beard surgery. Ask for their feedback and review. 

You are finally close to living your life as a trans woman. And you are probably even close to joining a trans woman dating site or a transgender dating site. Just imagining what it would be like to live in the skin of somebody you’ve always believed you are can be such an exhilarating experience. For a trans woman living out her life and identity, it can be a fantasy meets reality kind of situation. And yet, this is just the beginning. There are so many things to learn about feminine sartorial choices and grooming.

It is obvious that all these things are new to her as a trans woman. Her life till now has been completely different so the whole thing about having to switch over to an uber-feminine identity can be a bit too overwhelming. This constant pressure to be ultra-feminine can literally drive her crazy. So it’s important that as a trans woman, she finds her unique point of balance, in accordance with her personality and distinct beauty.

In order to live out your life as a trans woman, you need to have a basic know-how of feminine fashion and beauty etiquette. You would learn more as you go along but it’s important to get equipped with the basics. This article lists out a few tips that will definitely help you in your journey towards embracing womanhood in all its feminine glory!

Dress According to Your Personality and Body Type

We all live in a rather complex world where everyone is trying to copy each other. Especially when it comes to fashion, there is a lot of peer pressure to embrace trends and look a certain way. While it is very important to keep an eye out for all the latest trends in female clothing, you should never feel pressured to dress a certain way. Just remember, the best fashion statement is made by those who create their own statement with clothing.

Shop according to the latest trends but go for styles that complement your body type. If you have great legs, then go for minis and micro-minis that let you flaunt those legs. If you are concerned about your relatively flat chest as a trans woman, then go for dresses and tops that create the illusion of greater cleavage.

Always make sure that your dressing sense goes well with your personality type. Don’t let age define your sartorial choices. Age is an overrated concept! It’s rather a personality that matters. There are 40 plus women who can carry miniskirts and shorts gorgeously. And there are 20 plus women who would feel more comfortable in trousers and long formal shirts. What dresses would look good on you is all about your personality and aura as a trans woman! Just remember that when you finally begin to date someone through a transgender dating app or a trans dating site, they will be impressed not as much by your fashion choices as they will be by how you carry those choices.

Go for Makeup Tricks that Make your Face more Feminine

Now, the approach to makeup a trans woman should follow is actually quite different from the one a cis woman follows. Cis women actually use makeup to give their faces a more chiselled appearance. In the case of a trans woman, the goal of makeup has to be the opposite! Since you already have quite a chiselled face, you want to soften your facial features and want a softer looking fuller, feminine face.

Avoid contouring, especially if you haven’t had hormonal fillers to soften your facial features. Too much contouring would actually draw even more attention to your bone structure, making your face look even more masculine. And you don’t want that. You rather want to tone down that masculine ‘super sculpted’ look. Opt for highlighting to give a softer and feminine feel to your face.

There are multiple makeup tricks you can actually use to play with your facial features to create an illusion of a more feminine, fuller face. You can check out a transgender blog or a transsexual blog with makeup tutorials for trans women. The internet these days is a great resource for such information. You could find so many video tutorials specifically geared towards creating a more feminine facial structure using the art of makeup. And the best part is that in most of these videos, you can see a trans woman working on her face and showing the transformation!

Do Not Overdo Makeup

Makeup is tempting. Let’s accept it! When we walk into a makeup store for a new look, we have this desperate urge to slather on all the eyeshadows and eyeliners and blush and shimmer and what not. But on a serious note, don’t do that! Never overdo your makeup. A minimalistic, nude makeup look that gives you a fresh face is the best for everyday appearance. And for special occasions like a date or parties, you could jazz it up a little bit but don’t go overboard. A guy you’ve just met through a transsexual dating app or a transgender dating site would love to see you in a fresh-faced look when you are out on your first date. No one likes a painted face if they can make out that it’s painted!

The idea of makeup is to subtly highlight the best attributes of your face and make it look softer and feminine. If you overdo your makeup, you would just end up looking like a drag queen. Again, the internet is a great resource for learning the art of applying makeup. Check out a transgender blog or a transsexual blog for makeup advice. Also, interact with other trans women on a trans forum and find out what works best for them.

Do Consider the Advice of Sales Staff

Now, this applies to both makeup and clothes. The sales staff is experienced in terms of figuring out what would look good on a particular person. They can scan your entire physical profile with just a look! So, whenever you walk into a clothing store or a makeup store, do consider the advice of the sales staff.

At a makeup counter, the sales staff would have a better idea of what foundation would suit your skin tone best, how much coverage you need if your skin texture is rough and coarse, things like that. And at a clothing store, they would exactly know what styles would suit your height, personality, skin tone and build.

It’s understandable that you might feel conscious as a trans woman to walk into a store and strike a conversation with the sales representatives, especially if you are in the transitioning phase or haven’t had hormonal treatment yet.

A lot of staff at high-end fashion stores though is sensitive towards transgender people. And they might just tell you about some awesome makeup tricks. So do not shy away from talking to the sales staff. In fact, if you can afford it, get a makeover. That will make you feel confident and super gorgeous.

A Concealer is Must in your Makeup Routine

As a trans woman, concealer is a must-have in your makeup routine. It becomes even more important if you are in between transitioning. A good quality concealer will skilfully hide all those under eye dark circles. It can also conceal your aftershave and all those dicey giveaways of your physical appearance that can make you look masculine, if not properly covered.

When you finally go out on a date with somebody you met through a trans woman dating site or a transgender dating site, you don’t want to spend all your time stressing about how your face is looking and if it is looking feminine enough. So, investment in a good concealer is a must.

Experiment with Your Sartorial Choices

As a trans woman, you obviously face a lot of pressure to look good. But that doesn’t mean you religiously stick to a particular style and play it safe all the time. Fashion is all about experimentation! So don’t be afraid of trying out new styles. A tried and tested approach many women apply is that they go for muted, sober colours when it comes to their wardrobe. Break that monotony. Go for bright reds, pinks, yellows, violet, green, etc. Do not be afraid of trying out colourful lowers. In fact, colourful harem pants, dhoti pants or palazzo will give you an ultra-chic, hippy look.

When deciding what to buy, go for clothes that convey the essence of your personality. Fashion is not about the clothes you wear in order to conform. It is a statement you make in front of society. So, if there is something bold and quirky in that statement, society takes a greater note of your distinct personality. And when you finally go out on that dream date with a guy you met through a transsexual dating app or a transgender dating site, you will see that he can’t just get take eyes off you!

The fact that society doesn’t view transgender people in a great light doesn’t quite support your cause. In fact, it accentuates the agony and suffering of a trans man. The identity crisis that a transgender man typically goes through is known as gender dysphoria in medical jargon. Gender dysphoria refers to the psychological state when a person’s real gender identity is different from the one assigned to them at the time of birth. That is, their actual gender identity is different from their biological identity. Gender dysphoria is what makes many transgender people opt for medical transitioning in the first place. Post transitioning, gender dysphoria would gradually get resolved. But it doesn’t disappear overnight. A trans man might continue to experience dysphoria during transitioning and after it.

But there is nothing to be scared of when you face an identity crisis. With the right approach, a trans man can successfully defeat such a crisis.

This article gives you a couple of suggestions as to how you can cope with an identity crisis as a transgender man.

Recognize the Crisis

Human beings have a habit of evading issues. We often think that by pretending an issue doesn’t exist, we can get it out of our heads. But that is unfortunately not the case. A psychological issue will continue to haunt until it is resolved. For transgender men struggling with an identity crisis, it is imperative that they recognize the crisis first.

At such a time, thinking may seem like the last thing we want to do. But be courageous and try to figure out what exactly is happening. Is this crisis unique to you? Or have other members of the transgender community faced this crisis at some point in their lives? Ask yourself these questions. Do internet research to find out what is the exact name for this crisis. It is gender dysphoria and once you’ve figured that out, you will be in a better position to address the crisis.

Visit a transgender forum online and start a conversation with other trans men on that forum. Talking to like-minded individuals who are in the same boat as you are would give you a better understanding of your own situation.

Resolving the Crisis through Transitioning

Now, this is a fairly personal decision. But once a trans man has figured out that they are experiencing gender dysphoria, it is important to think of ways and means to resolve the crisis.

For many trans men, social transitioning might do the trick. That is, they begin to come out as a guy by confidently embracing the dressing style, body movements and behavioural characteristics of guys. Others might seek the route of medical transitioning. In fact, most transgender men do undergo some sort of medical transitioning. According to research, medical transitioning resolves the issue of gender dysphoria to a large extent. Through hormone therapy and other treatments, it makes a trans man’s biological identity almost similar to his gender identity, thus making it easier for him to date the opposite sex and socially embrace his new life as a man.

Identity crisis can pop up any time though. A trans man has to constantly deal with the apathetic attitude of society, bordering on hatred. This makes him vulnerable to such a crisis even well after transitioning. He finds it difficult to settle down his particular identity because society is constantly telling him the opposite. And this can make him question the gender identity of his choice again and again.

It’s a tough battle out there but the important thing is to just keep going and understand that the identity crisis is a temporary phase. You might feel like it’s the end of the world. But the good thing is you will come out even stronger and more awesome post this phase. So never give up on your identity and rights.

Consider Dating

As a trans man, dating and relationships are an important part of your life. We all need love. So, consider joining a transgender dating site to look for your soulmate. Dating is a great stress buster as well. Even as you are chatting with a number of prospective love interests online, it gives you something to look forward to. Dating creates immense positive energy and gets you out of the complex of self-doubt and anxiety.

Seeking out a romantic partner might seem like the last thing you want when you are undergoing an identity crisis but once you take the plunge, it can end your crisis for good.

It’s a psychological factor that indulging in pursuits that make us happy and relaxed automatically diverts our mind from negative things. It’s similar to the way exercise is great because it releases endorphins and keeps you away from depression and anxiety. Dating is certainly a great way to cope with your identity crisis. This doesn’t mean though that you are running away from the crisis. On the contrary, you are accepting the crisis as a challenge and fighting it out in your own way. Dating also gives you an opportunity to understand your own identity and sexuality in a better manner. It might even end your identity crisis altogether as love sometimes makes us quite sure of who we are.

Confide in Your Partner

This is for trans men who are already in a relationship. Do not try to hide those issues from your partner. On the contrary, you should tell them all about what you are going through. You spend the maximum time with your lover so they understand you rather well and are best placed to offer you advice.

The mere act of support from a partner can take your self-esteem a few notches up. Romantic love and attraction are an integral part of our gender identity. When your partner will reaffirm their faith in your identity, it will certainly work towards resolving your self-doubts.

Confide in Friends

Friends are no less than a soulmate. A good friend is the best thing that can happen to us. They are someone who gives us unconditional love and support without judgment or prejudice. A trans man struggling with identity issues should certainly communicate his concerns to close friends.

In times like these, nobody can comfort more than a friend. It might not resolve the issue but just talking to your best friend and opening up your heart to them would make you feel light and unburdened. It would take away some of your anxiety so that you can be in a better situation to understand your problem.

Seek Support of the Trans Community

The transgender community is a strong support network for LGBT folk struggling with different kinds of issues. It has been at the forefront of transgender rights and has been instrumental in bringing up legislation across the world that recognizes the transgender community and makes it easier for them to seek education and employment without discrimination.

A trans guy struggling with an identity crisis should certainly seek the support of the transgender community at large. You could do this both online and offline. You can join a transgender forum and interact with other members of the community. Bring up your issues in the forum and you would certainly benefit from their goodwill and advice. You could also become a part of the local trans community in your area. Do some research and find out if your city has an organization working in the field of transgender rights. Get in touch with them. Communicate your concerns. Some trans community groups also organize regular get-togethers and events. These are a great way of bonding with other members of the LGBT community and sharing your mutual concerns.

Consult a Medical Professional

This should ideally be your last resort. Confiding in your partner and friends and the trans community support network should help you resolve the crisis. But if the issue keeps on getting worse and it’s reached a stage where it’s interfering with your day-to-day life, consult a medical professional.

The medical professional will be more from a ‘mental health’ background. It will be like a counselling and mental therapy session. But again, here is a disclaimer. You shouldn’t be too optimistic about your problem being solved after seeing the professional.

Unfortunately, many medical practitioners are themselves prejudiced against the transgender community. They might try to talk you into accepting the gender identity assigned to you at the time of birth. It might even worsen your dysphoria because they will then essentially negate your experiences and identity, trying to tell you that it’s something abnormal or wrong. So, this should be your last resort.

Buck Angel is an icon of the transgender community. He born June 5, 1972, San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California and named Susan. Angle is an adult film producer, motivational speaker and founder of Buck Angel Entertainment. A transgender man, he received the AVN Award as the Transsexual performer in 2017. Buck Angel had not had any genital surgery and still had a vulva.

A short time later, Angel started concentrating on his physical appearance and scanned for a specialist that managed abdominal area adjustments, to expel his bosoms. Bottom surgery was another perspective he was hoping to change since he needed to acquire a natural penis to fit the male pattern. In any case, he immediately understood that there was not adequate innovation to make what he wanted. Blessed messenger bit by bit presumed that he didn't require a penis since it isn't what characterized him as a man. He figured out how to cherish his body, and he came to be happy with what he was given. Presently—following his new philosophy of the male body—he started a fiery regimen that comprised of five-days seven days exercises and of for the most part practicing good eating habits.

While gender and sexual orientation refer to two very distinct aspects of our human lives, acronyms like LGBTQIA+ suggest that the transgender community is part of the queer community. This can cause some confusion for anyone who is not particularly well-versed in the terminology.

Commonly, ‘queer’ as a reclaimed slur refers to people whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual. Queer people can identify as bisexual, pansexual, homosexual and much more. Transgender, meanwhile, refers to gender identity, i.e. whether a person identifies as male, female, genderqueer, nonbinary, or similar. Inter* people also have a special gender identity.

Intersectional identities

Of course, gender and sexuality are intricately linked and always rooted in the society we grow up in. Like anything in life, sexuality and gender identity are fluid and can change over time. The cis-female teenager who realizes she is bisexual might, later on, come into their nonbinary or genderqueer identity and embrace pansexual as a term… or take up the more general, less narrow term ‘queer’.

With the growing acceptance of queer people in society, the fight for transgender rights is becoming more and more the focus of activism. Unfortunately, even among the LGBTQIA+ community, transgender people may have to deal with huge levels of misunderstanding, bigotry, and transphobia. In a similar vein, people with trans identities can be homophobic, biphobic, or harbor prejudice against any other marginalized groups.

Figuring out who we are is always a struggle. Yet when several marginalized identities converge in one individual, the journey to accepting one’s identity as a whole may be even more difficult. If, on the one hand, you struggle to accept your queerness, and on the other also have to contend with a transitioning process, this double-dose can be overwhelming.

If you have yet other marginalized identities, for instance, if you are a person of color, then you have to deal with everyday overt and covert racism, too.

One thing is essential to remember, though: Despite how it might sound, this is not a competition. All pain and suffering are valid and there is no score to keep.

Also absent: a schedule.

Some people realize at quite a young age that they are different, whether in terms of gender identity or sexual orientation – or both. Yet this isn’t the case for everyone, by far. Others start to explore the dimensions of their identities in puberty and some much later. It is never too late or too early – you have your own pace, and that pace is as legitimate as that of everyone else around you. As mentioned above, this is not a competition and it’s also not a race to the finish line of knowing which boxes you fit into.

How To Embrace Your Different Identities

We all have to fight countless battles in our quest to accept our gender identity and sexual orientation. The path to our goal, i.e. feeling at home in our own skin, leads us through self-doubt, maybe even self-loathing, as well as discrimination and harassment. Sometimes from strangers, yet most often it originates from those closest to us.

When you live in a queerphobic and transphobic environment, you of course are much more likely to struggle with your identities. But even if your family is loving and accepting of your identity, you do not live in a vacuum or a bubble that only includes you and your loved ones. Media and the internet are ripe with harmful messaging and filled with bigotry.

How, then, can you move towards self-acceptance? Here are a few tips that have helped fellow transgender and queer people.

Connect with the trans community:

Find others who have gone – or are currently going through – the same or similar processes as you are. If you struggle with your gender identity, seek out the transgender community in your area or online. Ts dating sites can be a great place to start as well since they usually can be used to forge friendships, too. Connecting with a trans community can bring a sense of peace and calmness to a person who is transgender and struggles with accepting who they are.

Connect with the queer community:

The same holds true for anyone struggling with their sexual orientation. Seek out fellow queer people, ask questions, listen,  and reflect. There is a reason the Q in LGBTQIA+ stands for ‘questioning’ – you are welcome here, too.

Find your tribe:

Especially if your own family does not connect with you or maybe even cuts ties with you, find people who you click with. Finding one’s tribe, one’s chosen family, is not a quick fix to belonging but rather a life-long process. You will know when you have a person in your life who feels like family even if there is no blood or legal relation between you.

Look for role models:

Sometimes we cannot seem to turn off that voice in our heads that tell us that we’re bad because we’re different from the so-called ‘norm’. A good way to turn negative self-talk into positive self-talk is to look for role models. There are amazing transgender people who are spreading a message of love, solidarity, acceptance, respect and, most importantly, the message of self-love.

Educate yourself:

The more you read about gender and sexuality, the less ‘wrong’ you will probably feel about being ‘different’. While most of us are taught that there are two genders, male and female, with some intersex people in between that happen when the chromosomes aren’t XX or XY, the scientific reality is much more complicated.

It takes more than one simple set of chromosomes to determine a baby’s sex, i.e. biological gender. Even if the fetus develops in one particular direction, the differences on an individual level are astounding. No two cis-women are the same, just like no transgender women are the same.

There are countless videos on YouTube about this, just as there are many helpful articles and essays that break down the sometimes very complicated science surrounding this issue. Maybe your quest will also unearth podcasts that provide insight in audio format. You might also check the local library for recent publications. There is no ‘right’ way to go about this – it all depends on your preferences and access. As long as you are curious and have an open mind, you’re set!

Be open to different dating platforms:

If you stick to Tinder or Grindr, chances are you will see an endless gallery of people who seem to adhere to a standard default. Of course you, as a nonbinary or gender-nonconforming person, or someone on the asexuality spectrum will feel like there is something wrong with you.

Which is why it is important you also try transgender dating sites and ts dating apps. There, you will find like-minded people. They might not share the same identities, but they will be a lot more open and understanding than the folks swiping left elsewhere.

Join LGBTQIA+ support groups and communities:

Whether a group on Facebook or a hashtag on Instagram, go and see what wonderful people hand around in your online neighborhood. You can find new friends, helpful mentors, or just a sense of community there without having to leave your home.

Play with fashion and style:

How will you know who you are if you don’t try different things? Usually, one’s teenage years are the time for experimentation and pushing boundaries. Yet the more we understand about sexuality and gender, the clearer it becomes that it is a lifelong process.

So it is never too late to slip into a different garment, try on nail polish or lipstick, see how a binder feels or what it’s like to dress like you always wanted but never dared.

Talk to a professional:

Fortunately, the stigma surrounding therapy is receding as more and more people embrace the importance of mental health. Struggling with your identity can be facilitated by a therapist if you feel like this might be helpful – and, more importantly, if you have access to such a service.

Part of your approach to making peace with your identity might include medication. If someone suggests so, do not immediately decline. Sometimes, medication like antidepressants can truly save a life in combination with other strategies.

Explore your body:

Speaking of therapy, you might want to explore somatic therapeutic forms as well, if you have the means and the time. If not, you are free to get to know your body better and explore what feels nice on your own. Yes, this refers to masturbation!

Of course, joyful movements that do not involve sexual gratification also count… but yes, touching yourself in a kind, curious, and appreciative way will help you on your path to accepting your identity.

Be patient with yourself:

Last but not least, remember to be patient. The path to self-acceptance is a process, not a sudden realization. Life isn’t static and your circumstances will inevitably change, which can affect your gender identity and orientation, too.

You’re not alone – confusion is the norm. Embrace it, and see where it leads. After all, you don’t owe anyone an answer, not even yourself.

If you're a transgender person, don't avoid seeing a doctor out of fear of a negative encounter. Instead, look for a doctor who is empathetic and respectful of your specific needs. By doing so, your doctor can help identify ways to reduce your risk of health concerns, as well as identify medical conditions and refer you to specialists when necessary. Once you're talking to your doctor, be honest. Share your gender identity. Tell your doctor about any medicines you take or have taken, any surgeries or procedures you've had, and any associated complications or concerns. Talk about any stress, discrimination, anxiety or depression you're experiencing and how you cope. Also, tell your doctor if you're sexually active. The more your doctor knows about your health history, the better the doctor will be able to help you. 

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