Over Glorified

Many times, humans over glorify the lives of transgender people. Let it be known that being transgender is nothing to be glorified and is quite traumatic. In fact, 41 percent of teens that are transgender and experience the difficulties of living their true self attempt suicide. Many people do not understand this so... Picture this:

You wake up believing you are a man/woman and everything is clear. You walk to the bathroom, look in the mirror, and scream. You are the opposite gender, and you have a million thoughts running through your mind. Maybe this is a dream, am I being punkd, maybe this is like Freaky Friday where I switch bodies with someone. Even with all these scenarios, you are panicked. After the initial shock and confusion, you start to feel that this is the new reality (at least for the day). The day just feels uncomfortable and weird. People refer to you as the opposite gender than what you believe you are. Then for a split moment you forget how you look and when the next person misgenders you, an unbelievable anger engulfs. You yell at them but then quietly walk away when you see their shocked faces. You go to your friends and family, asking for help and they look at you confused. They begin bombarding you with questions that you don't even know the answer to. You leave their presence even more confused and scared. Feeling alone, you seek help on the internet where you find many chat rooms saying that people who think like you should kill themselves. With one last ounce of courage and hope, you click on one more link. You find that there is a whole community of people in your same situation. One of your peers has put a list of doctors to help. You immediately pick up the phone and call. They state that you must be able to pay a minimum of 100 dollars on your first visit (not including the actual treatment/medicines). In shock and desperation, you find a website that you can ask money from those of your community. You quickly do this and to your surprise, not one of your family members or friends donates. You send it to the new community you found on the internet and they graciously help you. The doctors appointment is made and several hundred dollars later, they give you a shot and say rest, and it'll all be better. You go home, not feeling better at all and feeling alone. You sit on your bed in your dark room, and finally cry because all your thoughts catch up to you. Your mind and body are exhausted and you start to think, what if it doesn't work? Is this life worth living? The next morning you wake up, scared to get out of bed. Somehow, you muster up the courage to get up, and make your way to the bathroom. You look in the mirror and you are who you believe you are. You cry in joy and happiness and you praise god for helping you.

This story is a person's whole life journey squished into one day. It takes months and maybe even years to accept that it is reality. It takes months, maybe years to get the courage to talk to your family and friends. Its everyday of getting misgendered and having to remind yourself to not get angry or upset with other people. It's messages every day telling you to kill yourself and telling you that you are a monster. It takes several months to get a doctors appointment and receive enough financially to afford the appointments. If you are lucky enough, and able to receive hormone treatment, it takes another few months and years to get results. Being transgender is nothing to glorify. It's a constant fight to feel right.