Ultimately, the only person who can decide whether or not you are transgender is you. However, it can be difficult to sort through the many worries and fears that can come with the question "am I trans?" Provided below are some common questions and experiences of trans people coming out to themselves.
Remember, not all trans people have the exact same story. Being "trans enough" is a common fear for many people when coming out: "What if I'm not like other trans people? What if this resource says most trans people have felt X about their body, but I haven't? Am I still trans?" The answer is yes! If your experiences do not match up exactly with others' it doesn't mean your identity is invalidated. You are always trans enough.
Non-Medical Transition
There are many ways to transition, or test transitioning, by making small changes in your everyday life. Here are some ideas! (Note that some ideas are more applicable to transmasculine people, transfeminine people, nonbinary people, etc. than others.)
Voice Training
Training your voice to sound like that of the preferred gender can be a difficult process. If you're interested, here are some free online resources to help you get started.
The Voice Book for Trans and Non-Binary People by Medical Transition
Some people believe transitioning always involves medicine, but this isn't true. Many trans people decide not to use medication to physically transition. That being said, it's also very common for trans folks to pursue hormone therapy, surgeries, and other types of medical transition.
Hormone Therapy, also known as HRT, is probably the most common way to medically transition. It involves taking a regimen of medicine that provides different hormones for your body. For example, trans men (female to male, or FTM) usually take testosterone supplements. Trans women (male to female, or MTF) usually take estrogen and an anti-androgen that blocks testosterone production.
Surgeries tend to be done after hormone therapy has been started. Common surgeries include breast reduction, breast augmentation, bottom surgery (also known as sexual reassignment surgery/SRS or gender confirmation surgery/GCS).
Coming out, or telling people you are trans, is a big part of transitioning socially. It can also be very, very hard. Not everyone will necessarily be understanding. There is no right or wrong way to come out; just do what feels comfortable to you. If you know certain people in your life won't be supportive, you don't have to come out to them right away.
However, if you plan on physically transitioning, understand that there may come a point where you can no longer hide the changes. There may also be people you have to tell, or situations in which it may become necessary to come out, even if you know there won't be a positive reaction. This section is intended to help with coming out both to supportive and non-supportive people in your life.
General Resources
Coming Out in Uncertain Situations
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