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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'I'm a transgender woman - ask me your invasive questions' | 'I'm a transgender woman - ask me your invasive questions' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A transgender woman who offered people the chance to ask "invasive questions" on an internet forum has been overwhelmed by the response. | A transgender woman who offered people the chance to ask "invasive questions" on an internet forum has been overwhelmed by the response. |
| Gwen, 24, from Pennsylvania, hosted an "ask me anything" (AMA) session on the online community site Reddit. | Gwen, 24, from Pennsylvania, hosted an "ask me anything" (AMA) session on the online community site Reddit. |
| She received almost 2,000 questions and comments, mostly from "supportive and respectful people". | She received almost 2,000 questions and comments, mostly from "supportive and respectful people". |
| "I figure very few of you know trans people in your everyday lives and might be afraid to ask questions at the risk of offending someone, so I thought I'd give you all the opportunity to learn from someone who will answer your invasive questions," she said. | "I figure very few of you know trans people in your everyday lives and might be afraid to ask questions at the risk of offending someone, so I thought I'd give you all the opportunity to learn from someone who will answer your invasive questions," she said. |
| One Redditor wrote: "I think you just won over half of Reddit right there." | One Redditor wrote: "I think you just won over half of Reddit right there." |
| Another said: "You're very beautiful, and I'm glad you found the happiness that you were searching for. Thanks for sharing with us." | Another said: "You're very beautiful, and I'm glad you found the happiness that you were searching for. Thanks for sharing with us." |
| These are some of the questions she was asked. | These are some of the questions she was asked. |
| When did you first know you wanted to be female? | When did you first know you wanted to be female? |
| Gwen, who medically transitioned using hormone replacement therapy, started dreaming about becoming a woman when she was five years old. | Gwen, who medically transitioned using hormone replacement therapy, started dreaming about becoming a woman when she was five years old. |
| "I would wake up from those dreams and feel so happy. It was weird because I looked like a boy and everyone told me I was a boy," she said. | "I would wake up from those dreams and feel so happy. It was weird because I looked like a boy and everyone told me I was a boy," she said. |
| "When I was 10, someone at school asked what people look like in heaven, and our teacher said, 'You can look however you like.' | "When I was 10, someone at school asked what people look like in heaven, and our teacher said, 'You can look however you like.' |
| "I was so excited. I couldn't wait to die because then I could look like a girl. I wasn't suicidal, but I thought someone had just unlocked the secret for me." | "I was so excited. I couldn't wait to die because then I could look like a girl. I wasn't suicidal, but I thought someone had just unlocked the secret for me." |
| At the age of 22, Gwen began her medical transition. | At the age of 22, Gwen began her medical transition. |
| Two years later, most people she meets can't tell she was born male. | Two years later, most people she meets can't tell she was born male. |
| Do people treat you differently? | Do people treat you differently? |
| "As a guy, it was lonely because people were nice but didn't really engage with me. | "As a guy, it was lonely because people were nice but didn't really engage with me. |
| "If I was walking home late at night, I could tell if when a woman was uncomfortable with my presence. | "If I was walking home late at night, I could tell if when a woman was uncomfortable with my presence. |
| "Now, I get catcalled a lot walking through the city, and I fully understand the mindset. | "Now, I get catcalled a lot walking through the city, and I fully understand the mindset. |
| "You get way more attention as a woman, and you assume that anybody could be a threat." | "You get way more attention as a woman, and you assume that anybody could be a threat." |
| Gwen also notices sexist remarks. | Gwen also notices sexist remarks. |
| "You don't really understand it until you experience it for yourself. | "You don't really understand it until you experience it for yourself. |
| "I get lots of comments like, 'You wouldn't know because you're a girl.' | "I get lots of comments like, 'You wouldn't know because you're a girl.' |
| "I grew up as a guy, so I do know, I know a lot of these things." | "I grew up as a guy, so I do know, I know a lot of these things." |
| But she said one of the positives about living as a woman was how other women treat her. | But she said one of the positives about living as a woman was how other women treat her. |
| "They're much more comfortable around me and compliment me on my hair, make-up or clothes." | "They're much more comfortable around me and compliment me on my hair, make-up or clothes." |
| "Men go out of their way to hold doors for me or ask me if I need help." | "Men go out of their way to hold doors for me or ask me if I need help." |
| How did your body change with HRT? | How did your body change with HRT? |
| Gwen explained that, as well as reducing hair growth and redistributing fat to her hips and chest, the structure of her muscles had changed. | Gwen explained that, as well as reducing hair growth and redistributing fat to her hips and chest, the structure of her muscles had changed. |
| "I went down three shoe sizes because the muscles in my foot changed, and I shrunk in height because of the curvature of my spine," she said. | "I went down three shoe sizes because the muscles in my foot changed, and I shrunk in height because of the curvature of my spine," she said. |
| "I lost all my strength. Before, I'd always win in a hand wrestle with my sister or girlfriend. Now, they'd probably beat me." | "I lost all my strength. Before, I'd always win in a hand wrestle with my sister or girlfriend. Now, they'd probably beat me." |
| The transition process was an "awkward phase" for Gwen, and she felt people were uncomfortable with her appearance. | The transition process was an "awkward phase" for Gwen, and she felt people were uncomfortable with her appearance. |
| "You don't look like a man, but you don't look like a woman either, and people don't know how to talk to you. | "You don't look like a man, but you don't look like a woman either, and people don't know how to talk to you. |
| "I suffered a lot in that period because I felt I was a fake because I didn't look like other women did. | "I suffered a lot in that period because I felt I was a fake because I didn't look like other women did. |
| "I had to tell myself that there's no one way for a woman to look." | "I had to tell myself that there's no one way for a woman to look." |
| When did you first feel like you were really a woman? | When did you first feel like you were really a woman? |
| Gwen finally felt that she "passed" as a woman after a man made sexual advances on a train. | Gwen finally felt that she "passed" as a woman after a man made sexual advances on a train. |
| "My heart froze. For a split second, I was happy that a stranger had seen me as a woman for the first time. | "My heart froze. For a split second, I was happy that a stranger had seen me as a woman for the first time. |
| "Then I immediately felt disgusted, uncomfortable and guilty for the attention." | "Then I immediately felt disgusted, uncomfortable and guilty for the attention." |
| What was it like coming out to friends and family? | What was it like coming out to friends and family? |
| Although one of her uncles refuses to speak to her since the transition, Gwen feels that most of her family has accepted her. | Although one of her uncles refuses to speak to her since the transition, Gwen feels that most of her family has accepted her. |
| "My mum had to relearn a lot about me and there are things she had to get used to, like the fact that we'll never have a mother-son dance. | "My mum had to relearn a lot about me and there are things she had to get used to, like the fact that we'll never have a mother-son dance. |
| "We're much closer now though, because I feel more authentic." | "We're much closer now though, because I feel more authentic." |
| Will you have the op? | Will you have the op? |
| Gwen also discussed her personal life, although she said most trans people preferred not to be asked intimate questions. | Gwen also discussed her personal life, although she said most trans people preferred not to be asked intimate questions. |
| "My girlfriend has always made me feel OK with my body, and I enjoy sex a lot more because now I actually get to be myself," she said. | "My girlfriend has always made me feel OK with my body, and I enjoy sex a lot more because now I actually get to be myself," she said. |
| "It's more pleasurable, and I feel it all over my body. | "It's more pleasurable, and I feel it all over my body. |
| "I can still use my penis but I prefer not to." | "I can still use my penis but I prefer not to." |
| Surgery is a consideration for the future. | Surgery is a consideration for the future. |
| "If my girlfriend and I stay together and we want children, I need things to stay as they are right now. | "If my girlfriend and I stay together and we want children, I need things to stay as they are right now. |
| "After we have kids, I'd like to have surgery. | "After we have kids, I'd like to have surgery. |
| "That's the only thing holding me back because I hate having it." | "That's the only thing holding me back because I hate having it." |
| What do you wish people understood about you? | What do you wish people understood about you? |
| "I'm a person like any other. Being trans is just a part of my medical history," Gwen told Reddit. | "I'm a person like any other. Being trans is just a part of my medical history," Gwen told Reddit. |
| "People feel they need to walk on eggshells around trans people, and it keeps them from wanting to learn anything about us. | "People feel they need to walk on eggshells around trans people, and it keeps them from wanting to learn anything about us. |
| "But being friends with a trans person isn't all that different from being friends with anyone else, and it can be rewarding to have a different perspective on life. | "But being friends with a trans person isn't all that different from being friends with anyone else, and it can be rewarding to have a different perspective on life. |
| "I love everything about me that makes me 'me', it was just my body I was unhappy with. | "I love everything about me that makes me 'me', it was just my body I was unhappy with. |
| "Now that my body matches how it was supposed to look in my brain, I'm happy." | "Now that my body matches how it was supposed to look in my brain, I'm happy." |
| Join the debate on our Facebook page. | Join the debate on our Facebook page. |