TransLife.net Transgender 101 - Psychological

Fear and Humiliation are very powerful emotions and are experienced by everyone at some time or another. Most people fear one thing or another. Transgendered individuals generally have a lot to be afraid of. Life is not easy living a transgendered life.

Typically most trans people are afraid of being "outed" or discovered as trans. This is for people who are in the closet of course. However, the stigma of transgender is so great that being transgender could have many repurcussions in the rest of the person's life. Families, jobs, friendships, and even personal well being can be affected by being discovered. This fear drives people to stay deep in the closet. Due to this, it's hard to get statistics on how many cross dressers there are. The internet is helping, but it's still difficult.

Another source of fear may be a fear of personal harm. This would more apply to an open and out transgendered individual. Hate crimes and violence can happen in any town and in any place. Many out transgender as well as gay, lesbian, and bisexual people have to be careful.

Fear may come from being alone. Dating is difficult for the transgender population. For M2F transsexuals, the lesbian population often thinks of transsexual women as not real women. Men worry that dating a transsexual makes them gay.

A very large source of fear as well as humiliation is the bathroom. Most people don't even think about this issue. During transition, there comes a time when the individual has to decide which bathroom to use. It comes down to legality and safety. In most states, it's illegal for a male to use the women's restroom and vice versa. So, if a person in the bathroom has an issue with a transgender being in there, they could call the police or press charges. However, if the transgender goes to the bathroom for their genetic sex, there could be similar problems, perhaps even physical assault. Which does one chose? Not all places have unisex bathrooms or even better gender neutral bathrooms. One thing to remember if you ever encounter a transgender in the bathroom, what is a bathroom really for anyway? The trans person is likely scared and uncomfortable. Just let that person be to do their thing and leave.

Humiliation usually comes from being discovered. Trans people get laughed at, picked on, stared at, etc. A lot of people forget that transgendered people are still people. Different people, but still human and deserving the right to live peacefully and happily.