For those who don't experience as much dysphoria: how do you cope with imposter syndrome?
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*Just a heads up: this whole text is a mess. Apologies in advance. I'm all over the place right now.* I'm AFAB, and I've considered myself transmasc for the past 3 years. I don't think I'll ever pass, so I don't go for calling myself a trans man, even to myself. I've been out to my friends for 2 years now, they stopped using my deadname and use he/him with me. All in all, it was going smoothly. Until out of nowhere, I started to question myself: am I really trans? It's not for the first time. In fact, I've started to question my gender since 2019, then again in 2021 and 2022. Since I speak a gendered language, it was easier for me to test out masculine pronouns without needing someone else to help, and I'd last through only a couple of days using those until I'd randomly get an icky feeling and I'd go back to using feminine pronouns. Until 2022, when the itch came back once again, stronger than ever; when I noticed I'd prefer when people online referred to me as "he"; when I noticed I wanted to have a male sona for my account instead of representing myself as a woman. Except this time, the itch didn't go away, and eventually I came out to my friends and that was that. But now a few years have passed, and I still don't have the urge to start on hormones (though I'd like them), I still don't mind that others see me as a woman (but I sure get thrilled when people think I'm a man), and I don't feel dysphoric about my body (though I started working out just to build some muscles on my arms). I sure never grew my hair long ever again and I even use a binder and like seeing my flat chest on photos because of it, but so what. I don't have a sad past with puberty like I see most trans people have, I was already 17 when I "realized" I "really" was trans, simply because I never really minded it until one day I did. Other trans folks I see online realize it so early in their life, they feel dysphoria most times than they don't. And today, I met this trans guy who's just like me (not on hormones yet and same age), he was out to others and even used the men's bathroom. I had this realization that I could never find the courage to do the same as he did, like, it's a mix of comfort and resignation for me. And I can't help but wonder: am I really trans if I don't think and act like most others do? What, should I just go back to being a woman? But I never felt the urge to present like one, despite being AFAB. To be like my friends, who like doing typically feminine things in regards of appearance (makeup, long hair, stuff). I just like the clothes. I never felt connected with presenting as a woman. And I don't mind my friends using he/him with me (but I do get irritated and strangely bothered when they accidentally use she/her, but I wonder if that's just because they aren't paying enough attention to using the correct pronouns, since I don't get this upset with others who have no way of knowing). I know it's not really cis of my part to be fine with being seen as a man, but fuck, I feel like I should just use bras and go back to she/her. But even that feels confusing, because then what? What have these past few years been for? What did they mean? Why am I feeling this way now when I was doing just fine with my identity? The only thing that's odd is that I just feel so dysphoric when I see trans men. Not because I fear getting like them, but because I feel extremely upset that I'll never look like them. I'm comfortable with seeing cis guys because I know that they were born this way and that's it, but the complete envy and dissatisfaction with myself that I feel from seeing trans men… I just wish I could look like them. I really want to.
Details
- Subreddit
- r/asktransgender
- Author
- u/ValueComfortable6510
- Posted
- Feb 12, 2026 at 8:49 PM UTC
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