973) I had to choose between medication for a genetic condition or HRT, since then (about 6 months ago) I’ve been in a bit of a depressive downward spiral (I chose the meds). Every week or so my mom and I have an hour long phone battle about how my life is going to shit and how depressed I am. What just amuses me to no end is how hard she tries to dance around exactly WHY I’m depressed. It’s killing me slowly and apparently rather obviously, but we still can’t talk about it?

24) I’m a transitioning trans woman, 21 years old, and I’ve been on HRT 7 months. I’m terrified that I’ve started too late in life and people will always be able to pick out the “freak” in a crowd. The shape of my body is all wrong. My facial hair is wrong. My voice is wrong. I want to feel good about myself, but looking in the mirror feels like an elaborately staged farce. I ask. “Who do you think that you’re kidding?” Plus, I worry I’ll never be satisfied with the GRS results. But I’m too scared to admit that I can live without it….