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Why we are trans
The simple answer is trans people have some form of gender dysphoria which they seek to resolve. The complex answer is that no two trans people will give you the same answer or same set of answers because why we are trans is as individual as the person answering the question. This is the crux of why discussing trans issues is nuanced and complex, and why those people looking from the outside in never get the same answer twice. It is also why the trans people in the public eye attract such critique and scrutiny, as their framing of identity will invariably alienate a segment of the trans community they purport to represent.
I can tell you why I am trans, just as any other trans person will do the same. Here I want to examine why we externalise this self-understanding, and why trans people often get defensive about their personal understanding of self when others have a differing conception. If you spend any amount of time in trans spaces you will see the same arguments put forth as to why trans people exist and the reasons for trans identities manifesting in society. Engaging in these conversations is a matter of personal choice, though usually their boil down to how much you care that others understand and accept your personal truth as the version of trans truths.
When I first started transitioning in 2000 it was at the tail end of the analogue era, where trans support groups…
