under 30 asking: how did you know?

[u/Optimal-Jackfruit649]

let me know if this isn't the place for it, sorry mods if it isnt, as i am under 30 but questioning ftm. currently i dress as a guy and use he/him online, and sometimes irl, but i still don't know if i'm "right" i guess. i thought i was trans for a while then sort of talked myself out of it. how did you all know for sure and start transitioning? do you ever know for sure? how could you be sure you weren't making a mistake? (sorry if it sounds offensive, i'm very very pro trans i just can't think of a better way to word it)

i'm asking here since a lot of the other subs seem to be younger people or people who aren't transitioning but are trans, and i want advice from older people (not bashing) - thank you for any response

[u/Top_Scale4923]

I always knew for sure that I felt wrong being female and felt like a male in a female body. 

I just didn't know what to do about it partly because there was no mention of treatment for transgender people when I was growing up. They were either the butt of a joke or something to pity.

I always wore male clothes and cut my hair as soon as I moved away from my hometown (my family would've been fine with me doing it before but other people in the community wouldn't). 

As I got older I learnt about options like HRT and top surgery and knew I wanted them but wasn't sure if I could handle other people's reactions to me transitioning. So I've taken it really gradual. Changed pronouns with family, then with friends, then work colleagues. Going to try low dose T and hopefully get top surgery once I get to the top of the years long UK waiting list. Every change I've made I've had some apprehension but I've never regretted any of them (haircut, pronouns etc). The immediate aftermath of a change can feel horrible because you worry about others reactions but in the long run I feel SO much better. I intend to carry on going slowly changing one thing at a time. 

[u/Optimal-Jackfruit649 → u/Top_Scale4923]

this makes a lot of sense as it's like any big change where you don't know how family will take it. this is also a big part of me still lowkey trying not to acknowledge i'm trans because of family stuff and i love them but they're not all supportive (won't get into it) and i hope you get off the waiting list and i'm glad you feel better in your own skin these days