My Generation

The other day my Mom and I were talking about computers and how when she was in high school she actually had to "look stuff up in books."

To me, that's strange. I was born in the 90's. Encyclopedias have taken a back seat to Wikipedia, and being told to "google it" is the new "look in your textbook." I've noticed that I hardly even use my textbooks for information unless I'm in class. At home, I'll look up what I need to know online. Clicking a mouse is a lot easier than flipping pages and searching through indexes.

While I ponder on this, I feel lucky. I think about all of the older transgender adults out there who felt the same way I do right now, but thought they were alone. There were no message boards or online communities full of people to identify with. They didn't flip on the T.V. one day and see an episode of Tyra that featured transgender kids, and then google "transgender" like I did.

People are also more tolerant now. There are gay and transgender kids at my school. No one really looks twice at them. There are still hate crimes against those who are different, but people aren't as afraid to come out.

I fee lucky for all of those before me who paved the way. I'm even happier for the future kids who feel like I do right now. There is more advocacy, programs, and websites about being trans and gender identity than I remember hearing about when I was younger. I hope these kids aren't afraid to come out, I hope the world becomes more tolerant of those who are different than society's norm. My generation will be the parents of these kids, and we're more open minded than the last. And the next will be even more so.

I always wonder what it would be like if I knew about gender identity and being transgender when I was younger. If I knew about puberty blockers. If I knew I wasn't alone and there was a thriving community full of those in my situation. Would I be different? Would I be transitioning right now? No one knows.

But I certainly hope future trans kids are blessed with the knowledge I now possess, and are able to use the offered resources to transition.

So here's to the future. Here's to advocacy.