Caitlyn Jenner did not "decide to become" a woman

[Warpy]

11. I knew my first trans woman in the 60s

She had a job as a secretary in another town and I'd never have known save for a boozy conversation. To my credit, I referred to her as "she" and used her preferred name and kept my trap shut around anyone who didn't know. To my disgrace, I was probably less compassionate than I should have been since I didn't know how deep it went. It was just drag being taken a little farther to me back then.

Now I realize how amazing she was, trying to live as who she felt she was. There was little help from the medical community outside Sweden back then. I have to hope she survived AIDS in the 80s and has managed to live a long life as who she was supposed to be.

In other words, this is not new. It's not SSRIs in the water or a new pesticide. It's been around forever, most notably trans men fighting in all major wars. Trans women were less visible.

We don't get to choose our gender any more than we get to choose which sex we fall in love with. I don't begin to understand what being born into the wrong body feels like--how could I? I do recognize the struggle and I do my level best not to add to the pain.