Things might be somewhat a little since the times that I was in school being transgender since childhood. I was faced with teasing and bulling from the moment that I brought my Barbie doll to school. The teachers and councilors was aware about the teasing and bulling, but they never did anything about. I too tried to fit in to make boy - friends but they only pushed me away because I didn't think like them. One day the girls at school, stood up in my defense against the bullies, and never bothered me again. My teenager years, confidence started to enhance over time.
Rhonda

Andrea,

Its defiantly challenging. I remember constantly being jelious of girls who were happy with their self, and boys who were happy with their life. It was awful and it seemed like everyone else was happy but me. Of course that wasn't the case but it felt like that!

Try to hang in there though, you are far from alone in your feelings. High school can be hell and being transgender makes it a lot harder. It will get better though, and family, maybe a therapist even, will help with that. You might even find a few friends that you will grow extremely close too near the end of your high school career, just remain open!

Let me know if you would like to talk, you can always message me

Best of luck,
-Hollie

Andrea-

Well I'm currently in highschool and an out and proud transgender. Some people to discrimate me for my gender identity, and I don't worry about it because I know they are ignorant. See I go through so much harassment at home from my dad because of my gender identity that it doesn't faze me what everyone says. Once this school years starts up, well I already met my teachers and introduced myself as my birth name due to my father being there and me not wanting him to go off on me like usual. But the first and second day of school I will introduce myself as alex. I have no problem with what people say about my gender identity because it's irrelevant because I'm always going to be who I'm going to be. I have been bullied because of it, people have stared at me, called me a freak, and all kinds of other names. Although yes it gets lonely, I kept searching till I found people that accepted me for me. Anyway that's my story. ~Alex

Hey Andrea, Things may not be where you want them to be for you in life right now, And i hope they get better for you girl, For me im still a sophomore in high school, I am Transgender Male to Female, And things for me arent looking so bright, Yeah theres little slips here and there with dealing with people, etc... But thats just what were gonna have to deal with right now, I found myself a way to gain control of who i am and the person i want to be, The schools i have attended , Have allowed me to be who i want and where what i want.. I carry a purse everyday, wear makeup, dress in women clothing.. Everything !! But its just me that if i feel that energy of i know that people are talking, i quickly decide to change schools... Its just something were all gonna have to deal with right now sweetie, In my mind i accept my self. And if others dont then WHO CARES (: im doing me and thats all that should matter (; Stay strong and fearless ;)

I am in the "bible belt" south, but my small community college has a relatively new LGBTQ support group on campus.

When I was in high school, there wasn't a word for what I felt, or knew, myself to be, so it was impossible to be "out", or even anything close to being who I am. I suffered severe depression and nearly ended my life several times - managing to talk myself out of it with the thought that I didn't want to let the people making me miserable win by killing myself.

Now, I have reached the point where few people ever imagine I was anything other than the guy I am(FtM), so I find no need to be "out" about what people thought I was in the past.

In the process, I have had to deal with using public restrooms - and knew it was time to switch bathrooms when I entered the ladies room and three women fled in horror,... I stepped out to face 3 men they had brought to "get that guy out of the ladies room" for them. The guys saw me as female, and were puzzled by the reactions of the ladies to me. After that, I used the mens room. This was on campus - the same community college that now has a support group for LGBTQ people - about 2 years ago.

From what I see and hear now, things are actually a lot better, a lot easier, for those LGBTQ youth coming up; though there are still challenges, still ignorant people to deal with. I have been called a trailblazer - a term I dislike hearing applied to myself, as I am simply trying to live my life, not break ground for others - though often that has been a part of what I have had to do in order to live my life. There are many others who have done more than I, who made it possible for me to reach the point where I am; they were the real trailblazers. I just helped smooth out some of the rough patches for the next person, maybe widened the path a tiny bit.

I remember high school as being pure, living hell, being totally unable to be myself at all, having to live a constant lie and forcing myself to try blending in, by being someone I knew I was never meant to be. It didn't help that my body worked against me at every turn, having the build that attracted guys, despite my total lack of interest in them at all. I went on dates - in an effort to blend in - but they always ended badly, as guys wanted more from me than I ever desired to give. I finally gave up on it, and quit dating. Then, the guys began saying I was a lesbian, because I refused their advances. I wasn't, but nobody cared about the truth, so I left it and just resigned myself to get through school and escape.

I knew I was a guy in the wrong body from the age of three. I just wasn't aware there were others who felt the same, nor that there was a term for it - other than "insane", which was my father's response.

In 6th grade I was attacked 3 times by 3 boys. They ganged up on me, to beat me up and try to do other things to me - but I didn't react as they expected, and scared them off. The teachers did nothing about it - it took my father confronting their parents with a death threat to make the attacks stop, but the harassment never did. The boys claimed they were beating me up "because she thinks she's better than us."; just because I made good grades in school. NOT because I was different, not because I had said anything, or done anything except make good grades!

I think school is rough on each of us, no matter if we're LGBTQ or not. Being "different" only makes us more of a target, as everyone strives to "belong" somehow. Truth is, we're all "different" in one way or another.