30 Day Challenge for Transpeople – Day 26

26) Do you feel comfortable answering questions about being trans if say a teacher/friend/stranger asked you?

As long as they are asked respectfully, I don’t mind questions. I haven’t had a lot of teachers ask me question aside from the LGBT Club advisor at the community college I go to. And she is very respectful. She asked me to be a guest speaker at her human sexuality class this semester so I imagine I will be answering a lot of questions when I do that. Wish me luck.

I’ve had lots of friends ask me questions. The first question I usually get is “So do you like guys or girls?” And I don’t feel comfortable answering that because I haven’t quite worked that out for myself yet. Either I’m asexual or I haven’t met the right person yet because I’m not really strongly attracted to anyone further than “Hey that person looks awesome. I want to get to know them better.” And also its uncomfortable because I don’t know why THEY need to know. I understand curiosity but why is that the very first question they ask?

I have had strangers ask me questions. Usually friends of friends that I was just introduced to as “James, the transgender”. Sometimes the questions are really disrespectful and they only ask to be assholes. In that case I am uncomfortable and offended. But sometimes they ask genuine questions and are respectful for the most part, and then I don’t mind that even if it is a little uncomfortable. The most interesting questions from strangers are when the person is like super curious and fascinated. My friend introduced me to someone once and I spent about an hour just fielding questions from her. She wanted to know how I knew I was trans, if I like girls or guys, if I masturbate, what kind of surgeries I want, about the effects of testosterone. Everything. And it was a bit uncomfortable, but she was just one of those extremely bold people so it was funny too.