You lack a basic understanding of transgender people. Many resist the idea that transgender people have the biological brains of the gender with which they identify. The various scientific and medical disciplines have been investigating this for decades, and the evidence is becoming increasingly obvious that there is an actual biological difference. Binary trans people have the biological brains of the gender with which they identify. It is not a matter of mental delusion or choice. This is the argument that the transphobes use to discount the authenticity of the trans experience. In point of fact, we are hardwired to be trans. We cannot be converted or cured or treated and no one who is not trans can be talked into being trans. Until everyone understands this, we will continue to have the political culture wars going on at the moment.

Here in Florida, our governor, Ron DeSatan, has stated publicly that someone who thinks they are trans is just a phase that children will outgrow to justify his bigoted, hateful, legalistic agenda. Thinking that it is a delusion or mental illness also justifies the irrational argument that trans people are groomers. Young transgender people are not being groomed by anyone and it would be a futile effort, even if there were some larger trans agenda. There is not. None of us would wish our condition on anyone else. It can be a difficult life to live to be authentic. Either DeSatan does not understand the science or is willfully ignorant of it for political gain. Too many legislators are. All you have to do is the research. Avoid social media and refer to the respected scientific and educational institutions. The evidence is out there if you do the work.

There is a reason that psychologists in the DSM-V now view being transgender not as a mental illness, but a normal, if somewhat rare, variant of human beings. Roughly 30 years ago, they came to the same conclusion about gay people. It has taken longer for the psychological community to develop a better understanding of trans people as well. If it were a mental illness it could be treated or cured. Since it is not, and it’s innate, it cannot be changed. Your misconception is very common, but unfortunately, often far too destructive.

Many in the trans community resist the idea that trans people have the brains of the gender with which they identify. They are fearful of a return to gatekeeping and being denied appropriate care. Personally, I think this fear is overblown. Not everyone is binary like I am. In between the gender extremes, there is a larger group of non-binary, gender nonconforming, and gender fluid people, whose test results (if one were to be developed) would be somewhat inconclusive. They are equally deserving of respect and acceptance. In many ways, the trans community is its own worst enemy, and saying that “I just know I am trans, accept it” reinforces the attitude of the skeptical and transphobic that we are all mentally ill or have chosen to be trans. It is the objective science that will ultimately win the day for all of us. It is coming. The evidence is already there. It just needs to be accumulated in one place in a master treatise accepted by the larger community of experts.