Quick Notes:
This is part 1 of a 2 part conversation with Helena. She is a 23 year old detransitioned woman, well-known on Twitter and YouTube for her insights into the FtM trans kid mindset. The self-described “gender apostate” shares her thoughts on ROGD’s relationship with critical social justice, fandom culture, “shipping,” and the extraordinary fascination many teenage girls have with young gay men.
Links:
Helena on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lacroicsz
Extended Notes:
● Helena is a detransitioned woman. She identified as a transgender man at 15, but by 19, she wanted to become a woman again.
● A little bit about Helena and her detransition journey.
● Before Helena started testosterone, she had this fantasy that not being female would be amazing. Helena was very isolated in her journey. Her ex, also a trans person, was against her detransitioning.
● As she was on this journey as a man, she was so tired of pretending to be masculine and wearing clothes that didn’t fit her body.
● What was it like psychologically to suppress Helena’s feminine side for so long?
● Has social justice affected or played a role in trans identity?
● Helena remembers reading things like, if you feel different than everybody else, it probably means you’re trans.
● Teenagers are biologically more sensitive to social rejection from their peers, and they’ll do anything to fit in and belong.
● Whenever Helena was questioned about her new identity, she just thought they were just stuck in old beliefs and just wouldn’t listen.
● Helena explains what a trans medicalist is and shares her thoughts on the difference between non-binary people and trans people.
● What makes someone a cis girl or a cis boy or what really makes someone trans? The reasons are very superficial.
● Cis allies are finding it difficult to be allies to the transgender community because they’re being told their opinions don’t count.
● What is trans fandom all about? And what is “shipping” all about within this fandom culture?
● A lot of these “shipping” content has sexual undertones of gay pairings of common fictional characters.
● Growing up, it can get confusing. Men, that you’re basing your identity off of, are being written by teenage girls.
● Let’s talk about Tumblr and how these trans mood boards all originated.
● Helena remembers this internet time very fondly. She loved being on the “gay” side of the internet where it was all acceptable.
● Helena wishes there was a way people can indulge in their sexuality in a non-threatening way, but she also understands that too much of it can lead down the wrong path where it creates dysphoria.
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This podcast is partially sponsored by ReIME, Rethink Identity Medicine Ethics:
Rethinkime.org
Learn more about our show: Linktr.ee/WiderLensPod
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