Adrienne Thomas
Evaluative Essay
SYG2340

Growing up i was a tomboy. My mother would dress me up as a girl in hopes that i would be more feminine. I was tough and messy and at the end of the day, i was dirty and just plain smelly. Even though i was fully aware that i was a female and was expected to act like one, being cute and prissy was just not for me. The thought of climbing trees, going swimming in the dirt lake, and collecting tadpoles brought tremendous happiness to me. All the other girls were busy planning tea parties or baking in their easy bake ovens while i would be outside trying to ride the skateboard being pulled by a bike with the boys. I just did not care for the girly things. Even in though it drove my parents crazy, i never felt that i was in the wrong body, or that i was born the wrong sex. To learn some people grew up feeling that way is surprising to me.

Liz, a transgendered male who from the age of five and six, knew she was different. She remembered trying on her mother’s clothing and as she grew up and attended Grad school, she decided she would receive therapy. Courageously, she decided she would no longer deny that part of herself. At one time in her life she even married a woman in my opinion to fit in and become pleasing to society. In changing her identity, she now lives a normal happy life, enjoying and experiencing everything like regular people do. Liz was very courageous in the fact that she knew there would be issues with her decision still, she decided she would live her life and become a woman. She did not choose to accept others opinion of what she should be because she was born male. I was impressed with that.

In the story of Sophie, who started college at the age of 18 as Gaylon, a male, decided by her Sophomore year she would become a female. Sophie was fortunate enough to receive counseling in college that helped her to deal with her gender issues. Sophie was lucky hat she had supportive parents and was able to make friends who although were different, could relate to similar issues she was dealing with in her decision to become a female.She decided to ignore all the stereotypes that came with someone wanting to change their gender and made the changes. I would have terrified while in college. Through support she was able to carry out her change and met a doctor to start the surgical transition.

In the last video Teo, who grew up as a female, had difficulty expressing his feelings about how he felt entirely different than the other girls. He would always be more interested in what the boys were doing, instead of the girls. I was that way growing