Interesting Development, from unhappy to happy?

Hi,

Yesterday we had an interesting visit from my niece.
After som this and that, and "how nice weather we have today" she infact told us that for entire life she had felt unhappy, felt that she was not the person in the mirror.
In fact, she felt that she was a man inside a womens body and that she could not go any further like this.

we paniced and tried talking her out of suicide ideas, but that was not where she was talking about......................(paniced too hard i guess)

No, she came around to tell us that a month ago she had started hormone threatment and that she will become a man (completely!) over about a year.

I was totally shocked and i thought the whole idea is bull^@%*, but now i think: well, as long as she/he is happy......true?

What do you guys think???

Is transgender "real" or something between the ears, or an illness??
Would you accept or decline this if someone from youre family came with a similair story??

  Johan   

wow that is really  food for thought...

I guess if that is what will make her ( him ) happy then who are we to judge... right?

Hey man as long as she is happy theres nothin more you can do except be there. I myself have wondered its real when people claim to be in the wrong body. All i do know is that it is very real to some.

Well, that's a heck of a pitch from the left I can assure you.

I do have a niece, but she's very into guys so I know she likes it that way. But how would I feel if she choose this? I'd just shrug and say "If this makes you happy, then you have to decide what you want"

35 years or so ago, a male became a female and man what an uproar did that cause. Now, it's something that if you can afford it, you can have it done, though it is recommended that you have a bit of psychiatric treatment to make sure of your feelings.

I wouldn't be shooting flares, nor would I shun them.  The former supports, the latter dismisses and the worst part a person can feel is to be "Dismissed" by family/relatives.

I think it is something that would be hard at first to digest because society has not evolved enough to accept something like this. I would respect their decision and let them live life the way they see fit.

That must have been a shock to the system when you heard that however, if she spent the rest of her life being a woman and unhappy, would you want that for her? 

You only get one crack at this life and she certainly has to do what makes her happy and comfortable with herself and if that means being a man, then so be it.  So many people take the huge step to change their sex, there must be something in this and not just a thing that is "in the head".

Having said all that, it is going to be a really tough thing to deal with on your part and I don't know how you will manage it.  I'm trying to imagine my cousin (I don't have a neice) saying something like that to me and I'm struggling with it tbh.

It's a personal decision if you ask me, every person should do what he/she thinks would make him/her happy, without breaking the law or hurting other people, of course. In this case the family will surely feel some sort of a shock but it can be surpassed with a bit of understanding.

I wouldn't have any problems about it since I do believe it's real and support is necessary as well as psychiatric consultations because it's a long process and a person has to be sure about it. It's not about just being happy or unhappy, one's life changes completely after such surgeries.

I hope you're niece is going to have a better life, Johan.

It was shocking to hear at first especially since you never suspected otherwise. I say if it makes her happy then go for it and those who don't like it should just keep quiet and let her be.

You asked if transgender is a "real" condition. Think about what makes us male or female. It's not just the parts it's the hormones in our bodies. I really believe you could be one sex on the inside and another on the outside. Good luck to her and all you can do is be supportive.