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The Differences in Privilege Between Men and Women from Someone Who Has Lived as Both
Being transgender has opened my eyes to a lot of different experiences about how the world works, particularly when it comes to gender inequality and norms.
By Noah Gariepy
This piece has been a long time coming. Literally, like two years coming. It’s been a topic that has been on my mind for so long, but I have yet to find a way to vocalize my experiences.
Being transgender has opened my eyes to a lot of different experiences about how the world works, particularly when it comes to gender inequality and norms; but what I want to talk about is just how truly different it is to live both as a woman and a man and the drastic differences I have personally experienced when it comes to gaining privilege.
A little back-story. I was assigned female at birth, something that was unexpected to my family; my mother even asked my doctor if they were sure I was a girl. I lived and was socialized as a female from birth until age 21. At that point, I was a very butch-dressing female and found that I was most comfortable when I was perceived as androgynous. In a quest to discover myself, I came out as genderqueer to my close friends, and even went so far as to ask them to call me by a new name and use male or gender-neutral pronouns. In the six months I lived as such, I realized just how happy I was — happier than I can ever remember being in my entire life. Needless to say, I realized that I was on the right path, the path towards becoming the real me.
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So I began my transition. I found a counselor and eventually got a letter to allow me to start on hormones. That first syringe I plunged into my thigh was the defining factor. As soon as the testosterone took hold in my body, my life changed for the better and concreted that I was doing what was best for me. I have since continued my transition, and almost one year ago, I had top surgery to remove my breasts and contour a more masculine chest. I haven’t once questioned that decision to actively transition, but it’s opened my eyes to so many issues I would not otherwise have experienced.
