Hi Sophie, I know this is an old post, but I can relate to the sheer terror of being found out when young. I don’t know what age I was, but my sibs and I were getting ready for trick or treat. Someone (older sis or my mom) thought I should dress up as a girl or ballerina or something. I remember screaming and crying as they tried to put some white opaque tights on me. I doubt I wore that outfit – I don’t remember anything else but that one scene. I do know that it was because I didn’t want to be found out – that I already liked girls’ clothes and wanted to be a girl. You see, my parents were hyper-religious and made Archie Bunker look like a liberal. So I would have endured much pain and shame to “cure” me.
It took 60 years to shed all that BS and begin my transition journey!