Reply To: My experiences and thoughts about transitioning at 40

[Dana Munson]

Hello, Jennifer, and welcome to TGH! It’s not at all unusual to have “feminine” desires and to still be conflicted as to whether one is merely an odd man or a woman trying to break free. In my own way, I fought that battle for a couple or three decades. Spoiler alert: I finally sided with my femme instincts. Anyway, you may not need a psychiatrist to deal with your inclinations toward womanhood. Rather, you might benefit from a therapist with experience in (trans)gender issues. I say this because psychiatrists generally are here to help diagnose and treat real mental disorders. Identifying as a possibly trans-person is NOT considered a mental disorder by the AMA (although it was, many years ago). A good, experienced therapist can help you work through a variety of mental conflicts and uncertainties.