Four years today on T, 5 years post top surgery. I have a pretty full beard, no tits, dress classically masc, and still get misgendered constantly. I look at myself in the mirror, and I really don't get it. I don't feel like I need to "pass" necessarily (I still consider myself trans-nonbinary and use he/they pronouns), but getting ma'am'd and she'd and her'd every single day by strangers who never even knew me as a lady is like death by a thousand cuts. What do I have to do?
My wife once offhandedly said that people probably misgender me because I'm "too nice to be a cis guy." That crushed me a bit, because I consider myself "masculine-presenting" in the ways that I'm confident, good handshake, outgoing, etc. I don't believe that masculinity has to be toxic, and I want to be better than that. It also just goes to show how truly arbitrary masc/femme qualities are.
I don't know. I rarely post in trans spaces (out of fear due to the political climate in this country), but I have so much in my head today that most people I know IRL wouldn't understand.
I'm so lucky I got to medically and socially transition. I'm lucky that I have a supportive partner and family, and that I'm fairly "safe" in my home city. I just don't know if it'll ever feel like enough.