I’ve been bullied for my whole life, I’ve faced racism and homophobia. And my mom, she says she’s okay with my sexuality. But she sure as hell don’t act like it. She homeschooled me for 2 years and I was completely and utterly isolated, sure I had my siblings but they weren’t my friends. I lost all my friends because I wasn’t really allowed to talk to them. Whenever my parents and I would get into a fight I wouldn’t cry in front of them. I’d wait till the fight was done, head into the bathroom, close and lock the door, and quietly ball my eyes out. I’d tell myself “why would they- no, no, no. This is MY fault! Why can’t I be the perfect child? Why couldn’t I be born the opposite gender? I hate myself and I suck, I’m so stupid for trying to argue with my parents!”. My mental health was sucky, really, really sucky. Eventually I got into SH because, for me, that was the only way to cope. (Not having a therapist or anything).