Writing Trans Characters // Part Four: Social Transition // Christopher Drost [CC]

Are you trying to write a transgender character? These are the things writers should know about transgender people in order to create a trans character. Today I’m talking about social transition and what that means for your character. Including the upsides, the hardships and some helpful tips on the legal system and healthcare issues your character has to deal with.
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// Question of the day
Did you ever make a choice that other people just didn’t understand but it was the best thing for you?
// Related videos
Closeted characters (stage 1): • Writing Trans Characte...
Gender Dysphoria: • Writing Trans Characte...
My coming out story: • My Coming Out Story //...
// Social Media
Instagram: / authordrost
Twitter: / authordrost
// Credits
Script and presentation: Christopher Drost
Editing: Aleksandra Waszewska
Music: www.purple-pla...
// Subtitles
English: Christopher Drost
Dutch: Coming soon
Polish: Coming soon

[@SAVYWRITESBOOKS]

this video is SO GREAT and so, so useful!! i feel like it's super rude of other people to try to tell you what "being a man" means -- it's different for everyone, and stereotyping people is never good :( you sound like a wonderful boyfriend to your girlfriend, btw. she's lucky to have you!

[@christopherdrost3764]

I'm equally lucky to have her. She's a great girlfriend too me.
Luckily, I'm much better at setting boundaries now and after a year, most people around me have learned to not try to teach me how to be a man anymore. The only thing I wish my dad would teach me at this point is some basic home maintenance, because changing a light bulb is about the extent of my manly home maintenance skills and quite honestly, I'm embarrassed by that. XD

[@KatTalks]

Hi Christopher! I think the biggest decision none of my family understood was quiting my "job for life" at a big firm to work for a start up in London. Work became so much more interesting after that! I'm glad to hear you got your legalities. 🍾 (-it's teetotal, since I don't know if you drink).
I think for strangers mis-gendering can be an honest mistake, even though it sucks when it happens to you.
I really like the way you describe getting to become the type of man you want to be. You are awesome

[@christopherdrost3764]

Thanks Kat! I think you're awesome too :)
Start ups are awesome! You get to wear a lot of different hats and get to try much more than you ever will at a large company. I totally get that choice.
I know that misgendering isn't always on purpose. Most of the time it is an honest mistake. Unfortunately, that doesn't matter for the feeling you get when it happens. When I'm doing the pronoun video I'll talk about this in a little bit more dept, because there's different ways transgender people deal with this and also different preferences how to deal with an accidental misgendering.

[@jaspermoth1145]

this wasn't necessarily a single a choice but it's still something people would disagree with me about and i felt was what made me, me. i really love dressing dark and somewhat edgy and gothic, i want tattoos and piercings and when i imagine myself when i'm older i want that to be me. but time and time again, people question why i cut my hair short, wear all black and my dad asks me if i'm going to do drugs. and more generally i feel the stereotypes of being emo, depressed or a delinquent. it just kinda sucks, just a little, I can't imagine looking like them.
it's not much, but it annoys me sometimes when i don't want to dress like everyone else or be interested in the same things.
this is also so much after this video was posted, but, whelp.

[@christopherdrost3764]

Replies are always welcome, I try to keep an eye out. Especially because I have so little time to film new material. I appreciate your time to type up a comment.
You do you. If you feel like you need to express yourself through piercings and tattoos than go for it. Though I would keep in mind that a tattoo is basically forever and my personal experience is that your taste can change pretty drastically. That being said, it's your life and your body and that you like expressing yourself in that way doesn't mean you use drugs, are depressed or not valid. Some people simply prefer dark colors because they're less visually stimulating.

[@jaspermoth1145]

@@christopherdrost3764 thanks! Yeah the tattoo things a bit more fluid of an idea. Love your videos, mate

[@JasmineSheaTownsend]

Another great video!
To answer your question: this happened with me twice. When I was 15, I denounced Christianity... much to the horror of my family members. I was Agnostic until I discovered Wicca.
My immediate family isn't crazy religious, but as soon as I started calling myself a Wiccan/witch, everybody tried to get me to church. It was the only time I was actually treated like an outsider by my own family, and it really hurt.
Thankfully, that died down with time.
It wasn't until I was 22 or 23 that I decided I'm actually Atheist because things like religion and spirituality -- the more I think about them -- make absolutely zero sense to me. It stressed my mom out for a short bit, but even my grandmother has come to accept me as her "non-believer" granddaughter.

[@christopherdrost3764]

Thank you! It's always nice to hear that it's appreciated! :)
Religion can be such a touchy subject in families. I grew up in the bible belt of my country in a family that's strictly not religious. That wasn't a fun position to be in. My brother ended up marrying a religious woman and converted to Christianity. Needless to say my parents didn't like that either.
My girlfriend has been raised Catholic, but she also denounced. (Although she just corrected me she didn't bother to do it officially) Her mother tried to keep her in the church by saying she 'might get married one day'. And then I came along. I can't be sure but I think that if I set foot over the threshold of a church I might burst into flames... I'm not a particularly evil person but I have a feeling that Catholic church doesn't approve of my lifestyle.

[@JasmineSheaTownsend]

@@christopherdrost3764 I can relate a little in that one of my former best friends married a super religious guy, and now she, too, is religious.
But your last bit made me chuckle. 😂 Whose lifestyle DOES the Catholic Church approve of?
I thought it weird that I teach at a Catholic university, but thankfully, they're pretty liberal in that they have an active LGBTQA+ group and they collaborated with a local Jewish organization to celebrate Passover 😮

[@christopherdrost3764]

There is always good communities with good people who mean well and are accepting. I'm always glad to hear about one of those. Religion doesn't have to be a bad thing. My brother was the first to accept me for who I am when I came out and my (future) mother in law, Polish and Catholic, also never had an issue with me. So far I have had more issues with non religious people.

[@JoeyPaulOnline]

Loved the video very interesting series and loving all that I'm learning. As for a choice that people didn't understand that would be using a wheelchair even though I was still able to walk more than I am now. People saw it as giving up when it was about saving energy and being able to do more.

[@christopherdrost3764]

I have seen from up close what a little help can mean in terms of energy. Maybe not with a wheelchair but I'm assuming it is the same feeling. People tend to judge too quickly and on very limited information and thought. It must have been a hard decision to make, also seeing the judgement of people around you and I'm glad you choose to do what is best for yourself. Not everyone does that and it's sad.