Since becoming an adult, i feel a paralyzing fear when I try to make friends with men my age. I don't feel like i have a right to see them as my equal/act "normal" because I know they don't see me as a real man, just a stupid woman imitating them. It's legitimately ruining my life and friendships. This is something i never thought about as a teenager/kid, but now i feel like i have to act more feminine so I don't look like a retarded try-hard, especially if they end up finding out I'm ftm. I know I am shooting myself in the foot by doing this but I don't want to be someone who is completely socially oblivious.
>>42214913imposter syndrome is inevitable. im mtf and even though my cis female friends forget that im not cis i still feel like i dont belong with them sometimes. if u give them enough time, they should eventually come around and treat u like they would any other man.when they start calling u man things like "bro" constantly and sound genuine, theres no reason to believe they see u as an imitator.
>>42215032You're probably right, i just can't stop thinking about how much of it is genuine or not. Cis people being more aware of trans people has made me wonder if they're trying to be accommodating so I don't sperg out on them or something.
>>42215101theres not really much u can do to prove that you aren't apart of the vocal minority stereotype, i guess theres the off chance u get slur'd in public and react to it with stoicism which even then might be interpreted as "he doesnt believe hes a man" but i cant think of much else u could do. i doubt they'd be "accommodating" if they knew u for several years and consistently treated u like a man anyway
>>42214913Feminity is performed. Masculinity is earned. Achieve something.
>>42214913The go-to backdoor for male acceptance is being funny.
