Thank you for sharing your experience. I think it’s hard not to get at least a little misandrist when we’re forced to live inauthentically, while being constantly associated with the patriarchy like we’re one of them. You’ve clearly acquired a lot of wisdom over your journey, and it’s nice to hear that your transition brought you peace and clarity.

I spent my entire life afraid of men, for a number of reasons, and worried about cis women being afraid of me for the exact same reasons I was afraid. While in the closet, I would obsess over looking as non-intimidating as possible and never felt like I could achieve it. At the same time, some of my best friends are men, and they’re genuinely wonderful people. I’m not sure they would have become my best friends if I’d been born a cis girl.

If there’s anything “good” that came out of my upbringing, it’s that I got to see and better understand the best versions of masculinity too.