Reams addresses several myths about sexual orientation on his website but says the most common one is that bisexuals are equally attracted to men and woman. This is actually something that makes me special and who I am,’ ” she said.ĭr.
There’s a lot of people that have this experience. All of these thoughts need to be challenged, she said.īy connecting with affirmative people, like counselors and other helping professionals, or a community, those messages can be replaced with: “ ‘I am normal. Coolhart, who specializes in transgender issues. Dispel the myths.Īmong the most damaging myths are that being a sexual minority or transgender is a disease, a sin or not normal, says Dr. She works with patients to help them identify the origin of those critical messages to hopefully “externalize them,” she said. If negative thoughts like “something is wrong with me” creep up, Deborah Coolhart, a therapist at Syracuse University and co-author of “ The Gender Quest Workbook,” says to remember that these thoughts are learned, not innate.
Why do I feel different from the people I’m around? Those feelings can be the beginning of a journey of self-discovery that can be rewarding, but also extremely daunting. Am I gay? Everyone calls me a girl, but I don’t feel like one. Maybe the questions bubbled up over time.