There are lots of people who feel like you. It may not be easy to find them, though, because it can be hard to talk about this kind of stuff. And, you won’t know about someone else unless they tell you—there could be someone right in your city or town, or even in your class, who is going through the same thing, but they may not feel comfortable sharing that part of themselves yet.

Some people aren’t so good at talking about these things and may even react with fear or violence. This makes it even harder for people to meet each other and get support. For this reason, sometimes people wait a long time to even try to tell a very close friend.

Some schools have Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) or LGBTQ student clubs—groups for students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or allies. If you live near an LGBTQ community center or a college campus that has an LGBTQ center, these might also be places to find out more.

A trusted supportive adult who cares about you—like a parent or guardian, family member, close adult friend, clergy person, counselor or medical provider—can sometimes be a great help in thinking things through. They may also know of trans youth groups, local LGBT centers, and other resources and ideas to help you connect.

The internet also makes it a lot easier to connect with other people for support. Here are some places to start looking:

On the Web:

• YouthResource
• TransFamily
• Made in God’s Image

Books:

• Trans Forming Families: Real Stories About Transgendered Loved Ones, edited by Mary Boenke
• Mom, I Need To Be a Girl, by Evelyn Lindenmuth
• O Au No Keia: Voices from Hawai'i’s Mahu and Transgender Communities, by Andrew Matzner
• Transgender Warriors : Making History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman, by Leslie Feinberg
• Two-Spirit People: Native American Gender Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality, edited by S. Jacobs
• My Gender Workbook: How to Become a Real Man, a Real Woman, the Real You, or Something Else Entirely, by K. Bornstein