The way I dress tends to leave people a little... confused. For example, when I was younger, when I went grocery shopping, the vendors would always call me a boy, saying things like, "can you tell that boy to put his items on the counter?" Since I have been able to dress myself, I have been wearing boys' clothes because I identify as a transvestite. I feel more comfortable and more like myself... but this is not generally accepted in society, especially in Bulgaria. According to the National Climate Survey on Transphobia in Canadian Schools, between 2007 and 2009, “74% of trans students reported being verbally harassed about their gender expression.” And what's more, “37% of trans students reported being physically harassed or assaulted.” It's time for everyone to realize that there is more than one way to identify your gender; in fact there are over 30 different ways a person can identify themselves. To me, being transgender means not fitting the traditional view of male or female, including being transsexual or cross-dressing. Since society thinks that gender is only based on the sexual organs we are gifted at birth, it is imperative to further explore society's need to further exclude the transgender lifestyle. We will do this by first exploring two issues surrounding the T of the LGBT community. Secondly, we will explore two of its causes, before finally providing solutions so that regardless of our gender identity, we will all be accepted. It's normal to not understand gender when you've never had to think about society's social norms. But for those who have to think about it, life can sometimes be difficult. The problems with not understanding being transgender are twofold. First, people struggle... middle of paper... about gender we can change the way it treats the transgender community. Trans people will no longer have to fight for the right to exist as who they are. They won't have to fight to prove that they are no less than anyone else. I won't have to live in fear. I will no longer be afraid of losing everything I love. I will be free to be who I am. No matter how we identify, it's important that we all feel accepted. I believe society is slowly moving towards accepting the transgender lifestyle, but there is still a lot to do to stop the persecution. I hope that, thanks to this talk, I have changed the way you see gender and the way you discuss this topic with the people around you. I am proud to be part of the LGBT community and know that my appearance reflects who I am as a person, not what society has chosen for me.