Question: How to help a genderfluid friend
F asks…
What can I do to help a friend who realized they are genderfluid and don’t really know how to cope with it?
Please post your response in the comments below.
» Ask Genderfork «
Posted by Freiya on April 16th, 2016 at 08:00 am
Category: questions One comment »
April 16th, 2016 at 10:53 am |
Learn about what being genderfluid means, in identity, in relationships, in pronouns, clothing, etc. Talk with them if they’re open about how they feel. Or give them space if they’re still trying to figure it out. Give them the space in identity and all those other elements to let them be themselves (like, don’t ride them if they’re wearing a dress and they said they’re not female for example). Ask them what you can do to support them (correct people using the wrong pronouns for example, if they ask you to do so). In the end, being genderfluid is and isn’t a big deal. It may be a big deal to them or to their family or to society. But it’s also just a way of being, just like everyone has a way of being, and there’s no right or wrong way to do that.
Ask them if they want to go to a thrift shop to experiment with clothes. Or try make-up. A shifting identity can be hard to cope with. Experimenting, talking, reading, watching videos, thinking, time – all that can smooth over and make it feel less overwhelming.
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