Dear followers,

My first trans headcanon:

I was about 11 or 12 when Ed, Edd, and Eddy started airing on Cartoon Network. In particular the episodes where Double D’s hat is commented on. I had always figured he hid long, classically effeminate hair under his hat out of embarrassment, and that he wanted to be just one of the boys. Everyone in the show treated him as a guy regardless. That seemed really cool to me; and it kinda stuck with me into adulthood.

Clearly I was just beginning (the limited) American sexual education. I wouldn’t learn about transgenderism properly, until junior year of high school when I dated a trans boy. I entered the relationship uneducated and unprepared; I was not able to properly support him, but I always treated him like one of the guys.

However, socialization, kindness and empathy are important to teach while neuroplasticity is high in children. Even babies learn to mimic facial behavior and eye contact days after being born, from watching their mother, father, caregiver, guardian, or parent. Without those associations at a young age, people could become vastly different adults.

Kindness is something that can be taught; kindness can be learn. It’s just easier for newer people to understand it, since it’s behavioral.