Dear idontlikem,

You are not alone. Most people identify strongly with the gender they are expected to grow up as. But it is not uncommon for a person to identify strongly with the other gender. Sometimes the desire lasts only a brief time. Sometimes it lasts a lifetime. The desire to be another gender occurs when one's gender identity is in conflict with one's sexual anatomy. It may be about an erotic desire to be in the role of the other gender, to play the roles and have the privileges of the other gender, or it may be related to a feeling that one was born into the "wrong" body.

People who want to live the role of the opposite gender are called transgender. Transgender people feel that the body type and sex organs they were born with (a penis or vulva) is different from the gender they want to be (being a guy or a girl). Some transgender people choose to live the role of the gender they identify with, and some don't. Some transgender people choose to become transsexual by having their gender reassigned through hormone treatments and/or surgery.

Many people, including teens, have non-traditional feelings about gender roles and sexual identities and that is normal, too.

It's important to talk to someone you can trust, and who understands gender identity issues. To find a support group in your area, check out Queer America. They have a database of thousands of support groups and other resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning youth.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.