I have trouble understanding the need to transition as a close friend is just undergoing it. Though I support him/her, I cannot bend my mind around it? What are the perceived benefits? In what way is it that different from using different clothes without the (not sure if small or big) risk of health? Is it not enough to know oneself is X or Y or Z identity-wise? Why is there a need to externalize it and externalize it in this particular way?
At risk of sounding condescending, one particularly hard thing for me to understand is the need for the rest of her friends to call her appropriately especially since she is just beginning. If someone called me a girl or a woman (common childhood insult where I grew up, and very bad in its own way) I simply could not care less.
What are the benefits of putting oneself over such a hard (at least it seems socially and medically) ordeal to change how others perceive one? One thing I know is that expecting others to perceive us in a certain way is a losing proposition. We can only change ourselves and it is unreasonable to expect it from everyone else I think.
Once again, sorry for being so extended, I just would like to understand better my friend. I have tried asking her and she seems to have a block around it, saying that I would not understand. At a certain level I feel this is only a superficial change I think but then if it's that small then why bother? (I mean my friend still has his same personality and mind)