"Courageous?" "Brave?"

[samuelocean.livejournal.com]

I was wondering if anyone else has ever been approached by people who found out about their trans status and proceeded to go on about how courageous and brave they are, and whatnot. I was just wondering how it makes others feel.

I have been told this numerous times, even by other transpeople. Some of it has to do with my age and where I live (in a religious and military city), I know, but still. "It takes a very brave/courageous/whatever person to do what you're doing." Uhm, no. It takes money, research, and a decent set of doctors/therapists who know how to operate under the radar of the insurance company. It's courageous to be willing to go overseas and risk death following orders/fighting a war you may not believe in, for the greater good.

It bugs me. Because I'm doing what I need to do. I don't think I'm brave or courageous. If anything, I'm rather socially awkward and cowardly, as I tend to live under the radar. I transferred to a new highschool last year where the vast majority of students knew me as female in middle school. I denied knowing what they were talking about and insisted that "Dude. My name is Tobias. Do I -really- look that much like a girl? o___O" and just went on the hope that they wouldn't really recognize me after four years. Same thing in my college classes this year, where I run into students from both of the highschools I attended.

I just... feel almost like it's rather patronizing. And it just makes things rather awkward. I mean, what do you say to that? "Thanks; I'm the new Batman."? Great hells, the way I see it, I either transition or kill myself. It's like cancer. You either treat it and hope for the best, or you give up and die. Not much courage or bravery there.

I dunno. This is just one of those things that have been bugging me for a while. What do you guys think?