My parents were not prepared or willing to deal with me pushing gender boundaries when I was growing up. They just kind of ignored it and made the fem clothes I managed to get disappear. I think they wanted me to think it was phase and without any close friends to talk to about what I was feeling it kinda worked. At least, that part of me got buried under a mountain of shame and confusion for 20 years
In hindsight it does seem like I was getting gaslighted but I don’t think that’s what they were trying to do. I think they were just ignorant at the time. They try to be aware of pronouns now but I don’t know if and when I’ll be comfortable telling them how I really am and feel. In college one my siblings expressed some pretty transphobic opinions to me which just made me bury myself more