Do you mean that after your personal growth, your social circle expanded and you started to regularly meet trans people? I’ve no problem believing that, but I would be really really surprised to hear that no, lots of your longterm friends were actually trans all along and you failed to notice for years.
Both! I met a number of new irl trans friends, but I also found out that quite a few people I had known for a few years (mostly online, though I had seen their face/talked before) were trans all along. Nobody I’m aware of in the local Orthodox Jewish community I grew up in though. (edit: I take that back, there is at least one person in that community who would probably identify as genderqueer though I’ve never asked outright) The thing is, many people don’t center their personal sense of self around gender identity (though it is a part of one’s identity), so its not like it comes up immediately in casual conversation, and there is very good reason to be “stealth” if you are trans, considering there’s a whole lot that can go horribly wrong if you come out to the wrong person.
Both! I met a number of new irl trans friends, but I also found out that quite a few people I had known for a few years (mostly online, though I had seen their face/talked before) were trans all along.
Nobody I’m aware of in the local Orthodox Jewish community I grew up in though.(edit: I take that back, there is at least one person in that community who would probably identify as genderqueer though I’ve never asked outright) The thing is, many people don’t center their personal sense of self around gender identity (though it is a part of one’s identity), so its not like it comes up immediately in casual conversation, and there is very good reason to be “stealth” if you are trans, considering there’s a whole lot that can go horribly wrong if you come out to the wrong person.