Transgender survival tip no. 12:

For courage and inspiration, look to this generation's teens and twenty-somethings. They are bringing to transgender the energy and visibility that was around for gay and lesbian issues in the eighties.

My experience (in answer to a question)

"Yes i think i probably do look for encouragement from ppl to be myself, gender-wise. my generation in the 70s/80s was fighting to understand and deal with homosexuality and even in the 80s there were new laws to take rights away from gay ppl. the whole transgender issue didn't exist. i did not even begin to see it until the late 90s and only then came to see myself in those terms. it is strange halfway thro my life to be able to look at this more openly. i hope this current generation of young people will make transgender mainstream like mine made being gay / lesbian mainstream"