
I wonder if it’s easier to come out younger because the social stigma hasn’t had a chance to be engrained in you. When I was younger, I essentially lived my life as a boy- the only reason I didn’t say I was a boy/trans was because I didn’t know it was an option. By the time I learned, though I was an ally to other trans people, I also got scared and repressed myself to be feminine. Took me a while after that to live as my true self again, as a man.
some people have access to more resources either at home or in their community and also there’s just a large range in how people cope with issues that arise in their life. many people have avoidant personalities and that disposition extends beyond repressing their gender identity, while others tend to face/externalize their responses regardless of context. there’s also a wide range in the type and severity of dysphoria people experience and whether or not it’s capable of being repressed.