I have a new article for The Breast Form Store!
When I started to post photos I wanted nothing more than a compliment or three or a hundred. Compliments were affirming. They were more or less an indicator if I was doing anything, well, right. For many of us trying to take a body and face and modify ourselves (if you will) into someone that is at least a tiny bit feminine is a lot of work.
Of course, validation from strangers can get addicting and damaging if you let it. If you rely on others to reassure yourself as the only source of boosting your self-esteem you’ll become dependent on this.
The opposite is also true. If you let one person (or even a hundred people) dull your sparkle then your self-esteem will quickly crumble.
Breaking away from these two things is not easy and something I still struggle with. I can easily let compliments get to my head and I can also be completely vulnerable to an off-hand comment.
We need to learn how to rely on ourselves.
We are our own heroes. We need to be.
Love, Hannah
Hannah McKnight 
This really resonated, Hannah.
I feel like I’m kind of the opposite, though. I don’t post pictures of myself—partly because I’m not where I want to be yet, but also… I don’t really want to be seen. Not like that. Visibility isn’t the goal for me. In a weird way, I just want to be invisible and live my life quietly as myself.
It’s not about shame (or maybe it is, sometimes, I don’t know). But the idea of being known or recognized feels more overwhelming than affirming. So I’m trying to build my confidence in private, without outside validation. It’s hard in a totally different way. Does that make sense?
Anyway. Thank you for this. It hit me in a spot I didn’t realize needed it. 💛
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Keep doing what you’re doing, Hannah. Regardless of what some people might say, you are wonderful. Always.
Also, these posts are not just for yourself—they’re a beacon of hope for the community and incredibly important in that way. I know my life would have turned out very differently if only I had had access to trans role models fifty years ago.
Cheers,
Liz
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gorgeous stunning beautiful dress and heels on you
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How do you say beautiful! Hannah!
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When I think about things like this, I’m often reminded or the song “Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrman. There was always one line that really stood out to me..
“Remember compliments you receive; forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.”
I think it tends to be human nature to focus on the negative. Let’s face it, negativity is easy. Bad stuff is going to happen, that’s why it can be hard to stay positive on things.
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