Euphoria: a state of intense happiness and self-confidence
Dysphoria: a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction
There's a real privilege that comes with feeling aligned and feeling the euphoria in your own body and your mind, take a moment to fully appreciate that if you've never had the experience of the discomfort of your body and mind feeling misaligned. For some of the trans/non-binary/genderqueer community, people can experience a lot of gender dysphoria - the feeling of not being right in their own bodies.
It can come in different ways, people not using the right name, not respecting the right pronouns, not feeling as though you are in the right body, being told that you should dress and act a certain way. The list goes on and on, the experience is personal to each individual. Not all trans people experience it, but for some, it sneaks it's way into their daily lives. For me, it was a sense of not being able to feel how I felt about people of the same sex and having to actively try and be 'feminine' when it just wasn't me, rather, what society 'required' of me.
Every trans person's journey is unique in their experience. Gender euphoria is the opposite of gender dysphoria. It can come in a few ways. Euphoria in your body may feel like medically transitioning, your chest feels and looks more masculine or you finally have breasts after waiting for so long. You wear a binder for the first time, you get a new haircut. Euphoria in your body can be about one's voice, body shape or facial features.
Euphoria within one's mind may feel like their mind finally affirming with their gender, and feeling confident within their gender around their family and friends and in society. When someone calls them 'Sir/Ma'am/Mx' for the first time ever and uses the right pronouns (topic for another day, don't you worry). When you look in the mirror for the first time after a medical transition or new haircut and you finally see yourself and everything aligns for that beautiful little moment, you feel that bliss and genuine euphoria and it all makes sense to you.
I recognise that it can be difficult when we live in a gendered heteronormative society that has norms and ideals that oppress you. Wear your transness beautifully, show it proudly. Transitioning is more than just physicality, it's about mental health and validation. It's about people being able to be seen, and feel like they're seen. When you feel like you're seen you feel like you matter. When someone doesn't feel like they matter... That's when people don't stick around.