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[–]worried19 19 insightful - 2 fun19 insightful - 1 fun20 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

It's interesting because he does fit the appearance of a conventionally attractive man. I don't see anything about Smith that would indicate people wouldn't be attracted to him as he is. It's sad that he would consider himself a "failed man" in any respect.

[–]JulienMayfair[S] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I don't see anything about Smith that would indicate people wouldn't be attracted to him as he is.

But for some people, there's a major disconnect between how other people see them and how they see themselves.

And, in Smith's case, consider that he talks constantly about his various mental health problems, which in and of itself used to be something taboo for men to do. Men of my father's generation would NEVER have told someone that they were seeing a psychiatrist. And imagine he was a boy with gynecomastia and may have gotten teased about it.

Overall, his presentation of his gender issues didn't do much to separate it from his mental health problems. It made them sound linked.

I believe his ex broke up with him and moved in with Richard Madden, who is a much more conventionally attractive man than Smith. Maybe that drove him over the edge.

[–]slushpilot 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

for some people, there's a major disconnect between how other people see them and how they see themselves

This is what I would technically consider to be at the root of dysphoria. What's really messed up is telling that person "nah, how you see yourself is valid—it's everyone else who is crazy".

[–]JulienMayfair[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I agree completely.