IDENTITY STRUGGLE ADVICE
In her RSVP Career Presenter video, CertainTeed Saint-Gobain engineering director Sophia Chihlas discussed her high school experience. “Let’s just come out with it. I’m transgender and in high school I was very closeted and very scared,” she said. Chihlas offers this advice to students who are struggling with their identities: “Use all available resources to assist with your ‘Who Am I?’ introspective thought. This is your education about YOU. If the answers are not clear, it’s okay. They will come in time. Be patient and gentle with yourself. If counseling is available, take advantage of it. “Seek out and stick with positive, happy people and do your best to create that vibe for yourself. Find others in your community, but do not limit yourself to that social circle. Avoid people or groups that seem limited to airing grievances or wallowing in self-pity. Complaints do little to help like action does.
“Be as visible as you can. Each decision I’ve made towards visibility, towards being my authentic self, was met with surprising positivity. And each instance only helped validate my decisions, fueled my journey and bolstered my confidence.”
She has these suggestions to parents: “No matter the subject, take what your kids are telling you at face value and validate their feelings even if you do not understand. Educate yourself about what you are hearing and do your best to keep the lines of communications open. Focus on positivity and support. And be patient — it gets better.”