Thank you! While I usually write about completely different topics, this seemed like something that could be useful. Now onto some answers! :)

What was your childhood like in terms of interests, friends, and family?

I had a pretty 'normal' and comfortable childhood. At the time I didn't think anything of it, but until about 5 or 6 years old I wore my emotions on my sleeve. Unfiltered is a good way to put it. In 1st grade, after getting picked on, crying, which led to more getting picked on...I essentially developed the defense mechanism/strategy to not 'show emotions.'

This isn't to mean I didn't enjoy the good times, laugh and play, but anything that 'showed weakness' or basically giving others the response they wanted to continue the pattern. (i.e. Pick on me, get me to cry, so they felt better, making them want to pick on me again.)

While I remember hanging out mostly with the girls in kindergarden, around that 1st grade time period I instead mostly hung out with boys. I had some good close friends, so this is not a complaint, but I know I avoided things that for me, at the time, I perceived as feminine/weak (can't blame a 6 year old) which could cause me to be picked on. A lot of my time until my 20's revolved around just blending in, not getting bothered or picked on, and just being ok. There is no denying that I had a HUGE wall of things I wouldn't talk about and steer conversations away from. I got a lot more in depth in my introduction post titled My Transgender Journey.

My interest were really somewhat gender neutral. I played a lot of card, board, computer, and video games as a kid. I was ok at most sports, except golf, and was actually on the wrestling team for a few years in high school. My family has always been great to me, but I'll admit that I limited how close I got to them and others, which takes time to change and I'm improving on.

At what age did you realize you identified with being female rather than male?

While I can only say this in retrospect, I remember that 'something' felt off around the age of 5-6, which is when I started school. This was in the early 80's, the gay awareness campaign had just begun, and transgender wasn't a concept I could even fathom at the time. Prior to the internet, my closest thing to an anonymous search while lacking all 'keywords' was to ask the old Librarian about things I had no way to articulate.

Or was it not a sudden realization at a young age but a gradual transformation?

From my own experience, it was something that had always seemed to be there. It just took a while for me to first figure out what it was, next how to do it, and finally if I had the courage to go through with it knowing the various hardships it could incur.

Wonderful questions! Please let me know if I missed anything.

My Introduction Post: My Transgender Journey