The Lila Rose Show
E209: I Transitioned 40 Years Ago - Now I Regret Everything w/Walt Heyer | Lila Rose Show
Apr 29, 2025
01:52:34
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Quick takeaways
- Walt Heyer's childhood experiences of affirmation and confusion significantly shaped his identity and led to long-term mental health struggles.
- He critically examines how trauma and abuse, particularly from family, distorted his perception of self and contributed to his identity crisis.
Deep dives
Childhood Influence and Affirmation
In the podcast, the speaker shares a deeply personal story about how childhood experiences with gender and affirmation shaped their identity. At the age of four, the speaker was dressed in a purple chiffon dress by their grandmother, receiving affirmations of cuteness, which created confusion about their identity. This early exposure led to a long-standing desire to wear women's clothing, as the affirmation provided a sense of value and identity. The trauma of being made to keep this a secret led to feelings of shame and guilt, which would have detrimental effects on their mental health throughout their life.
