i know there are some people out there who hate being called a girl but i'm the opposite. calling me a woman feels wrong. i still feel like a "girl". i don't feel like i deserve the label as "a woman" despite being two years away from 30.
@isa
Would you refer to a male of the same age as a boy? Referring to adults as though they are still children is demeaning, in my opinion, even if you still feel young at heart.
re: negative mental health
@isa
Sorry to hear that trauma has impacted your sense of being fully developed. I hope that you can find suitable help to work through some of that. EMDR therapy can be super helpful for reducing the trauma reaction. There are costs and benefits for every stage of life. I loved feeling invincible in my earlier years and I like feeling seasoned, now that I've experienced a lot more of my life. Hope you find what works for you.