How Do You Know If You Should Transition?

[Guest Miss Rachel]

How sure were you when you transitioned? Because I just don't know if I should do it because I may regret it but then again if I don't do it I may regret that for the rest of my life. I guess I just wanted to know what you all experienced with figuring out your gender identity and if you knew all along or if you had to figure it out for a while. Also one more question...

If I did go through with transitioning I would not get SRS. I just don't think a need a vagina to be a woman. Is this normal?

Thx

Rachel

[Carolyn Marie]

Good questions, Rachel.

I was unsure when I first arrived here in the spring of 2009. I had long thought that I was probably "just" a cross dresser. But there were always nagging doubts, and I successfully buried all of that for many years. When I started comparing notes with others here,

I knew there was more to my feelings than just being a CDer, so I found a G.T. and explored my deepest feelings. It took about 4 months, but there did come a moment of clarity when I knew, with all my being, that I was indeed a woman. From that moment on, I knew what path lay before me.

As for your second question, many TS folks never get SRS, for a variety of reasons. It does not make you any less TS if you don't, and in most cases, it doesn't prevent you from completing the rest of your transition and living out your life in your true gender. No one, outside of your doctor and those closest to you, ever need to know what is or isn't in your pants.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Miss Rachel]

How sure were you when you transitioned? Because I just don't know if I should do it because I may regret it but then again if I don't do it I may regret that for the rest of my life. I guess I just wanted to know what you all experienced with figuring out your gender identity and if you knew all along or if you had to figure it out for a while. Also one more question...

If I did go through with transitioning I would not get SRS. I just don't think a need a vagina to be a woman. Is this normal?

Thx

Rachel

Are there Gender Therapists everywhere or would I have to go looking in near by cities and such?

[Carolyn Marie]

Are there Gender Therapists everywhere or would I have to go looking in near by cities and such?

Rachel, there are many gender therapists, including in Canada, but most seem to be located in larger cities. Laura has a list of Canadian G.T.'s here: http://www.lauras-playground.com/intgender_therapsits.htm

You could also Google "gender therapists" in your town and you might get a hit.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Donna Jean]

If I did go through with transitioning I would not get SRS. I just don't think a need a vagina to be a woman. Is this normal?

Thx

Rachel

Gender is fluid, Honey....

It's a sliding scale and you only need to go as far as you're comfortable..

And, finding a gender therapist is paramount for you to work through your feelings and figure just where you belong...

Good luck, Hon...

Donna Jean

[Paula ult]

Rachel hon,

Some like Carolyn discover later in life, thinking they are only a CDer, i have known from the age on 4 - 6 that i was different, some years later i discovered i was transsexual, a huge light bulb moment, i did not act upon it till i was 56, trying to transition in the 50's through the 70's would get you a trip to a mental hospital where they tried to cure you, gradually since then much more is known, the only way to fix this is to transition, if you are truly transsexual a gender therapist will help you determine if you are, you kinda know how far you need to go, i need to be complete and that means srs.

Paula

[Guest Ashley C.]

Hey Rachel,

Deciding whether or not to transition is a huge deal, and it takes a great deal of reflection. In my case (as with many others), I had grown up and spent my whole life feeling like something was just "off" all the time. Once I figured out it's because I'm female, it took years of hiding, denial, and self-doubt before I finally decided I couldn't take it anymore. That's really what did it for me...I couldn't live another day seeing myself as male. I didn't choose to be transgendered, but I did choose to come out and start transitioning...and it just boiled down to deciding if I wanted to be miserable for the rest of my life. I don't regret for a moment choosing to be myself and be happy . And, it's an ongoing process, and will be for many years. I'd be lying to you if I pretended that I'm happy all the time and I never have any doubts at all.

And, like DJ said...gender isn't binary, it comes in all shapes and forms. You don't have to have the matching parts in order to know you're a woman .

[Guest Miss Rachel]

Thanks for all the replies

I was looking around for a Therapist and didn't come up with any. Does it have to be a gender specific therapist?

[Guest Renny-sama]

well if it ain't a fellow albertan...

Rachel,

my advice on this would be to listen to the others... I would've said the same if I was the first poster on this topic but I guess I was too late... From personal experience I was in the same phase not long ago when I started here... I thought if I could gather information on the subject and possibly talk about it to others like me I would figure it out and I have... Good luck...