Excitement

[Guest raydub]

So after rambling on with my talkdoc about the work situation and general nothingness (we get along like old college buds or something crazy) he asks me what else is up. i told him i wanted to talk about hormone therapy. he talks about me needing a 90 day minimum with him before he writes the letter, pulls out his calendar and was like - ok, so your 90 days will be July 14... if you want to be proactive, you can go ahead and go to the clinic and make an appointment for any day after July 14. i was like.. oh for real? DONE!

Sweeeeeet.

i go down to the feminist clinic he'd directed me to and made an appointment for the 21st. the nice lady told me that if id had an annual within 12 months then we should be able to start treatment that day.

dudes! im SO excited that i cant even ACT excited. im just kinda in shock a little. and i cant remember for the life of me if ive had an annual in the last 12 months, but im going to call my doctor's office and ask - and if not, get one done in the next couple weeks... <pant pant>

Good stuff.. .. .. Good stuff.

way excited. ok.. .. gotta run.

Ray

[Guest Drew]

congrats Ray! that's awesome! July's not that far away, good luck!

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Ray! That's grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!!!

AWESOME!!!!

[Guest Seth]

Rockin', brah. I'm happy for you, man. Hope all goes well for that .

[Guest Jackson]

Congrats! Good things seem to be in works today.

Jackson

[Guest Mr. Fox]

You lucky scoundrel!

Adrian

[Guest Jack Solomon]

Oh man, that is so cool, Ray. Congratulations on everything. That is great that your talkdoc fellow was willing to do that for you. July's just around the corner!

Solomon

[Guest Keiichi-kun]

Oh wow It's great that July is only a month away

[Guest JayJaye]

Congrats, dude! I'm right there with ya! My therapist is going to start the official paperwork (meaning she's supposed to ask me certain questions, most of which we've already covered informally already, and she said it should only take 2 sessions (we've had 4 already). So I'm psyched!! One endo I called said I need a referral so I have an appt with my primary doc this week (haven't seen them in a few years) so I can get the referral letter for the endo.

I might wait til I have my hysto before starting T though. I have a gyno appt in early July.

Jay

[Guest raydub]

Congrats, dude! I'm right there with ya!

SWEET! Grats to you too eh?

...I might wait til I have my hysto before starting T though. I have a gyno appt in early July.

i want a hysto too.. just not sure when thats gonna happen.

good stuff.. very good stuff.

<-- Still excited.

Ray

[Guest raydub]

so.. being that ill be starting T next month i figured id better get a move on and take some pre-T photos.. or at least put some up somewhere

this is one of my favorite pictures of myself..but its from months ago

oh..and I took some while at work today.. but (being at home now) I'll put those up tomorrow (or later on today..it being really late at night and all )

and there's a couple more in my gallery. (i was REALLY bored at work today...)

so...whatdya think?

Ray

[Guest JayJaye]

Dude! You look awesome!

I'm starting to work out tomorrow. I have to lose my gut and man-boobs. Time to do one more thing for me.

Jay

[Guest harvester52]

Hey, Ray!

Congratulations! You look good. I'll be keeping an eye out for updates as soon as you start T.

[Guest raydub]

here are the ones i took at work specifically to post actually...yes i was THAT bored.

and a half smile. you know.. for the camera

that's all folks!

Ray

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Ray, you look great already! You look like you are already on T now!! Lookin' good, man...lookin' good. I don't see how anyone ever mistakes you for a girl.

[Guest raydub]

Ray, you look great already! You look like you are already on T now!! Lookin' good, man...lookin' good. I don't see how anyone ever mistakes you for a girl.

aww shucks.. thanks.

Ray

[Guest Jack Solomon]

Looking good, Ray! I'm betting that after just the first couple of weeks of T you will be 'sir'ed all the time. It definately won't take long because your facial structure is already more male. I agree with Stranded, and I have a hard time seeing why people do not call you 'sir' most of the time already.

How exciting, keep us updated.

Solomon

[Guest Drew]

you look great Ray! i'm agreeing with Jack and Stranded, i don't know how you're not getting 'sir' s more often. you look like an androgynous guy.

[Guest April]

You look great .... can't wait to here how everything goes.

[MaryEllen]

Ray If you had some chin whiskers, you'd look just like Manny Ramirez. Left fielder for the Boston Red Sox. That's a compliment. Manny's one good looking guy.

MaryEllen

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Ray If you had some chin whiskers, you'd look just like Manny Ramirez. Left fielder for the Boston Red Sox. That's a compliment. Manny's one good looking guy.

MaryEllen

I just googled Manny Ramirez. I can definitely see it, Ray.

Are you going to grow a beard? I really, really want to grow a goatee but obviously I can't...yet.

[Guest raydub]

Ha! I just googled him too.. i guess i do a little.

Yeah, Im definitely growing a beard. And can hardly wait.

Ray

[Guest Huff]

looking good. I hope all your appointments go well. T is a total trip. I'm loving the way I look more every day.

Not sure if it's the right place to open this... but seeing your picture triggered a thought...

Are you at all wary or nervous of the fact that transitioning will put you in the 'african-american male' category? I mean, for me, transitioning comes with all the benefits and privileges of being a white man. I still look way too young for it to make much of a difference, but I do notice it sometimes - like if my female friend or my auntie ask the folks at a particular food joint to turn down the music, they won't... but if I ask, they do it right away. For you, there's a whole societal prejudice/terror against black guys... like they're absolutely all gangster drug dealers out looking for a fight or something equally ridiculous, unless they're wearing a sweater and a tie and glasses and then they're OK. I'd just be interested in hearing your thoughts and how you see yourself in this mess we call society.

MK

[Guest raydub]

looking good. I hope all your appointments go well. T is a total trip. I'm loving the way I look more every day.

Thanks.

Are you at all wary or nervous of the fact that transitioning will put you in the 'african-american male' category? I mean, for me, transitioning comes with all the benefits and privileges of being a white man. I still look way too young for it to make much of a difference, but I do notice it sometimes - like if my female friend or my auntie ask the folks at a particular food joint to turn down the music, they won't... but if I ask, they do it right away. For you, there's a whole societal prejudice/terror against black guys... like they're absolutely all gangster drug dealers out looking for a fight or something equally ridiculous, unless they're wearing a sweater and a tie and glasses and then they're OK. I'd just be interested in hearing your thoughts and how you see yourself in this mess we call society.

MK

MK,

There are times when I worry about how life might get worse being id'd as a black man. I dont think it deters me at all..but I do think about it. I actually read an article written by an african american ftm that talked about this very issue - about how he had to change how he drove because a black man doing 50 in the 45 is more likely get pulled over than the black woman doing 55 in a 45...ya know? Funny enough, I may at times fall in that "wearing a sweater and tie" category. Yes, there is prejudice but it hardly effects my reality of needing to transition to be happy in my skin. I actually know a group of african american transmen so i will actually have support in that arena - knowing this helps.. A LOT.

Im a bit scattered...I hope/think I answered your question.

Geez.. im having a relationship issue right now.. its over..but this isnt the thread to discuss that.

Like i said.. im scattered. sorry.

Ray

Oh..there's also the fact of where I live. There are many more black men in Atlanta than in say...Ohio. So..I think being where I am may help in that tiny kind of way that if there are more of us..then we ALL cant be bad. Does this make sense at all? sigh.. i should take a nap or something.. im SO out of it...

[Guest Seth]

Dude, I can't even see how people would mistake you as a chick.