Starting To Seriously Consider Doing This

[Guest Mori]

Coming out. Thats right I'm considering coming out to all those I interact with on a regular basis. This means my friends and extended family. I feel that I am ready despite not having a gender therapist yet. I don't think i can wait until that happens (I can't afford one and its not looking like I'll get a job that will cover it anytime soon). I wrote a post about feeling trapped on Tumblr (one of the few places I am compleatly out to everyone on) and one of my friends commented saying that I should go for it so life doesn't pass me by. and i have to say I agree, but am I being too hasty here? As always I worry about everything so this is really bugging me. People are always saying that I have my whole life ahead of me to come out and transition, but I just don't think that is true. Now that I am feeling so confident about it, everyday feels like I'm living a lie...thus it feels to me that I am wasting my life.

I just wish this could be as simple as just doing it for me...

[JenniferB]

Hi Mori,

Coming out is up to you. Just know that you need to be prepared and be willing to lose everything, your friends, parents, family, and job. You may not lose any of these, just know it is a possibility.

I know that some of the people I interact on a daily basis became cold and distant when they found out I was trans. It's like just seeing me ruined their day. You have to expect these kinds of reactions. Still you are going to receive these reactions no matter when you come out.

Coming out is never easy and I hope when you do that the effect to your life will be kept to a minimum.

Jenny

[Guest ranse]

I'm doing it slowly because I can't take it anymore. I dress in male clothing all day every day, I don't shave, I look mannish, so I figure it's time to start sharing with those who need to know. I've sent letters to four close friends so far. Two have been very supportive. Two I haven't heard from. I don't know that I will, which is sad, but I'm old enough now that I've lived 40+ years for other people and feel like now it's okay for me to live for me.

Good luck on whatever approach you take.

I'm only coming out because I plan to physically transition with HRT and surgery, things that can't go unexplained. If I just wanted to dress and use male mannerisms, I might not feel the need to come out. People could just go on thinking I was weird, but if a year or so I have stubble, it can't be written off so easily in other people's minds.

As one of those country artists once sang, "It ain't easy."