On the last stretch

[Guest Gerilynn]

Hello all,

I am on the last stretch of coming out. I am amazed how the reactions have been. The latest project was to notify all the extended family. Thirty or so letters later and I am feeling so relieved.

The responses should be begin soon but that is beyond my control.

The last stretch is to notify the managers at my work. Then a few friends I feel I should tell in person at work.

Whew..... So close....

[Guest ~Brenda~]

Hi Gerilynn,

I am glad to hear that coming out has been so positive for you.

Sometimes, coming out does not work out quite as expected.

My experience was a very long time of challenge by my family, but in the end, everything worked out just fine

Love.

Brenda

[Guest Gerilynn]

Brenda,

I am happy things turned out well for you. I just feel relived to have it out there now. Reactions will be coming, at least from my family. I am sure it will get bumpy before it gets smooth.

I have had two replys so far and they were very positive. I put them in the bank to pull out when the not so happy ones come it.

[Cyndee]

You have a good attitude Gerilynn, it's not over by a long shot, reactions can and will change over time, nothing better than being open and honest about yourself. The closet was an awfully dark and dreary place.

Wishing you the very best

Cynthia -

[Guest Gerilynn]

Thank you both!

[KathrynJulia]

Hi Gerilynn

Congratulations on taking this big step. Feels pretty awesome to stop hiding and step out in the sunshine and be your true self. That moment when you feel honest towards yourself. When you publicly acknowledge this is who I truly am. There becomes a little extra bounce in your giddy up and that smile that lights up the whole room. Just sit back and enjoy it for awhile. You deserve it. <<<HUGS>>>. Kathryn

[Guest Gerilynn]

Thank you Kathryn. You have been an insperation I enjoy your posts. I do feel better and better but I do have some nice friends.

[Guest Gerilynn]

Here is a progress report. I have had great feedback from the folks I have heard from. I have gotten calls or mail from ten of my family or friends. All have been supportive. Some a little tentative but supportive before we finished talking. I thought.

So relief and giddy happiness. Even if I hear from no one else I feel so supported.

[Guest Gerilynn]

Update:

Work, friends, family, and yes Facebook all out.

I am free! Some of the silences are disturbing and the few negative comments have been thankfully few and far between. The response on Facebook has been much more positive than I thought. My military friends are just chuckling a little and then saying nice things.

Advice to the next girl. Get it done. I put myself through so much misery for so long. It is draining opening yourself up and lord knows I feel wiped out from the joys, worrys, and silences. It is nothing to the relief knowing that I can finally just be me.

Whew....

[Guest Gerilynn]

Now I have learned something new today. The Facebook coming out has brought great supporting comments and remarkably a few new friends whe are wives of old military aquaintences. I was amazed that a woman who I met socially maybe five times friended me then sent me a long note of support and friendship. He husband no word at all. She had to have found out from him she was not my friend and I did use security settings to limit the overflow. Or at least tried. Facebook is such a pain I almost hate to use it.

I am not sure what to think but I loved her note and the messages from the other wives. Again not much from the men. Oh well. The adventure continues.

[Cyndee]

congrats on the positive reactions, may they keep coming Gerilynn

I can't do facebook myself, oh well, it's another world, can't seem to want to invest the time into it, or really care for that matter. I can get a glimps of it looking over soul mate's shoulder, that tells me enough.

Hugs

C -

[Guest Gerilynn]

Word has filtered through out my work place. I guess the most suprinsing thing was being cornered by the Executive Director and being given the descrimination speach. How it is not allowed by the organization, guests, or empoyees. Being a former manager myself I have given this talk before, but having presented as a male all my life it was a little strange being assure they would protect me.

It is nice to live in a state with protections.

[Guest DianeATL]

Congratulations on getting that big step behind you! Yea! There are always some bad apples but I think you are finding that people are generally good. Others may just need some time to process it then they will come around too once they realize you are the same you, only better! Thanks for keeping us posted.

[Guest]

Hi Gerilynn,

Yes, having a state with protections is good, and a boss who is proactive about it is even better! You'll do wonderfully!

Love, Megan

[Guest Gerilynn]

So this seems like a nice quiet place to discuss this. Coming out of years of hiding seemed like a huge rush at first. Fear, worry, excitement and then, now, a few weeks on things have changed.

My wife and I have a kind of afterward exhaustion from all the attention. We are both fairly introverted people and it seems we have thrown the door open to our home and invited a lot of people in. I,or we, did make this decision together and both felt we had to get the word out in some kind of ordered manner. That was accomplished.

Silly often embarassing questions aside the response was supportive and careing. It just seems we now have so many more people in our lives wanting to be there for us. This too will pass I am sure but it was completly unexpected. When I say it is exhausting I mean physically and emotionally. The hard part is we both feel more lonely now than we did before.

Did anyone else have this response or feeling? Does it last? I sure hope not.