Questions about full time

[Guest Strong]

Here I am having questions and would like some input. I have been living as who i am everyday as a man, I have a few questions though. I havent changed my name, but will when finaces are better. I live as a man inside and outside my home. I definately have noticed some changes. and soon I will pass all the time. I havent used mens bathrooms i try to only use private 1s. but will use public if I have to. So when does it count as me living as me? Thanks all.

Strong

[Carolyn Marie]

Strong, if you're talking mostly about restroom use, it depends to some extent on your state's laws. Missouri seems reasonably progressive on trans rights. As far as the SoC, the criteria for surgery only says, "12 continuous months of living in a gender role that is congruent with their gender identity." My opinion is, if you are presenting and living as male most of the time, then it counts. I know a young lady out here who is in the news frequently as a Community spokesperson, runs a large program to assist TG folks, and sits on two boards, one public and one non-profit. She has never legally changed her name. Would any objective observer doubt she isn't living as her authentic self? No, sir.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[JJ]

For myself -and not to qualify for surgery or anything but just for my own definition -I started living as my true self the day I started presenting as male though it would be almost 11 months before I was consistently seen and accepted as male. I could not at that point change or control how others perceived me but only how I perceived myself. In my mind that is when RLE starts. When you accept and embrace your gender role regardless of whether others perceive it or not, Some of us are lucky with acceptance and presentation and some of us are more challenged but that doesn't change what gender role we are living unless we let challenges to our presentation make us stop presenting as we identify ourselves.

I also have not changed my name. Because of the community where I live being ultra conservative and needing time to adjust to begin with and now that I am ready because of finances but I live no less male for that. In fact people just shrug and call me sir even when I present ID. That's lucky for me -but even if they weren't I'd still be living as a man . Full time and for the rest of my life.

Johnny

[Guest LizMarie]

Many therapists won't count time unless you've been in therapy with them when your RLE time begins. Then again some will so it varies. In order to get surgery referral letters you are going to need a therapist involved anyway, so chat with your therapist about what constitutes living full time.

[Guest Strong]

Thanks all. I kinda feel it should count if i live as a man as well. Thats how i see my self . I will talk to my thetepst again as soon as possible ad well.