realization after transition

[KymmieL]

To day I had to do some work on my wife's car, Then later helped with bringing the groceries in. I first thought I wouldn't be able to do this after I transitioned. Then I realized that is crap, even if I transition to a woman I can still do everything I do now. Only parts of my body will change not my mind.

 

Kymmie

[BrandiBri]

You are absolutely correct Kimmie. you are still the same person you have always been, just now being true to yourself.

 

Brandi

[Jani]

If you're referring to working on the car, yes you can!   It's all in your head, get used to it.  You'll wear gloves as you won't want to get oil on your skin and you'll be more careful so you don't break a nail.  I know many women who are mechanically inclined (some that I raced with) who aren't afraid to turn a wrench or two.   It takes me a bit longer now but I'm happy under the lift working on my cars! 

 

Jani

[tracy_j]

I sometimes wonder if we may have a fear of doing things that are predominantly male. I have known many women over the years who, even if they spend little time doing it, are fully capable of doing such things. I remember only a month or two ago when I was checking my car as it had a problem. It was the woman across the road who came over and gave very good advice, not her husband. Jani has it, the worry of grimy rough hands and broken nails is the thing. I remember, when at work, using an engineers file to smooth a nail that had just broken. I had to sort quickly as the jagged end looked rough and was irritating lol. As for carrying bags, it is more common here to see a woman loaded up with bags than a man. Perhaps that is living in the country. Women used to do work almost as heavy as a man when I was small.

 

Tracy

[DenimAndLace]

Doing what I'm good at, albeit a "male" or "female" activity is part of being my authentic self!!!  If I DIDN'T fix things, I'd be just as disingenuous as I was prior to transition.  Every. Person. Is. Unique.

The other day I was building a new mailbox pedestal from scratch with heavy lumber and just as I cut the big 6x6, two very kind women from the Jehovah's Witness church approached me.  I was self conscious about how masculine I looked in boots, jeans and a T-shirt with sweat running down my face but not to them.  In their southern, black drawl, she asked me, "girl, where'd you learn to do that kind of work?"  She was really impressed that I could use a power chop saw and she even asked me if I could fix the broken header across her garage door!  It was so affirming and so nice to "pass" while performing a very atypical gender activity.

[VickySGV]

If I listed all the "male gender" stuff that I still do, it would be over a Gigabyte long.  I am the audio tech and set up person, stage carpenter, lighting tech for an all Trans chorus.  I am involved in Amateur Radio and the set up of disaster response antenna systems, and the electricity issues involved.  Yada yada --  but somewhere down the line I also do cooking and "housework" stuff as well.  I can do a serious Counted Cross Stitch embroidery piece to top it off as well.  I have done all of that for 55 years or more and see no reason to stop now.

[Kirsten]

I work construction for a living. Working in manholes. Climbing poles and cell towers. Almost everyone I work with is a guy. But I do everything they do. Fix my cars. Carpentry in the house. Etc etc etc. and I ain’t stopping. I still play sports vs the guys because most (not all) the girls can’t compete. Be who you are. Do you and screw everyone else if they don’t like it! ??

[Jani]

On 9/29/2018 at 9:22 AM, MaryMary said:

To me transition is to open yourself to be able to do anything and no longer playing a role. I still do the things I did before and I added feminine stuff on top. My life feels fuller. I feel like I'm more free.

I like this sentiment!  

 

Jani