Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

Hi! I'm Emma.


Emma Jane

Recommended Posts

Hello. So.. the name's Emma. My middle name is Jane. Everyone thinks it's a two-word first name, but no, it's just Emma. But that wasn't available and I wanted to name listed here to look good. Those are my legal names and it's felt great to have them settle in as "mine" and have it feel like "that's me" when I am called Emma. I go by female pronouns like she, her, and hers. I just turned 30 a few months ago. I've been on male-to-female hormone replacement therapy since February 2017.

I've recently been able to piece enough information together with what I was able to find out myself and what I have been able to get from family members who remember me as a baby, to reach the conclusion that I absolutely have some sort of intersex condition. I do not know what my DNA is, haven't had it tested, but there's enough else there to still say I have some sort of intersex condition in any case. When I went through my original puberty, I had both male and female puberty at the same time. So my arms, legs, and bottom got female shaped, but got covered in thick hair. My chest got shaped like, and hairy like, a male's, but I developed b-cups. My face got thick facial hair, but a smooth forehead (with no brow ridge at all) and soft curves. And my voice got stuck decidedly in androgynous territory. And I have scars from having an unwanted surgery to forcibly assign me as male as a baby. So I am definitely intersex.

I'd been in denial about everything until the horrible events at the Pulse Nightclub a few years ago. The roommate of a very dear friend of mine, who lives in Orlando, was extremely close friends himself with four of the victims. It hit me very, very hard and forced me out of my denial and this same friend helped me realize what I was burying. He told me his roommate is happy that his friends managed to save at least one person and honoring them is something that keeps me going. If I ever stopped, I'd be insulting their memory and I can't stand for that.

My family slowly came around to mostly accepting that I'm trans. A few, like one of my sisters, won't acknowledge my existence anymore though. I'm having a hard time with the intersex side of things. They're having a much hard time processing it. Only my mom knew (she knew the entire time, my whole life) and she won't tell me the truth. My dad never knew because he would have insisted on being left out of the details. And my sisters were too young to know at the time. And now they don't really see why this part of my history is important or how it means anything at all. It frustrates me.

Working out that I am definitely intersex is a recent thing for me. I'd been struggling with the question since I broke out of my denial and I've only just recently felt confident I had enough evidence to say it applies to me. So it's what's on my mind now and what I'm probably going to need the most help with.

Link to comment

Hey Emma not knowledgeable about yr situation.. I would venture being intersex most of been very difficult grown up. I however, can related to yr frustration. I am super jealous that you already have a B-cup and have develop fem traits...Please do  research on the effects HRT will have on you since it seem to me that it might not be need in your situation, but like said I am knowledgeable. But Your Def in the right place. someone on this site is going through your or has gone through yr same path..If I can help in any way message me. Be Proud, Stay safe and Kick Ass

Link to comment
26 minutes ago, Alex C said:

Hey Emma not knowledgeable about yr situation.. I would venture being intersex most of been very difficult grown up. I however, can related to yr frustration. I am super jealous that you already have a B-cup and have develop fem traits...Please do  research on the effects HRT will have on you since it seem to me that it might not be need in your situation, but like said I am knowledgeable. But Your Def in the right place. someone on this site is going through your or has gone through yr same path..If I can help in any way message me. Be Proud, Stay safe and Kick Ass

Oh HRT has worked well for me. I have a picture of my birth mom (her sister adopted me and my adopted mom is the one that took me in for the surgery as a baby) from about ten years ago and I look like her clone. Almost exactly like her. I did not when I was pre-HRT. So it's worked very well. And I've progressed up from 40B to 40DD and I don't think they're done. A combination of my situation being intersex and with my family's genetics for this seems to be why.

Overall my birth mom has been amazing with my entire journey. The most supportive person in my family by far. No one ever told her about the intersex situation when I was born (she was a minor at the time) but she knew things were odd and always thought I was supposed to be a girl and even had a name picked out. Coincidentally it was the exact same one I picked entirely on my own so it made that much more perfect. So it did not come as a surprise when I told her. And she says that the intersex situation explains a lot and she's angry she wasn't told the truth either. She was fed the same lies I was, like it was for allergies or ear problems (which my current doctors confirm never existed).  It's been great to reconnect with her and have her back me up.

Link to comment

Well whatever your situation or status.

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

I dont think we have many Intersex / trans persons in the same sentence or same pair of pants so to speak so it will be great to hear your points of view on many topics.

 

 

I look forwald to reading your posts.

 

MIB

Link to comment
Just now, Maid In Bedlam said:

Well whatever your situation or status.

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

I dont think we have many Intersex / trans persons in the same sentence or same pair of pants so to speak so it will be great to hear your points of view on many topics.

 

 

I look forwald to reading your posts.

 

MIB

Oh yeah. I totally understand that. I had to put some real thought into it. Since I was forcibly assigned male and my mom tried her hardest to make sure I grew up male, I still have to go through the process of transitioning to female. So I feel the label still applies. I know it's not how everyone who has some kind of intersex condition feels but we all have our own individual experiences.

Link to comment

Emma, welcome to the forum. Really... welcome.

I'm sure you will make a valuable contribution to the community.

Link to comment
10 minutes ago, Emma Jane said:

Oh yeah. I totally understand that. I had to put some real thought into it. Since I was forcibly assigned male and my mom tried her hardest to make sure I grew up male, I still have to go through the process of transitioning to female. So I feel the label still applies. I know it's not how everyone who has some kind of intersex condition feels but we all have our own individual experiences.

 

Fairs goes to you Emma. Respect.

 

I think its great and you are very brave to have all those things going on and still come out on top.

 

I can relate to your situation a little. However as far as i know im not intersexed and like you have never had a chromzone check. Mainly because i do not know if i want to know. XX or XY Who cares? As long as im beautiful

 

I do really look forwald to reading your posts and comments. Its a diffrent perspective and thats awesome.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Welcome Emma.  Transition with all of the bureaucratic and emotional obstacles is difficult enough.  I'm sure you are having even more emotional pain.  I'm glad you've found us here.  This group is good at supporting others in their journeys.  One way we do that is sharing our stories.  Thank you for sharing yours.

You are not alone.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Dear Emma, welcome to the forum.  As you've seen we're a friendly group and I hope to see you around.   You've got a unique situation that you seem to be managing.  Good for you.

 

Cheers, Jani 

Link to comment

Hi! And Welcome! Happy that you are staying strong in your Journey! HRT is a great thing and I hope it continues to help. 

Link to comment

Hi, Emma, and welcome!

 

I'm fairly certain that there are well-written articles that can help explain the variants of intersex traits that can exist, and the difficulties that intersex people face.  (I know, because I recall reading such an article perhaps six months ago; I just can't recall it at the moment, lol).

However, perhaps something like that might be helpful if shared with family members who aren't currently receptive to your situation.  

 

With best wishes,

 

Astrid

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   4 Members, 0 Anonymous, 104 Guests (See full list)

    • MirandaB
    • KathyLauren
    • Betty K
    • Karen Carey
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.7k
    • Total Posts
      769.3k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      12,057
    • Most Online
      8,356

    Aleksandria
    Newest Member
    Aleksandria
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. Conner_Sent_By_Cyberlife
      Conner_Sent_By_Cyberlife
      (22 years old)
    2. CtN1p
      CtN1p
    3. heyim_finn
      heyim_finn
      (21 years old)
    4. Jayn
      Jayn
    5. joni_girl_1988
      joni_girl_1988
      (51 years old)
  • Posts

    • Heather Shay
    • Heather Shay
      Do you use make-up? If so, why and what  types?
    • Heather Shay
      Pride is primarily about yourself, even when it is not you who did something that you are proud about. You can also be proud of something someone else did, who you associate with, such as your children or your favorite football team. People can feel proud of their culture, their family name, or their appearance, none of which require them to actively contribute to the praiseworthy thing1. However, the opinions of others are of crucial importance, as best demonstrated when you purposefully do something that other people praise. Pride is a social emotion, and to feel proud, you need other people’s (real or imagined) confirmation that you have a reason to feel that way. Because of this, other people can also ‘be in your head’ and prevent you from feeling pride. Namely, what is praiseworthy is subjective. Things that may be considered good in a certain (cultural) group may not be praiseworthy in another (e.g., if you grew up in a family that greatly values academics, your athletic abilities may not evoke much praise). Moreover, what is praiseworthy is relative (e.g., if you are a good runner in an athletically average school, you may regularly feel proud about your times; but if you move to a school with highly competent athletes, these same times may seem unremarkable to you). Thus, the more exclusive your quality is in your surroundings, the prouder you feel. Pride has recognizable features. Although its static facial expression (typically a smile or laugh) does not clearly distinguish it from other positive emotions, it typically results in a bodily posture, gestures, and behavior that are clearly recognizable: lifting your chin, looking people in the eye, walking confidently, or in extreme cases, raising arms above your head. In a way, you try to make yourself larger and more noticeable, as if to say: ‘look at me!’ You may also exhibit more perseverance in your activities2. People generally find it very pleasant to experience pride, as it elevates our feeling of social self-worth and status3. At the same time, many social groups, religions, and cultures (especially those that are highly collectivistic, such as the East Asian or African culture) believe that pride needs to be checked. Unchecked pride leads to arrogance and misplaced feelings of superiority (‘letting something get to your head’, ‘hubris comes before the fall’), and social groups typically do not tolerate members feeling like they are superior or deserve special treatment.  
    • Heather Shay
    • Heather Shay
    • Heather Shay
    • April Marie
      Thank you @missyjo! You do wonders for my ego.   It turns out that pastel colors were the "thing" at Kentucky Derby Day so my dress was perfect. I went with white 5" heeled sandals and a wide-brimmed fuscia hat. Dinner and Mint Juleps added to the fun of watching the (recorded) festivities and races.   Perhaps, we'll repeat it for the Preakness in 2 weeks.   Right now it's just blue striped sleep shorts with pink flowers, a pink t-shirt and flip flops. I can't tell you how much wearing  sleep-rated breast forms at night has done to quell my dysphoria. 
    • April Marie
      I can still rock 5" heels.
    • April Marie
      Good morning, everyone!!   My wife and I had our yearly Kentucky Derby Day evening. Dresses, heels, hats, Mint Juleps and a light dinner while watching the festivities and races. Relaxing and fun. I think we'll do the same for the Preakness in two weeks.   It's rainy and cool here today so it's pretty much going to keep me indoors. Ahh, well. A day of rest.   Enjoy and be safe!!
    • Ladypcnj
      Thanks Sally Stone
    • KymmieL
      Thanks, Mindy. It has been so far. Tomorrow, work some more on the wife's grand monkey. Got the right side of the hood primed, just need to do a little more work on the left then I can prime it. Then a 600grit wet sand.   I promised the wife we would take out the bike this weekend.   Kymmie
    • JessicaMW
      During my last visit with my psychologist (who has agreed to provide required letters of recommendation along with a colleague to provide the second) we discussed the shift towards my wife's acceptance. It was a long discussion but one point I mentioned was how much the two of us sitting down and watching this documentary helped:  The Kings | A transgender love story (2017)
    • Betty K
      Oops, I did not mean to post that comment yet! I was going to also say, having read a mountain of commentary on the Review, I think Julia Serano’s response (linked by Vicky above) is the most accurate and thorough. You can also read a non-paywalled version at Substack: https://juliaserano.substack.com/p/the-cass-review-wpath-files-and-the   To me the three key areas in which the review is deficient are:   1. As has already been said here, its views on social transition;   2. Its attempts to give credence to the “ROGD” theory (without ever actually mentioning ROGD because presumably a canny editor knows that would be too transparently transphobic);   3. To me, most crucially, its claims about trans youth and suicide, which are dealt with summarily in about five pages and do not stand up to any deeper scrutiny.    I will be writing about each of these issues in isolation over the next few weeks and appearing on a radio show and podcast to discuss them late in the month. I will post links to these on TP later if anyone is interested.   All that said, I actually think it’s dangerous for us to respond with outright vitriol and condemnation to the review since, like any effective piece of disinformation, it does actually contain some factually based and even helpful recommendations. The Tavistock Gender Identity Service really was underfunded and understaffed and certain staff were not adequately trained. Trans kids really were funnelled away from mental-health support once they started gender-affirming care too. So yes, more investment in youth psychology services would help, as would a less centralised model of care, more training in treatment of trans kids, and more research.   One last thing for now: beware the claim that Cass ignored 98% of studies. That’s not strictly true. She seems to have taken other studies into account but leaned heavily on the 2% that met her standards. Nor does she ever claim that only randomised controlled trials are good enough evidence to justify the use of blockers for kids; just as with ROGD, she strongly suggests this, but is too canny to say it, because she knows such trials would be impossible. For now, I think the best response to this comes from the Trans Safety Network: “[…] we believe there to be systemic biases in the ways that the review prioritises speculative and hearsay evidence to advance its own recommendations while using highly stringent evidence standards to exclude empirical and observational data on actual patients. “ (https://transsafety.network/posts/tsn-statement-on-cass-final-report/)   To me, the scariest aspect of all this is that, if it follows Cass’s recommendations, the NHS will very likely follow Finland’s recent model of trans care, which seems to amount to a prolonged form of conversion therapy. I can’t find the link right now, which is probably lucky for anyone reading this, but I bawled my guts out reading the testimonies of kids who had been mistreated by that system. Truly horrific. To me, at least from my Australian perspective, the Cass Review is the most frightening development in trans rights in recent years. To me, the safe care of trans kids is THE number one issue in politics atm.   Ruth Pierce has a good summary of responses from trans folk and their allies sk far: https://ruthpearce.net/2024/04/16/whats-wrong-with-the-cass-review-a-round-up-of-commentary-and-evidence/    
    • Sally Stone
      Welcome to the wide, wild world of transgender, M.A.  It can definitively be overwhelming, but everyone here is amazing, so no doubt you'll get bunches of wonderful support. I think you'll be happy you found us.   
    • Sally Stone
      @Ladypcnj  This is so true.  I think all of us here have had a post or two that didn't get a response.  Sometimes, it's as simple as adding to your original to post for a clearer explanation, or re-reading what you wrote originally, and rephrasing it.  But don't despair, we aren't ignoring you.   Hugs,   Sally 
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...