Sharing A Cabin With 20 Girls For 2 Months

[Guest Nikk]

Soo, summer's coming up and I'm going to camp. For two months, two thousand miles away from my home, in a cabin with twenty girls. I've been to this camp before and I know it's pretty open minded (my friend's dads used to work at the camp as staffers), but how open minded would girls be if they're sleeping in the same cabin for two months. Now granted, it's not like PILE!SLEEP, but you know.... Girls have their privacy issues.

The thing is that I don't think I can not be out as male. For example, I don't act like a female. When your habits are observed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for seven weeks it'd be hard not to catch on to the fact that I wear a super!sports-bra, I don't shave my legs, I take five-ten minutes (as opposed to an hour) to get ready in the morning, I will ask to be called by my real name, ect. ect.

I'd really, really, really like to not crawl into the shelf space (it's a camp, so there are no closets) and die. My friend, who is also TG but not male, will be at the camp with me, but she's going to be chillin' in the closet. I don't think I could deal with that....

But coming out sounds like a ridiculously bad idea. I will be sleeping with these girls. I will be showering in the same cabin. I will be there for two months. These girls, who I don't even know, can make my life a living nightmare if they really want to....

So what should I do? I could be out and be normal, and these girls could make my life nightmarish, or I could lock the door to the closet (shelfspace?) tightly and just be as feminine as possible, and possibly want to kill myself.... What do y'all think?

[Guest Elizabeth K]

awwwwww

Let it all hang out (figutively). It's a guys super dream! WOW all those chicks in their night clothes!

Seriously - just have fun! Be yourself - let it go where it wants to go...

Lizzy

[Guest Leigh]

ooh...lucky man...lol

good luck bro. that's all i can say

peace&love

Leigh

[Sally]

My idea would be to just go as a really masculine tomboy and let them call you by whatever name you have as a girl - it is much better than the ones they might make up on their own if you tel them.

To them you will be a tomboy, very butch and to you a a bunch of girls who don't have enough sense to cover up around you.

That would be the easiest way - no severe harrasment and no time locked in your shelf spce.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Neuro]

AW MAN!! That will be difficult, because a guy's gotta act like a guy and relax sometimes >_< like you said, they may be perceptive. Maybe you can be sort of!stealthmode, and just act like a tomboy. Even if you call yourself by male name, a lot of 'girl' girls can get away with that and be brushed off as 'odd' or 'different,' without having to go the ultragirl mode and be kawaii desu ne/whatever the kids are calling it these days XD

Oh the things we have to go through for camp.

I hate to sound like a flaming pervert, but... a camp full of girls in their PJ's, FFFFFFF like Lizzy said!! XD;;;

I guess you gotta decide if you want to be 'you,' or be 'tormented for two months by a vicious pack of girls' D8 ...I know for a fact that young women especially can and WILL make life a living hell if given the chance.

[Guest Pól_Eire]

I agree with Sally.

[Guest Nikk]

It's every man's dream.... Except a predominately gay one ;_;

Thanks guys for the suggestion... Although I was planning to go as Nikk or Niko (other nickname) from square one. I'd just be eccentric like that. What I'm likely to do is just give it about a month for people to get to know me and then tell them the truth. By then they'd hopefully be well adjusted enough to me that they'd understand.... If not, I'd go sneak into the guys' cabins and switch places with my friend (oh wouldn't that be amusing). Is that a stupid idea? It's mine so it probably is....

[Guest Cody_T]

I agree with Sally, although I think that if your name is andro enough (say, if you're using nikk) you can get away with it being a nickname as well. Sure, everyone will probably think you're a lesbian, but there are worse things in the world. Having dutifully attended summer camp (okay, I freaking loved it and wish I could go back as a counselor but there's no frickken way I can go "hey, I'm a guy now, sound good guys?" even if they are okay w/gay counselors), and having worn sports bras and boy clothes and not shaved (only awkward when everyone is talking about shaving, which is apparently a normal late night topic... who knew?) and taken less than five minutes in the bathroom at any time and helped all the girls with their bags and been the only one not screaming in terror when the frog got in the bathroom (oddly frequent occurrence) and all that stuff and no one thought I was a boy, I can tell you that it's easy to do. Thinking I was a lesbian? Somewhat likely, especially after I didn't freak out that one of our counselors was a lesbian. But my point being, there is a ton of stuff you can get away with if people see you as a girl, and chances are it will stay that way. Find a group of girls who aren't high maintenance (easier at camp, for sure) or just go hang out with the guys all day. Also, giggle liberally. It's a godsend for relating to girls. If they're sad, say aww a lot. Or if they are looking at pictures of baby/animal/boyfriend/family. Or if you don't know what to say. (this might not be the best advice to use, but I have managed some female friends... sorta...)

But basically, don't go in the closet, but don't come out either. Be yourself, without declaring who yourself is. Acting like who you are and telling people that you're a guy are very separate things, and although it's nice to have both, it's much easier to just do the first. There's no reason when you're being seen as female that you have to subscribe to one set of rules as females have this awesome mobility that we don't. So you can act however you like, do whatever the heck you want, and everyone else just has to deal. The end. And have fun at camp, I'll be very jealous of you

[Guest Cody_T]

It's every man's dream.... Except a predominately gay one ;_;

Thanks guys for the suggestion... Although I was planning to go as Nikk or Niko (other nickname) from square one. I'd just be eccentric like that. What I'm likely to do is just give it about a month for people to get to know me and then tell them the truth. By then they'd hopefully be well adjusted enough to me that they'd understand.... If not, I'd go sneak into the guys' cabins and switch places with my friend (oh wouldn't that be amusing). Is that a stupid idea? It's mine so it probably is....

so I already replied but lemme just say...

do not tell everyone the truth. Do not tell anyone the truth.

Period.

Sorry, but unless you have separate sleeping quarters and bathrooms and stuff arranged and the camp staff is aware...

You're not coming out. I'm not gonna let you. Unfortunately, you are sleeping with these girls. And girls can be extremely mean. If you tell them you're trans, they will most likely freak out on you. I'm not saying it's inevitable, but think about it. Closed quarters, watching them change, and you tell them you're trans (which most will not understand, or will have the wrong idea about), it doesn't end well. Trust me, they'll put up with a mega butch "girl" for sooo much longer than they will a transguy. Be eccentric, but by no means open yourself up to that situation. If you make good friends, you can tell them later. Just, trust me on this, you don't want to tell anyone. I mean anyone. No one. At all. Ever. While you're there, at least. If you do that, you're tossing yourself into the firey depths of hell and it will burn you.

And I'm totally with you on the gay guy thing... I feel like all my girls only space is completely wasted.

[Guest Eth]

It's every man's dream.... Except a predominately gay one ;_;

Thanks guys for the suggestion... Although I was planning to go as Nikk or Niko (other nickname) from square one. I'd just be eccentric like that. What I'm likely to do is just give it about a month for people to get to know me and then tell them the truth. By then they'd hopefully be well adjusted enough to me that they'd understand....

That sounds like a good idea. If all goes well, you might only need to spend two weeks before you tell them. Just see how it goes.

Good luck,

-Eth

[Guest Liam]

Hmm. I'm in a similar situation, except I'm a camp counselor. At a Girl Scout camp. I worked there last summer and was completely closeted, but now that I've been living as a guy 100% of the time since September, there's no way I am willing to be completely closeted anymore. I'm out to the camp director and sort of out to the rest of the staff, so we'll see how that goes. Fortunately for me, at my camp the counselors use nicknames (mine is Cheez-It), so I don't have to deal with the name issue. Just the pronoun issue. And you would not believe how many times every day I get asked if I'm a boy or a girl. Drives me bananas!

But you have to deal with the name. I don't think it would be too weird to go by Nikk - people might think it was short for Nicole or something. Not common, but not too strange. Or, if you don't think that will fly, maybe try Nikky. There was a girl in my high school who went by Nicki, and nobody thought that was weird at all.

I think your idea of letting people get to know you first is excellent. And I think you'll be fine. You don't know these people, so they're not invested in you, and so they're less likely to really care. They'll probably go with whatever name you ask them to use, even if they think it's a little weird at first. Your gender presentation will probably be fine; people might notice, but nobody will honestly care if you don't shave your legs or take less time to get ready in the morning. The one thing I would say is that you're probably not likely to get people to use male pronouns because they'll know you as a girl, no matter what you look like. But if you can live with that, I think you'll be just fine.

Have fun! Camp is awesome!

[Guest Nikk]

o.0

@Cody: I already get the "you're a lesbian and I know it" look from people all the time. I'm used to it - definitely not the worse thing in the world. Er.... Maybe I'll just go with the 'whatever happens, happens' idea and roll with it. I mean, yeah they can make my life hell, but I can also help them marginally understand.... Or I can go sneak into the boys cabins. That would work too. I don't know how happy the camp people will be about that though.

@Everyone: Thanks for the advice, I think I'll just let things roll how they will.

[Guest My_Genesis]

lol, the first thing i thought when i read the title of this thread was "and this is a problem why....?"

i had similar concerns about college, although ill admit in your situation - living with 20 girls for 7 weeks in a pretty well-supervised environment - is a lot different from living with 1 girl in a college dorm where you (or at least i) have a lot more freedom than i do in my own house (even though i live right next to my RA.) lol. I did find it an awkward position to be in at times - yeah, ive felt like i had to behave like a girl and stuff in order to not be perceived as a guy and have 20 people i barely know find out about all this. but i decided i can use it to my advantage - you get to use the same bathroom they do and not get kicked out of the room when they're changing! It's a privilege!

[Guest My_Genesis]

But basically, don't go in the closet, but don't come out either. Be yourself, without declaring who yourself is. Acting like who you are and telling people that you're a guy are very separate things, and although it's nice to have both, it's much easier to just do the first.

I agree with Cody because that's exactly what I'm doing

sometimes i think of it as training. you get to interact in environments most guys dont interact in, that's gotta work to your benefit somehow i would think. maybe you will have better social skills or smth. lol, i dunno if thats true but at least thats what i hope will happen to me.

[Guest MrAwesome]

bring your own tent, a tarp, and sleeping bag. :3 sleep outside, sorta like the concept I used when they told us to get in "Boys and girls" lines at school. I always stood in between. If you can't be in the boys cabin don't be in either. Be out, and if they don't like it, tell them to suck your sock o.o lol (yes I mean SOCK a literal sock - A sock packer ) Best advice I can think of... and it doesn't sound too bad really...

[Guest Nekomata]

Just imagine when all 2 of their cycles sync up. You're in for a world of torment.

[Guest Elizabeth K]

I've already commented, but I want to add:

DON"T make a big deal of it. You are there to have a good time. If you make it into a 'coming out' thing, the staff will have to react. You are likely to get sent home. Just let them get to know you. If some of them ask questions, be elusive, but kinda hint. You will know whom to trust and who is a busybody that will get you in trouble.

Lizzy

[Guest NeverSayNever]

@Nekomata - lol!

This can sometimes sounds REALLY annoying but - everything happens for a reason. If they're meant to find out, they'll find out. Though I sometimes hate this saying (even though I say it all the time )

Have fun!

[Guest 1charlotte1]

awwwwww

Let it all hang out (figutively). It's a guys super dream! WOW all those chicks in their night clothes!

Seriously - just have fun! Be yourself - let it go where it wants to go...

Lizzy

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^tr

ue true true.

But on the other side of things, I think going tomboy and not tg is the best idea for this. Acting like a girl is out of the question right? Whenever I have an issue like this, I say I'm gay and act as feminine as I want dammit! (this doesn't always turn out well because I go to a severely homophobic school *sigh* but yeah, I suggest going as masculine, but don't bother coming out!!!

Good luck! And try to enjoy the view

Charlotte

[Guest My_Genesis]

Just imagine when all 2 of their cycles sync up. You're in for a world of torment.

HAHA!! i hadnt even thought of that! the most problem i have with that though, to be honest, is i just hear a lot more about it than i need to

lol.

[Guest Evan_J]

Wear sunglasses (cough cough) it'll help you see what you "aren't looking at".

[Guest My_Genesis]

Wear sunglasses (cough cough) it'll help you see what you "aren't looking at".

I have transitions

hmm i need to spend more time outside...lol.

[Guest Eagledancer]

I'm dating myself here, but 30+ years ago I never missed Girl Scout Camp across 10 years. I never shaved my legs. I refused to be caught in a bikini - I wore a sports bra with a T-shirt and gym shorts. I was called a male name because most of us went by nicknames. I enjoyed the heck outta the pool time (eye candy) and the vast need for a Knight in Shining Armor...lol. Did anybody think that I was strange? Probably, but not because of the way I looked! I was totally accepted without any problems. There were no labels of Trans anything back then at least in Texas. I might have been considered a a small levee, but not a soul ventured to ask me for fear I might have been I guess!

If you are you with no inhibitions or pretenses, then I think you will have the time of your life. Is it necessary for you to disclose any label if you are asked? No. In fact I often embarass people who try to inquire by asking them if they have "wet dreams". All sexes have them, but none of us want to discuss them. It seems to change the subject fast enough. Remember that you are no better or no less than any other human. I believe if you present an honest front that most if not all will absolutely leave you alone and respect you. If I am wrong then this world has not become more tolerant in the last 30+ years, and we all have been fed a heap of lies.

Have a good time, and I for one will be thinking about you. Lastly, I will add that you need to be ready because unshaven legs at an all girl camp leads to the presumption that you can do and fix anything! In Texas that means always have ample supply of baling wire and duct tape! Godspeed. ~Chay~

[Guest Nikk]

Arigatou, you guys. I'll definitely keep this in mind while I'm there... And I'm probably over thinking things; whatever happens, happens. C'est la vie. *shrug*

I might let y'all know how it goes, if it goes, when I come back (if I remember)...

~Nikk