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!

Mylestones - Life update, HRT questions, top surgery, Etc!


Recommended Posts

Howdy folks! 
It has been quite a while since I have posted on this site, but a lot has happened and I want to share and get feedback from you all. I hope sharing my story so far helps someone! My name is Myles and I am a trans man. I have always felt disconnected from my body, but it wasn’t until about 2016 that I realized that being trans was even an option for me! I had seen trans celebrities, but had never met an openly out trans person until I met my friend Rowan in college. Meeting him really showed me that average folks like us could pursue this life and we could do it successfully. He was a brilliant, fun, and successful guy. I owe much of my ability to pursue this journey to him. Still I was too scared to come out for years. I worried about regret, about my family, my job, all the things I’m sure many of you have wrestled with for years. But I’m November of 2020 I finally came out to my partner. We have been together for over 6 years now, but I was still terrified to tell her. She has been nothing but supportive ever since I told her. It has been amazing and I couldn’t ask for a better partner. I came out to my mom and sister March 6, and then publicly on April 24 2021. It has been so freeing. All of my family and friends have been extremely supportive. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I was shocked.... I almost felt bad - like I cheated the system. Everyone has some kinda sad story about coming out, but my was generally really positive. I had certainly caused myself more strife worrying about coming out, but it ended up being unnecessary! Insane. Work has also been great. I am certainly lucky. 


in terms of my own transition: I got my script for T on 1/29/2021 and had planned to start on my birthday 3/26. But on 3/24 I had my top surgery consult and got my date set for surgery!!! Since it was so soon I put off starting T because I didn’t want to do anything to my body that would jeopardize my surgery date. I had double incision top surgery on May 3 with Dr. Sidhbh Gallagher in Miami. I am currently 4.5 weeks post op (as of today). I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE FREE. Oh goodness I cannot even explain in words how amazing I feel in my body right now. Recovery has had its ups and downs, but having a flat masculine chest has been a life saver. I am so happy. 
 

now I am so ready to start T but honestly a little scared. I’m scared of needles. I’m worried I’ll do the shot wrong. I’m worried I’ll have some bad side effect. I’m not worried by the normal things like acne and the such. Just worried I’ll have some random off the wall problem that’ll kill me or something. Dramatic, I know lol. I lost my dad to “natural causes” which they said best guess was “ventricular arrhythmia” when he was only 31 years old. So I’m scared whatever happened to him might happen to me. I don’t know his family history very well. His dad died when my Grandmom was 8 months pregnant with him. I think he (grandad) had cancer but I’m not sure. Anyways, I know it’s irrational fears but if you haven’t picked up by now I’m a bit of a worrier sometimes lol. I am trying to tell myself that this is a natural hormone that bodies produce, and that I have regular doctors appointments that make sure I am healthy. I know I’ll be so much happier once I start, I’m just nervous. I appreciate any reassurance and kind words anyone has to offer. I’m getting my 2nd covid shot Monday, then maybe I’ll start T Wednesday! 
 

anyways, there’s my update in my transition! I’d love to hear your stories, and I’m happy to answer any questions about top surgery and the like if anyone has any! 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator
1 hour ago, Myles97 said:

But on 3/24 I had my top surgery consult and got my date set for surgery!!!

 

Nice! That's my birthday. I'm glad somebody got some good news. ?

 

1 hour ago, Myles97 said:

I was shocked.... I almost felt bad - like I cheated the system.

 

Eh, my transition has been super-positive too. Some of us just get lucky. We can support our friends who don't have it so good.

 

I'm glad everything is going well for you though! Congratulations!

 

Hugs!

Link to comment

Great update @Myles97, thank you!
My coming out began on November 2020 and it was also really good. Close family and work have been really accepting and supportive (with some hiccups with my sister, but we're on the right track). I'm way older than you and to say I was scared of how my family and at work would react is an understatement, more like terrified and so anxious. And yet it went great. 

 

Congrats on top surgery!! So glad you are so happy about it. I don't plan mine until next year but I'll love to hear about your experience and tips.

About T and injections. I began with gel, but it seriously screwed with my skin, so I ended up on injections - but instead of intramuscular I insisted on subcutaneous. I was really not looking forward to stabbing my muscles for years with a long, thick needle. There is not a lot of studies about subcutaneous T, but the ones that are out there say that outcomes are good. I self-inject subcutaneously and it is totally painless, easy, and uses a "baby needle". Maybe that could be something to talk about with your doctor.

Also, I totally get your fears concerning health. My dad died at 45 from a sudden heart attack and his father from a heart condition also. So that was there for me too. The only thing that I can say is that, so far, I feel so good on T, that the tachycardia I had before (due to anxiety probably) has gone and I have had no side effects. Again, it is something to talk about with your doctor, of course. I just mean that I get your fears, but if  your doctor clears you out for T and you pay attention to your body, you can be ok. 

 

Great to hear from you. Keep us posted!

Link to comment
16 hours ago, Myles97 said:

Howdy folks! 
It has been quite a while since I have posted on this site, but a lot has happened and I want to share and get feedback from you all. I hope sharing my story so far helps someone! My name is Myles and I am a trans man. I have always felt disconnected from my body, but it wasn’t until about 2016 that I realized that being trans was even an option for me! I had seen trans celebrities, but had never met an openly out trans person until I met my friend Rowan in college. Meeting him really showed me that average folks like us could pursue this life and we could do it successfully. He was a brilliant, fun, and successful guy. I owe much of my ability to pursue this journey to him. Still I was too scared to come out for years. I worried about regret, about my family, my job, all the things I’m sure many of you have wrestled with for years. But I’m November of 2020 I finally came out to my partner. We have been together for over 6 years now, but I was still terrified to tell her. She has been nothing but supportive ever since I told her. It has been amazing and I couldn’t ask for a better partner. I came out to my mom and sister March 6, and then publicly on April 24 2021. It has been so freeing. All of my family and friends have been extremely supportive. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I was shocked.... I almost felt bad - like I cheated the system. Everyone has some kinda sad story about coming out, but my was generally really positive. I had certainly caused myself more strife worrying about coming out, but it ended up being unnecessary! Insane. Work has also been great. I am certainly lucky. 


in terms of my own transition: I got my script for T on 1/29/2021 and had planned to start on my birthday 3/26. But on 3/24 I had my top surgery consult and got my date set for surgery!!! Since it was so soon I put off starting T because I didn’t want to do anything to my body that would jeopardize my surgery date. I had double incision top surgery on May 3 with Dr. Sidhbh Gallagher in Miami. I am currently 4.5 weeks post op (as of today). I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE FREE. Oh goodness I cannot even explain in words how amazing I feel in my body right now. Recovery has had its ups and downs, but having a flat masculine chest has been a life saver. I am so happy. 
 

now I am so ready to start T but honestly a little scared. I’m scared of needles. I’m worried I’ll do the shot wrong. I’m worried I’ll have some bad side effect. I’m not worried by the normal things like acne and the such. Just worried I’ll have some random off the wall problem that’ll kill me or something. Dramatic, I know lol. I lost my dad to “natural causes” which they said best guess was “ventricular arrhythmia” when he was only 31 years old. So I’m scared whatever happened to him might happen to me. I don’t know his family history very well. His dad died when my Grandmom was 8 months pregnant with him. I think he (grandad) had cancer but I’m not sure. Anyways, I know it’s irrational fears but if you haven’t picked up by now I’m a bit of a worrier sometimes lol. I am trying to tell myself that this is a natural hormone that bodies produce, and that I have regular doctors appointments that make sure I am healthy. I know I’ll be so much happier once I start, I’m just nervous. I appreciate any reassurance and kind words anyone has to offer. I’m getting my 2nd covid shot Monday, then maybe I’ll start T Wednesday! 
 

anyways, there’s my update in my transition! I’d love to hear your stories, and I’m happy to answer any questions about top surgery and the like if anyone has any! 

I’m happy your surgery went well. I’ve similar concerns about taking hormones and I totally get hating needles. Assuming you have an endocrinologist, can you address your concerns to them? Thank you for sharing your story.

Link to comment

Congrats!  I had a similar coming out story in the opposite gender direction. My transition has been mostly painless emotionally- electrolysis sucks though. lol. I feel that guilt a lot, especially when I celebrate good milestones in my journey that others struggle to achieve. I've decided to channel that guilt into being an inspiration to show others that it can be done- like your friend did for you. 

Once you've jabbed yourself a few times you will get used to the idea of self injections and think nothing of it.  I used to be a nurse and had to teach people so I saw the apprehension you're feeling and also the ease to which people adjusted to the process.  As you've experienced, fear is what most often holds us back in life, more often than not, unfounded.  Think of your injection in that context and how you were so relieved and happy when you overcome your fears to come out. Hopefully that will help you over the first hurdle.  Good luck in your journey and keep us posted.

Hugs

Bri

Link to comment
On 6/4/2021 at 3:43 AM, Gabriel said:

Great update @Myles97, thank you!
My coming out began on November 2020 and it was also really good. Close family and work have been really accepting and supportive (with some hiccups with my sister, but we're on the right track). I'm way older than you and to say I was scared of how my family and at work would react is an understatement, more like terrified and so anxious. And yet it went great. 

 

Congrats on top surgery!! So glad you are so happy about it. I don't plan mine until next year but I'll love to hear about your experience and tips.

About T and injections. I began with gel, but it seriously screwed with my skin, so I ended up on injections - but instead of intramuscular I insisted on subcutaneous. I was really not looking forward to stabbing my muscles for years with a long, thick needle. There is not a lot of studies about subcutaneous T, but the ones that are out there say that outcomes are good. I self-inject subcutaneously and it is totally painless, easy, and uses a "baby needle". Maybe that could be something to talk about with your doctor.

Also, I totally get your fears concerning health. My dad died at 45 from a sudden heart attack and his father from a heart condition also. So that was there for me too. The only thing that I can say is that, so far, I feel so good on T, that the tachycardia I had before (due to anxiety probably) has gone and I have had no side effects. Again, it is something to talk about with your doctor, of course. I just mean that I get your fears, but if  your doctor clears you out for T and you pay attention to your body, you can be ok. 

 

Great to hear from you. Keep us posted!

 

On 6/4/2021 at 3:43 AM, Gabriel said:

Great update @Myles97, thank you!
My coming out began on November 2020 and it was also really good. Close family and work have been really accepting and supportive (with some hiccups with my sister, but we're on the right track). I'm way older than you and to say I was scared of how my family and at work would react is an understatement, more like terrified and so anxious. And yet it went great. 

 

Congrats on top surgery!! So glad you are so happy about it. I don't plan mine until next year but I'll love to hear about your experience and tips.

About T and injections. I began with gel, but it seriously screwed with my skin, so I ended up on injections - but instead of intramuscular I insisted on subcutaneous. I was really not looking forward to stabbing my muscles for years with a long, thick needle. There is not a lot of studies about subcutaneous T, but the ones that are out there say that outcomes are good. I self-inject subcutaneously and it is totally painless, easy, and uses a "baby needle". Maybe that could be something to talk about with your doctor.

Also, I totally get your fears concerning health. My dad died at 45 from a sudden heart attack and his father from a heart condition also. So that was there for me too. The only thing that I can say is that, so far, I feel so good on T, that the tachycardia I had before (due to anxiety probably) has gone and I have had no side effects. Again, it is something to talk about with your doctor, of course. I just mean that I get your fears, but if  your doctor clears you out for T and you pay attention to your body, you can be ok. 

 

Great to hear from you. Keep us posted!

Thank you so much for sharing! Makes me feel better knowing you can sympathize with my HRT situation and I am glad it has been going well for you! I think I’m gonna ask my dr if I can switch to SubQ. That seems to be what all my friends find best too!! 
 

*content warning: discussion of surgery; cost of surgery; and recovery - NO graphic discussion though*

I am happy to answer any questions about top surgery! I went to Dr. Gallagher in Miami FL. She does drain free procedures which was immensely helpful for my anxiety and recovery. I paid out of pocket $9890. She is not currently accepting insurance, but if you have out of network coverage through your insurance she will help you through the process of filing the insurance request! I just went private though, because my insurance is garbage. Recovery wise, week 1 I slept a LOT and moved as little as possible. Pain at it’s absolute worst was only maybe a 5/10. Week 2 I started to feel a little more mentally myself again, but still spent a lot of time sleeping or just laying down so my body could recover. Since week 3 I’ve been a bit more active, but still get tired extremely easily. At about 4.5 weeks my range of motion improved immensely compared to how it had been going. I have a list of all my items I bought to help with recovery if you ever want me to share that! Good luck with your process and thank you again for the reassurance about T ? 

Link to comment

Update 1: so I got brave and started T!!! My first shot was 6/9/21. After chatting with my good buddy, I called my dr and asked if I could switch to Sub Q instead of IM. She approved and so I got the materials needed for that!! My partner did it for me, and I have been feeling GREAT ever since my shot. I know there may be some bumps in the road as I make my way through 2nd puberty, but I just feel so right and at home in my brain/body right now. I am so happy and so excited for the changes to come!!! 

Link to comment
6 hours ago, Myles97 said:

I just feel so right and at home in my brain/body right now.

Wow Myles! Good for you, I would say that this feeling is worth it's weight in gold. ?

Link to comment

Yay @Myles97! Congrats!! 

6 hours ago, Myles97 said:

I just feel so right and at home in my brain/body right now

:D And that's what all this is about. So glad for you.

 

Thank you for explaining your experience with top surgery. That helps a lot!

Link to comment
  • 7 months later...

Update 2: 2/9/2022

 

Today is my 8 months on T! Life is still going great. I am also a little over 9 months post op and still just as obsessed with my chest as I was on day 1. My voice, hair, and some other things have changed so much!! In my original post I know I said I was not worried about acne - but WOW, testosterone second puberty is no joke lol! It's a bit rough on my face right now, but I am in with a dr about it and hope I get some relief soon. Other than the acne, the only other issue I have had is with adhd. It is crazy how different symptoms are in an estrogen-dominant person than a testosterone-dominant person. It has been a whirlwind trying to navigate adhd while writing my dissertation - but again, in with a great dr who is helping me! It is by no means the "end goal" nor a requirement for all folks, but for me I was really hoping to be able to pass as male to everyone. I am happy to report that it seems I do! I have not been misgendered by anyone in months, and I even pass to my doctors. I had a nurse come in to do my initial evaluation stuff at my last dr appt and he had no idea I was trans. He asked if I was still doing the "testo shots" and I said yes. He responded with "gotcha man, well we can check your levels again at your next appointment and if your levels are up enough we can pull you off those shots man." He thought I was cis and just had low levels of T, haha! Super reaffirming. The assistant that did my bloodwork was also in disbelief when I told her. I still don't always see it, but apparently others do, so I am ecstatic. Throughout the last 12 months I have gone from closeted and terrified to out and living my life as the man I always knew myself to be. I have had top surgery, started testosterone, legally changed my name and gender marker, and my life is so much better than it was before. I did not know this level of happy could exist in the world. I owe a lot of my happiness to the folks here - you all provided me with a very safe place when I was at my most vulnerable and I am so grateful for that. I don't talk on here much, but I read and think of you all often!! 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Thank you for sharing Myles.  You brought a smile to my lips!  There is nothing like that great feeling of being seen and accepted as ourselves.  It does seem hard to believe at first but with time i found that it's just life continuing......with a welcome difference!

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

Link to comment

Congrats @Myles97!! Your post put a big smile in my face. I'm so glad it is going so well for you :) 

It is so affirming when they really see us as what we feel, right? The sense of peace and finally being able to relax... 

For me it is just now beginning to happen, and when it does it is bliss. I have to say that I am not making it easy on people (or myself) because after the initial need to cut my hair to see how that would feel, I have let it grow again. I am myself with longish hair, it is just me, and I didn't want to sacrifice being myself even if it makes it harder for people to read me as male. I have found out that now it depends of whether I shave or not. It is clear that people need strong cues to overcome stereotypes. I mean that when they see someone with longish hair their mind goes to female and only stops to reflect and actually consider if there are other strong indications of maleness. 

So being gendered correctly now even with long hair is super affirming. It took a while though.

All that rambling just to say, I get how awesome that feels :) . Congrats!

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   12 Members, 0 Anonymous, 133 Guests (See full list)

    • VickySGV
    • Timi
    • Jet McCartney
    • EasyE
    • Abigail Genevieve
    • Ashley0616
    • Carolyn Marie
    • KatieSC
    • ClaireBloom
    • MaeBe
    • rachel w
    • Mmindy
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.6k
    • Total Posts
      768.2k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      12,022
    • Most Online
      8,356

    Asher the Enby Goddex
    Newest Member
    Asher the Enby Goddex
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. Bebhar
      Bebhar
      (41 years old)
    2. caelensmom
      caelensmom
      (40 years old)
    3. Jani
      Jani
      (70 years old)
    4. Jessicapitts
      Jessicapitts
      (37 years old)
    5. klb046
      klb046
      (30 years old)
  • Posts

    • VickySGV
      Parenting and Parental Control play a significant role in my backstory including my addiction history both as child and parent of 3 children now in their 40's.  Big take away that keeps proving true even with new friends and with one of my children as the parent of 3 teenage children is a statement made by one of my parenting counselors and confirmed in other places --   Parents, NEVER do the best they CAN or could do, they will however do the best they KNOW HOW to do.    Getting hit with that statement and some other things did lead me to see that I needed to learn my job better as a parent, which I went ahead and did, and have since made major changes.  It made me very aware that my parents had both had very strange and ineffective parenting skills taught to them which I mistakenly was carrying on with my three children.  My children's  other parent who removed themself due to other personal problems was no better due to their background of parenting either.  I am happy to say that my grandchildren benefited from their parents making intentional efforts to be sure that bad family practices were changed and updated.  Result is that one Gender Questioning and two decidedly Cis  grandchildren have supportive parents where bathroom and sports discomfort is based on actual threats of real physical harm or on invasion of personal boundaries.  Possession of a particular anatomy is a neutral subject there.
    • Abigail Genevieve
      He pushed it out.   Years passed.  Graduation, engagement to Lois.  He was 5'10", she was 5'3".  People thought the height difference was amusing.  At one point he thought to himself I will never fit in her clothes.  Bewildered as to where the thought had come from, he suppressed it. Marriage.   Wedding night: sitting, waiting in anticipation of what was to come.  Lois had left her dress on the bed and was in the hotel bathroom.   He drew in a breath and touched it.  Lacy, exquisitely feminine.  He stroked it.  Incredible.  A whole different world, a different gender, enticing.  "Like it?" she said, as she came out.  He nodded.  But she was meaning her negligee.   Later she noticed a small tear in her wedding dress and wondered where it came from.   Over the years there were dresses that had not been hung up properly in her closet, as if they had been taken down and hung up incorrectly.  It made no sense. Her underwear drawer had been gone through.  She checked the locked windows. They had a landlord at that time.  Pervert, coming into apartments and doing this.  She felt violated.   Then they bought a house.  They had two kids.  Her underwear drawer was being regularly gone through. Not Odie. It could not be Odie.  Odie was as macho as they come, something she liked.  It could not possibly be Odie. Finally there was a slip with a broken strap.   "Odie, I found the strap on my black slip torn.  How could that have happened?'   He didn't know.  He looked guilty, but he didn't know.   The rifling stopped for a while, then started up again.  She read up on cross-dressing.    "Odie, I love you," she said, "I've been reading up on cross-dressing."   He had that deer-in-the headlights look.   "I've read it is harmless, engaged in by heterosexual men, and is nothing to be ashamed of."   He looked at her. No expression.   "Look, I am even willing to buy you stuff in your size.  A friend of mine saw you sneaking around the women's clothing department at Macy's, then you bought something and rushed out.  No more of that, okay? The deal is that you don't do it in front of me or the kids. Do we have a deal?"   They had a deal.  Lois thought it was resolved, and her stuff was no longer touched. Every now and again a package arrived for "Odi", deliberately misspelling his name, and she never opened those.  Sometimes they went and bought things, but he never tried them on in front of her.   "The urge just builds until I have to, Lois.  I am sorry. It's like I can't control it." "That's what I read.  But your Dad would kill you." "There is that."   Lois thought the deal would last.  Things were under control.  
    • Davie
      Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering. Lama Rod Owens is seen as an influential voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers. He blends his training in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism with experiences from his life as a Black, queer man, raised as a Christian in the South.   https://apnews.com/article/buddhist-lama-black-lgbtq-wellness-506b1e85687d956eff81f7f4261f5e98  
    • MaeBe
      I would have balked years ago, echoing the parenting of generations before me, exclaiming "Parents know best!" at what I just wrote. It hasn't been that long, but I came to a realization that some of that need for control is unwarranted. Is my child really harming anything by identifying a certain way? Are they being harmed by having others in and around their lives that do? I have been more conversational with my kids when it comes to things and when we run into issues. Like when friends that were toxic, start coming back into the fold, I wanted to make sure that bad behaviors aren't (re)occurring. Or when we notice behaviors that concern us that we have a dialogue. Those chats aren't always nice, clean, or resolved perfectly, but we're communicating. We're learning from each other in those moments, which lead to things being shared that I am sure other parents aren't hearing from their kids and we grow as people because of it.   I will say, it's been easier over the past few years (even before hormones) as this more feminine me finds its way out. I'm a lighter touch, I don't get as entrenched as I once did, and I feel connected a little more emotionally. But, of course, I still make mistakes. As long as we learn from them, right?
    • missyjo
      1. attended Keystone conference a celebration of genders with 700 other lgbt friends. it was wonderful, other lgbt folks, hotel staff n town all welcoming n that felt great.   2. part time job in ladies clothing store, bring missy n helping women dress n relating to them as one    3. folks here   4. creepy guys trying to hit on me..laughs..wrong audience but something must be right   your turn friends
    • missyjo
      orange cotton top n sashed jeans..wedges off now..torrid undies in light blue bra n lace panties   I'm trying minimum makeup..shrugs..well see hugs if you want them
    • Abigail Genevieve
      It was hot that August day, even in Hall J.  Hall J was a freshman dormitory, and Odie had just unpacked his stuff.  He sat on the edge of his bed.  He had made it. He was here, five hundred miles away from home.  His two roommates had not arrived, and he knew no one. His whole life lay ahead of him, and he thought of the coming semester with excitement and dread.   No one knew him.  No one. Suddenly he was seized with a desire to live out the rest of his life as a woman.  With that, he realized that he had felt that way for a long time.  He had never laughed when guys made jokes about women, and often he felt shut out of certain conversations.  He was neither effeminate nor athletic, and he had graduated just fine, neither too high in his class to be considered a nerd or low enough to not get into this college, which was more selective than many. He was a regular guy.  He had dated some, he liked girls and they liked him.  He had friends, neither fewer than most nor more than most.   Drama club in high school: he had so wanted to try out for female parts but something held him back.  He remembered things from earlier in his life: this had been there, although he had suppressed it. Mom had caught him carrying his sister's clothes to his room when he was eight, shortly before the divorce, and he got thoroughly scolded.  They also made sure it never, ever happened again. He had always felt like that had contributed somehow to the divorce, but it was not discussed, either.  He was a boy and that was the end of it.   Dad was part of that.  He got Odie every other weekend from the time of the divorce and they went hunting, fishing, boating, doing manly things because Dad thought he should be a man's man. The first thing that always happened was the buzz cut.  Dad was always somewhat disappointed in Odie, it seemed, but never said why.  He was a hard man and he had contempt for sissies, although that was never directed at Odie. Mom always said she loved him no matter what, but never explained what that meant.   Odie looked through the Freshman Orientation Packed.  Campus map.  Letter from the Chancellor welcoming him.  Same from the Dean.  List of resources: health center, suicide prevention, and his heart skipped a beat: transgender support.  There was something like that here?   He tore off a small piece of paper.  With sweating hands he wrote on it "I need to be a girl." He looked at it, tore it up and put the different pieces in different trash cans, even one in a men's room toilet the men on this floor shared. He flushed it and made sure it went down.  No one had seen him; he was about the first to arrive.   He returned to his room.   He looked in the mirror.  He was five-ten, square jawed, crew cut.  Dad had seen to it that he exercised and he had muscles.  No, he said to himself, not possible. Not likely.  He had to study and he had succeeded so far by pushing this sort of thing into the back of his mind or wherever it came from.   A man was looking back at him, the hard, tough man Dad had formed him to be, and there was absolutely nothing feminine about any of it.  With that, Odie rejected all this stuff about being trans.  There had been a few of those in high school, and he had always steered clear of them.  A few minutes later he met his roommates.
    • EasyE
      yes, i agree with this ... i guess my biggest frustrations with all this are: 1) our country's insistence to legislate everything with regards to morals ... 2) the inability to have a good, thorough, honest conversation which wrestles with the nuances of these very complex issues without it denigrating to name-calling or identity politics.  agreed again... i still have a lot to learn myself ... 
    • Abigail Genevieve
      It's been bugging me that the sneakers I have been wearing are 1) men's and 2) I need canvas, because summer is coming.  WM has a blue tax on shoes, don't you know? My protocol is to go when there is no one in the ladies' area because I get looks that I don't like, and have been approached with a 'can I help you sir' in a tone than means I need to explain myself, at which point i become inarticulate.   But I found these canvas shoes.  Looking at them, to see if they would pass as male, I realized they might not, and furthermore, I don't really care.
    • Abigail Genevieve
      My wife's nurse was just here.  It is a whole lot easier to relate to her as another woman than to negotiate m/f dynamics and feel like I have to watch myself as a male around her.  It dropped a lot of the tension off, tension that I thought entirely internal to myself, but it made interactions a whole lot better.     I read your post, so I thought I would go look.   In the mirror I did not see a woman; instead I saw all these male features.  In the past that has been enough for me to flip and say 'this is all stupid ridiculous why do I do this I am never going to do this again I am going to the basement RIGHT NOW to get men's stuff and I feel like purging'.  Instead I smiled, shrugged my shoulders and came back here.  Panties fit, women's jeans fit.  My T shirt says DAD on it, something I do not want to give up, but a woman might crazily steal hubby's t-shirt and wear it.  I steal my own clothes all the time.    But she is here, this woman I liked it when I saw her yesterday. and her day will come.  I hope to see her again.
    • April Marie
      So many things become easier when you finally turn that corner and see "you" in the mirror. Shedding the guilt, the fear, the questioning becomes possible - as does self-love - when that person looking back at you, irrespective of what you're wearing, is the real you.   I am so happy for you!! Enjoy the journey and where it leads you.
    • MaeBe
      I'm sure even the most transphobic parents would, too. What does it hurt if a child socializes outside of their family in a way that allows them to understand themselves better? I have encountered a handful of kids do the binary, non-binary, back to binary route and they got to learn about themselves. In the end, there may have been some social self-harm but kids are so darned accepting these days. And really, schools aren't policing pronouns, but the laws that are coming out are making them do so--and in turn requiring a report to a parent that may cause some form of harm to the child.   If the kid wants to lie to, or keep secrets from, their parents about their gender expressions, what does it say about the parents? Perhaps a little socialization of their thoughts will give them the personal information to have those conversations with them? So when they do want to have that conversation they can do so with some self-awareness. This isn't a parent's rights issue, it's about forcing a "moral code" onto schools that they must now enforce--in a way that doesn't appreciably assist parents or provide benefit to children.   So, a child that transitioned at 5 and now in middle/high school that is by all rights female must now go into a bathroom full of dudes? What about trans men, how will the be treated in the girl's restroom? I see a lot of fantasy predator fearmongering in this kind of comment. All a trans kid wants to do in a bathroom is to handle their bodily functions in peace. Ideally there would be no gendered restrooms or, at least, a valid option for people to choose a non-gendered restroom. However, where is the actual harm happening? A trans girl in a boy's room is going experience more harm than a girl being uncomfortable about a trans girl going into and out of a stall.   How about we teach our children that trans people aren't predators who are trying to game the system to eek out some sexual deviancy via loophole? How about we treat gender in a way that doesn't enforce the idea that girls are prey and boys are  predators? How about we teach them trans kids are just kids who want to get on with their day like everyone else?
    • Adrianna Danielle
      I hope so and glad he loves and accepts me for who I am
    • EasyE
      It is sad that we can't have more open and honest dialogue on these types of topics because there is worthy debate for sure. But instead we have become a country where the only goal is to seize political power and then legislate our particular agenda and views of morality.   Remember as you read my thoughts below, that I am transgender. OK? I am pro-trans. I am trans.   But my middle school aged daughter would be extremely uncomfortable using a school bathroom also used by a biological male, as would nearly all of her friends. That side has to be considered. It's not invalidating to a trans youth's experience to take that into account and hash out what is for the common good of as many people as possible. This is reality - one person's gender expression makes others uncomfortable, in all directions. And there is disagreement on the best way to handle these types of things.   Why can't we talk about these things openly, without the inevitable name-calling that follows, and let all sides have their input and work up suitable solutions? (I bet the kids, if left alone, would work up the best solutions)... Instead, we go straight to trying to pass laws, as if we need more of those!   And why wouldn't we want parents to know if their child has decided to change their pronouns? That's a big deal and parents are right to raise that as a concern. I certainly would want to know. Not that we need to legislate this, but I would have a hard time with school administrators who try to hide this from me. They are out of line. This is my child. Whether you like my viewpoints or not, I am the parent. Not the school.    Again, I am pro-trans. I am trans. At the same point, I recognize that validating a transgender individual's gender identity doesn't trump everything else in society. And sometimes I see that creeping into these discussions. Plus, we fight a losing battle if we have to have others' validation. We are never going to get it from everybody. Ever. Not even Jesus got it and He is God himself!   This country can be very beautiful as we each exercise our freedom to be who we are and let others do the same. But my freedom ends where yours begins and vice-versa. That requires self-sacrifice. Sometimes we have to fall back out of respect for others. Sometimes we have to let the parent be the parent even if we disagree with their politics.   My cry in the wilderness is just can we please have more open, honest dialogue where both sides try take the other's views into consideration and quit automatically going the legislative route to criminalize the other side's viewpoints.   Sorry for the rant but sometimes all of this wears me out... deep sigh... 
    • RaineOnYourParade
      Bite by bite, acrobatics in abdomen
  • 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...