What Are the Odds?

[Carolyn Marie]

When I went to H.S., we had a big graduating class (1972), with around 1,000 students.  Next year is our 50th reunion.  So someone started up a FB Group for our class.  Among other things the Admin does is post pics from the yearbook of each Group member, as well as a current photo if provided.

 

When I joined the group, I needed to provide my name then, and my current name.  It's always awkward, but I'm no longer embarrassed about it, and since its a reunion, it's unavoidable if one wants to participate, right?  But the reception to my news was supportive and sweet.  I also posted a current picture.

 

Flash forward to today.  We got a new member, along with his very male name then and yearbook photo.  The surprise was that their name now is Gretchen!  The Admin didn't out them; members have to agree to posting their name during high school and their current name, so Gretchen is, like me, a willing participant.

 

I often welcome new members with a "Welcome aboard" greeting.  I did so with Gretchen, with the addition of telling them my name when I was a classmate.  It was my way of letting them know they had a friend in the group.  Whether they respond is up to them.  I won't bug them.

 

Two out of a thousand is 0.2 percent, but certainly there were others; I'll never know how many.  But to answer my question in the title, the odds of finding another apparent trans person from my class wasn't good, but it's gotten a lot better.  If they show up at the reunion, we'll have lots to talk about!

 

Carolyn Marie

[KathyLauren]

That is great!

 

I keep wondering if my high school will have a reunion.  (Same year, 1972, so my 50th next year as well.)  They had one at 25 years, but so far, I have heard nothing about next year.  I wouldn't attend in person: it's a long flight across the country just for a few hours of hanging out.  But they had a yearbook for the 25th, and it would be fun to update my old friends.

[Jani]

Next year is 50 for me also!   I went to two high schools, one on each coast.  One had a class of 1500 and the other 72.  I recall there was an attempt to organize a 10th anniversary reunion but it never happened.  I doubt a 50th would garner much more attention.  

 

I hope you have a great time when you go to the reunion Carolyn Marie!  

 

Jani

[VickySGV]

My 50th reunion was 5 years ago, and I was the only Out Trans that was there, but we did have three same sex couples there enjoying themselves very well, and I got told of about five children and grand children who were LGBTQ spectrum, and loved very much by parents / grandparents who were surprised at their own happy feelings based on our years in HS.   This was a class of 600 from a VERY far right area, but I actually had two of the guys who had really made my life hell back then, come over and gave me very honest and heartfelt apologies for what had gone on, but what they and others told stacked up with what a teacher and counselor had.  Back then I had been playing a role and not being the most real me.

[Red_Lauren.]

While I haven't been out of school nearly that long. This spring is 18 years. I come from a town of 1000 people. My class only had like 23 people in it. We are also the last class from the school to graduate as they joined with another school down the road. 

 

Here is where It gets weird. My class was the only one in 70 or so years of them being around. That had the first gay person, and since I've come out of the closet last year. The only trans person. 

[Elizabeth Star]

I haven't even considered going to a reunion. I just think it would be too weird, not because I'm trans but because a couple of my class-mates were involved in an incident. I was "in school" friends with one of the guys and had, at one point, dated and learned to arc-weld from the young woman mentioned. I never would have thought that anyone I knew had a capacity to do such a horrible thing. My graduating class will be forever tarnished.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown's_Chicken_massacre

 

[KathyLauren]

1 hour ago, Elizabeth Star said:

I haven't even considered going to a reunion. I just think it would be too weird, not because I'm trans but because a couple of my class-mates were involved in an incident. I was "in school" friends with one of the guys and had, at one point, dated and learned to arc-weld from the young woman mentioned. I never would have thought that anyone I knew had a capacity to do such a horrible thing. My graduating class will be forever tarnished.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown's_Chicken_massacre

 

 

Whoa!  Yes, that would definitely make a reunion far too weird.

[Charlize]

I certainly enjoyed going to my 50th 5 years ago in 2017.  I was the only (out) trans person in my class but i was happy to make contact with a trans english teacher.  He arranged a lunch meeting with some  students which was great.  Funny how i still like so many of the folks and find some others still difficult to enjoy.  Listening to the stories of the diverse lives of the group was fantastic.   

Unfortunate my 50th from college was cancelled due to Covid.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize