A Strange But Common Response

[Sally]

I have thought about this for a while, yes I think about strange things a lot and I decided that this would be the best place for it.

How many people that you have come out to have taken the , "You have been brainwashed" or "Stay away from the Internet" or even the ever popular, "You need to get a different group of friends."?

I have gotten all of those, by the way - all of you here are a bad influence - I thought you would like to know.

I have gone back to my childhood and revisited all of the feelings and yet I cannot recall at any point the door bell ringing and having someone say, "Could I interest you in becoming a transsexual today?"

Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, evangelical Christians, Encyclopedia salesmen, fuller brush men and Jewel T salesmen, the milkman and even a vacuum cleaner salesman or two but never any transsexual recruitment teams.

The fact is no one is roaming the countryside trying to recruit transsexuals, we just are we don't go looking for converts because we are on such a difficult path already, we just want to be accepted but still the reaction remains.

So if there is a recruiting van running about the world please stay away from my parents' neighborhood - I would never hear the end of it!

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Evan_J]

Noted

I made sure you were off of the "van drop in" list. (LOL)

[Guest ~Brenda~]

So if there is a recruiting van running about the world please stay away from my parents' neighborhood - I would never hear the end of it!

I am talking to your parents right now!! My van is parked out right in front of their house!! On my van I have the Slogan... "Transition or die!!". Your mom says hi, and also says... "Stay away from this deviant bernii, thinks she is a woman" .

In all seriousness though Sally... The common response I get is... "Yea, I knew you were gay" or "Are you gay? I thought that you were".

I could go on as to the types of responses I have recieved.

Basically, they do not understand.

And yes, they are right!!! You are a bad influence on us!!!

HUGS and Love sweetie

Brenda

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

No one has given me the "stay away from the internet" or "you need new friends" stuff. However, I have gotten the "I always knew you were a lesbian" bit several times. People have no clue.

[Guest CharlieRose]

Lol. Reminds me of a Lewis Black routine. I'll see if I can find it.

Here it is!

The really funny part is like 2 minutes in. (Warning, he does use colorful language)

But, yeah, it's basically him attacking the ridiculous idea that gays recruit people. I know I personally have never, EVER seen ANYONE queer trying to "recruit" someone. Especially on this website, we may occasionally give our opinion to someone who's questioning but someone always reminds the person that it's for them to decide. And it totally is.

[Guest Elizabeth K]

My sisters used the word "dupped." Now I grew up in the same State you did Sally - maybe you have been 'dupped."

They asked if it was because I worked in New Orleans. Lotta transexual wannabees flock to New Olreans. You can see them at the railroad station, and the airport, and getting off the bus. And they can be seen tapping people on the shoulder,"excuse me, but where is the nearest 'transisition' happening?

Okay!

Well at least my sisters don't blame the internet. Katrina was God's revenge on New Orlean's for having Gays and Lesbians. And I guess now they feel maybe for transsexuals too.

Never mind one sister abandoned her family and ran off with a man she met on the internet. We didn't know where she was for a year.

Nevermind the other sister is married to a convicted pediophile, He eventually became an ordained baptist minister.

So as someone very important said,"Let he whom is without sin cast the first stone!"

Sally - excuse me - I hear the doorbell! Prophets of TransAmerican Life ? Oh come in - hey, nice dresses! Didn't I see yall on Jerry Springer's show?

Lizzy

[Guest April63]

How many people that you have come out to have taken the , "You have been brainwashed" or "Stay away from the Internet" or even the ever popular, "You need to get a different group of friends."?

I have gotten all of those, by the way - all of you here are a bad influence - I thought you would like to know.

I've told myself some of those things. Nobody's told me them, but of course nobody knows anything...

And yes, we are all bad influences

[Guest S. Chrissie]

How many people that you have come out to have taken the , "You have been brainwashed" or "Stay away from the Internet" or even the ever popular, "You need to get a different group of friends."?

I have gotten all of those, by the way - all of you here are a bad influence - I thought you would like to know.

Oh, my family are fans of those excuses. Once, I had a homosexual roommate in my college dorm (2 students in a room) and my mum, uncle and aunt went baloneys. Mum and aunt were urging me to get my room changed while my uncle said "If you can't get your room changed, pack your bags and come home, I don't want him to turn you gay too."

Then a few months ago, when I went back home for the holidays, I grew out my hair the whole time so it was quite long, my uncle was saying that I looked like a druggie on the streets or some gangsters and asked who have I been mixing around with, and my godsister said "The next thing you know, 'he' will come back wearing a dress next time."

And finally, the infamous Internet. Recently came out to 2 of my brothers, the eldest thinks I've done too much research on these stuff on the Internet and became obsessed with it, and trying to find "signs" in Life to go with them. He thinks I "want to be a transgender".

Sherlyn

[Guest Zabrak]

You know whats shocken to me? NO one in the family has used those lines on me. I'm a Internet nerd so...its funny thinking that.

[Guest AllisonD]

Well, I am convinced you all corrupted me. I would never have even considered the idea of being trans if I didn't hear it here first. Fact is, when I first logged into the internet at age 4, let's see now, that would be in 1957, I specifically remember stumbling into a chat room where this very strange person explained that I was really a girl and all I had to do was think about it hard enough and I would see he was right.

And he was!

Someone should have warned me!

Now look at me, all these years later, over three decades since I transitioned and as happy as a lark, and a lesbian to boot! Someone should punish that guy, he cheated me out of being a normal, repressed, frustrated man, constantly trying to figure out why I am so unhappy.

I've been gyped.

Stupid internet.

Allison

[Guest Zabrak]

I've been gyped.

Stupid internet.

Allison

LOL

[Carolyn Marie]

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Laura's Playground. Isn't that the web site where you can buy kids toys and backyard swings and such?

It's NOT?? Your joking, right?

Nooo. I've been duped!!

Aaaahhhh!

[Paula ult]

Oh my Sally i just had something like this just happen, this woman i knew saw me, of course i was wearing all woman's clothes and mascara, eyeliner and eyebrow pencil, she called me a couple days later asking what's going on so i told her, the response i got was if you found a good woman you would forget this nonsense, the worst part is she's the biggest gossip around so in order to shut her down i'm having to come out to everyone that will listen.

A couple of people said they see the woman in me.

Some think I'm gay

Some didn't know what to think of me.

All but this one woman was ok with me transitioning.

Gee isn't Laura's Playground where you can play in the sandbox, swing on the swings and go down the slide.

Sally look into my eyes, you are getting sleepy....very sleepy... now when you wake up you will be a transsexual.

Sally those that are saying those things are ignorant of the facts, give them some links and try to educate them. And give them plenty of time to get their heads around this.

HUGS! from the recruitment team.

Paula

[Guest S. Chrissie]

You know what, come to think of it, I think the recruitment "officer" was always around in my life trying to convert me

OMG and I only realised it after reading this thread. There was always a strange girl appearing at points in my life and dropping "hints" and "signs", she seems to be around the same age as me but I never paid attention to her much. No one else ever saw her! :ph34r: It's creepy you know!

Then recently my brother said that I am reading too much of the "signs" in my life and that I "think" I "want to be transgender" because of that. I wonder if I should tell him about that recruitment girl You know what, I am beginning to see her more often now, and it's mostly when I look into the mirror. Yes! In the mirror, and she's smiling back at me, it felt rude not doing the same.

Hey, wait a minute, the mirror?! Wait...wait..this is wrong..isn't it supposed to be my own reflection in the mirror? OMG did she took over my mind and even body? Body snatchers!! Ahhh......the gender-bender aliens are taking over the world I tell you!!

[Guest (Lightsider)]

I have thought about this for a while, yes I think about strange things a lot and I decided that this would be the best place for it.

How many people that you have come out to have taken the , "You have been brainwashed" or "Stay away from the Internet" or even the ever popular, "You need to get a different group of friends."?

I have gotten all of those, by the way - all of you here are a bad influence - I thought you would like to know.

I have gone back to my childhood and revisited all of the feelings and yet I cannot recall at any point the door bell ringing and having someone say, "Could I interest you in becoming a transsexual today?"

Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, evangelical Christians, Encyclopedia salesmen, fuller brush men and Jewel T salesmen, the milkman and even a vacuum cleaner salesman or two but never any transsexual recruitment teams.

The fact is no one is roaming the countryside trying to recruit transsexuals, we just are we don't go looking for converts because we are on such a difficult path already, we just want to be accepted but still the reaction remains.

So if there is a recruiting van running about the world please stay away from my parents' neighborhood - I would never hear the end of it!

Love ya,

Sally

I say we start! we all need a uniform...Fishnet stalkings is a MUST!!! We need a special book....We can compile the best of Lauras and start peddling the the path of enlightenment.

(I bet I get banned for this post LOL)

[Guest OneOutOfnOne]

Recruitment would not be a good idea. What would be a good idea is a group that spreads information about us so that people have an accurate understanding of who we are and why we are.

[Guest rachael1]

And finally, the infamous Internet. Recently came out to 2 of my brothers, the eldest thinks I've done too much research on these stuff on the Internet and became obsessed with it, and trying to find "signs" in Life to go with them. He thinks I "want to be a transgender".

Sherlyn

My wife said something similar during one of our conversations, she even suggested that hypnosis may be able to help cure me of my TGerism.

Rachael

[Sally]

I say we start! we all need a uniform...Fishnet stalkings is a MUST!!! We need a special book....We can compile the best of Lauras and start peddling the the path of enlightenment.

(I bet I get banned for this post LOL)

Will we be required to ride bicycles?

(Some people may not get that but in Texas with our wide spread neighborhoods and generaly poor mass transit it seems that if you see two young men in black pants, white shirts and black ties on bicycles - they are Mormons! - on foot - Jahovah's Witness.)

Love ya,

Sally

[Carolyn Marie]

We can blame it all on Al Gore. He started the Internet, right?

I hope these posts aren't leaked to Fox News. They'll have a field day!

Carolyn

[Guest Jean Davis]

Yup, I was looking up how to rebuild a 350 engine on the internet when Laura's Playground showed up. I didn't realize what I was reading until I was half way through, but then it was too late. People are so funny when their uneducated about a subject.

Jean Davis

[Sally]

We can blame it all on Al Gore. He started the Internet, right?

I hope these posts aren't leaked to Fox News. They'll have a field day!

Carolyn

Yup, I was looking up how to rebuild a 350 engine on the internet when Laura's Playground showed up. I didn't realize what I was reading until I was half way through, but then it was too late. People are so funny when their uneducated about a subject.

Jean Davis

Now we know who to blame, Al Gore and General Motors - those losers!

(Gore for losing the presidency and GM just because they are GM)

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Naomi Stardust]

:P

I have thought about this for a while, yes I think about strange things a lot and I decided that this would be the best place for it.

are you calling me strange???

if so

thank you

i've always kind of prided my self on being a little weird

but when i started learning more about others in the transgender community

i realized i wasn't so different

it got me down

but Sally thinks i'm strange so i feel better

How many people that you have come out to have taken the , "You have been brainwashed" or "Stay away from the Internet" or even the ever popular, "You need to get a different group of friends."?

I have gotten all of those, by the way - all of you here are a bad influence - I thought you would like to know.

I have gone back to my childhood and revisited all of the feelings and yet I cannot recall at any point the door bell ringing and having someone say, "Could I interest you in becoming a transsexual today?"

Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, evangelical Christians, Encyclopedia salesmen, fuller brush men and Jewel T salesmen, the milkman and even a vacuum cleaner salesman or two but never any transsexual recruitment teams.

well why not!

i for one would not mind not passing (as much)

if i had a flyer to hand out

we should start a transsexual recruitment drive!

after all there simply aren't enough of us as it is

might be fun to hang out at the mall right in front of the ultra conservitive christian book store

and ask: excuse me sir, are you interested in becoming a woman? oh, i see... that your wife? i get it, you just take this flyer and don't let her see it (wink)

or: mam, with those horrible shoes, you must prefer being male

The fact is no one is roaming the countryside trying to recruit transsexuals,

yet!

we just are we don't go looking for converts because we are on such a difficult path already, we just want to be accepted but still the reaction remains.

So if there is a recruiting van running about the world please stay away from my parents' neighborhood - I would never hear the end of it!

Love ya,

Sally

....oh, sorry, i must have been brainwashed by the internet to say those things....

forgive me?

happy to be a bad influence

Naomi

[Guest Laura T.]

... hummm... fun ideas ... now i just want a light saber >.< dang you zabrak and s. chrissie... short attention span :L

[Guest Valentine]

So if there is a recruiting van running about the world please stay away from my parents' neighborhood - I would never hear the end of it!

Love ya,

Sally

So my friends that told me that I needed a bra at age 12, and the girl's that said I walked like a girl weren't from the recruiting van?

(Yes both of those things happened, the latter once a week or so.)

[Guest Joanna Phipps]

I have thought about this for a while, yes I think about strange things a lot and I decided that this would be the best place for it.

How many people that you have come out to have taken the , "You have been brainwashed" or "Stay away from the Internet" or even the ever popular, "You need to get a different group of friends."?

I have gotten all of those, by the way - all of you here are a bad influence - I thought you would like to know.

I have gone back to my childhood and revisited all of the feelings and yet I cannot recall at any point the door bell ringing and having someone say, "Could I interest you in becoming a transsexual today?"

Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, evangelical Christians, Encyclopedia salesmen, fuller brush men and Jewel T salesmen, the milkman and even a vacuum cleaner salesman or two but never any transsexual recruitment teams.

The fact is no one is roaming the countryside trying to recruit transsexuals, we just are we don't go looking for converts because we are on such a difficult path already, we just want to be accepted but still the reaction remains.

So if there is a recruiting van running about the world please stay away from my parents' neighborhood - I would never hear the end of it!

Love ya,

Sally

My SO suspected, and I think still does, that this is something that my counselor and shrink put in my head. Nothing could be further from the truth