Transition Timeline

[RithiaAllen]

@Kirsten

 

I know that you are feeling down about where you are so I figured I would share my timeline so you can see how the changes snow ball over time.

 

If it makes you feel better I'll share with you a visual time line. As you can see there are months and months of awkwardness and eventually it just rapid fire happens.

 

4 months

 

5 months

 

6 Months

 

7 Months

 

8 Months

 

9 Months

 

10 Months

10 Months 2 weeks

 

11 Months

 

12 Months

 

13 months

[SugarMagnolia]

That's so nice of you to share! Great photos and you look wonderful!!!

[Cyndee]

Very nice time line Rithia - and thanks for a cool topic dear, you've made wonderful progress....

 

Best to you

 

Cyndee -

[RithiaAllen]

Just now, SugarMagnolia said:

That's so nice of you to share! Great photos and you look wonderful!!!

 

It took a while. The main point though is there is the middle period where things are awkward until they aren't.

Just now, Cyndee said:

Very nice time line Rithia - and thanks for a cool topic dear, you've made wonderful progress....

 

Best to you

 

Cyndee -

 

Thanks, this was back in 2010 and the start of 2011.

[Raven1981]

Thank you Rithia.  This has also helped me out.  I am at that awkward place right now for myself where I am trying to pass but feel my body is not changing anymore and especially in my face.  After my FFS consultation, my chin is my biggest area that gives me away.  But I am at the place right now where am I Male dressing up like a female or a female with Male parts.

[Kirsten]

I see what you mean Rithia. Big changes around 8-12 months. And thanks for sharing this. For me it’s more than the looks stuff though. I just feel like I’m still living my old life. Same job. Same friends. Same roles. Same everything. But I am not the same. I feel like I don’t fit in my own life. 

I have a night out planned this Friday with a girlfriend. And another on the 16th with a trans friend. I’m hoping it helps me feel more like I’m moving forward. Because it just seems like when we hang out with our friends I am expected to be the old me. And although I love my friends, I don’t want to be that person. I want to be me. 

Its when I see all this that my dysphoria really kicks in. It’s like it amplifies everything else. Because no matter how I look, I’m still living that same boy life as before. 

[RithiaAllen]

Just now, Kirsten said:

I see what you mean Rithia. Big changes around 8-12 months. And thanks for sharing this. For me it’s more than the looks stuff though. I just feel like I’m still living my old life. Same job. Same friends. Same roles. Same everything. But I am not the same. I feel like I don’t fit in my own life. 

I have a night out planned this Friday with a girlfriend. And another on the 16th with a trans friend. I’m hoping it helps me feel more like I’m moving forward. Because it just seems like when we hang out with our friends I am expected to be the old me. And although I love my friends, I don’t want to be that person. I want to be me. 

Its when I see all this that my dysphoria really kicks in. It’s like it amplifies everything else. Because no matter how I look, I’m still living that same boy life as before. 

A lot of the roles pertaining to how people in general treated me changed around month 9. I was never married and really never had a girlfriend so I never had the treatment of a guy and no girls night out while transitioning. What helped me was going out to support groups and having nights out that way. Eventually people I met at work later on ended up being people that I would hang out with after work.

 

I know it sucks now but things get better. Plus you can get another job maybe consider moving if you can't get something else there that pays. I'm making $110,000 in Texas. So the money isn't all bad everywhere.

[RithiaAllen]

Just now, Amy LeBlanc said:

Thank you Rithia.  This has also helped me out.  I am at that awkward place right now for myself where I am trying to pass but feel my body is not changing anymore and especially in my face.  After my FFS consultation, my chin is my biggest area that gives me away.  But I am at the place right now where am I Male dressing up like a female or a female with Male parts.

 

That is one thing I didn't have to do so I am not familiar with the process but I have heard from people that have had FFS that the results are amazing.

[Jani]

25 minutes ago, Kirsten said:

I just feel like I’m still living my old life. Same job. Same friends. Same roles. Same everything. But I am not the same. I feel like I don’t fit in my own life. 

I think the idea of transitioning is to change your outlook on life, physically and mentally.  You're moving in that direction.  You certainly wouldn't want to upend your whole life by changing everything?   Obviously things will eventually change and your life will be dramatically different.  It just takes time.  Remember puberty is a multi year event and so is re-inventing ourselves.  You've been on the fast track for some time now.  Time to slow down and let things settle in.  

 

Natalie, thank you for posting the wonderful photos of your journey.  You've made tremendous progress.  

 

Jani

[Ashlee]

What a great timeline! Beautiful! Iook Forward to the big changes. You look great girl! 

Ashlee ❤️

[Josie Beth]

Inspiration! Thanks for sharing!

[Susan R]

1 hour ago, RithiaAllen said:

If it makes you feel better I'll share with you a visual time line. 

I've always enjoyed seeing the before and after pics but the actual progression is even better.  Back before I started transitioning, I used to spend hours watching video pictorial timelines on YouTube.  One of the things that inspired me to make a change in myself was seeing that it could actually be done.  Thank you Rithia for taking time and presenting this here.

 

Susan R?

[Susan]

Hey all. Honestly, I have not seen a lot of changes with me other than my chest and that has stared to change a little faster since I started taking progesterone. It is disappointing but I know it takes time to. I am happy that something I had done with my eyebrows and hair have made me feel much better. Well I just wanted to add my two cents worth. Hugs all!

[KymmieL]

Thanks for posting up what I am looking forward too. Hope to start HRT later this month. I hope my change is as great as yours was.

 

Kymmie

[RithiaAllen]

25 minutes ago, Jani said:

I think the idea of transitioning is to change your outlook on life, physically and mentally.  You're moving in that direction.  You certainly wouldn't want to upend your whole life by changing everything?   Obviously things will eventually change and your life will be dramatically different.  It just takes time.  Remember puberty is a multi year event and so is re-inventing ourselves.  You've been on the fast track for some time now.  Time to slow down and let things settle in.  

 

Natalie, thank you for posting the wonderful photos of your journey.  You've made tremendous progress.  

 

Jani

 

Yes the physical changes take time and the transition for others in our life takes time too. My Mom found my letter from my therapist recommending HRT. My Mom spent the rest of the spare time she alone with me telling me don't do it, that I am not a girl and that if I did it I would wake up one day a man in a woman body. I argued with her telling her no that isn't going to happen because I had spent 27 years living as a woman in a guys body. She took my HRT letter and then called my therapist and said I was presenting as a guy so I couldn't get my SRS. Thankfully my therapist saw through it.

 

Later on my Mom accepted the transition but she didn't go down without a fight. It still took her years not to use my birth name or male pronouns out in public. Yes years as in plural. Then my sister and my Mom blabbed to my sister's fiancé which ticked me off because then it spread to the entire set of in laws and I got a mix of uncomfortable and overcompensating the entire freaking time. My sister also had my youngest sister be the maid of honor and didn't even invite me so I didn't go to the wedding.

 

I wish I could say this petty crap didn't happen but it does and my middle sister won't talk to me which is fine because I hate her. Next Christmas when I get there I fully intend to go as girly as I can and cause a scene. So they stop treating me like this. Better to get in a fight and get it out in the open or show them ME so they stop treating me like I have a third leg.

 

13 minutes ago, Ashlee said:

What a great timeline! Beautiful! Iook Forward to the big changes. You look great girl! 

Ashlee ❤️

 

Looking at the photo from your avatar (clicking on it to get the large image) you are already seeing large changes and are also very pretty. No wonder why when you came out asking if there was anything different they where so matter of fact that you were a girl.

 

10 minutes ago, Josie Beth said:

Inspiration! Thanks for sharing!

 

You're welcome

 

7 minutes ago, Susan R said:

I've always enjoyed seeing the before and after pics but the actual progression is even better.  Back before I started transitioning, I used to spend hours watching video pictorial timelines on YouTube.  One of the things that inspired me to make a change in myself was seeing that it could actually be done.  Thank you Rithia for taking time and presenting this here.

 

Susan R?

 

For me it was watching a voice training session with a young woman that had already transitioned and realizing that it was possible. I tried to reach out and ask where she found the people and what the steps where but never got a response. I guess they thought I was an admirer so I don't have ill feelings. I found Laura's Playground and the wealth of information, found a therapist and the rest was history. It quite literally saved my life.

 

Just now, Susan said:

Hey all. Honestly, I have not seen a lot of changes with me other than my chest and that has stared to change a little faster since I started taking progesterone. It is disappointing but I know it takes time to. I am happy that something I had done with my eyebrows and hair have made me feel much better. Well I just wanted to add my two cents worth. Hugs all!

 

How long have you been on HRT? It took about six months to start being changes outside of breasts which where developing very early on.

 

Just now, KymmieL said:

Thanks for posting up what I am looking forward too. Hope to start HRT later this month. I hope my change is as great as yours was.

 

Kymmie

 

I wish you luck.

[Beverly]

1 hour ago, Kirsten said:

 For me it’s more than the looks stuff though. I just feel like I’m still living my old life. Same job. Same friends. Same roles. Same everything. But I am not the same. I feel like I don’t fit in my own life. 

I have a night out planned this Friday with a girlfriend. And another on the 16th with a trans friend. I’m hoping it helps me feel more like I’m moving forward. Because it just seems like when we hang out with our friends I am expected to be the old me. And although I love my friends, I don’t want to be that person. I want to be me. 

Its when I see all this that my dysphoria really kicks in. It’s like it amplifies everything else. Because no matter how I look, I’m still living that same boy life as before. 

Hey Kirsten! I know our situations are way different with you being married and I'm single, but you're on the road to a happier social life being the REAL you however that unfolds in the future! I had a few guy friends before I came out and no girl friends. My social life was awful. I hated pretending to enjoy doing guy stuff. Now, I have lots of fun girl friends, I work out with a lot of new women friends at my new gym, and I'm always busy doing fun stuff with one of the girls in my life now. The only thing is that my newer friends don't know I'm trans, and I'm really enjoying being seen only as a woman and not a trans woman. So, how all this 'new me' stuff unfolds is still up in the air, I guess. Reading your other posts you seem to enjoy having a good time with other women as a woman, as do I. It's a happy development I hadn't anticipated before transitioning. Good vibes your way, sis! 

[SaraAW]

Thank you so much for the post Rithia. You look wonderful and very happy. 

 

Susan R, like you, I have watched many transition timelines on YouTube and find inspiration and hope. 

 

It it is also from this board and the wonderful people here that help me make it through each day. 

 

*hugs*

[Kirsten]

Thanks @Beverly  I really hope that I can start to get some friends that treat me as me now and not me before. 

I am very thankful for everyone’s input on this. I have been getting more and more depressed for a few weeks now. And I really had no idea why. Literally when I look in the mirror I see all the changes. I see me and not Michael. And I’m overjoyed by that. My wife and I have really worked towards strengthening our bond and I’ve really been working towards going out with my couple female/trans friends. Even though it never seems to happen. I’ve put in so much time with my kids and their issues lately, and we are really doing so well. But it just kept getting more bleak. More painful. More depressing. 

After seeing everyone’s helpful input I think I understand why now. I don’t know how to change anything other than that evil 4-letter cuss word......TIME. But maybe by realizing it, I can deal with the negative aspect a little better. And I really think that my nights out will help some. But I do see it ending up that I am still treated like Michael. At least from my people. Idk. 

[RithiaAllen]

Just now, Kirsten said:

Thanks @Beverly  I really hope that I can start to get some friends that treat me as me now and not me before. 

I am very thankful for everyone’s input on this. I have been getting more and more depressed for a few weeks now. And I really had no idea why. Literally when I look in the mirror I see all the changes. I see me and not Michael. And I’m overjoyed by that. My wife and I have really worked towards strengthening our bond and I’ve really been working towards going out with my couple female/trans friends. Even though it never seems to happen. I’ve put in so much time with my kids and their issues lately, and we are really doing so well. But it just kept getting more bleak. More painful. More depressing. 

After seeing everyone’s helpful input I think I understand why now. I don’t know how to change anything other than that evil 4-letter cuss word......TIME. But maybe by realizing it, I can deal with the negative aspect a little better. And I really think that my nights out will help some. But I do see it ending up that I am still treated like Michael. At least from my people. Idk. 

 

I know it sucks that people are not treating you the way you want to be treated but they are still mentally processing the changes. For you this is a long time in the coming but for them this is rapid.

 

You know my family issues. Others have had their spouses leave them and take their kids leaving them to struggle to look for a place to stay, pay child support and alimony and not be allowed to see their kids while the mom turns them against them. Then their job fires them. One of my friends years ago went through all this and it was so distressing seeing it and unable to help.

 

So when you feel you are being treated the same just remember things could be so much worse.

[Cyndee]

13 minutes ago, RithiaAllen said:

 

So when you feel you are being treated the same just remember things could be so much worse.

 

I agree with this thought above from Rithia, keeping things in perspective is healthy. Your social circle will change as you transition, some may come with you from the previous life, others will be replaced by new relationships. Try not to loose sight of all that is good and healthy, change is certain, it's life evolving before your very eyes. Be kind to yourself at least once a day, always make a little time for yourself.

 

Hugs

 

C -

[Kirsten]

It’ll just be nice to start seeing it. And it definitely could be worse. That much I do know, and I am very thankful for everything so far. 

 

[jo_g]

Amazing. Thank you for sharing.

[RithiaAllen]

Just now, jo_g said:

Amazing. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks

[DeeDee]

Thank you for sharing, the changes over time are amazing. x  

[RithiaAllen]

3 hours ago, DeeDee said:

Thank you for sharing, the changes over time are amazing. x  

 

When I started I had no idea the changes would be so good. I know I was very fortunate.