A space for positive trans posts
 

The rules of this thread are simple. Post something positive relating to being trans. It could be anything, something that made you smile, a positive change, hope for the future. Anything that is uplifting.


*HUGS* For all!

Curse to Blessing
 

When I finally acknowledged I was a transman, I thought I was cursed. My first injection, I'd like to tell y'all that I was stoic, strong, all excited and happy and rarin' to go. Nu uh. I was married even-- but I cried, thought no one could love me "this way". I can handle injections well, but the emotional side of it caused me to almost rip the arms off a stuffed animal I was hugging just to have something in my hands and arms.

Over time though, the shame and fear turned to pride.

I've had experiences and perspectives that others just do not "get" because of being a trans. I can easily see both sides of the coin when others are struggling to make sense of things. It truly is a blessing, not a curse. And I remember that when people try to belittle me for being this way. Sling your arrows elsewhere. I KNOW who and what I am. I'm damn proud of the man I became and continue to become each day. One day, I'll find a woman who loves me "scars and all". After all, scars are tattoos for the bold.

~Nicholas

Being accepted as who I am without question. I consider myself lucky in that I have a supportive work and personal life. For me, it's the fact that so many of my closest friends are male friends who treat me as one of the guys without making it awkward or anything weird.

About a year ago a friend of mine had a medical emergency at his house. I had to call 911. He did not give me his address so I had to go thru a lot of red tape to get his info. I was on the phone for 3 hours with the sheriff and a bunch of different operators. I gave my name as it is legally, which is a male name. The operators/police never asked for my gender. In the morning a person from the hospital called me and when they heard my morning voice (I wasn't on T at that time) they told me they were looking for a male. I simply told them that I was a transgender male. They were cool about it. What really amazed me is that the sheriff assumed I was male and didn't think twice about it. I am really glad that my friend was ok.

One of the nice things about transitioning is that you get to see things from the opposite side of the fence, that you had been on, previously. It gets interesting, at times. :)

I feel like when I feel happy now (vs before) I tend to be able to feel happy in a lot more complete way. The feeling of joy post-top surgery...I'm not sure how to describe that feeling of completely misery to complete joy. Now even when I'm upset or depressed there's still that sense of joy left over...even depression is a little happier now lol

Every milestone that we reach, things get a little bit better for us, I think. For example, going to the lady's room was extremely difficult and scary, for me, at first. Now, it is just a part of my everyday experience, and I don't really think about it.

I agree. Using the restroom is a big change. I used single stall bathrooms for so long multi stall bathrooms were kinda awkward.

I got over it by just going in and washing my hands. Then by using less populated bathrooms like ones at parks and now I am pretty much used to using the men's. Having someone in there with you can also make you feel safer.

A friend of mine used to push herself into doing things that terrified her, during transition, by telling herself: "I need to do this. I have a right to do this. I will feel a lot better, after I have done this." It worked, for her, and I occasionally used it, to push myself into doing things, as well.

A space for positive trans posts
 

Great Thread!

I was mowing my overgrown yard Thursday, June 13, 2013, and I accidentally got whacked in the forehead with a piece of very large heavy gauge steel fencing after I had been mowing for over an hour and forty minutes. I felt of my forehead and there was not any blood, so I finished mowing for another 20 minutes. I went in the house took a shower and cooled down. Then, I called an old friend and we talked for two hours about anything and everything.

To make a long story short, I was not feeling so well about three hours after I had been whacked in the head. It felt like someone was hitting me in the forehead with a sledgehammer and in the back of my head with another sledgehammer. The two excedrins I had taken did nothing to even phase the pain so, I decided to go to the ER to check it out. I figured I had a concussion and just wanted to make sure that's all it was.

Once the doctor saw me, I told her what happened along with me being transgender and that I was not a woman. She understood and was fine with the information. A little while later, I told my nurse that I was not now nor have I ever been a woman, girl, lady or any feminine type of person. She understood too. She even stayed in my little ER room and talked to me for about 20 minutes before her shift was about to be over. We talked and laughed. I shared stories about my life with her and she shared a very personal story of her own about her son and her ex husband.

A little while later, I had a shot of morphine and thirty minutes after that I was given a CT scan. The CT scan made my head hurt worse than when I first went into the hospital. My nurse was attending to a man they had just put in my room and I called her name. She answered me by pulling back the little curtain and saying, "Yes, sir." That made my day. She got it and she understood.

BUMPING...
 

... for More positivity!

I'm pretty positive that I am transgender. :P

One of my friends that hasn't seen me in a long time was very amused with my happy trail and tried to tickle my belly lol.

I've been going to a temp labor place for work, until I find a job, and I met a butch there, that had never met a transwoman before. She has started learning about transfolk, thru me, and seems to have had some illusions dispelled, that she had thought about us. :)

It seems fitting that I found this thread today. After 46 years I am finally getting my prescription for T on Wed. Thanks to three wonderful women, my doctor, my therapist and WingsOnFire as well as many brothers on here I have the courage to face a fear. Giving myself shots. I had to laugh though when my therapist was reading the DSV-TR requirements for G.I.D. When she got to the requirement of presenting as a man she busted out laughing. The good laugh and I joined in with her. She wrote her first T letter for me and didn't even have to.

WingsOnFire has been nothing but loving and supportive and God forbid anyone give me crap for my decision around her.

My doctor is little bucket of energy and is almost as excited as I am. She even put little notes on my baseline tests.

Congrats on starting T. :)

There is nothing like being around a group of transmen and FtM guys. The laughter and similar stories is refreshing. I love Tuesday nights

That can be fun, I know. Mind you, I am on the other side of the path, but I do know that it is good to be around others that understand what you are going thru. You can also get advice from them, a lot of the time. :)

Met another T guy tonight. Its nice to be able to hang with other guys who understand and accept me. It is freedom to just be who I am and not worry about anything at all.

Nothing but smiles
 

I spent the afternoon well a couple of hours at least with four other trans guys and it was beyond description. All of us are at different levels of transition and not one of us talked about it. It was just so unbelievable to be around guys that have been there, are going through it, that accept me as the real me and not the outer shell that the rest of society sees.
To top it off it is going to be a regular occurrence since the five us have something else in common beyond being trans.I do love the energy we share and the similar experience no matter our age or background. However I was a little envious of all the facial hair...(scratching my chin as I think this).

I've lived in exactly four different places since I started transitioning. A small town in Michigan, Dallas ( for about a month and a half), Houston, and now here in Florida. I have had exactly ONE person clock me, since I have been here. Otherwise, no one seems to realize that I am ts, unless I tell them. It is interesting to look back, and see how hard that we fought to get where we are, when it finally happens, that we are accepted.

BUMPING...
 

...in hopes of keeping a positive dialogue open. I had participated in a male-id butch / trans group at The Center in Manhattan. I was/am struck by how poorly people feel about themselves. It all starts with you: Self-love. Self-acceptance.

Discuss.

I would have to agree with this statement.

Sometimes I think it is hard for people to love themselves. In our society loving yourself is considered "vain" or "conceited". The fact is if you like and accept yourself as you are that is healthy.

Its hard to love and accept being in a body that feels "wrong". I can't speak for anyone else but myself really. I have some issues with dysphoria but I realize things like I can do most anything any other man can do. (I might need to attach somethings but hey, what guy wouldn't want to be any size he chooses at any given time? Haha) I also have come to realize that I don't have dysphoria about a lot of my body and I focus on the things I can do with it and what I am thankful for.

For trans folks there is a big focus on change that we have to let go of sometimes. We have to understand that what is on the inside is what counts and we are people despite our "parts". Those parts do not define us the way our souls do.

I just realized, yesterday, that I am likely going to have to train my new VA health care providers on transgender health care. This is going to be 'interesting'.

Thanks
 

Reflection making me smile...
My cousin's initial response upon learning of my transition.
Which he later shared with me while we were both cracking up
and smoking cigars together.
"Well, we knew he was seriously butch, but not that butch."
Love it.

I am so grateful that I have such wonderful healthcare providers. I do not have health insurance, but I have healthcare for no/low income people. I did not join the clinic which targets trans folks, but one that targets native americans. Each person there treats me, as well as my partner, with respect and kindness, and I find them to be genuine. My doctor is just as excited about my pending top surgery, as I am. I wish every transperson had the resources available to them, that I do.

Smiles.
 

The Man In The Glass
Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please – never mind all the rest
For he’s with you, clear to the end
And you’ve passed your most difficult, dangerous test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

I hope it is ok for me to post in this space....
 

This story is about a week or two old, but it was just so refreshing to read an article about a transgendered individual that didn't have to do with them being murdered, bullied, assaulted, or committing suicide due to one or more of the aforementioned; and so, I wanted to post it even if most of you have already seen it.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...98L0GZ20130922

mmmmmmmmmmm
 

When He walks, His swagger.

When He rubs His whiskers on my cheeks.

His shoulders.

This list could get really lengthy...

i heart Ftm's

i love their hearts and souls, their bravery. Keep shining.

A new friend called me a nice young man. I got one of those stupid happy grins. I swear it never gets old.

It appears that I was wrong. My doctor, whom I finally met the other day, has three other transgender patients. :)

Hi, Liam. I can't remember if you told us who was doing your top surgery?

What's the date of the surgery? Good luck to you!

I don't know the name of the surgeon, it will be a student though. I don't know the date either, my name is on a list, and my Doctor's best guesstimate was sometime this Fall, although I'm beginning to think it might be Winter, instead.

Interesting, I have never heard of someone not being given a date. Well, when you do find out, make sure you let us know (top surgery thread, perhaps), so that we can cheer you on! :goodluck:

You know it still surprises me how accepting this area is. More so how wonderful my college has been and is being when it comes to anything relating to me being an open and out transgender pre op FtM. I finally had to have the bathroom talk with student services today. I was having difficulty with some individuals when I used one of the two men's rooms so at the time I choose to do everything possible not to use the restroom ay school. You know one of those puck your battles situations. After all I will not be going there four years. Well I was reminded Friday that my bladder shrinks to the size of a pea in the winter and recalling the hassles from last semester I used the woman's room hoping it was empty. I feel bad for the woman that was in there bcs I scared the shit out of her. Hell if I was a woman and someone that looked like me walk into the restroom I would have been scared to. So I decided it was time to take the issue to the decision makers today. I sure didn't want to scare anyone or put up with harassment I didn't have to. The woman in student services was wonderful. Of course she couldn't make any decisions but I knew she would know the rest of the steps and people. So she listened and made sure I hadn't experienced anything hateful then took me to the first in line for these things. She did all the talking referred to me in all the proper pro nouns and other terms. Then again she has been wonderful in her treatment to me since I started school. I don't even mind it when she refers to me as the schools test subject jokingly. It was decided the campus president would have to handle this issue. So I have to talk to him tomorrow mainly because he wants to hear first hand about the incidents that occurred when I attempted to use the men's room and to get my input on how to handle it. Again he has always been great with me and very respectful so I am not to worried about it. I guess I am still amazed by the responces because it is so drastic from what I would have gotten back home. Doesn't hurt that my T has helped my responces to these things at least that's what I give the credit to for my more rational thinking and calmer approach to things. Let's hope I don't loose the right to take it on Thursday and if I do these are two of the things I get to keep from having used T.

BumpING...
 

Bump up the positive thinking, posting, sharing, being.

I am attending a three week/six session empowerment workshop for trans folk. My co-attendees range in age from young to old, with those preferring male, female and gender neutral pronouns. I am honored to hear their stories, and they inspire me to continue to be out as a trans man. Forty years ago I could see the importance of being out, believing that the stigma attached to being queer would lose its weight and there would be more acceptance for lesbians and gay men. I've witnessed the truth of this in my lifetime, and while not everyone may embrace the rainbow family, enough do, to make it feel safer to be queer. So I have put aside my fear once again, to say to the world, this is who I am, and it is okay to be me.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding things, but did you say that you might lose the right to take T ??? NO ONE has the right to tell you that, not anyone at all! If anyone tells you that, tell them that I say to them: "Fuck you!".

I hope that what you meant was that you might lose the right to use the men's room. Please show the university president your 'Carry Letter.' That should help take care of the problem, if your's is anything like my 'Carry Letter'.

Hang in there, honey, and good luck. Hugs, Nadine