[theoddz]

Hmmmmm....well, I've never thought about declining an opportunity of getting to know a woman I've found to be interesting, simply because she was "girly" and I suspected that that fact was going to "cost" me, monetarily.

My best friend of over 25 years is a delightful Femme and has been my friend and confidant for all these years. When we've gone out for a meal, a few of the waitresses we've had have openly flirted with me. Irene gets a good laugh out of it because I never seem to notice it. It goes right over my head. I am a friendly guy, of course, and I try to smile at everyone and be sweet, give compliments and such, but I guess I hardly ever see the "flirt" part of it, mostly because I've "deconditioned" myself to it for so many years.

Being my age (now 51), and having lived so many of my years in a Butch shell, before transitioning, I developed a sort of "skin", or 2X4 nature, and I think that is because of the (seemingly) constant whispering, snickering, demeaning and sometimes just calloused remarks aimed at us by str8 homo/transphobes. It's like you just turn that switch off that notices how others look at us, talk about us, etc. As it turns out, that's a double edged sword because I have trouble recognizing/paying attention to a woman who might be trying to get my attention in the flirty, or positive, sense. Oh, I have pretty good "gaydar", having lived in the Lesbian/Queer world for 30+ years, but I'm not good with recognizing the "come on".

Since completely transitioning and now passing 100%, I've found that this particular trait I have with this has served to my definite disadvantage, because unlike most/many of my XY brothers, I just don't have that "aggressive" confident trait of pursuing a woman, or recognizing her attentions. It's really left me out in the cold a lot of times.

I prefer a woman who is more subtly direct, if that makes sense. It's not what I'd term "aggressive", insomuch as more directly approaching me and wanting to get to know me. Once the cards are on the table, I'm much more likely to work my courage up to go further. If she's more after my friendship first, the more likely I am to be attracted to her.

On the other hand, I often wonder if I had had the opportunity to have transitioned say, in my 20's or earlier, would I be differently-minded?? Perhaps.....yeah.....probably.

~Theo~