Just Joined

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  • Hi all,

    There doesn't appear to be a "hai I'm new here!" forum, so I thought I'd post here.

    Just joined up, after making the decision to MtF transition earlier this month. I'd spent the last year thinking things over, evaluating my life, figuring out my needs and desires. And I kept coming back to the same conclusion - that I'm not going to be happy, or be myself, until I begin this journey.

    Looking forward to being here and hopefully meeting some cool, like-minded people!

      November 20, 2017 3:21 PM GMT
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  • Welcome Shauna, I thought there was a new members forum, there again it might be the coming out forum, lots to see and read here, verging on the inane, insane, humerous, and informative and some heartrendering posts.

    Cristine Jennifer Shye.  B/L.  B/Acc
      November 20, 2017 3:56 PM GMT
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  • Ah yes, I just found the forum at the very bottom of the list.

     

    Well then... nothing to see here =P

      November 20, 2017 4:34 PM GMT
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  • virtually everyone in here is dealing to some degree with their gender and/or related topics.  Since we're not mind readers, without input from you, we can only guess where you're at! (smile)  So feel free to bring up thoughts, ideas, or questions pertaining to your transition (or heck, just about anything) and hopefully you'll find responses and information to be quite useful to you going forward!

    Enjoy your journey!

    Best wishes always...

    Traci xoxo

    <p>Traci</p>
      November 20, 2017 5:20 PM GMT
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  • Well, I've finished what I consider the exploration phase of researching, buying clothes and trying them, making my first appearance at a local LGBTQ+ resource centre, etc, and I'm into the first actions phase.

     

    I've come out to some close friends and family to varying degrees of success, I just heard back from a gender issues knowledgeable psych and am booking my first appointment, and I'm practicing voice and makeup in preparation for presenting for the first time (aiming for early next year to venture out).

     

    I guess hormones and deciding when I'm comfortable to try presenting are the next biggest steps - the public stage.

      November 20, 2017 5:50 PM GMT
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  • I'd strongly urge that you do not rush things in coming out.  First thing I would do is to begin electrolysis for facial and neck hair removal.  This is very time consuming and expensive, but it also is the single most important thing you can do to successfully "pass" out there.  Your skin will look years younger and you'll never have to worry about 5 o'clock shadows giving you away ever again.  This will mean you also do not have to cake on makeup to hide your beard.  Today, applying whatever makeup I use (just some eye liner and mascara, lipstick, and a sweep of blush takes less than 10 minutes to apply after I moisturize my face.  

    Allow those around you to "transition" with you meaning that people will not notice the slow, subtle changes going on.  When we rush into telling the world, we tend to shock others who are not prepared to respond to this.  In turn, rather than dealing with it, they generally just drift away from your life and never enter into it again.  So truly do allow your body, and especially the mind, to go forward with your morphing and gently just assume a more feminine appearance and demeanor.  Eventually those near you will say "it's about time" when you finally do come out to the world.

    Hope that makes sense...

    Traci xoxo

    <p>Traci</p>
      November 20, 2017 6:33 PM GMT
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  • I'm lucky in that I don't have too vicious of a facial hair problem - I'd actually had problems growing a proper beard in the first place lol! Hair removal is something I'm going to look into though.

     

    And no, I'm not rushing into anything. I'm aiming for presenting early next year, but that's just a goal that I'll move as things either progress or slow. Coming out and making that change isn't an exact science for sure, so I'll do it when I feel ready - whenever that ends up being.

     

    I'd definitely like to be on hormones for a bit before coming out to the world, I'd think. Not that I have a seriously masculine look anyways, but having some feminization and letting my hair grow are two things that'll definitely help me both on the outside and on the inside.

      November 20, 2017 7:06 PM GMT
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  • Having your body running on estrogen is an entirely different paradigm...things are truly going to change in how you see the world.  Any built up angst, anger, aggression, and anxiety with will evaporate replaced by a new found sense of clarity as if time were standing still.  You'll lose that "need" to win always and instead be able to reach consensus and agreements.  You'll just feel "right" inside.  Visual stimulation will be replaced by a need for scents, sounds, touches and caresses.  All in all, it has been the mental changes that I find most pleasing over the obvious physical morphing.  

    Best wishes always!

    Traci xoxo

    <p>Traci</p>
      November 21, 2017 5:17 AM GMT
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  • That all sounds awesome =)

     

    I've never been particularly masculine with the need to battle (unless I'm defending my rights or others'), but having that extra feeling towards reconciliation will be awesome. All I've read and watched about how estrogen affects the mind is exactly how I want to be.

      November 21, 2017 4:58 PM GMT
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  • You'll know it when you arrive in your "happy place"!  There's no mistaking it! (smile)

    Traci xoxo

    <p>Traci</p>
      November 22, 2017 12:52 AM GMT
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