one ts friend of mine got her official name last friday and yesterday she had to perform in public for the first time as a woman. She said she was afraid, but what else could she do, but just act normal. She has only 3 months on hormones behind to back her up.
I remember my similar situation, it was the next day after my name change. I had to present some plans in a board meeting. With no voice therapy behind...I just had to be brave and do it.
After that I have noticed, you gain routine, you can relax...and be yourself. And what else can you do? After all you ARE a woman.

Laura

Thats the bit i'm finding hard Laura, with the name change has come the rest,trying to be normal and control the voice without theropy. It is hard and i feel for you friend i know how she feels and how you felt, hope all goes well for her......Hugz Julie xx

Julie...

Time will heal the wounds . The constant awareness changes slowly into comfort and you start to ENJOY your role. Voice therapy helps a lot.

Laura

Thanx Laura, i am looking into it so hopefully soon things my change in the voice department......Hugz Julie xx

You are right Sandra.

I had over one year on hormones behind as I had my name change...and had already serious problems in passing any more as a man. But the normal procedure here is that once you have the diagnosis, you may start the RLE, even starting the hormones at the same time. It is up to you. And very few of us have the nerve to wait until they have better chances to pass.

Laura

My problem or contradiction was that I was externally more a woman than a man, but lacked totally the voice therapy. I didn´t want to pay it from my own pocket, cause I knew I would get it for the governmental price 6 euro/h, once I have got my diagnosis. But I didn´t know the waiting lines were that long...I had to wait about 9 months to get to the voice therapist. And we are no emergency patients at the phoniatric policlinics, those who have totally lost their voice in accidents or by cancer always get there before us.

Laura

I don´t say it is right, but our system monitors also the passing and those who have no chance, will not get their name change and will probably even not get their diagnosis F 64.0, transsexual.
As you know, we have a monopolistic governmental system, with no alternatives.

Laura

I agree with Sandra, Ziggy, the RLE is to prevent the, fairly infrequent, individual from getting SRS before realizing that they have made a mistake. Those "failures" post SRS are unhappy and often suicidal. In fact, the delays that most TS face are based on protecting those few SRS "errors". I'm not sure if the reason is as much to benefit the individual TG as to protect the individual M.D. from the repercussions.

What disturbs me the most is that it is not clear to me that more lives are being saved than lost by delaying SRS for appropriate TS in order to protect those doctors. Is the price of protecting individuals from exerting the right to make their own decisions and mistakes too high to justify it? We all make mistakes in our lives and have to pay for it. Are TS "children" who need to be protected like they were somehow developmentally disabled?