Thank you for the warm welcome ladies.

Well adjusted? I can honestly say that I feel that I am getting there. As I stated in my original post, there was therapy, and I found a great group of "girls" just like me! My liberation was acceptance of who I am. Granted I still have self-imposed boundaries, (not coming out to my family, or in my place of employment) I am fairly comfortable coming and going as I please. To date, I don't think any of my neighbors have seen me leave or return to my apartment in drag. If they have, perhaps they haven't made the connection that he and she are one in the same. Once the connection is made, I don't think it's going to be much of an issue, it doesn't bother me, that some of the girls in the apartments here, dress like men.

Not quite ready to take the trip down the hormone lane, but my best investment so far has been laser hair reduction on my face. It allows me to use much less makeup. Next, I'm getting my arms zapped, the hair is much too coarse, grows much too fast to bleach or keep shaved. I've tried an epilator (rotary tweezers, if you will), and I just can't get drunk enough to endure the pain, and stay sober enough to get the job done! Oh, the agony of birth into the wrong body.

Knikol

Hello all,
I'm a middle-age tranny living in the American heartland. I first came out to my (ex-)wife about three and a half years ago, so you can see where that got me. But what the hell, I'm no longer in therapy, no more anti-depressants, and couldn't be happier! While in therapy, I finally made the decision to accept that I was different, and that to be truly happy, I needed to follow my heart, damn what (most) people think. Okay, so I haven't been able to come out to my family, I just don't think my father would understand. I think I may be able to share my secret with my "little sister" (she's 38) I think she can cope with the fact that her brother is "different". (I think she may be bisexual) My older sisters might actually be okay with their "other sister", but I feel that I need to test the water with my younger sister first. (Perhaps I'll bring you up to speed on what happens with an update, sometime in the future)

I belong to a crossdresser/transgender support group in my city. We meet twice a month, and I go out regularly after meetings with some of the other "girls". I also go out a couple more times a month with one of the other girls, we typically meet at a coffee shop, go shopping, to dinner, then a concert, stage show, or the like. We have come to the conclusion, that we're probably "read" 80 percent of the time, but we're more interested in doing the things that women do, than to be concerned with such trivial things as "passing". We're usually treated very well, and seldom encounter any negative reactions. And we ALWAYS have a great time! I really think it is the attitude, more than anything else.

My first "public" exposure was Halloween, probably in 1995. Then again in 1996, 1997,... you get the idea. When I came out to my ex-wife, she said that she sort of wondered about my "eagerness" to dress up for Halloween. Since I've been a member of a crossdresser/transgender group, I don't recall dressing up for Halloween! I'm WAY past that.

I've really enjoyed reading about those of you that have shared your stories in this forum. I look forward to checking in frequently, to read more, and to get aquainted with you.

Hugs,
Knikol
(I know, it's a weird spelling of Nichole, but it sounds the same. It's unique, like me.)

Welcome, Knikol. I hope you find this board as useful as I have. I am glad to hear that you have found a local TG group; such a group helped me a lot.

Heather H.

Hi Knikol

Welcome.

You seem enormously well adjusted and I look forward to reading more from you.

Hugs

Sarah