I'm glad to hear, Meredith. I know that liberating feeling. A certain carelessness... it's the same way any other person goes about their business. The best way of being out, i'd say. If we are relaxed other people relax too. Well, most of them anyway...

That's great!
Since we moved into our own place I'm so pleased that Abi is becoming a more regular part of our lives- I never know who I'm gonna come home to!
She's seems to be so much more confident & at ease with herself. Mind you, there are downsides- she got so confident that she started to sunbathe in the backyard & got spotted by the neighbours' kids, wearing a halterneck & miniskirt! That's now made her a talking point among the neighbourhood's teenagers who seem to want to congregate & try to coax her out as some kind of "freak". That kind of thing takes sensitive handling & I think we are managing it ok.
Hope the same kinda thing doesn't happen to you, unless, of course, you feel able to deal with it.
Unfortunately, society as a whole is still suspicious & ignorant & can hang labels all too easily.

Hope it all goes well for you.

Hugs & kisses XXX

Mind you, as an afterthought & thinking about this topic further, I think it's fair to say that in my expereience & talking to others, SOs worry so much about the reception of our girls, almost to where it feels like a mother protecting a child against bullying.
The world can be such a cruel place.

Gillian: we should ALL be lucky enough to have supportive and
accepting S/O's such as yourself!

Mere,

I've been doing a lot of thinking about this lately. It really comes down to returning to the same social oppression I experienced as a child. The dangers are somewhat greater but so am I. Larger and more able to take care of myself. So it's not the risk, per se, but the possible return to a situation I spent a lifetime escaping from. I've lived where people were actively trying to kill me before...the fear then was not the same kind and the odds of someone seriously trying to kill me for being TG are far less. I guess my real fear is the risk of again burying Wendy if I put up a wall against my fears....re-burying the good parts that have been missing. Whichever, emotional or physical, the risk is there...more so for those of us with families and homes. Already I have to decide between living where I have to hide Wendy to be close to my S.O. or living where I can be completely open, but live almost 100 miles away. Of make a choice that leaves me somewhere in between. At least I have that choice. but it's a choice between different sources of unhappiness. Many have much more difficult choices. Some because of obligations. Some because they MUST live openly as women. I'm not even sure anymore what choice I really have that I can live with.

I know you must feel uncertain at times and even fearful, as you have related to us in the past, but you are right in your choices. You know what you need. Freedom always has a price. Live in the wilderness and you risk not having medical care close by. Live in the city to be close to culture and you risk crime. We do deserve legal protection, like anyone else. We have to face the fact that biology loves differences but society hates them. My feeling on it is you have to push the envelope as hard as you personally feel the need. If you don't, you will live someone else's life and not your own. You will never truly be happy. Each of us has to determine how far our envelope needs to be pushed. Approach-avoidance is clearly in operation here. There IS a definite sense of not being able to put the Genie back into the bottle after you feel that sense of liberation. Only common sense keeps me from just totally coming out right now. It will have to wait until I am independently secure again. How did people do this before the internet...when they were alone and without support? I suppose only those of us most driven were able to do it. As society puts more pressure on those who abuse us for our lifestyle, it should get easier.

Go for it Mere. You know what you need.

Mere, U GO GIRL!!
i know the feeling of the freedom.
I share a house with My friends and My God children, at night, once they are in bed i will dress and wander around the house.

Sometimes i need to get things out of my car, which is sitting in the open yard out the front of my house.
Now as i live on the main street of my suburb, the 1 leading to the train station, we always have people traveling up and down the road even late at night, and right next door i have an appartment building where people can easily see down into my front yard, so even at night walking out into the yard dressed just to get something out of my car is a risk, Which i love to take

Walking outside and not careing if people see me, (at night anyway) i just feel free and feel right about myself, as u say the genie has been let out of the bottle and the genie never wants to go back in

hugs
Simone

I spent my whole childhood sneeking around the house dressed up hen no-one was about.
I'm only just getting used to being able to move freely around the building dressed up (so to speek) since I told my parents.
I don't think I could go outside though. You're lucky to be so brave!
Good luck with breaking the news!

Mere....you've come a long way, babe....as the saying goes. Gotta stop those stupid sayings....they're dating me. But then again I grew up with my Mom spouting sayings she grew up with....it's a curse.
Back to the subject....Glad to hear you're doing what comes "natch-ur-ly" if you going to live as a female might as well look and act like one. Make friends with some hairy truck driver and he/she will keep you safe.....he, he... just kidding.
lol

Absolutely Wonderful!!!!!!

Hope your day is going well.

Hugz,
MIchelle Lynn

Mere, you go girl! I'm kind of envious of you because I would like to be able to do what you are and will be doing, but I just can't right now...and maybe never will. But we're all in your corner rootin' for you. Just be careful...k?

Hugs & kisses,

Monika

P.S. quit being so smart in the quiz...ok?

Hi ya Mere ........
Omg i amm so happy you are coming to be, it is a totaly liberating feeling .....
I hope you keep up the posative moves girl ........just do what your mind and heart tells you and you will be fine with your self.
Sara

Go for it.. I'm in the same place, not really caring who knows.. I'm good looking enough to be pleasant, all my clothes are nice, and fit properly. and I cart reverse what I have started, so who cares..

God, I love freedom so much.

just keep to safe places, like a GG, and ull be ok.

x Bre

Mere, it sounds brilliant, and you're smart enough to stay safe. I think it's great that you're becoming your true self. Good luck and keep us all posted.

I had a pretty good day myself. My wife came back from a shopping trip and handed me some blusher, eye shadow and a make up bag. She's really great and I'm so lucky to have her.

Would meet you in the chatroom but I'm unable to download Flash for some reason. Urgh!

Let us know how your progress goes.