OK, so i sent a video a few weeks ago about a girl who transitioned, and an old customer put up a big fuss about it, and all teh customers defended the girl (It was the show "What would you do"?). So we talked about it and she said it is a real medical condition, and that some TG women had come into her store and she did not know they were TG until they told her. OK so far. Now i sent her the Anderson Cooper interview with the SEAL Team 6 member, Chris, who came out after retiring. I just said, ".....imagine keeping that hidden all that time?", then to be "funny", I asked if maybe he had come into her store? So let's see where this goes!? and where did this bold type come from???  ; /

Come out or come out not....there is no Try. - Woda

But seriously, I did something similar when I wanted to tell some of those close to me.  I would do something different now but I understand needing to feel out the people who matter to you.  Sometimes they suprise you.  Sometimes it is in a good way; not always.  My brother does not know because I found out that he was a bigot, on GLBT issues, before I told him.  In a way, he has lost me.  Good luck with your journey.

Thank you, Wendy, and i am sorry to hear that your brother is lost to you. So what would you do differerntly?

-Robin xxx

When I told my mother back in the early 1970's unfortunately there were no such video's around - but I used the trick of telling her that it was happening to a close friend and I had volunteered to test their story out on my mother to gauge a reaction (I knew that I wouldn't be able to tell her without breaking down into floods of tears half way through).
As I recounted their (my) story about them(my)self, I could feel my throat tightening in preparation for the tears starting to flow, but soldiered on until I got about 7/8ths through the story, when my mother gently interrupted me to say,

".... and that little boy who felt like that was you, wasn't it??"
At that point she just came across to me and wrapped her arms around me and told me that she would always love me and that we would get through this together.
Still brings big bloppers into my eyes when I remember that scene in her kitchen, the fear I had of rejection and the incredible compassion that she showed.

Telling my oldest daughter was one of the brightest moments in this crazy situation. She has been wonderfully supportive. My ex told the other two kids and they have been great as well. 

Telling my teenage children was pretty straightforward to be honest. We have always been a family who does not hold secrets so although there were tears from one of my daughters as she was afraid of losing her 'dad', she quickly recovered from this and realised that it does not affect our relationship. I'm still there for her. It is nice to know that she is still there for me too. 

Thank you everyone for your help..I am going to see her in a week, surf, go to the gun range, and ????

-robin xxxx ; /