Don't go and hide Elle, be proud of your support for Em.
Your parents might be hurt or angered, but at the end of the day it doesn't really affect them. Far better for them to be slightly off for a week or so rather than Em to have to suffer severe depression for the rest of her life (or worse) trying to deal with the internal conflict which would have raged inside her forever if she hadn't decided to do something about it.
I do hope that they are understanding though - surely they must be to have brought up such a wonderful woman as yourself.
Carol xx
Congrats Elle, that had to be very hard. I hope it all goes well. That is the one step that we fear the most, and honestly, the reason we waited so long with Austin. We were afraid he would tell them for us : ( You were very brave. Let us know how things progress.
When I came out to my family at 30 years old, NOBODY was surprised that I was transgendered, they were only surprised at how GOOD I looked doing it. My sister said "I always thought of you as the big sister I never had, now I realize I had". My mom said "Thank God, at least you are buying your OWN CLOTHES now!" (She knew I was taking hers, and even tried to covertly know which ones I could have). My brother said "Well, I never really thought of you as a brother, but it's easy to see you as a sister". My dad was the only one who struggled. His reaction was "I just would hate to see you get hurt". He was also a bit transgendered. According to a personality test he took in college, he was 75% female (can you guess why he might have told me about this - numerous times between age 8 and age 25?), and he really didn't want it "in his face". I think it was hardest for him because he may have wished, secretly, that he could have done something similar at one time.
When my dad was about to die, we knew he only had about a week to live, I came out to visit him. His first words to me were "I don't know how much longer I will be able to talk to you, but if I only ever gave you one thing, it's the ability to be yourself". I had packed some shorts, girls shoes, and some spandex tops, as well as some other things, and I had grown out my hair. So I changed clothes and let Debbie out a little bit. My father really liked me and wanted to get to know me better. A few days later, he said "I'm so glad I got a chance to meet the REAL YOU!". He didn't really come back much after that, and a few days later he passed in his sleep.
After he died, I started to transition. I had started to transition before, when I was 34, but my ex-wife was about to have the court revoke my visitation rights permanently, so I had to stop. It nearly killed me 3 times (2 heart attacks and a stroke, more than doubling my weight...).
Now, both of my kids love Debbie, and look forward to seeing her. Who in your life doesn't get the chance to see the REAL YOU!
If you could be authentic and have a loving, caring, intimate relationship with people, like you've never had before, would it be worth it?
I am so glad that things have worked out you you both Elle and Em. As you said Emma, sometimes we build these perceived obstacles in out road to becoming who we are into Everest sized mountain ranges in our minds, but when we have moved past them and look back, they turned out to be just mole hills, but that never detracts from the fear we face when facing them in the in the first instance.
Yes, actually meeting them for the first time you will be a nervous wreck Emma, I know I was when I first presented to my own mother as me - but I am sure that they will both be wonderful.
But, nevertheless, congratulations to both of you - onwards and upwards to the next mountain range xxx