Ashamed to be Transgender?

Yesterday, I happened to come across a blog post called "I am Not Ashamed to be Transgender" on a very extensive web site called "T-Central". By extensive, I mean the site is a compilation of many transgender - cross dressing blogs. You can follow the link above to check it out.

The post I am mentioning here is from a mother with a trans child. Here is a brief excerpt:

 "When I asked my son (who is transgender) what kind of impact our support had, he looked me straight in the eye (which teenagers generally don’t do) and said, “I don’t feel ashamed of who I am.” Several years later and I can still feel the power behind that statement that he uttered with such conviction, not a moment’s hesitation."

I thought "Wow", how great it would have been to tell my Mom that when I was a teen-ager and for her to accept it, or at least think about it. You see, I didn't have one of those mothers who subconsciously would let me be a girl in any way shape or form. Ironically, I did come out to her when I got out of the Army when I was twenty five. I told her about the same thing, I was not going to feel ashamed of myself anymore. Which wasn't true and I wish it was.

The fact of the matter was, my Mom slammed the closet door in my face that night so long ago (1975) and we never mentioned it again. She passed away several years later.

I really admire the younger generation of transgender children who have the conviction to stand up for who they are and possibly respect even more the parents who accept them. 

FYI...I have forgiven my Mom and even legally changed my middle name to her first name. It turned out, she did get the daughter she never had and in so many ways we turned out so much alike.

Security and The Trans Girl

Never have I posted any experiences or reflections which generated so much positive response as my recent "Looking Over my Shoulder" post here in Cyrsti's Condo.
I am going to provide you all with a few of the comments and try to tie them all together:

Sarah wrote: "Never discount your sixth sense especially when it comes to your safety. Before I started transitioning I used to always have these odd feelings when alone at night. It was something I didn't quite understand since I really wasn't "supposed" to feel this way. I wondered where this male privilege was everyone talks about? Since I have been full time and have happily traded in male privilege for passing privilege, those feelings I had in the past are still with me but now make sense. It's not so much a feeling of being vulnerable as it is being cautious and aware of things. I agree that how we present ourselves has everything to do with how we're received. As time has elapsed, the "less is more" philosophy has borne wonderful fruit. The only makeup I put on regularly is eye makeup, usually mascara. Sometimes it's nice to be noticed, but only if it's in a good way. Otherwise it's much nicer to be ignored."

 On the other end of the spectrum was Billie's comment:

" I can identify with being cornered by a man and I don't always like it! I willingly present as a female tramp and I've been told plenty of times I'm asking for it. This from both GGs and T-girls alike. I've also been told I have low (questionable) morals and they often tell me I have little self-respect. Maybe they're right! I've since bought a TASER and carry it in my purse!"


 And Lucy wrapped it all up with some good old common sense:

" This could happen to any woman, trans or not, regardless of how she is dressed, if she gets fixated on by a man who feels he can do what he likes. The only half-certain remedy is not to go to places where such men might be. But is that completely reasonable? It's a risk to be managed and lived with. A risk surely halved if one is in company, and not walking alone. They say, and it's backed up with statistics, that a teen or twenty-something male is the most likely to be attacked in the street, but there can't be many ordinary women who haven't at some time been frightened by being watched or followed or crowded into a corner, indoors or out."

So I guess for once I am just happy to have you ladies take the floor because you did such an incredible job!
Including you Calie at T-Central! Thanks!!!!