Gender Euphoria

Ripley, Ohio. Courtesy 
Cyrsti Hart

 Over the years I have certainly posted here in Cyrsti's Condo concerning my battles with gender dysphoria. However, I can't ever remember writing about gender euphoria.

The reason I bring it up comes from an experience I had yesterday at the auto repair sh
op. Along the way I have never totally gotten over my internal fears of going unattended to a male dominated business such as a auto repair shop. 

Yesterday though,  my fears (and gender dysphoria) were quickly put to rest when the male clerk said "Can I help you Mam" From there I checked my car in and waited for my oil change to be completed. 

From the opening comment on, for the rest of the day, I took advantage of an all to brief wave of gender euphoria. 

As I started to look back in my my life, I really did have more than several euphoric moments as I went on an exciting yet terrifying journey to living as my authentic gender self. From the earliest days as a kid staring into a mirror at the feminine girl looking back at me, all the way to the occasions at lesbian mixers when I was approached and flirted with. When my two lesbian friends couldn't seem to generate any interest. 

As I look back at my life also, I see the times of gender euphoria coming along often just at the right times which I needed to keep moving along. All the times when I was sent home crying due to cruel comments and harassments.  Of course too, as I mentioned in a recent post, there was the physical gender euphoria which came with my hormone replacement therapy. 

I could write another post (or two) on episodes of euphoria which encouraged me to keep going down the path to living full time as a transgender woman. Many of them revolved around Halloween, which I will try to write about before the holiday is upon us.

In the meantime, the only words of wisdom I may try to come up with is, try to feel and cherish any incidents of gender euphoria you may have. They could keep you going.

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Kerplunk! Another Sunday edition from the Condo is hitting your virtual front porch.  This week around here at least, warm jammies and hot cocoa are in fashion- it's a brisk six degrees...but no snow.  Let's get started.
Page One.-The Week that WAS or Wasn't:  Overall, it seemed the new "it" community (transgender) took a week to pause and look at what happened, what it all meant and what it will mean.  I know to some of you, most of it means nothing.  An example is a person I have seen on Facebook asking if she was the only trans person in Ripley, Ohio?  If you know anything about Ripley and the area around it, it's safe to say in this little Ohio River town in a less than liberal area-she may be-but in reality she lives only a little more than 40 minutes from where I do in Cincinnati. Still others who I chat with on Google+ point to their "passing privilege still being a major problem.  I'm fairly sure both still will be in the near future. The difference is when someone looks at you and thinks you may be "one of them", it's not a bad or evil thing.
Page Two.-Transition Time Lines?  My oft quoted (or off quoted) Connie brought up the fact I was entering another of my "time lines" as I wrote about all the "groups" Liz has signed us up for.  FYI, if you live in or near to a population center of any size, Google "Meet Up's", at least in Cincinnati there are tons of them.  The utilitarian use is you can find one deeply into your interests and as you attend, being transgender just goes away-quickly.  As I have written many times, people don't readily know I am deeply shy and reticent about meeting new peeps. Regardless of being transgender or not. I will however go with Liz and yes, the experiences have taken me to new levels of negotiating the world.

Page Three.-Getting Social -Media? For the most part, my social media excursions into Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are very unremarkable-just regular folks like me.  On occasion though, I hit the jackpot and hookup with those who are really making a difference!  For example, this morning on Twitter, I received a request for a follow from a University of Cincinnati gender studies person and an acceptance of my LinkedIn request from another very visible transgender woman activist here in Cinci. 

Page Four.-We Got Mail!  Maria HardingFebruary 15, 2015 at 2:01 AM Thank you for the information listed here. I never really stopped and thought about how many people are actually included in trans* numbers until more people began coming forward. I appreciated your insights and courage as you continue on your journey. We have come a long way.

FABULOUSCONNIEDEEFebruary 15, 2015 at 3:27 AM Now I'm starting to get a little worried about overkill?  Is that a possibility I wonder?
Thanks to both to you!  I think those of us "in the community" knew how many of us were deeply stuck in the closet. On my part though, I thought the "outing" would come completely from the "bottom/up" starting with the younger generation.  Now though we are seeing more and more from different ages. Yes Connie, I too view the overkill as a reason to head stealth but there is still too much to do with too many people to do it. 

Page Five: The Back Page:  See ya, thank ya!!!!