What a load off

Sylvia H · Post by **Sylvia H** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:07 pm

I came out to one of my sons about a week ago. He has no problem with Sylvia at all. He is 30 and recently married. His wife is a sweetheart and I think she has suspected for some time but was too polite to say anything.

I have tried to bring Sylvia up to my sister whom I have been very close to but she seems somewhat ambivalent for some reason.

My sons acceptance means a lot. Way a lot. He has also indicates he didnt think any of the other kids would have a problem with it either.

So I guess the way my family talks about each other Sylvia will out to everyone eventually. Finally I can feel like Im not hiding any more.

(Insert Daffy Duck... woo hoo woo hoo)

If it wasnt for everyone on this forum, I might have stayed in the closet forever. Thank you all!!!
Sylvia is not to be feared or denigrated. She just is. Everyone is just going to have to deal with it. Let nature take its course.

Thanks for listening.

xox
Sylvia

SilverLady(SO) · Post by **SilverLady(SO)** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:47 pm

Woo Hoo!! Congratulations, Sylvia!!

I felt and heard your big sigh of relief all the way over here . . . ain't it great!?!

Good luck with the rest of the family, but I know that whatever happens, you'll be just fine!

((Big Hugs))

- SL

Sally · Post by **Sally** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:00 pm

Sylvia, it's wonderful news to hear another successs story and I wish you all the good things in life for the future. As I continually say, where ever possible we should all take charge of our own lives, and you had the courage to do that and was gifted the reward of your son's acceptance. He must love you very dearly.

I don't know how you see it exactly, but my own personal experience with coming out to the world was how I would imagine it feeling if I'd been suddenly exhonerated and released after doing half a lifetime jail sentence for a crime I never comitted. The way it is, is the way it is, isn't it, and nothing we or anyone else says or does will ever alter the fact. I wish you and your family well for the future.

Kind Regards,

Sally.

ChristineK · Post by **ChristineK** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:53 pm

I feel the same

I just wonder what would have happened if I came out 10 years earlier? I have been married for 15 years and knew my status as early as 9!

I remember as a tot I dressed as a girl for Halloween, it was not even an option to discuss it after that night my true child feelings.

37 years later I still feel the same way.

I should have been born a woman!

Anita · Post by **Anita** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:04 am

Way to go, Sylvia. It is a big deal, to come out to family. That's one person you won't have to be as guarded around. Yay!

CJ · Post by CJ » Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:30 am

Bravo, Sylvia, bravo!

You took another step on the road to authenticity. Your son seems like a good egg. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I guess.

Love,
CJ

Post by **DonnaT** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:53 am

Congraats Sylvia. I think your sister will come along in time, especially if others around her are cool with it.

Virginia · Post by **Virginia** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 7:05 am

Very proud of you Sylvia.

Don't want to rush things, but some of us would benefit from your furture experiences with this. Like, if you are asked or just show up at some family function what the response was. Also what some of the comments have been and how did you broach the subject?

Things like this help all of us to "come out of the closet."

It seems that more and more scientific evidence points to the fact that "we WERE born this way!" Alot of us were able to supress it or ignore it or reject it for quite a while but some where along the line "it" just could not be restrained any longer and we had to deal with it outside of "accepted" norms!

Very happy for you, hon!

Virginia

Lana · Post by **Lana** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:29 pm

Congratulations on the ance you are receiving from your family. May it continue should you decide to out yourself to anyone else.
Lana

Sylvia H · Post by **Sylvia H** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:13 pm

Thank you so much everyone for the positive comments!

As you may or may not know the past 2 years since I got my conservative head out of my conservative backside, and let Sylvia out after 50 years Ive been on a multi-pronged re-evaluation of everything. I was just taking myself way too seriously.

Its been about midlife crisis and more. Ive got a much better handle on the identity issues now. Sometimes it is just so hard to believe I believed so much crap over the years. (Empty head, start over again.) So it was kind of like throwing everything you own into the dumpster and only picking out the good stuff. Takes some time. But you wind up with a whole lot less crap.

I know when all this gets out to the rest of the family I will be a source of amusement for some. But I know those people already have a limited tolerance for a whole lot of other things, not just CDing. It who they are. So I can be their source of amusement, (they dont know they are a source of amusement for me, so dont tell anybody:)

So everybody is happy.

I will follow up on this as things progress. You are all the biggest bunch of sweeties ever

xox
Sylvia

JoAnnDallas · Post by **JoAnnDallas** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:09 am

Now that my wife has accepted me as a CD and even gone out shopping with me en fem, we have talked about who in the family, if any, should know. After a lot of discussion, wife and I decided not to tell my oldest sister, since she is ultra-religious. We decided not to tell my middle sister. She is not religious like our older sister. In fact she may well not even care that I am a CD, but she is married to my best friend and the closest person I have as a brother. We grew up together. He was a only child and I had no brothers, so we strongly bonded early in life. The only problem is he is very anti-gay. As for our son and daughter-in-law, we are undecided. We think he would take it OK and his wife might even be OK with it, but we don't think the grand-daughter is old enough to understand.

Carla L · Post by **Carla L** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:05 pm

As far as family is concerned, I've told my youngest brother and my youngest daughter. Both accepted me very well. Of course my wife knows also. I've wanted to tell my mom, I am very close to her, I have been my whole life. She is very religious and that is the only reason I have not said anything (if/yet). I want to so very badly, we talk all the time and each time we do I think it is the time to say so, but I've been apprehensive, not wanting her to start praying for me to change.

I will not tell any of my other brothers or my sister. If they find out somehow, so be it. I think my stepson is curious, seeing my toes polished, nails sometimes and on several occasions he has made small comments along with a telltale chuckle...

Kandis · Post by **Kandis** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:32 pm

Isn't it wonderful? I came out to my step-daughter about 3.5 years ago, and to step-son about 3 months ago.. now there's no more hiding it, I can be myself around the house and or out in public without worries.

Carol Ann · Post by **Carol Ann** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:39 pm

Sylvia,
I am so happy for you I am crying for joy. I still remember the day I was caught by my mother and I opened up and told her. My wife of 45 years knew going in that I loved to dress.
My daughter knows but my 3 son's still don't or maybe they do I don't know.
Again I am so happy for you,

Azurielle · Post by **Azurielle** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:19 pm

Acceptance and love should be the staple of any family. Congrats on your healthy relationship.