) a bump in the road and then an oppurtunity...Last summer (july) i came out to my family (spouse and kids) about my use of estrogen (2 years at that point) to begin my transition...right or wrong (ethicly) it happened. I since moved out and have been living and working as a woman full time. Which includes classes at the local community college. I got hired as a (female) worker at the local State university....so im well along in my transition. My srs is schedualed for sept (07) in thailand. So as you can see, my existance is now completely female...things with my family are good...
last friday i was visting and my daughter gave me some of her things she was going to get rid of...i guess when your daughter gives you her old bras, life as you know it has changed....anyway i started this semester (jan) at the community college as Christin. Ive had all my id's changed to reflect my new name. Everything had been going well untill that one moment that made me deal with the reality of being a transgendered woman and how others see you sometimes. I mostly pass, i rarely get "read" but there are times it happens.
My weds class was one of those times...at the beginng of the class, we were parred up with annother to learn about each other and intro that person to the class...ive gone to voice classes with a speech therapist to improve my voice as far as it being fem sounding and have made good progress....but perhaps that day it betrayed me....the person interviewing me told me what he would say about me...and yes that dreaded "he" word came up....so i figured that i was going to be "outted". We were the last to speak and of course i was introed with "he" lives, he works...yikes...what to do....? well since i was not wearing "he" clothes anymore, i had to meet this head on...so i was the last to speak. I took a deep breath,looked around at the 20 some strangers staring at me and said..."im a transgendered woman, those that know me think im a good person and i hope that we all can learn from each other." I ended by makeing a joke, "People my age sometimes have midlife crisis's, but thats been done to death...i wanted a real challenge...' that broke the ice and provided a needed laugh and an imprompto discussion about tg people.
Since then the environment in the classroom and on campus has been very supportive and freindly...I hope to show a positive example of a transgendered woman to everyone that is realistic.
with that i leave you all with the following thought:
I am the transgendered woman that helps you at the doctors office. I am the transwoman that your wife sits next to at church. I am the transgendered teacher instructing your children each day. I am the transgendered person that you give your credit card to when you buy something. I might be the one arriving on the firetruck to save you from a burning hell. I am everywhere and everything.
I am in all places in society, sometimes hidden in plain sight, sometimes proudly in view. I am a judge, I am a city council memeber, I am just as you, a person with feelings, hope, frights, and loves.
Be well
Christin
