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Family Reunion

Started by JungianZoe, July 19, 2011, 11:13:34 PM

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JungianZoe

At the last second, I was given a chance to head out to my family reunion this coming Saturday, halfway across the country.  Truth is, I didn't take the opportunity to go because of the reunion, but because it's the one time a year I get to see my 93-year old grandpa.  At his age, I don't pass these opportunities up for anything.

The reunion itself tends to be merely blah.  I know next to nobody because the people who wind up going are my mom's cousins and their families, and after 15 years, none of them have spoken to me.  It's a bunch of big burly guys with mustaches who are incredibly intimidating.

And this was before transition...

This weekend, I'm going to see 50+ people who have no clue about me and I don't expect are going to be overly welcoming.  Admittedly, I'm nervous.  I don't even know why.  I'm 100% confident of my passing ability, love to be out in public with total strangers, go giddy when guys look at me, and feel like a million bucks when I'm out shopping.  So how can I be so afraid of something like a family reunion?  Maybe it's because they're going to know who I used to be?  Because that means I can't pass at all?  I don't know what, but I'm dreading it.  I've cried at the reunion every single year because I feel so lonely, and this year I think it's going to be magnified.  If anyone says anything to me (or about me) I might lose it.  There's no cell reception there either so excusing myself and calling friends is out of the question.

And to top it off, though I have absolutely no fear of public restrooms, this place only has one restroom for each sex, so what am I going to use with a whole bunch of people I can't pass with?  This is completely out of my element...
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~RoadToTrista~

They don't know you? Then they'll never know. ;D
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JungianZoe

Quote from: ~RoadToTrista~ on July 19, 2011, 11:16:04 PM
They don't know you? Then they'll never know. ;D

They know me, they've just never spoken to me.  And though hormones (and 25 pounds) have changed me quite a bit in the last seven months, I'm not entirely unrecognizable as the person I used to be.  Of course, it doesn't help that I was pretty androgynous before with long-ish hair and makeup.  Only now it's pretty clear that I'm 100% female, not just a highly effeminate gay guy.  I fear that whatever bad they thought about me before is going to be magnified. :(

Here's what I mean, first picture from last August, second picture from last week:



See what I mean?  They're going to recognize me...
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Robyn

Stick close to your grandpa, particularly if he's on your side.

Maybe don't stay too long.

Best wishes.

Robyn

When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly. — Patrick Overton
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JungianZoe

Usually, I just wind up walking around the lake and spending most of my time alone (grandpa's popular at the reunion, as he's the oldest ancestor of every single person there).  And since I'm going out there with my parents, I'm kind of at their mercy as to when we leave.

In past years, this didn't bug me so much.  I lived as a hermit even when I was at home.  But since starting hormones and transitioning, I've become a social butterfly and can't stand spending any time alone or out of conversations.  I'm more upset if I'm ignored than if I'm surrounded by interesting people and stimuli.  That's a 100% turnaround from last year.
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justmeinoz

Are there going to be any women around your age, who you could hang around with?  Any female relatives you are particularly friendly with, regardless of age?

Hope it is not too traumatic.

Karen.
"Don't ask me, it was on fire when I lay down on it"
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Cindy

This Sounds stupid Zoe,

Live your life.

If the hairy apes want talk hairy ape words let them. Just move to the female area. Don't explain, just do it, Don't mention anything beyond that you are Zoe. Their problem not yours. You will be remembered as that Zoe girl, she was cute.
Zoe, you are a woman and you now accept yourself as the woman you are. It is time to face up to that fact. Don't chicken, or that cute guy will know.
 
Hugs
Cindy
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JungianZoe

Thanks, Cindy... I needed to hear that. :)  I'm just going to rock my fierce confidence that day no matter what else happens.  Maybe go out shopping on Friday or something if I need that extra little boost.

Karen, unfortunately the answers are no and no.  I was born at a weird time in my family, with all of my cousins either 10 years older or 15 years younger than me.  My mom's three older siblings are 17 to 20 years older than her and she had me at 18, then waited another 11 years to have kids (just like her sister who's 9 months older than her).  So I'm really alone in my age group.  The older cousins sit around and talk about real estate and their kids, and the younger ones talk about junior high.  There's never anyone for me to talk to because I don't speak either language.  It's why I wander away into the forest or meander around the lake.

Which reminds me... I only packed sandals and we're leaving in 40 minutes (my sandals are at home).  D'oh!!!
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justmeinoz

Well at least you'll get a free feed and a few drinks. :P

Good luck.   Kaz.
"Don't ask me, it was on fire when I lay down on it"
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Amazon D

Definately keep your hair UP behind your head your face looks great that way.
I'm an Amazon womyn + very butch + respecting MWMF since 1999 unless invited. + I AM A HIPPIE

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sneakersjay

You're with family; use the ladies' room.


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Wild Flower

"Anyone who believes what a cat tells him deserves all he gets."
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Renate

The good news about being a woman is that you don't even have to maintain the pretense
of being interested in the discussions of the big, burly guys with moustaches.

It's stereotypical, but I remember being at a cookout and the guys started talking about sports.
Fortunately, I could excuse myself, go in and do dishes. >:-)
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Hikari

Well, they better not be mean to you, lest they wish to earn the wrath of the mighty Hikari :P

I hope you see your grandfather and enjoy it, I understand you wanting to take this opportunity, despite the stress it create for you. Zoe you are a strong person, I admire that.
15 years on Susans, where has all the time gone?
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RhinoP

I want to chime in and say that I personally love your look so far.

With your facial appearance, I believe you have a harmony that indeed helps with your identity. Just according to laws of measurement, you do have a subtly prominent brow bone that is extended from the measurement of your chin and cheek bones, which can sometimes be seen as an instantly masculine trait to some people; however, with your looks in particular, especially combined with your beautifully healthy skin and otherwise androgynous features, I do not believe it diminishes your look at all and I've always been jealous of your looks in particular. You're very pretty!

The reason I say this is I sort of see you as what I would look like with subtle surgical improvements. My forhead is much, much more amplified than yours, and with the extent of mine, it really causes a problem with my transition. I also have extremely oily, red, unhealthy skin that would, if cured, have a chance of matching the type of soft, accessible skin you showcase. I'm thinking about also doing botox to the jaw muscles (my jaws are very thick-tissued, like a husky Scottish man, but my actual jaw and cheek bones are thin and slender like yours!) and botox to the jaw is designed to relieve the masculine, bloated appearance in that region. The final change would be a rhinoplasty; to put it frank, I have the large, bloated, round nose of a drunken Scottish man, and I wish so much for a nose more like yours!

Sorry if this is plain out jealousy or strange talk, but I've always looked up to your appearance as one that I believe is realistically possible for me; I do have to say my facial structure favors yours a bit, especially from the side angle, but I just have all the extreme features that put me into so much a masculine, cave-man place opposite to the accessible, very admiring look you are able to pass with.

Btw, you seem very worried about your family - if someone gets violent, get outta there!
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Wild Flower

She reminds me of Morgan Web from some gaming show
"Anyone who believes what a cat tells him deserves all he gets."
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~RoadToTrista~

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Joelene9

  I got some of the best replies from my some of my remaining 17 cousins!  Cheer up!  Be patient!  Family is important!  Hugs!
  Joelene
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tekla

Books were always a key part of my basic family values, in that I valued my family a lot more when I was reading, as opposed to like, talking with them.
FIGHT APATHY!, or don't...
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JungianZoe

Thank you all so much for the replies and especially for all of your kind words! ;D

The reunion was two days ago and I'm still sitting here in central Illinois with no internet connection outside of a local coffee house (where I am right now for the first time since our arrival last Wednesday).  The reunion itself went without a hitch!  Some of my trepidation, which I don't think I addressed in my original post, is that this is the side of the family who are all devout Roman Catholic.  One of my mom's cousins even joined the convent at 17 and was a mother superior in Vatican City during John Paul II's papacy.  I was a bit nervous about how they would react.

Well, it turns out the females in the family reacted just fine and were far more social with me than any year prior! :)  They all accepted me and my aunts (mom's sisters) fawned all over me and made me feel like a million bucks.  As for the males... well... they acted like they've always acted, pretty much ignoring me.  Except this year, they seemed to feverishly avoid me at all costs.  They're all very distant family though so I didn't care.  I just relished the attention that I got from everyone else. ;D  My aunts all said that I'm a completely different person than I used to be, far happier and mellower, with this glow that I never had before.  And it's absolutely how I feel about myself as well!  They all agreed that I passed with flying colors and that alone made the whole day worthwhile.

Now I'm counting down the days until we go home. :laugh:  We drive back home on Saturday and I'm not sure how much more internet time I'll get between now and then, unless I can convince people to drop me off here at the coffee house so I can use the internet to look for a job (which I'm doing at the same time as I'm writing this).

And for the record, yes my hair was pulled back, and no, I didn't hesitate to use the women's restroom even though they all knew me from before. ;)  And my scary male relative who's the county sheriff of the place we held the reunion said nothing!  Huzzah!
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