I'm really not too good at introductions - but here goes...
Hi everyone. I am ValleyGirl - though not of San Fernando fame - a different (and in my not humble opinion, superior) valley - otherwise known as Silicon Valley. I live and work in society's hub of science and engineering talent; a member of that group myself. I work with software, doing forensic analysis work for a local company. I'm 27 years old, born male - working very hard to change that inconvenient fact.
Right now I'm on my 6th month of HRT - things are really starting to change for the better. Hair removal from my face is moving forward as well. I have the perfect voice - 95% of the time, on the phone, the caller will assume I'm female. That's what I have going in my favor. What I don't have in my favor is weight, height, and facial structure.
I'm 6'4" in height, and weigh around 300 lbs at this point. There's not a thing that can be done with my height, but my weight is something I'm attacking with my full force - I'm down 85 lbs since June 2011, when I embarked on this adventure. Facial structure - I need to save up the $$$ for a brow ridge reduction. It won't be fun, but I can't go through the rest of my life with everyone thinking I was a guy, and just going through the motions to humor me. I will put every cent at my disposal into passing, every ounce of effort I can squeeze out... because that is critical to my success.
I'm still in the closet at work, and to most of the people I'm friends with. There are some who I've told, and I've been blessed with their support. My mother has been told - though she has known about my feelings since I was 13. I had an abortive attempt to transition back when I was 18 - I had, at that time, done the same thing: started losing weight, and starting HRT and anti-androgens. I then had to find another therapist, as the one I was seeing moved to Southern California. This new therapist was a specialist, and a board member of the Harry Benjamin organization. And she told me on one of my very first visits - that I would never pass, as my facial structure was too masculine. I was so discouraged by that, I stopped my attempt to move forward, fell into a deep depression and gained about 160lbs between 2002 and 2011...
And I got to a point where I realized - I have to do this or I'm going to have to kill myself. Not a happy option there, but, my hair was starting to thin due to standard male pattern baldness - and I realized that... I just need to try feeling comfortable in my own skin.
And so here I am 6 months later. I feel amazing, better and better every day. Seeing the physical changes manifest on me are incredible. My skin feels right. My boobs have quite literally exploded and I'm faced with the dilemma of having to announce my plans sooner than I had anticipated. I have a stable work situation which will be fairly accepting of my change. I've told the HR lady, and she's offered her full support in making the notification to my boss. I want to try avoiding this for another 6 months, but, the fact that I have generous B's hanging off my chest now is getting hard to hide - and will get harder as the weather changes and things get hotter... It's a good problem to have!
The other thing of note is that I'm going to have to move soon. I currently live with my mother, and she is not accepting of my plans. I need to make the appropriate arrangements to move out - and finding a new living situation that is going to be accepting is something that I expect to be a significant challenge... alas. C'est la vie.
Anyway - that's about all I have for now... have fun everyone!
