30 day genderqueer challenge

[Pica Pica]

Apart from the fact that I thought GSM was a pharmaceutical company (I hate acronyms down to my bones).

My unpopular opinion is that there I find most things to do with the gender and sexual minority identity to be irritating, crass and combative. Even the designs of many of the websites irritate me in their bolshy in-your-face-ness.

[aleon515]

8)An unpopular or unsure opinion about the GSM community

Well I wonder if most people have any clue re: gender variant people. I know a lot of people in the LBGT community do not. But that kind of gets to a bigger issue of whether it is almost too big an umbrella. Eventually if you try to cover everybody a little, you cover no one very well. I have heard a lot of complaints that gays don't understand
transgenders to well and so forth. I have seen this term LBGT go up by several letters.
LBGTQ ,LBGTQQ, LBGTQIA, LBGTIQDK. And here's one for you: LGBTIQQ2SA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual,  intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirted, allies). You all feel included yet?

(Since you love those acronyms--not-- Pica, you should love these!!!)

--Jay Jay

[Jamie D]

Apart from the fact that I thought GSM was a pharmaceutical company (I hate acronyms down to my bones).

My unpopular opinion is that there I find most things to do with the gender and sexual minority identity to be irritating, crass and combative. Even the designs of many of the websites irritate me in their bolshy in-your-face-ness.

With you there my friend!  I had to look it up.  And so,  I put the definition in the text to save others the trouble.

[Julian]

8)An unpopular or unsure opinion about the GSM community

Well I wonder if most people have any clue re: gender variant people. I know a lot of people in the LBGT community do not. But that kind of gets to a bigger issue of whether it is almost too big an umbrella. Eventually if you try to cover everybody a little, you cover no one very well. I have heard a lot of complaints that gays don't understand
transgenders to well and so forth. I have seen this term LBGT go up by several letters.
LBGTQ ,LBGTQQ, LBGTQIA, LBGTIQDK. And here's one for you: LGBTIQQ2SA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual,  intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirted, allies). You all feel included yet?

(Since you love those acronyms--not-- Pica, you should love these!!!)

--Jay Jay

The most I've seen is LGBTQQIAP, though I've also seen QUILTBAG, haha. (Queer/questioning, undecided?, intersex, lesbian, trans, bisexual, asexual, gay) I don't remember who made that up or where I found it. I like GSM. Short, simple, inclusive. I wish it were more widely used.

[Edge]

9) What have you done or plan to do to socially transition?
I am currently living out, but everyone refers to me as female anyway. I want other people to use male pronouns when I am male, but I can't force anyone. My name is unisex. Of course, that means everyone thinks it's a girl's name, but considering I know of at least one other guy with my name, I figure it's not bad.

[Jamie D]

Day 9

9) What have you done or plan to do to socially transition? Pronouns, name, coming out, etc.

I found a support site called Susan's Place.  I found people like myself, after being isolated from my "community" for four decades.  Pronouns? I really don't care.  There's a girl inside of me, and there is a boy too.  The boy was called "Jamie" when he was very young.  The girl here is "Jamie" as well.

[suzifrommd]

9) What have you done or plan to do to socially transition? Pronouns, name, coming out, etc.

Done: Nothing unless you count trying to grow the nails long on one hand. Now they're long enough to look unkempt but short of looking feminine. I have come out to a couple of my friends, but that's kind of a non-event since I'm not actually making changes.

Plan to do: Nothing having to do with pronouns. I hate it when people police my speech, I don't want to police others'. Thought about maybe wearing one piece of feminine jewelry, but don't know if I'd have the cojones to go through with it. I'm still terrified of letting go of my conventionality - That people will see me differently and treat me differently and it will be harder to get them to take me seriously.

[eli77]

9) What have you done or plan to do to socially transition?

I did the whole pronouns, name, coming out, blah blah, but that was really due to the transsexualism, which isn't quite the same thing. And I'm fine with female pronouns and name - they just reflect the way society defines people with my kind of body. And they don't bother me the way some kinds of language does.

As far as the non-binary thing, I don't really think it's my job to tell people. I'm out to my parents (because I feel I owe them), and my best friend (because he asked), and my sister sort of gets it without being told, but that's it.

The way I present and behave keeps me from dealing with a certain amount of gendered language and expectations that I don't like.

That people will see me differently and treat me differently

Ya... that's the good part. They see me and treat me more like I actually am. I tried going in the "normal girl" direction immediately after I went full time. It... sucked. It just led to MORE expectations and MORE pressure. I did the pretending to be someone I'm not thing for years and years pre-transition, damned if I was going to trade one mask for another. So now I just do me. And everyone has given up policing my gender as hopeless.

[Constance]

9) What have you done or plan to do to socially transition? Pronouns, name, coming out, etc.

I started with a name tag at church that said "Connie" even before I was full time. That was in April 2011. Also in April, I mailed letters to my parents and brothers announcing my transition.

By July 2011, I emailed my bosses and HR to let them know I'd be going full time after my already planned vacation in September. My cube name plate, name in the company employee directory, email address, and all company userids have been changed to Constance. Well, almost all. In the HR/payroll system I'm still known by my legal name, David.

After going full time in September, people started using femme pronouns for me, as well as calling me Connie, Constance, or Cam.

In December I announced my transition to family, friends, and in-laws with Christmas cards I had made with my picture on them.

The only steps really remaining in my social transition is the legal name & gender marker change.

[Pica Pica]

Mine is less a social transition as a psychological one - a process of becoming comfortable in myself and then comfortable as myself in society.

I am far less awkward about buying women's clothing now. I think all my jeans and work trousers are now female, as my hips and arse mean they are more comfortable. I already had a tendency towards women's socks, underwear and pyjamas, so that hasn't changed. I have a few female tops, but on the whole they make me feel less comfortable. I am also less awkward about using female accessories, most of my notebooks and pens and such are feminine. (I like flowers)

I also look after myself more, this is more an increase in self pride and comfort. I have learnt how to shave with a straight-edge razor and enjoy using that with my rose scented shaving foam, very luxurious.

As for pronouns, I have never been very fussed with those and I consider my name to be an androgyne one by virtue of me having it.

[Julian]

9) What have you done or plan to do to socially transition?

Not a whole lot. I'm out to my parents and close friends. I've shared my preferred name and pronouns with a few of the friends. My sister seems to get it without my having spelled it out to her. She avoids most gendered words while talking about and addressing me, though she still uses she/her, which I really can't expect to change without asking her.

[Your Humble Savant]

7) What are your favorite physical features of yourself?
Eyes/hands

An unpopular or unsure opinion about the GSM community
-shrug- I dunno, really. I'm fortunate enough to have a fantastic network of people who don't give if I'm genderqueer.

9) What have you done or plan to do to socially transition?
I came out to my friends/immediate family in February, started doing more in-depth genderbending/crossdressing out in public. And I've been so much happier for it 

[aleon515]

9)What have you done or plan to do to socially transition? Pronouns, name, coming out, etc.

I can't really imagine that I'd make people use "hir, zir, ze, they, etc." Just can't see it happening. Not even sure if it matters to me. I have begun using Jay Jay with close friends and told a couple people. I plan to tell a few more now that I kind of know how I will approach it. I started dressing a lot more androgynously lately-- actually ends up beign more guy like. Got a short hair cut that could read either way and got a cap that I really like. I have experimented with a binder, but it feels very constricting (uh it's called a binder!), not sure I will use it. I feel like I am very flat with it, but the last couple days I really like how I look in it. However, I wear an undershirt which works ok.


--Jay Jay

[suzifrommd]

10) Are you taking any steps to physically transition?


I'm really hesitant about stressing my body. It's taken me faithfully through five decades, I feel I owe it at least to avoid tinkering with it if I don't have to. If I hated the male parts of my body, I would consider transitioning more seriously. But  my dysphoria is mostly social - the people with whom I'm most comfortable see me as different from them. I'm preferring to try dealing with that in ways that don't require changing my body.

[ativan]

10) Are you taking any steps to physically transition?

Have been taking a 'medium' doseage of that minty yuk Spiro for well over a year.
Certainly has quieted the rage/anger underlying feelings quite a bit.
Less body hair, slowed hair growth, shave 2x/wk.

Have been using very low doseage estradiol patch for over a week now.
I like how I feel, although that has just been the last few days.
A little more emotional, but that was to be expected.
Less aggressive, libido is just fine.

Still Ativan

[Edge]

10) Are you taking any steps to physically transition?
I have very little money and food, rent, and other necessities are more important.

[Constance]

10) Are you taking any steps to physically transition?

I've been on HRT for about a year now.

[eli77]

10) Are you taking any steps to physically transition?

So far: 17 months of HRT, electrolysis on my face, tracheal shave, nose job, brow ridge reduction, vaginoplasty. In another 7 months I'm going to decide if I want a boob job or not.

I need a base-model female body, or as close an approximation as I can manage, in order to be functional.

[Pica Pica]

10) Are you taking any steps to physically transition?

And change a body this good?

[Jamie D]

Day 10

10) Are you taking any steps to physically transition?

Quite a quandary for me.  Right now, I'm just try to improve my overall health, through weight reduction and cardio-rehab.

If, in a few months, I'm not pushing up daisies, and I've met my goals, I can dream again.