Yestedays easter party

[kathy bottoms]

O.K. maybe I shouldn't ask.  But this is for any of you who have families that celebrated Easter.   How was your Easter get together?   

Since coming out in January I went to my first large party at my sisters house where only half the people there (my direct family) knew I'm transsexual.  Among those who didn't know about me were friends, more distant relatives and a few acquaintances.  And many of them asked about my new look, weight loss, long hair, and even my skin tone and color.  Even though I wore completely bland clothing, had my hair in a ponytail, and was pretty much in 100% man mode, a lot of them stared and said  I've changed.  Maybe I should have left the pearl ear rings at home.   

The one real funny incident was when my brothers ex sister-in-law walked up, quickly rubbed my face and said "Your skin is wonderful after so many years with a beard."  Then she looked really quizzically weird and asked "Are you just shaving every day or what?   I just smiled and said "I shaved yesterday but didn't get a chance this morning".  So she just said something about my face staying smooth.   After all, I have electrolysis on Tuesday so I had a day and a half beard growth under my chin and down my neck, and since most of the electrolysis work is from my chin up, my face was still fairly smooth.   

Yeah, I had a good and uneventful time.

Kathy

[Shantel]

Sounds like you're getting some familial feedback from the extended family. It's always a good sign that you're making forward momentum and probably better for them that they get the changes in small doses rather than suddenly show up to a family function in a tu-tu and shock everyone into a major mi cardiovascular infarction!  You can bet there is some chatter and speculation going on about your obvious changes.

[Jamie D]

Yay! Kathy.  Good for you. 

There's nothing wrong with taking it slow and letting everyone get "reacquainted."

[kathy bottoms]

Shan and Jamie:  Thank you for the encouragement.  This transition will be a slow crawl while I'm in Michigan again this summer.  Only two relatives up there know about this new life, and it's gonna be difficult going back to the "cover-up" again for a short time to let the rest of them also get used to this new woman.  Don't know what they'll think of the more androgynous clothes, and especially the pink things.  Yea, I am a pink girl.  Always have been.

At least the girl who used to hold the local transgender support group asked that I call so we can get together for coffee.  And the University I attended up there  has an LGBT group with picnics and lunches that include the locals.  But for a month or so it's back to wearing small post earings, baggy shirts, old jeans that no longer fit, mens sandals, and less interesting tee shirts.  Oh well, it's the price paid to live in paradise for the summer. 

Kathy