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Hello everyone

Started by Brigid, January 19, 2014, 06:12:12 PM

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0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Brigid

My older brother, who was MTF recently died, I'm having alot of difficulty coping with the loss and just needed someone to talk to. She died way too young. I'd appreciate any support offered. Thank you.
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Jessica Merriman

I am sorry for your loss. I will PM you my E-mail address so we can have a private talk. I was a Paramedic/Firefighter for 28 years so I understand loss and the impact it has on those left behind. Please contact me and I will do what I can to help you.
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Brigid

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Brigid

What I need from this community is some feedback on how to memorialize my sister. She didn't leave any sort of final arrangements and her remains were donated to science, at her request. The family is just not together on this. So I am left hanging...

My sister and I had such a torrid relationship over the years. Oh, how I wish I could unsay some things. Life is so precious, and everything can change in an instant.
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Brigid

Isn't there always a song? Well here is my sister's. TGs who are unable to realize transition and acceptance of society tend to start thinking in terms of the next life, where they might be reincarnated as the desired gender. I know, it sounds crazy, but rock and roll is full of anthems glorifying suicide as an answer to this world's challenges. And why not? Young kids go off to fight needless wars knowing they will die only to become heroes and live on with granite tombstones. What's the difference?

RIP my brother, here's to you

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Jamie D

Brigid, I am very sorry for your loss.

It is difficult to lose a sibling.

I believe you should honor her in the manner she lived.
If she was a suicide, that need not be mentioned.
Try to recall the happy times as best as you can.
Speak from your heart.  We lose too many of the community to this sadness.
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Jamie D

Brigid, I'll stay here in case you just have some questions.  I can provide my email too, if you prefer that.

Was your sister a member here?
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Brigid

Hi Jamie, my sister was not a suicide, at least not directly. And I would prefer discussing this in an open forum because I think it serves my sister's memory best. If her life meant anything it was about her attempt at transition, all that came before and after she made the decision to live as a female.

My sister gave me the URL to this site to explore things years ago and I found it from an old email. I have been a cross dresser for as long as I can remember. I don't know if my sister was a member here, or if so, what her screen name was.

Nobody in our family seems to get what it meant that she was TG. I can't memorialize her with them. It really sucks.
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IamLIZ

I"m sorry for your lose. I believe the best way to memorialize her is to remember her for being your sister. Not being TG but just your as your sister. I"m sure you've had your share of laughs and smiles. Remember and talk about those times not the bad times. I'm sure she forgives you for anything harsh you might have said.
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Jamie D

Quote from: Brigid on January 19, 2014, 09:25:44 PM
Hi Jamie, my sister was not a suicide, at least not directly. And I would prefer discussing this in an open forum because I think it serves my sister's memory best. If her life meant anything it was about her attempt at transition, all that came before and after she made the decision to live as a female.

My sister gave me the URL to this site to explore things years ago and I found it from an old email. I have been a cross dresser for as long as I can remember. I don't know if my sister was a member here, or if so, what her screen name was.

Nobody in our family seems to get what it meant that she was TG. I can't memorialize her with them. It really sucks.

Many of our members have feelings of a gender identity that are incongruent with their biological sex, and these feeling are long-standing.  I think in many cases, it is just the way we are born.

Its not easy to deal with.  Did your sister have a female first name you or she preferred?  What can you tell me about her?

Let me add too, that you are part of our community, and welcome.
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Brigid

Quote from: IamLIZ on January 19, 2014, 09:45:35 PM
I"m sorry for your lose. I believe the best way to memorialize her is to remember her for being your sister. Not being TG but just your as your sister. I"m sure you've had your share of laughs and smiles. Remember and talk about those times not the bad times. I'm sure she forgives you for anything harsh you might have said.

Thank you.

Quote from: Jamie D on January 19, 2014, 10:07:38 PM
Many of our members have feelings of a gender identity that are incongruent with their biological sex, and these feeling are long-standing.  I think in many cases, it is just the way we are born.

Its not easy to deal with.  Did your sister have a female first name you or she preferred?  What can you tell me about her?

Let me add too, that you are part of our community, and welcome.

My sister had her name changed legally to Brigid a few years ago.She had a lot of courage about her gender identity, way more than I would have. Once she decided to transition she didn't care much of what anyone thought of her. We live in different parts of the country so I didn't get to see her, but from what she said she was happy with herself. At least that's how she portrayed things to me over Skype and email.

Our family was fractured many years ago and its just never been the same. But when Brigid emailed me and came out it brought us together because I had the same feelings. Only I was not willing to take those steps because I felt the risk was not worth the rewards. I caught a lot of flack for being "just a cross dresser" and this turned me off to the TG community.

It's a bit confusing now, but I feel as if what will live on of my sister is her commitment and honor of being trans. Does that make sense? Perhaps I just need to express these feelings and thoughts to another person who is willing to listen. I don't know right now.
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Jamie D

It makes sense to me, hon.  And to me, crossdressing is just one form of expressing your gender identity.  You are one of us.  :)

Not every MtF needs to be ultrafemme.  Some are happier that way; some are not.  It just depends on the seriousness of the dysphoria.

So you have memorialized your sister already, by telling us her name.

There is a famous meditation by the medieval English author, John Donne.  Is states:

No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.

Every persons death diminishes me because I am a part of mankind.  I lost a sister, in Brigid, I never knew I had.  Yes, she was brave to take on transition.  It hurts when I read in these pages how many families do not accept their trans children.  I have four kids myself.  I cherish each and every one.  To break up the family would kill me.

She was fortunate to have you.  You should not feel bad about things that might have been said.  All siblings argue and squabble.  Something would be wrong if the didn't!  Can you tell me more about her?  What sorts of things she she enjoy in her life?
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Brigid

Thank you, Jaime. That was beautiful.

Brigid was a big aviation enthusiast. We argued about everything, but that was the one subject where I had to bow to her superior knowledge. A few weeks before she died I bought one of those little quad copters just to play with the cat. I broke the thing and she was trying to help me figure out how to fix it.

Then one night she just said "I'm tired, bye." And my other sister called the next morning and told me Brigid died.
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Jamie D

That's very sad about her passing like that.

I have two natal sisters and a natal brother.  I'm the only one of the four with gender issues (as far as I know!).

We fought all the time ... and had each other's back too.

I sense Brigid still has a story to tell ... through you.
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