What aspect of transition were you least prepared for?

[Just Shelly]

The truth! so much. And nobody asks my opinion on things anymore, unless its with making things look nice (which i'll admit...it *is* kind of fun to do) and the rest of the time i'm just a pretty face. That and not being able to do anything on your own. I mean ill admit it was a nice change of pace being the 'damsel in distress' but the novelty wore off pretty quickly when I realised I hardly do anything by myself and i'm basically mollycoddled.

Yes!!!

In my past I wasn't taken too serious by other men many of the times, but given the correct situation I could appear to be an expert.

Now, I am an expert on certain things, but everyone (INCLUDING MANY OTHER WOMAN) will take advice or opinions from anything that has hair on their face and makes loud noises. They would rather listen to a Neanderthal than someone that actual knows. Ya....I'm getting a bit sick of it!! I can understand why most women just ignore the injustices, it will just eat at you otherwise.

[zog]

For me it has been the mental exhaustion, identity crunch and general angst that came with the second puberty. I knew to expect it, but I guess one can't really prepare for it in the end. At least I couldn't. But it's good in the end.

One of the most positive things about it has been that after a decade on sleeping meds, I could stop taking them and sleep just the same if not better.

Boob hurt! Mine have decided to go for it really fast and they're much, much larger than I would've dared to dream at this point. The touch sensitive nipples I did know to expect, but since they've come on this fast, I've been taken by surprise how much they hurt generally by just hanging in there and bouncing all over while moving.

[Eva Marie]

Someone mentioned getting hit on by men; that's definitely one that I didn't see coming and when it happened I was like a deer in the headlights. I was shocked that someone found me attractive, and I realized that this might happen again and I'd better figure out how to handle it.

[LizMarie]

The thing that has come up for me recently as I've started taking the train to work is getting hot on by random men. I've had one that won't give up. Two days in a row he tries to talk to me. Yesterday he blocked my way and I had to scream at him. Very creepy.

Michelle, I've told you here and elsewhere you are a cutie! You know, my therapist said to me a while back that I needed to prepare for being hit on by men. I looked at her blankly. She laughed and said, "You haven't considered this part, have you?" We had a nice chat thereafter, and yes, she was right, I've begun seeing men hit on me. Being older it's not as bad as some of you younger gals are seeing but it's there. But Michelle, I'm going to be honest, hon - if you were not being hit on, I'd be surprised.

As for the minor stuff, definitely unexpected with the skirts in car doors, hair in the mouth and on the lips, and hair caught under bra straps. I've adapted but I didn't expect those.

[Allyda]

Breaking a nail and having it much shorter and stubbyish than the others is now another source on my list of low level anxieties.

Oh gosh! I hate it when this ^^___^^ happens. I got one on my right hand now stubbier than the rest, lol!

Allie

[mrs izzy]

Someone mentioned getting hit on by men; that's definitely one that I didn't see coming and when it happened I was like a deer in the headlights. I was shocked that someone found me attractive, and I realized that this might happen again and I'd better figure out how to handle it.

Going to second Eva on this.

Was taken back that someone felt I was worth a chat up.

Also I was around job sites early in my transition and the cat calls. Did boost my confidence.

[Misha]

Breaking a nail and having it much shorter and stubbyish than the others is now another source on my list of low level anxieties.

Oh yes... Since that happened a bit too often I simply trim the fingernails a bit so that they still have some reasonable length and then I let them grow up just below the "critical" size when they would like to break.

And how the growing hair when wet could get absolutely terrible if I lay down and fall asleep. No more washing them in the evening as I don't want to use a hair dryer (I can't withstand the sound hair dryers make). Washing my hair 4-5 hours and combing it every hour so that it "remembers the shape" before I go sleep seems to do the trick for now :-) .

[Evelyn K]

Can spending hours on Xbox Live's profile avatar editor customizing and playing dress up be considered something I was not prepared for?

[Allyda]

Can spending hours on Xbox Live's profile avatar editor customizing and playing dress up be considered something I was not prepared for?

Prolly, depends on how your using it though, lol! Excuse me, I'm in one of my silly moods tonight.

Allie

[Evelyn K]

Does any other transvesbians here find themselves deleting hetero songs out of their iTunes playlists?

I kinda 'gag' now when I hear hetero songs that sing to the hearts of man-for-woman or woman-for-man.

"cause i am your lady and you are my man" - Celine Dion

(NO I do NOT have that SONG! )

[Naturally Blonde]

I live in the U.K so the aspect of transition I was least prepared for was the brick walls, the barriers and the continued stalling that's put in your way when going through the NHS system. It took me 10 years of RLT before I was able to get a NHS referral for GRS. I did get a private GRS referral after 6 years of RLT but with the NHS it was 10 years.

I think things have improved a lot these days since I started out on my journey in 2001.

[Allyda]

Does any other transvesbians here find themselves deleting hetero songs out of their iTunes playlists?

I kinda 'gag' now when I hear hetero songs that sing to the hearts of man-for-woman or woman-for-man.

"cause i am your lady and you are my man" - Celine Dion

(NO I do NOT have that SONG! )

Um, yea, why isn't there more songs out there we lesbian ladies can relate to? I found one but it really wasn't my cup of tea. There aren't many that's for sure.

Ally

[Evelyn K]

Maybe Avril Lavigne she's rumored to be at least bi-sexual.



"I'm With You"

[Auroramarianna]

Girls, there is this one!

[Evelyn K]

^^ I just drooled a little bit. Thanks for that. And the music was actually decent.

Maybe performative lesbianism? I don't think Rihanna's gay.

[Auroramarianna]

^^ I just drooled a little bit. Thanks for that. And the music was actually decent.

Maybe performative lesbianism? I don't think Rihanna's gay.

Oh, she definitely isn't, but I thought you guys would like it

Jessie J has admitted being bisexual. There are lots of singers who have come out as bisexual.

[MelanieH74]

I wasn't prepared for my wife and two teenage boys to be so understanding. I expected my wife to raise kain and constant teasing and ridicule from my boys, but to be honest they have all been wonderful and we get along as a family better than ever. My wife says she'd never LET me go back to the way it was before I started transition!

Minor annoyance: sliding bra straps! Just hate it when that one bra I love, the shoulders slide off

[Juliett]

Minor annoyance: sliding bra straps! Just hate it when that one bra I love, the shoulders slide off

OMG SO MUCH THIS!!!
On my favorite VS bra, the shoulder strap unhooks in the back but not in the front so it is constantly popping loose. I've tried my hardest but I just can not fathom why it was designed that way. There is no doubt in my mind that men design 99% of bras. There is just no way anyone who has actually ever worn one has ever had a say in the design.

[MelanieH74]

Ever try the genie bras? In my experience they have the little bits of padding that slide everywhere, especially after washing by machine or by hand? Uuugh

[PrincessPatience]

I've been realistic about my transition and everything is running smoothly so far.