I wanted to share my experience from the other night, when I was ready to just give up and go back to being male full-time...I made a post on facebook about it, and the reaction from my friends almost brought me to tears. Obviously, I can't share every comment, as there was a massive outpouring of support, but there are a few that shine brightest.
The original post:
"I think I'm just going to deactivate this account and switch back to my male one...I can't be open about who I am, my family deliberately misgenders me, my own fiancee can't seem to get it right, and I just keep getting reminded by various things that I'll never get to be true to myself...I'm going to leave this post up til midnight, and then I'll be switching back over. There's no point in living in the shadows like this."
And now the reactions...
From my fiancee's stepdad, who initially verbally attacked me when I came out: I love telling ppl I'm a pro wrestler not ashamed of it no matter how many times I hear it's fake or stupid I stick my chin out grin and proclaim even louder THAT I AM A [censored] PRO WRESTLER!!!! I'm proud of it and I go balls to the wall. You should do the same within reason if you want to be a woman then [censored] be a woman be proud of it. I'm not saying lose your job over it but Do It!!! Hell you have been in our family 3+ years you still hide from me when you are in gimmick if you believe in it then be proud of it!!!
From a long-time friend, one who's known me since I was like 8: So far ive enjoyed seeing you blossom through here. I know we havent spoken in a while but you're hair is freakin gorgeous and i love the actual attitude i hear through your posts instead of the shyfry you always were
From a friend I haven't seen since middle school: I don't think that you should switch back.. I know that it's hard to do and easy to say, but at some point you're going to have to be true to yourself or you're gonna drive yourself crazy trying to be some [censored] that everyone around you want you to be. I love this you. I think you're amazing and awesome. And I think that if there are people who don't see that, then I feel bad for those people. Because they're missing out on who you really are, and that's their loss. Not yours. [censored] em!
From the only member of the cheerleading squad that ever stuck up for me in high school: Why don't you just delete the people out of your life that are giving you trouble. If they can't accept you for who you are throw the deuces at them.
And a message from a friend who's never even met me in person: Hey chick. Keep your head up. I hadn't been on Facebook today to comment so I figured I'd shoot you a message. Stay strong. Be yourself. If people can't accept you for you then they can go on somewhere. I'm not going to sit here and pretend I know how you feel, as a straight male I have no idea what's going on in your head. But I can accept you for who you are. They say beauty is only skin deep but the person behind the flesh is what makes you who you are. Just be yourself remember no one else can judge you for what they see as faults because we've all got plenty of our own.
When I was in one of my darker hours, my friends came to me to re-light my world. I guess I'm posting this to show...there's always someone there to pick you up...you just don't always know it without falling first.
