About time I said hello!

[Paige_tara]

I've been spending a lot of time reading through this forum for the past year or so and it's really helped me understand some things and figure out where I want to go from here. So, where's here? Well I'm currently pre everything and trying to figure out how far down the path I want to go to being a woman (as time goes by, I'm getting very sure about HRT, and would love SRS).

There have been feminine clues ever since I was little, and occasionally dressing up when older, and I always find I look at pretty women with jealousy rather than anything else, but never really put it together, and spend most of my life growing up trying to be 'one of the guys'. Its only now, in my mid 20's I've realised it was a waste of time and I'm trying to undo it!

I think I could possibly just about pass when I've got my makeup on, but my voice is so deep it's killer. On the plus side, I can go really high-pitch (when singing for example) so I just need to get used to staying in a higher pitch. Haven't really ventured out and about yet until I'm more confident in my passability.

Still, a very long way to go, and lots of decisions to be made, but I'm looking forward to being part of Susans Place on my journey!

P x

[gennee]

Let me be the first to say hello and welcome to Susan's, Paige. How far you want to go is up to you. There some good resources here I hope will help. You'll be hearing from some more folks here.

[Dena]

Welcome to Susan's Place. We have areas for pretty much everything involved in transitioning including voice. People are more than willing to pass on what they know and you only need to ask. In my case, I am best able to handle the head game and voice but I am also aware much of the rest of the transition process. I used a trained voice for many years as that was all we had and last summer I underwent voice surgery which now allows my trained voice to reach the feminine range. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask and most of the time somebody will soon show up with an answer.

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[TG CLare]

Welcome to Susan's Place, Paige_tiara! I hope you'll find much that will help you.

Your story sounds like a lot of people but don't feel that you are like everyone else. Your story and you are unique entities.

I would suggest before you do anything, is to try and locate a good therapist who has experience in transgender issues. I found that a good therapist can help you find answers to your questions and feelings.

As to how far down the road, well, that's strictly up to you. Some ladies change everything on themselves, others don't change anything at all. When I began my transition, I felt that I could live with everything else and only looked into having breast augmentation. Well, one thing leads to another as they say and things I had not considered as necessary I had done. If you can get it done through insurance or public health plans, do it because I had to finance everything myself and it has been a pretty penny with the Canadian/American exchange rate factored in.

As you say, you have a lot of decisions to make and a long way to go on your journey. You have time on your side and the more educated you are on transition etc, the better decisions you'll be able to make.

In the meantime, look around and enjoy yourself.

Love,
Clare

[Paige_tara]

Thank you so much for the warm welcome  and for being the first Gennee!

It's very interesting to hear your comment regarding the voice Dena, I've often considered it a choice between voice training or surgery and that each could/would reach the same goal via very different methods. I do hope a long process of training will get me the results I would like, as voice surgery is a very scary thought! This is certainly a subject I will be looking into a lot 

I have been thinking about the counselling etc as you mention Clare (first port of call would be talking to my GP), I think this may help to reaffirm my beliefs about my own gender. I am in a somewhat difficult position that although I ache/dream/wish to have a female body, and would feel so much more free in a female life and enjoy all the things that entails, I do not feel any hatred or disgust to my own body, dislike may be more appropriate. I think it would be an important step to get a professional's assessment and recommendations.
It's this lack of hate for my male body I feel may make it difficult to get much/anything funded by the state (NHS). I have often heard it that they will only help if it's a choice between that or taking ones life, which is somewhat extreme. However, I don't feel hate for anything in life, so maybe I'm too mild-mannered/tempered to feel that strongly.

Certainly have even more to think about, and just from my first post! Do wish I joined here a long time ago! 

P x

[Dena]

A surgical voice is half surgery and half voice therapy. I have heard surgical voiced that sounded male because the effort wasn't made to put that extra bit into the voice to make it sound feminine. I am attempting to apply training I received 35 years ago to my voice but I have slow healing issues so it will be a bit longer before I can do much work on my voice.
Therapy is a good place to start and it will teach you about your voice so you will know what to ask for when you talk about voice surgery.


We issue to all new members the following links so you will best be able to use the web site.

Things that you should read

Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By	Standard Terms & Definitions	Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
Reputation rules	News posting & quoting guidelines	Photo, avatars, & signature images policy

[V M]

Hi Paige 

Welcome to Susan's    Glad to have you here, join on in the fun

Hugs

V M

[Paige_tara]

A surgical voice is half surgery and half voice therapy

Oh I see, so not a magic 'pop out with a female voice' then hehe, somewhat of a shame but more realistic 
So it seems to me you definitely had the best route (albeit through limited options at the time), training the voice as best as possible followed by surgery if required for that last little adjustment. I hope your healing process speeds up and you can get to where you want to be soon!  are you pleased with the results so far?

Thank you V M *hugs*

[Dena]

I am now able to work comfortably with my trained voice in an area the was the upper limit of my voice. I also gained a far greater range than I had before. I would have like a bit more pitch but it appears I have gained all that is possible with the surgery.

In short, the surgery was worth every penny of what i payed for it.

[Catherine Sarah]

Hi Paige,

A big Aussie welcome to Susan's family. It's good of you to drop in and say "Hi". Hope you like it here, and you stay for a while.

There is a mountain of information, resources and friendship waiting for you here, you just need to jump in start talking and ask any question you like. You're quite safe here and we are very accepting.

I should say it's about time you said hello. 12 months hovering in the background hogging all the tea and scones. Shameful    good to hear your journey is moving forward.

Looking forward to hearing more of your story in time to come, but in the meantime, be safe, well and happy.

Speak to you as soon as I bake this pizza.

Lotsa huggs
Catherine

[Paige_tara]

I'm so happy it's (mostly) got the results you were looking for Dena, just the way it is changing our bodies on the whole I guess, have to work within the limitations of what we're given from birth to create what we feel it should have been

Thank you for the welcome Catherine.
Hehe trying not to be a lurker anymore, keep finding myself reading things and not posting still though! I'll get out there more in time, certainly is a lovely place and such lovely people so can't ask for any more!

Hope you enjoyed the pizza :p

*hugs* xx