What, if any, is the importance of real life support and contact?

[Id Est]

If a topic like this has been done before please just point me in the right direction and I'll head off there.

The reason I ask [What, if any, is the importance of real life support and contact?] is because many posts here talk about being in GLBT communities or just T communities, among other forms of get-to-togethers where the topic is what this website is about. I doubt many people grew up in a diverse and accepting community, thus why so much trouble with trying to know whom oneself is, so I assume Ts have had to find that kind of community offline. But I'm not sure. I live in a very non diverse community and to go find groups or similar offline would require a lot of traveling effort on my part. So, is it important to have real life support for Transgendered individuals?

[Kate]

So, is it important to have real life support for Transgendered individuals?

For me, real life support (when transitioning) was critical... but that support came from friends, relatives, neighbors and coworkers. I used to occasionally attend a support group for TSs which my therapist runs, but I really couldn't relate to the histories and backgrounds of most of the people there... so I stopped going many months ago. And Susans has been a life-saver for me... BUT... I saw/see the forum as a place to find the courage and strength to get out there into the real world, which has been my goal all along.

~Kate~

[shanetastic]

I don't really have that strong of an opinion on this subject, but I'd say it's nice to have some support.  Things are troublesome and challenging at times, so it's nice to have some real life support as well. 

As for what Kate said,

I saw/see the forum as a place to find the courage and strength to get out there into the real world, which has been my goal all along.

Couldn't agree more with that

[Id Est]

Just wondered what people would say on this matter. Personally, to find people offline would require a lot of traveling on my part, the joy of being rural. Even though are many pockets of GLBT communities around none of them are reasonably reachable by me right now.

I do think acceptance (at the least) and support are important parts to anyone's life. More so even when it comes to defining who one's self is.

I saw/see the forum as a place to find the courage and strength to get out there into the real world, which has been my goal all along.

Couldn't agree more with that

And this happened to be the first forum I found, lucky me.

[LostInTime]

Real life support and contact can be a real life saver. It is one thing to chat with others on the 'Net but going out there and meeting others, it makes the highs and lows a lot more real.

[Kat]

Talking with you all and some of my other online friends is incredibly helpful, but I still feel the need to be able to talk to someone in person. It's one of the reasons I enjoyed my therapist visits so much.  Being able to talk to someone in person is pretty important for me now.

[Berliegh]

What, if any, is the importance of real life support and contact?

Very much so, real life support and contact is where it's really going and as much normal exposure as possible. I always try and keep away from GLBT communities and any other diversity. I'm not saying there's support in real life contact but it's the reason we transition in the first place and everyday shopping and general social exposure is important.....