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What can I do prior to coming out or going full-time?

Started by Virginia Hall, October 09, 2016, 05:24:40 PM

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jackiemitchell91

I like to paint my toenails and shave my legs! Practicing makeup for the big show and working on my mannerisms! :-*
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Brooke

I would say focus and practice on behaviors, habits, speech/tone/cadence of both genders. Try and be your own critic, and start trying to make new habits and break old ones.

As most people make snap judgments based on mental models, studying those, practicing your weak areas, and forming new habits can be helpful.

Before I went full time I started incorporating a lot of beauty regiments into my daily life. Not makeup specifically, but growing hair out, shaving, manicures (clear polish), eyebrows etc.

I started looking at fashion and what I liked and did not like. I worked on my voice, and probably the biggest factor, got the facial hair removal started. (Wish I had gotten further as I had a lot of white hairs that could only be targeted by electrolysis- which requires hair growth) facial hair is a huge tell.


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Sophia Sage

Voice and electrolysis at the top of the list. 

Another thing you can do: Describe your childhood, out loud, to yourself, using only the correct gendering.  Tell yourself one story every night about something that happened when you were a little girl (or a little boy, whatever the case may be). Doesn't have to be very long.

"When I was a little girl, I used to love climbing trees. I was so agile back then. By the time I was a teenager, I was surprised at how much more difficult it was." 
What you look forward to has already come, but you do not recognize it.
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MxEnby

There's one thing my family knows about and it's my preference for masculine or unisex clothing. I have been dressing masculine/unisex pretty much all the time since 2006 or so, long before I realised there was a term for what I was. Some of them don't like it, but they pass it off as "it's just Mx. E being Mx. E". I'd say wear target gender/target-gender styled/unisex clothing regularly and in public, starting off subtly.
Genderfluid :)
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JoanneB

What Can You Do Prior to Coming Out or Going Full Time?

Discover/Learn Who You Really Are
.          (Pile Driver)  
                    |
                    |
                    ^
(ROCK) ---> ME <--- (HARD PLACE)
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Brooke

Quote from: MxEnby on October 12, 2016, 06:14:34 PM
I'd say wear target gender/target-gender styled/unisex clothing regularly and in public, starting off subtly.
This definitely helps. I happened to be in a state of weight loss in the year prior to go full time. I used the need to buy clothes that fit to slowly go from masculine, to gender neutral, to feminine with each new size.

This can work even if your at the same weight, just buying new stuff that is more and more neutral or feminine (assuming m2f here).

If you've started hormones already, you might find stuff you didn't think you looked good in actually fitting correctly.

The confidence side of feeling comfortable in more feminine clothes took allot of work for me. Once I got comfortable in gender neutral clothing I started adding accessories (bracelets, jewelry etc) and making sure at least a top or bottom was feminine at all times.

If you have decent breast growth at this point getting bras that fit well can take some of the hassle (and pain) out when you make the switch to wearing bras full time.

I also tried to get one on one conversations with my social circle to give them time to adjust, rather than go full femme all at once.
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Virginia Hall

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Sophia Sage

I didn't realize there were two videos!

To be more clear, when it comes to the first one, I think Voice should be at the top of the list of things to do at the beginning of the journey, well before that first opportunity to come out.  It's the most difficult thing to get down, and takes time. It's also the most important -- a great voice changes everything.  Because once we get into relationships, whether with new friends, new lovers, or new colleagues, it's through Voice that our interactions will take place.  I think this woman has voice listed as #8 or #9 on her list.  Make it #1.

Consequently, in the second video, it's all about physical appearance. This is the big concern (rightly so) that delays transition, but again, there's no mention of voice. At all!

Early in my process, as the woman points out for others, I began noticing tall women.  And I'd do an evil thing -- I would try to read these women.  Try to "clock" them, though of course I'd never bring it to their attention, just some random woman at McDonalds, hell no, that would be rude.  Anyways, I'd look for tells.  I'd begin to wonder.  And then the Tall Woman would place her order, and suddenly there's no doubt at all, of course this is a woman, nothing out of the ordinary here except that she's tall. 

But I have always been so concerned with material reality. I'll watch these again later, because this therapist is also getting at some psychological issues, which also must be attended to.
What you look forward to has already come, but you do not recognize it.
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AnxietyDisord3r

Quote from: Sophia Sage on October 11, 2016, 04:34:19 PM
Voice and electrolysis at the top of the list. 

Another thing you can do: Describe your childhood, out loud, to yourself, using only the correct gendering.  Tell yourself one story every night about something that happened when you were a little girl (or a little boy, whatever the case may be). Doesn't have to be very long.

"When I was a little girl, I used to love climbing trees. I was so agile back then. By the time I was a teenager, I was surprised at how much more difficult it was."

When I was a child I created an alter ego who was a boy, but I couldn't see myself as a boy. I still have a psychological block about it. Maybe because my mother called me "girl, girl, girl" on a daily basis and ranted about feminist stuff in a chauvinistic way. (She is a narcissist.)
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Sophia Sage

Quote from: AnxietyDisord3r on October 13, 2016, 11:00:22 AMWhen I was a child I created an alter ego who was a boy, but I couldn't see myself as a boy. I still have a psychological block about it.

I really struggled to change my memories until I had facial surgery, until I could "see" a woman's face in the mirror. 

It's still something to do, though.  Storytelling.  Something we do throughout our lives.  That, in itself, is good practice.
What you look forward to has already come, but you do not recognize it.
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Steph Eigen

Short of the painted toenails (I don't like nail polish) and perfume, I have done all these things for quite sometime.  It does, indeed help. 

As for the underwear, the Jockey Elance comes in both women's and men's versions which are nearly identical save for the more prominent "gusset" layer in the crotch.  They are about the same price but the women's model are made of far better quality cotton and much more comfortable.  Win-win.  What's better, I've been wearing bikini type underwear since college days in the '70's.  No one would even detect the difference but it somehow contributes modestly to my peace of mind.

Sitting down to pee--an obviously superior way to do it regardless of gender or sex.  It is suggested in older guys to aid more complete bladder emptying. Not much to generate scrutiny there.  Moreover, who is policing posture while peeing?

As an academic, I carry a messenger type bag with my laptop and relevant papers nearly all the time. It's not a Gucci purse but makes a lot of sense when and generates no skeptical remarks when I pull all sorts of things out of it at various times in the day.

In the cosmetic realm, the Neutrogena skin care products are my favorite.  I especially like the revitalizing lip balm in the winter.  It comes in various shades, most are fairly subtle, feels great, looks great, falls below the level of "male fail" or frank androgyny.   Also the basic skin moisturizers and retinol products--feel great, smell great and work.

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