Things are okay right but knowing what is going to happen is great!

[Corrina]

Being in the acceptance stage and preparing for my next steps makes me happy but knowing I will one day in the not so distant future i will be able too live open and free as a woman makes me feel so much happier! Although I'm not out just yet I would love to set things straight with some guys at work. They insist being transgender is a learned behavior. I grew up with four brothers none of us were taught this was right in fact we were taught it was wrong. But I always felt this way. I naturally walk like a girl or woman now and have feminine traits.
  I know I'm not the only woman that has been through this I'm happy to support here. Any thoughts? MTF or FTM. Thanks, Corrina.

[Julia1996]

I get so annoyed with people who think being trans is a choice. Being trans is so hard and costs so much in every way, no one would ever choose this! I will try to explain that its not a choice but if the person insists it is I just stop trying. Im not going to waste my time on a close minded idiot. But my dad gets really irritated with people who say it's a choice and he will go around and round with them. He always tells them if they had been around me growing up they would know it's definitely not a choice.

[FinallyMichelle]

Learned?

In that the world thinks you are a freak your whole life? Which part of societal conditioning covers this? The part where they abandon you? That is learned is it? Mental hospitals, are they covered in the, "Your child is a h*mo tra**y, let's lock her away." insurance? Surely that is learned. Right?

WHERE DOES ONE LEARN THIS?!? Is it an advance placement course? Does your neighbor tutor you on the weekend? I want to know, where did I learn this? My father? That could not even beat me when he hospitalized my mother, brother and every girlfriend, wife, child or lover he ever had? Did this man who was terrified of his fey child teach me? My mother who couldn't handle how her new husband felt about her little sissy boy? Could she have taught me? My brother who gave me to his friends to experiment with when they were going through puberty? Who better than his little sissy brother Michelle? Did HE teach me? My grandparents?

I am so tired talking about my life, I don't want to anymore really. The documentation of my pathetic life is so exhaustive and irrefutable, you can have it. Just tell me where I learned to be even more f'd up than all of that.

Where did I learn this?

[Corrina]

Thank you all, thorough the ridicule and enduring the teasing, hate and violence of all the learned behaviors those are it. If I could choose it would not be to go through those things to find happiness. It would be insane to go through this garbage the things I have learned one is we are not all born the same. We are unique but some of us must endure torture to be happy because of others narrow minded learned behaviors! Love all of you!

[krobinson103]

If being trans was a choice I would un choose it in a second. I was harassed and bullied at school, and has have suffered 30 YEARS of suppressing the truth. I finally cracked to save my life and sanity and now live full time as a women. This has cost me the relationship with my wife, and may in the long term cost me the relationship with my eldest daughter.
I would still do what I have done because it is right and it is me.

Anyone who calls this road a 'choice' hasn't walked on it.

[Allison S]

Yes I did choose to live my life as a trans person rather than die/kill myself because of other people's ignorance.

People disapproval has surprisngly helped motivate me to take my pills, to keep wearing the things I like and to grow my hair.

I dare people to tell me they're shocked I'm transitioning like my sister said she "had no idea". Well I'm shocked myself that I suffered so long before coming to terms with being trans. Now that's the real shock. Other people reacting to things happening my life... couldn't care less.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[Maddie86]

Yes I did choose to live my life as a trans person rather than die/kill myself because of other people's ignorance.

People disapproval has surprisngly helped motivate me to take my pills, to keep wearing the things I like and to grow my hair.

I dare people to tell me they're shocked I'm transitioning like my sister said she "had no idea". Well I'm shocked myself that I suffered so long before coming to terms with being trans. Now that's the real shock. Other people reacting to things happening my life... couldn't care less.

yes, this is how I feel about it too. I was so unhappy living as a male, I was drinking every night to cope with things and I started developing health problems because of it. I know that if I didn't decide to go through with transitioning then I would self-destruct and drink myself into an early grave and be miserable until I died. If anyone has an issue with me living as a woman instead of dying early then they are not worth having in my life! People are ignorant on the subject, but I feel like things are getting better, there's definitely more awareness/visibility.

[Rachel]

Most people are ignorant about the trans subject. They really do not care and form their opinions from watching TV or listening to the radio, parents, friends or preachers. We become experts in the subject and learn everything there is to know.

I am a much stronger person now than I ever was. The cost has been large but so has the gain. I would have done things differently had I known. I would have done everything much sooner.

[AnneK]

I would have done everything much sooner.

Things are so much different now, from when I was a kid.  Back then, such things weren't mentioned and I was terrified someone would find out what I wanted.  I was well into high school, before I first heard about someone having a sex change.  The term transsexual wasn't used back then.

[krobinson103]

Most people are ignorant about the trans subject. They really do not care and form their opinions from watching TV or listening to the radio, parents, friends or preachers. We become experts in the subject and learn everything there is to know.

I am a much stronger person now than I ever was. The cost has been large but so has the gain. I would have done things differently had I known. I would have done everything much sooner.

I agree. My greatest wish is that I had the courage to do this 15 years ago.

[Corrina]

I was a heavy drinker at one point in my life. I just in trouble and sick. I quit but am now at the point I cannot be miserable anymore. This inner battle has to end and the winner will be me and who I truly am. It is Corrina!

[pamelatransuk]

Being in the acceptance stage and preparing for my next steps makes me happy but knowing I will one day in the not so distant future i will be able too live open and free as a woman makes me feel so much happier! Although I'm not out just yet I would love to set things straight with some guys at work. They insist being transgender is a learned behavior. I grew up with four brothers none of us were taught this was right in fact we were taught it was wrong. But I always felt this way. I naturally walk like a girl or woman now and have feminine traits.
  I know I'm not the only woman that has been through this I'm happy to support here. Any thoughts? MTF or FTM. Thanks, Corrina.

Most people are ignorant about the trans subject. They really do not care and form their opinions from watching TV or listening to the radio, parents, friends or preachers. We become experts in the subject and learn everything there is to know.

I am a much stronger person now than I ever was. The cost has been large but so has the gain. I would have done things differently had I known. I would have done everything much sooner.

Things are so much different now, from when I was a kid.  Back then, such things weren't mentioned and I was terrified someone would find out what I wanted.  I was well into high school, before I first heard about someone having a sex change.  The term transsexual wasn't used back then.

Hello Corrina

As Rachel and Anne state, most people know little about transgender matters. I agree 40 years ago it was never discussed openly - some may have heard the terms ->-bleeped-<- and/or transsexual not known the difference and made false assumptions anyway.

It has only been in the public domain for 20 years. Sadly we are still faced with opposition either from ignorance or bigotry or religion. As you say some have the ridiculous idea that ->-bleeped-<- is learned or is a choice despite all the scientific evidence against that. We are born with a conflict between brain gender and body gender.

I see you are a Christian as am I (but not of the born again type) and if you receive opposition from Christians, I suggest you remind then that Jesus knows us and loves us as we are. But I know it is difficult to get the message across to some.

The good news is we are GRADUALLY gaining acceptance but I fear we may have some time to wait to educate.

Pamela

[Corrina]

I agree we are gaining traction. Even my own home town now is slightly opening up. My new therapist is very understanding about discretion here. I must move forward for my own sanity and ignore popular opinion. The conflict is real, drinking, lifting weights or dating woman which triggers dysphoria doesn't help. Especially the last one.