Lilis Unveiled

[Lilis]

Welcome to Lilis Unveiled!

This space is where I'll share my personal journey, thoughts, and experiences as I navigate the world of transitioning. There's no one size fits all path to self-understanding, and here, I'll explore topics that matter to me, and my gender-affirming journey, spirituality, self-expression, and personal growth.

While this blog is still evolving as I continue uncovering my true self. Over time, I'll add more stories and perspectives, with the hope that this space becomes a place of support, learning, and connection for others in the LGBTQ+ community.

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to sharing more with you soon!

[Lori Dee]

Lilis!

I am so glad you decided to start your own blog. I think the Member Blogs are one of the best features we have here. It serves as your personal journal that you can come back to and review how far you have come, as well as allow us voyeurs to come along with you for the ride.

I will be looking forward to your updates when you are ready.

Hugs!

[Northern Star Girl]

@Lilis 
Dear Lilis:
I am so very happy to see that you have started your own Blog thread here on the Forum.

You can consider your Blog thread as your HOME here on the Forum where your readers and
followers can  find you to leave their comments and to share with you. 

Also your Blog thread is your shared personal journal that you can use to write down your thoughts
and comments as you navigate your journey and life endeavors.

I have some older Blog threads here from several years ago that I still go back to
read what I had shared...  great memories of my trials and tribulations as I documented
my own journey. 

I also keep a personal "old school" pen & paper journey for my eyes only... complete with
colorful doodling and snapshot pictures. 
On a cold and rainy night I can be found in my comfy chair in front of my warm fireplace
reading over some of my past writings... sometimes with tears in my eyes and sometimes
with a smile on my face.

As you feel free to share your story you can find comfort in knowing that when you
share your heartache, trials, difficulties and unpleasant experiences that test your
resilience and strength... that you have like-minded members and friends here that will
be at your side to offer their shoulder for you to lean on.
On the other hand, when you share your successes, accomplishments,and happy moments we will
rejoice with you and help you to celebrate those good times in your journey.

I look forward to following your "Lilis Unveiled" Blog thread and I also am
eagerly looking for your future postings around the various threads on the Forum.

My warmest HUGS ... and happy Blogging and Journaling
Danielle [Northern Star Girl]   
The Forum Administrator

[ChrissyRyan]

Welcome to Lilis Unveiled!

This space is where I'll share my personal journey, thoughts, and experiences as I navigate the world of transitioning. There's no one size fits all path to self-understanding, and here, I'll explore topics that matter to me, and my gender-affirming journey, spirituality, self-expression, and personal growth.

While this blog is still evolving as I continue uncovering my true self. Over time, I'll add more stories and perspectives, with the hope that this space becomes a place of support, learning, and connection for others in the LGBTQ+ community.

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to sharing more with you soon!

Lilis,


That sounds good.  I will be reading!

Chrissy

[Lilis]

It's Been a Ride

The past six months have been a whirlwind, so much has happened so quickly, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically. It's like those Kodak moments you wish you'd captured but didn't press the camera button in time.

Today marked my second assessment with my provider, and I would like to share that things are looking good health-wise, including my hormone levels. After discussing my progress, my provider and I agreed to go full throttle into 2025 with a tripled estrogen dose.

She also brought up progesterone. While she typically recommends it to her patients at the one-year mark, she explained that its effectiveness for gender-affirming feminization isn't fully proven to be effective yet. She said We'll revisit the topic when the time comes, but I'm glad to know it's on the horizon.

Tomorrow, at 10:45 AM Eastern Time, I have my consultation for laser hair removal. My provider assured me that she'll collaborate with the dermatologist and provide all necessary documentation to my insurance company. If additional information is requested, the dermatologist performing the assessment will also assist. I feel so supported knowing this is considered medically necessary and part of my care.

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to @ChrissyRyan, @Lori Dee, @Northern Star Girl, @Sarah B and everyone else who has been by my side from the very beginning of this journey. Your encouragement and contributions have been invaluable to me, and I credit so many of my wins to your support.

With love to all,

Lilis

[Sarah B]

Hi Lilis

Well you have certainly started of with great fanfare not to disimilar to mine:

The past six months have been a whirlwind, so much has happened so quickly, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically. It's like those Kodak moments you wish you'd captured but didn't press the camera button in time.

Well whirlwind it certainly was for me as well.  Not that I ever thought of it in terms of describing it like that, I tend to think I was on a bullet train so to speak.  The ubiquitous instamatic Kodak camera where the photo could be had instantly at the press of a button,  I remember my parents buying one an their enjoyment of taking the pictures and waiting for them to develop.

She also brought up progesterone. While she typically recommends it to her patients at the one-year mark, she explained that its effectiveness for gender-affirming feminization isn't fully proven to be effective yet. She said We'll revisit the topic when the time comes, but I'm glad to know it's on the horizon.

Tomorrow, at 10:45 AM Eastern Time, I have my consultation for laser hair removal. My provider assured me that she'll collaborate with the dermatologist and provide all necessary documentation to my insurance company. If additional information is requested, the dermatologist performing the assessment will also assist. I feel so supported knowing this is considered medically necessary and part of my care.

Progesterone was never on the radar for me when I started and I was given full dosage of hormones at the time and they were, premarin (estrogen) and depo provera injection to stop the testosterone from wrecking any further damage to me.

I do not know if laser hair removal would have worked on me as I'm fair skinned and lots of freckles, maybe one treatment and they would have turned white, thereby necessitating, electrolysis methods straight away, they turned white pretty soon anyway with the waxing, hormones and the electrolysis.

There was no paper work involved for me, I paid for everything out of pocket, except for doctors visits and either the visits were bulk billed or I paid for half of the service.  Not much of a problem, because I was working ful time anyway.

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to ChrissyRyan, Lori Dee, Northern Star Girl, Sarah B and everyone else who has been by my side from the very beginning of this journey. Your encouragement and contributions have been invaluable to me, and I credit so many of my wins to your support.

You are more than welcome and you are lucky in the sense that you have information at your finger tips, whereas I just had one article to go by.

I sit with abated breath on the edge of my computer chair waiting for the next instalment.

Take care and I hope your journey is as smooth as mine.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lilis

[davina61]

I find my blog great as I live on my own and not many folks I can talk to openly, thats why my pages are full of ramblings. Its great to have some place to unclutter the brain, I will be lurking!!

[Sephirah]

Yeah you just knew I was going to poke my nose in to say hello!

So... Hello!!

And it sounds like you're kicking next year into high gear. Go you!! You deserve it. <3

[Lilis]

Progesterone was never on the radar for me when I started and I was given full dosage of hormones at the time and they were, premarin (estrogen) and depo provera injection to stop the testosterone from wrecking any further damage to me.

It's interesting to hear how protocols have changed over time, and it's great to hear different perspectives, and the different ways to get the desired results on one's journey.

I do not know if laser hair removal would have worked on me as I'm fair skinned and lots of freckles, maybe one treatment and they would have turned white, thereby necessitating, electrolysis methods straight away, they turned white pretty soon anyway with the waxing, hormones and the electrolysis.

There was no paper work involved for me, I paid for everything out of pocket, except for doctors visits and either the visits were bulk billed or I paid for half of the service.  Not much of a problem, because I was working ful time anyway.

Oh wow, your description reminds me of my ex-wife—she had auburn hair, green eyes, fair skin, and lots of freckles. My son inherited most of her features, and they both always received so much positive attention. Looking back, I sometimes wonder if I was overly protective of her, she's a truly beautiful woman.

That's great that everything worked out naturally for you with your hair removal. My doctor suggested waiting 7 months to a year on hormones before making decisions about hair removal, so I'm trying to give my body time to adjust and see what changes happen naturally. Still, I'm starting to feel nervous because I want to feel more confident in my body by the summer months here in the Northeast. I just want to be prepared and ready.

Take care and I hope your journey is as smooth as mine.

Thank you so so much, Sarah.

[Lilis]

So... Hello!!

Thanks for stopping by.
 

And it sounds like you're kicking next year into high gear. Go you!! You deserve it.

Fingers crossed.

[Lilis]

I find my blog great as I live on my own and not many folks I can talk to openly, thats why my pages are full of ramblings. Its great to have some place to unclutter the brain, I will be lurking!!

Yes, living alone definitely has its advantages, I can relate to that. Thank you so much for your support!

[Sarah B]

Hi Lilis

Now you know why I like reading other members' stories.  It gives one a perspective on their journey.

Just a couple of minor points.  They may be self evident.  Within four weeks of arriving in Sydney, I was on full blown hormone replacement therapy.  I just went into the doctor's and he asked me if I had been on hormones before.  I said yes.  No I never had been, but a couple of sponge inserts may have helped.

I never knew at the time what the Depo-Provera was until recently in the last couple of years.  It really is a castration chemical! As I said, I was totally ignorant of what I was doing or naive.  After surgery my breasts started to lactate and Depo-Provera was removed from my hormone replacement therapy.

I had started waxing my face occasionally about a year before I arrived in Sydney.  It took a couple of sessions to get rid of it for the first time.  Even my memory of the time having it done is vague.  I believe I was doing it because I wanted to be a female.  Self consciously? Then again I just did it.  not even thinking why I was doing it.

When I arrived in Sydney my routine for hair removal was basically electrolysis on Saturday morning with waxing on Sunday night every week.  I guess with this routine and HRT my hairs went white very quickly and I continued this treatment for the next year and a half.  Then they were all gone! Yay!

I guess the hormones can have an effect on the face.  I do not really know.  That remains to be seen in your case.  However I guess the hormones have reduced the hairs on my arms and legs to basically vellum type hairs.  I need a magnifying glass to just see them.

There is no reason that I can see why one should not start hair removal sooner.  That depends on the individual concerned and how they feel about doing it.  I guess remove the hair by waxing and then see how you feel!

Well if you look at my avatar you can see the color of my hair.  yeah but I wish I had green eyes.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Lilis

[ChrissyRyan]

Happy new year Lilis!

Chrissy

[Lilis]

Happy new year Lilis!

Chrissy

Thank you so much, Chrissy, Happy New Year to you and your loved ones as well.

[ChrissyRyan]

Thank you so much, Chrissy, Happy New Year to you and your loved ones as well.

Aww you are sweet Lilis.

Thank you so much.


Chrissy

[Lilis]

Hi Lilis

Now you know why I like reading other members' stories.  It gives one a perspective on their journey.

Just a couple of minor points.  They may be self evident.  Within four weeks of arriving in Sydney, I was on full blown hormone replacement therapy.  I just went into the doctor's and he asked me if I had been on hormones before.  I said yes.  No I never had been, but a couple of sponge inserts may have helped.

I never knew at the time what the Depo-Provera was until recently in the last couple of years.  It really is a castration chemical! As I said, I was totally ignorant of what I was doing or naive.  After surgery my breasts started to lactate and Depo-Provera was removed from my hormone replacement therapy.

Ah, I looked up 'Depo-Provera,' and it turns out it's sometimes used as part of hormone therapy to suppress testosterone production, particularly for those who can't take or tolerate other testosterone blockers like spironolactone or cyproterone acetate. It's also available in the United States. This sounds like something I'm interested in, going to run it by my provider with my next session with her. Thanks for the heads-up, Sarah.

I had started waxing my face occasionally about a year before I arrived in Sydney.  It took a couple of sessions to get rid of it for the first time.  Even my memory of the time having it done is vague.  I believe I was doing it because I wanted to be a female.  Self consciously? Then again I just did it.  not even thinking why I was doing it.

When I arrived in Sydney my routine for hair removal was basically electrolysis on Saturday morning with waxing on Sunday night every week.  I guess with this routine and HRT my hairs went white very quickly and I continued this treatment for the next year and a half.  Then they were all gone! Yay!

I guess the hormones can have an effect on the face.  I do not really know.  That remains to be seen in your case.  However I guess the hormones have reduced the hairs on my arms and legs to basically vellum type hairs.  I need a magnifying glass to just see them.

There is no reason that I can see why one should not start hair removal sooner.  That depends on the individual concerned and how they feel about doing it.  I guess remove the hair by waxing and then see how you feel!

Thanks Sarah, I will try these methods if things don' go as planned.

Well if you look at my avatar you can see the color of my hair.  yeah but I wish I had green eyes.

Oh, I see, I see, yes, my ex and my son's hair match yours. Don't worry about your eye color; honetly, I have brown eyes myself, and I think all eye colors are beautiful. If your SO is overprotective of you, as I was with my ex, just tell him to grow up. I've been there, and I regret it, it was detrimental to our relationship.

[tgirlamg]

Lilis!!!

I just saw you started a blog!

May this space and your years ahead be blessed and filled with glorious triumphs, amazing discoveries and joyous connections to your life, to others and to the world!

Onward We Go Brave Sister!

Ashley 💕

[Lilis]

I just saw you started a blog!

Hi Ashley, long time no see! Every time you participate in the chat, it feels like you bring a wave of hope, experience, strength, blessings, and joy. It's always so good to see you, and thanks for stopping by my blog.

I thought this would be a great time to start moving things forward. I'm beginning to feel more confident in my journey and have learned so much from reading the posts of the silent and active voices in these forums. I believe I might now have a little to offer that could potentially help others whenever it's needed.

May this space and your years ahead be blessed and filled with glorious triumphs, amazing discoveries and joyous connections to your life, to others and to the world!

I appreciate your blessings and encouragement. The words you share always calm my spirit and mean so much to me. Thank you so much, Ashley.

~ Lilis

[tgirlamg]

Lilis!

Awwww!... Thank you for the kind words! I look forward to following along as your journey unfolds for you... Enjoy every day and every step forward!

Onward!

A 💕

[Lilis]

The Unveiled Face

"Inspired by 2 Corinthians 3:17-18:

'Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.'

An unveiled face.

Those words stir something deep within me. To live with an unveiled face is to embrace openness, authenticity, and freedom. It means removing the masks we wear to fit in, to hide our pain, or to suppress our true selves. For me, transitioning feels like this unveiling, shedding a false presentation that didn't align with who I truly am to reveal the person I was always meant to be.

This process hasn't been easy. Unveiling requires courage. It's about becoming emotionally vulnerable, trusting that love and truth can still shine through our imperfections. It's about allowing others to see the real me, even when it feels risky. Most of all, it's about trusting myself, trusting that my identity and my journey are valid and worth honoring.

With each step of this journey, I feel a profound transformation, not just physically, but emotionally and psychologically. The more I unveil, the more I feel a sense of freedom. Freedom to be authentic. Freedom to grow. Freedom to live fully and unapologetically.

Living with an unveiled face is about reflecting my true self in the world. It's standing in my truth, even when it's hard, even when it's scary. Because in doing so, I find connection, understanding, and the power to inspire others to live authentically too.

To anyone walking this path of self-discovery, whether through transitioning or any other journey, know that unveiling is a process. It's okay to take it one step at a time. There is freedom on the other side of fear, and there is so much beauty in uncovering who you truly are.

With unveiled faces, let's continue to embrace authenticity, courage, and the joy of becoming.

With love and light,

Lilis