How Much of Your Time Is Spent On Trans Stuff?

[Just Kate]

Interesting question.  A few months after after I de-transitioned, I'd say my time spent thinking about trans stuff went to practically nill.  I might talk to one of my trans friends once a month or so but it was mostly just about life and what we were both doing.  I really was pretty silent about it except for the occasional GID flare up (about once a year or so) for about 7 years until the end of last year (2008) when the GID flared up really badly and I went looking for others who had de-transitioned.  Once there I got reintroduced to the trans world I had been so distant from for all that time and it got interesting.

As of today I check the forums 2x a day, once normally before work for about 30 minutes and then after work for about another 30 minutes (unless I actually decide to post or it is a particular interesting night of reading).  If I see someone in particular I can help I might spend much more time depending on what I perceive their need is.

Aside from forums, the amount of time I work on my own GID is nominal.  Normally it doesn't bug me and the times it does, a 30 minute conversation or crying-fest with my wife normally sets me straight.  If she is in bed when it hits, I'll come on the forums and rant to get it out.

[Vancha]

It is a constant issue in my head; but it is, as far as I see it, an ever evolving issue.  I haven't begun medical transition, but my psychological transition has been in process for a long time.  Even before I completely admitted to it.  Every day, I am reflecting and contemplating upon my issues.  I am often grateful for the little progress I have made.  I appreciate that I feel so much more comfortable presenting as I do, and that I am on the right path.  I come on Susan's a lot, I admit, although I read a lot more than I write.  I'm not always very sociable. 

I don't spend any time of my day thinking about how to present in order to please others, however.  I dress the way I want to dress - it just so happens to be conveniently masculine.  I act the way I want to act, and yet again, I am a masculine person.  I'm the sort of person that just might stick my foot out and trip you if you think I'm not presenting in the right way.  I guess that helps.  Most of my time spent on trans issues is spent simply thinking about them.  I very much appreciate my time spent thinking; so many things get sorted out that way.

[Blanche]

My interests have shifted since I'm now fully transitioned, but I still come here once every month maybe.  Why? Habit mostly.  I used to be very close to someone here too.  We even had the same GRS surgeon but as time went by, we drifted apart.  She knows who she is   I still appreciate all the conversations we had. 

[noeleena]

Hi..
For me 11 years being a woman . full time . I dont think about trans things like i did .  its a part of you all the time .
All most every day for about 7 hours i am on here.  kiwi time . from 6 p m till 2 am on most nights , if we dont have server problems or i get cut out . emailing. do posts . & check up on over 9 forums . most are trans related .
    During the day . i am working on our daughters house .3 days a week .  being a builder so can do it . . spend time with my s o . as just two women . shoping . & seeing our daughter . & her two kid es . & some  or most week ends  have her daughter . Dejarn who is 7. with us . & i spend time with her doing things at the parks were we meet up with other kids & thier mums & dad s .
i do have my hobbys . in the work shed doing wood work & make tools & do wood lath work . plus the house hold things . womens work .
Plus sleep . as my australian friends dont think i do .
  This is as a woman . & yes we can do it . so yea i get to know people on our forums & am a part of our women s group s .
  so over the week its full on . & its neat.
...noeleena...

[Natasha]

just here.  once a week.

[eshaver]

I guess al in all , I might spend a couple of hours , dressing,  facial , computer chat, setting appointments etc. Ellen

[K8]

I often spend a couple of hours a day here.  I might talk to friends IRL about my progress for a little while on many days.  Electolysis once a week: 1 hour plus 3 hour drive.  Laesr once a month: 1 hour plus 3 hour drive unless I can schedule it the same day as the electrolysis.  Therapy once a month (local).  Group once a month when I can get there (2 hours plus 3 hours driving). 

I figure that time for makeup, shopping, hairdresser, etc. aren't trans-related.  They're my real life - my new, wonderful life.

- Kate

[Jakob]

Probably at least 3 hours a day. Just being angsty, thinking, wishing, trying to look boyish, etc. Its ridiculous.

[Arch]

Sometimes I don't think about gender. This is a definite improvement over, say, a year ago.

[Michael Joseph]

Hours on here reading everything, and then 100% of the time thinking about it.

[SnailPace]

I come on Susan's every day. (1 hour a day?)
I watch/read Trans people's YouTube/Formspring/Tumblr accounts. (1 hour a day?)
Put on and take off my binder, a feat in its own right! (15 minutes a day)
Think/talk about Trans stuff (3 hours a day?)

[Alexmakenoise]

I've been spending a lot of time here lately.  It's mainly because I'm trying to figure out whether or not I want to transition, but I wouldn't spend nearly as much time here as I do if I didn't also enjoy the fact that it's a nice community full of interesting people.

Outside of this site, I spend some time thinking about it.  I'm not in a position to be able to afford therapy or even a binder yet, but I do plan on doing therapy and presenting as male once I can.  So that'll obviously take up some of my time.

I also plan on checking out the trans resources and groups in my area.  I don't know why I haven't yet.  Maybe because there's so much, I don't know where to start.

[Colleen Ireland]

I've been spending a LOT of time on various things, but then I have a lot of catching up to do.  Since last June I've been attending support group meetings (2x/month), looking for and finding a therapist, then attending sessions (every other week), writing my life story for the clinic submission, SHOPPING, meeting friends in the community and corresponding with them by email, SHOPPING, attending a Gender Journeys workshop (every Wednesday night X 11), reading and posting here (I'd spend a lot more time here if it wasn't BLOCKED at work due to adult content, lol), thinking, worrying, thinking, planning, SHOPPING, thinking, planning come-outs, coming out, etc. etc. etc...

Sheesh, it sounds like it's my whole life lately, and truth is, it's a large part of it.  There is a LOT to learn, think about, experiment with, and do...

[Alexmakenoise]

I've been spending a LOT of time on various things, but then I have a lot of catching up to do. 

I kind of feel the same way.  I've been ignoring this for too long.  Time to focus on it and get things figured out.

[noeleena]

Hi All.

Just a up date , as iv not been in here for a while due to our computers 3 of all going down . so about nine weeks  with out a computer . iv had nothing at all to do with any trans issues .

  Let alone having any contact with my friends . as i know some were worried that  some thing had happened to us , Jos & me.
we had earth quakes over here & all . we did not have any details going on so are in good shape

We are up & running on a newer computer . so hope fully our contact will remain on going .
So thank you to those who have shown concern for us .

Thank you all again .

...noeleena...

[Chantal185]

I spend wayyyyy too much time on Trans Related Stuff!!!!! I haven't even began transition yet, but it is constantly a burden on my mind. It is especially hard since I am still basically in the closet about all of this stuff.

[K8]

Since I started transition, it's only even more time consuming; all I ever read or talk about is trans related stuff. I try not to because I don't want to bore my friends, but GID and transition are both such huge parts of life that it's impossible for it not to come up extremely often.

Transition can be like a big project or doctoral dissertation or new baby or some other thing that completely takes over your life.  All other things drop into the background and may get done, but transition can be all-consuming.

Just before my surgery I was talking to a close friend and told her that after the surgery things would settle down and I wouldn't always be talking about my transition.  She said: Promise?

In other words, what you express, Seven, in my experience is very normal.

- Kate

[Aidan_]

Mentally, I spend about 30 minutes to an hour in deep thought about it.

Though I spend a good hour or two here lurking and helping

[Asfsd4214]

If you count depression that is caused in part by being trans and in part by many other things I've had happen to me in my life... I would say approx 100% of my waking life, and pretty much my sleeping life too.

It's complicated though and it can be hard to see where the trans aspects of my depression end and the rest begin.

[alanamead]

It's like my skin - it's with me always.   I've been very mentally aware of this since a very early age and it probably runs through my mind at least once an hour on average.