Hey everyone!
I went out again tonight as me. First I went to a discount shoe warehouse and walked the aisles. Saw some absolutely to die for pumps (my weakness!), but just can't afford them right now on a whim and they aren't what I came to buy. Ended up buying some girl sneakers (trainers in the UK correct?) and some really crazy girly socks that I loved. That means from the waist down to my toes, I am full-time. Or is that part-time. Maybe half-time?
I was walking along and nobody was paying me any mind. One of the check-out girls asked me how I was doing and I said fine. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a lady with her friend checking out glance up at me quickly upon hearing my voice and I figured my voice didn't pass with her. She kind of walked away to the door as I walked by, but I looked at her and she didn't look at me. She was waiting on her friend to finish paying. No one else looked at me or said anything, but I figured that she read me. Upon checking out I had to give my phone number for the discount club and my old name is on that account (boy name in Spanish, but not a common one at all, so don't know if it is a gender marker. Probably is since it ends in O). Probably got outed there too. Anyway, the point is that the world didn't end. Nobody looked at me funny, laughed or pointed and screamed at me at the top of their lungs. I learned that being read is something I can withstand with minimal embarrassment.
After shoe shopping, I went to dinner with friends and their little daughter at a place called Dexter's in downtown Orlando. No reactions from anyone there, although I understand it is an avant garde part of town. Unfortunately, got outed all over the place there because my friends had BIG trouble remembering to use female pronouns. From the moment the waitress came and my friends wife asked her to "bring him some wine," addressing me of course, the jig was up. I quietly mouthed to her "she" and her eyes got big when she realized her mistake, but the damage was done. No big deal, but the him's and man's kept flying throughout. All I could do was groan and remind them. They did remember to call me Melody, but it seems like that is the only thing they could keep straight. One thing at a time I guess. Funny thing was their 4.5 yr old daughter addressed me correctly without error the entire night! She had seen me in boy-mode back on Tuesday, but I guess little kids are more flexible and prone to address what is directly in front of them.
So at the end of the night, everything turned out well. I didn't seriously expect to go through this whole process without some bumps, so it was to be expected it would happen at some point. I still had a good time and did express to my friend my appreciation that he wasn't embarrassed to take me somewhere to eat with his wife and little daughter. It is a transition for everyone, not just me.
Need to work on the voice more. Especially consistency I think. Baby steps.
