Susan's Place Logo

News:

Please be sure to review The Site terms of service, and rules to live by

Main Menu

Any advice is welcome...

Started by KrisRenee, May 30, 2011, 09:10:29 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

KrisRenee

I'm ftm, transgender. But i'm still in the closet in every sence of my life. Except for a few people, who know and support me. My friend Mikey, he's trying to pull me out of my shell, because he knows i'm not happy inside it. So he introduced me to his friend Jesse on facebook as Aiden (my chosen name). But now Jesse wants to meet me... I guess i'm scared to meet him as Kristen(birth name), because he only knows me as Aiden. Any advice?
  •  

Mika

I hope your friend did this with your permission and this wasn't manipulative, no matter how well meaning. Honestly, if he introduced you as Aiden, then it probably wouldn't fly without explanation to present as female. If you be yourself and use your preferred name and pronouns, you'll out yourself perhaps, but it could go really well. If you have secondary reason to be anxious in edition to meeting, such as fear of being outed to other people (I don't know if this is a concern in your situation, just including it), you might have to avoid the situation all together.

If you do hang out with this guy and choose to present as male, I don't know what advice to offer other than make your preferred pronouns clear if its an issue, make your name clear, and be yourself. If he is hostile or disrespectful, he's no loss. If he's a decent and respectful person, then you've gained an affirming friend.

I hope you come to a point where you can be out and be yourself, and it should be on your terms. I'm not out to anyone but my SO and a few friends, and I've been having the same struggles of deciding with whom/when to present as male or revert to female. But it is such a relief to be myself with the people who I am out to. I hope this goes well for you, whatever you end up doing
  •  

Squirrel698

Hi I'm Aiden and I'm transgender.  Look it up.  Do you think the Cubs are going to win the world series this year? 
"It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul"
Invictus - William Ernest Henley
  •  


xAndrewx

Paul you're awesome man :) but yeah what he said. I mean if he doesn't say anything and uses proper pronouns then don't worry about it but otherwise Paul's advice sounds right. Some people, not all but some, don't care much one way or the other bout our trans stuff but sometimes we're defensive, understandably so in my opinion, and then people think it's a big deal when it shouldn't be.  Mind you that's just my opinion and observations. Good luck with the meeting and I hope he becomes a good friend.

Sharky

Is Mikey a good friend of yours? Do you trust him? I would assume my friend wouldn't be introducing me to a transphobic person.


Quote from: Squirrel698 on May 31, 2011, 11:36:41 AM
Hi I'm Aiden and I'm transgender.  Look it up.  Do you think the Cubs are going to win the world series this year? 


LMAO! I never heard anyone use the name Aiden before I started learning about the trans community. I don't understand why so many people gravitate to the name.
  •  

brockstudent23

Explain. Everything. It's the only and best way, and has the added bonus of immediately establishing some form of trust and intimacy right from the get-go. And it'll inspire your new friend to be honest as well.
Also it's good way of filtering who really is a good person. If they can't even handle this, then how are they going to ever stick by you?
  •  

Mika

Quote from: Sharky on May 31, 2011, 10:08:15 PMLMAO! I never heard anyone use the name Aiden before I started learning about the trans community. I don't understand why so many people gravitate to the name.
I dated a cis guy named Aiden, years ago (awkward). But yeah, it's a pretty popular name among our demography lol. I think it's a cool name, though.
  •  

Sharky

Quote from: Mikah on May 31, 2011, 11:15:28 PM
I dated a cis guy named Aiden, years ago (awkward). But yeah, it's a pretty popular name among our demography lol. I think it's a cool name, though.

Really? According to your profile you're 18, I'm only a few years older at 21. I don't think it's a bad name, just seems to be every other trans mans name.
  •  

Brendon

Quote from: brockstudent23 on May 31, 2011, 11:02:52 PM
Explain. Everything. It's the only and best way, and has the added bonus of immediately establishing some form of trust and intimacy right from the get-go. And it'll inspire your new friend to be honest as well.
Also it's good way of filtering who really is a good person. If they can't even handle this, then how are they going to ever stick by you?
I would caution you not to tell anyone that explaining everything is 'the only and best way'. Outing yourself as trans is not always safe or practical, and there is nothing wrong with not ever disclosing to someone if you don't want to.
In this instance, you could explain that you're trans if you feel safe and comfortable doing so. You could also just say "Hi, I'm Aiden, and I use male pronouns" with no further explanation. You don't have to share any information you don't feel comfortable sharing.


  •  

malinkibear

If you don't pass right now, drop in a quick 'I'm transgender' and leave it at that. If you do pass, well then, go ahead as you. Always easier said than done, but you're going to have to bite the bullet some time, bro.

And just chiming in with yeah, Aiden does seem a very popular choice. No idea why.
  •  

Mika

Quote from: Sharky on May 31, 2011, 11:50:29 PM
Really? According to your profile you're 18, I'm only a few years older at 21. I don't think it's a bad name, just seems to be every other trans mans name.
It was one of those silly "I'll be a hetero girl" junior high things, not worth mentioning except that I actually knew a cis guy named Aiden lol. "date" isn't accurate since I was just a kid, but I didn't know what else to call it
  •  

KrisRenee

Quote from: Sharky on May 31, 2011, 10:08:15 PM
Is Mikey a good friend of yours? Do you trust him? I would assume my friend wouldn't be introducing me to a transphobic person.
LMAO! I never heard anyone use the name Aiden before I started learning about the trans community. I don't understand why so many people gravitate to the name.

Yes, Mikey is my best friend. He's the first person I came out to.  He knows every inner working of my brain, and knows what I'm feeling sometimes before I do.  Now that might sound crappy, but It keeps me honest with myself which is what I need sometimes.  I trust him with my entire being.  I do have doubts sometimes, but he's always keeping in mind what's best for me because he's like my older brother.  He did say that Jesse knew I was trans, but he didn't say anything about how he reacted to it.  Obviously it wasn't too bad of a reaction because Jesse still talks to me on facebook.  He uses the proper pronouns and everything.  I still haven't met him, I'm not completely sold on meeting him right away, but it has become more of a possibility. 
As for the name, I had originally just gone with Kristopher, because I like the name Kris.  I have a friend that's been calling me Kris for about four years now.  After a while though, I felt it was too close to my birth name, and who I really am, is much different that her.  So I made a list of about ten or so names, and decided on which one i felt most comfortable and happy signing.  Turned out to be Aiden Kristopher ____.  Now people that know, just call me Aiden.  And I love it.
  •  

Sharky

Quote from: Mikah on June 01, 2011, 04:22:44 PM
It was one of those silly "I'll be a hetero girl" junior high things, not worth mentioning except that I actually knew a cis guy named Aiden lol. "date" isn't accurate since I was just a kid, but I didn't know what else to call it

LOL I understand.
  •