It is a big jump when you come out to someone. 

There may be a desire to change more to justify what you are doing when you tell someone.

It IS a runaway freight train.  Once you start telling people you have no idea who they will tell.

It may have been easier for me it was always difficult as a short guy but much easier as a petite woman.
Clothes were impossible and now I can find just about anything I want at discount prices.

Marion

Hi all!
 I just need to vent a little bit, so please bear with me. I have been socially transitioning for the past few months. Coming out really. But for me, it feels like I change a little bit with every new person that I tell. That's why I think of it as more of a transition. Today I am feeling a little overwhelmed by the whole thing. I feel like I can't slow down my feminization, and it scares me a little bit. I'm seeing a therapist who has been wonderful with helping through this. But I still feel like I'm on a runaway train! Is what I'm feeling today normal during this process? Any thoughts anyone?

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on Today at 10:50:55 AM"Minors, having not yet reached the necessary emotional, cognitive, and physical maturity, are particularly vulnerable to making decisions that can have irreversible consequences. Therefore, it is the State's duty to ensure their comprehensive well-being."

And that is why minors cannot make these decisions on their own. They are required to have a team of healthcare and mental health professionals, as well as their parents, to make the decision together.

The government should never be involved in making healthcare decisions.
 

Hi, Cassi1 Welcome to Susan's! You are right that it's never too late to get to know your true self. I started my journey 2 years ago at age 68 and just recently began Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy. Have you considered working with a gender-qualified therapist? Many of us have found that to be a productive way to really learn about ourselves and chart our path forward in transition.

Best wishes on your journey!

Puerto Rican governor signs gender-affirming care ban that sends violators to prison for 15 years

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/07/puerto-rican-governor-signs-gender-affirming-care-ban-that-sends-violators-to-for-15-years/

Molly Sprayregen (17 July 2025)

Puerto Rican Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón (R) has signed a bill banning gender-affirming care for trans youth under 21. The legislation bans both gender-affirming surgeries (which are rarely performed on minors anyway) and hormone therapy.

Anyone who provides this care to young people faces 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, as well as the loss of their medical license, according to the Associated Press.

The law reportedly justifies the ban by declaring, "Minors, having not yet reached the necessary emotional, cognitive, and physical maturity, are particularly vulnerable to making decisions that can have irreversible consequences. Therefore, it is the State's duty to ensure their comprehensive well-being."

Puerto Rico's Federación LGBTQ+ released a joint statement with GLAAD slamming the legislation after both the Puerto Rican House and Senate approved it earlier this year.

"Every person in Puerto Rico deserves to live free from discrimination and with access to essential health care. Every major medical association supports health care for transgender people and youth. Banning this care and stripping the rights of parents to make the best medical decisions for their families would create unbearable burdens for the most marginalized in Puerto Rico."

Dems call out Trump administration's "unconscionable" cruelty as federal LGBTQ+ suicide hotline ends

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/07/dems-call-out-administrations-unconscionable-cruelty-as-federal-lgbtq-hotline-ends/

Molly Sprayregen (17 July 2025)

LGBTQ+ advocates are calling out the cruelty of the Trump administration as today marks the end of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program, which provides emergency crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth at risk of suicide.

While the hotline will remain accessible, LGBTQ+ youth will no longer be redirected to specialized crisis counselors who can help them work through their unique challenges. The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ youth suicide hotline, has long worked with the federal government for this specialized program and has said it will lose millions of dollars in federal funding due to the canceled partnership.

Out Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS) called the move "heartbreaking, scary, and deeply harmful."

"Every single person is important," she told Advocate. "It's unconscionable that leaders aren't pushing back against this decision that will cost lives."

"This hotline has already saved countless lives," Pocan said. "Unfortunately, in June, Secretary Kennedy's agency announced plans to terminate the dedicated LGBTQ+ lifeline by July 17, 2025. Since that announcement, my office has reached out multiple times to request a meeting with him to discuss this proposed plan, based on his prior agreement to speak, but we have been unable to get a response."

Happy birthday XXX

The Global Threat to LGBTQ Rights
The Fate of Legal Protections Is Tied to the Fate of Democracy
Link to Full Article
Foreign Affairs magazine - Ari Shaw
July 17, 2025

LGBTQ rights endure when they are written into or otherwise grounded in national constitutions; culturally normalized across partisan lines; upheld through strong, independent judiciaries; supported by civil society organizations that operate freely; and reinforced by regional or international human rights structures. Ultimately, the stronger a country's liberal democratic institutions, the better protected the rights of LGBTQ people become.

Threats to democratic institutions and threats to LGBTQ rights are mutually reinforcing, generating a vicious cycle that strengthens authoritarian control. Illiberal leaders deliberately exploit divisions over LGBTQ issues to consolidate political power, tapping into popular anxieties about changing social norms to build electoral coalitions and maintain public support. Ensuring that LGBTQ people can live in safety and with equal opportunity therefore requires not only defending their rights but also addressing the crisis of democracy that renders them vulnerable.

Worryingly, restrictions on LGBTQ rights can pave the way for restrictions on other rights. This process follows a familiar pattern: first, leaders cast LGBTQ people as threats, creating a moral justification for increasingly repressive measures that limit expression and assembly. These measures can then provide legal frameworks and generate social tolerance for broader constraints on civil liberties.

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This is a well-written article discussing the state of LGBTQ+ rights in various countries around the world. Read the full article for details.

The median income of Hartford is half that of the state of Connecticut.
They save a lot of money by not having any sand traps.  Instead, they spend their money on staff to maintain the course, which helps the economy of Hartford with jobs. 

The private course I play also spends a lot of staff to maintain the course.
I saw a bunch of guys filling divots on the tee box!  They pay staff to do that!
There is a big need for jobs that aren't retail in Connecticut.

They would also like their retirees to stay in the state.
I have an incredibly sweet Resident Senior Membership  at the Private Country Club.
My father taught me the social etiquette forty years ago.  I went to elite schools so I blend in well with the Country Club social scene at the golf course.

I had some anxiety of being able to play well enough to fit in at the Country Club, but I got the game for playing there!
I have really accurate iron and wedge play, which lets me navigate around the beautifully maintained bunkers.
I'm also better than most at getting out of bunkers. I was able to learn on some beautifully maintained municipal bunkers.

Happy birthday, Annaliese. You've been on my mind this past month. I hope you are well.

With love,
Pema