Site News and Information => Introductions => Topic started by: ada armstrong on May 16, 2014, 09:28:54 PM Return to Full Version

Title: Howdy!
Post by: ada armstrong on May 16, 2014, 09:28:54 PM
Greetings!
I came out to myself as transgender on 04/11/2014.
I told myself to give it a month and see how I felt about it.
On 5/12, I signed up for an account here after lurking and reading obsessively.

Yesterday, I came out online to an acquaintance from college who has gone through transition, including SRS.
She suggested I seek local support, and I joined a Yahoo group that organizes regular meetings in my area.

I am 39 years old and had a crisis of identity recently, realizing that if I didn't confront my dysphoria now I would only be postponing it until later. It's time to put on my big girl pants and own it.

I feel like I've made the big step out onto the lunar surface, but I don't know what I'll find.

Susan's Place has been a great resource to me so far, and I look forward to integrating with the community and making some friends.

Hi!
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: antonia on May 16, 2014, 11:44:01 PM
Hi Ada,

Welcome to Susans, and congratulations on coming out.

Those first few steps are pretty scary but I think the biggest one is coming out to yourself, once I accepted myself I was able to get rid of a lot of emotional baggage and I've been much happier since.

Feel free to ask any questions you have (as long as they are within the forum rules), we are all here to help each other and give support.

Big hugs,
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: Ms Grace on May 17, 2014, 12:15:55 AM
Hey Ada!

Welcome to Susan's :) Great to have you here - looking forward to seeing you around the forum.

Please check out the following links for general site info...


  • Site Terms of Service and rules to live by  (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,2.0.html)
  • Standard Terms and Definitions (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,54369.0.html)
  • Post Ranks ( including when you can upload an avatar) (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,114.0.html.)
  • Age and the Forum (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,62197.msg405545.html#msg405545)
  • Reputation rules (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,18960.0.html)
  • Photo, avatars, and signature images policy (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,59974.msg383866.html#msg383866)

Cheers

Grace
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: ada armstrong on May 20, 2014, 09:34:00 PM
Thanks so much. I appreciate it.

It's getting more complicated.
My wife, i think, has started to connect dots.
She asked me the other day if, "I was trying to turn into a girl." I almost vomited over us all.
Our son (my stepson) graduates from HS this weekend and there will be family events.
Ugh. I don't know.

Thanks for being there. Susan's Place.
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: Jessica Merriman on May 20, 2014, 09:52:27 PM
A big warm welcome to the family Ada! Know you are not alone and we do understand just where you are in life. You now have a great support family with you on the journey now and we will do what we can to help. Here is a BIG HUG  :icon_hug: to welcome you and make you feel right at home!  :)
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: SunnyK on May 21, 2014, 05:05:20 PM
Hello, I'm new here too. I agree, when you admit it to yourself, and accept it, it does seem to almost bring an inner calm (which I hope lasts). Maybe you and I can trade ideas when it comes time to talk to our SO, as we're both married.
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: PoeticHeart on May 21, 2014, 05:19:44 PM
As others have said, welcome to the community! I am also very new to this site and to truly having come out to myself. I wish you the best of luck in your journey, and as I'm sure with anyone else on the site, you can always feel free to talk to me!
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: ada armstrong on June 03, 2014, 09:11:44 PM
Earlier this week, my wife forced me to come out to her.

She came home from her 2nd shift nursing job (off at 11PM), and was giving me a hug and cuddling.
She noticed that I had shaved my legs again (she had a previous freakout about this).
She kept asking me why I did it, and I kept saying that I did it for myself.

She continued insistently, asking if I was having an affair.

I finally said, "No, I'm not having an affair. I am having gender problems!"

"What kind of problems?", crying.

I explained to her how I had never felt right as a male, and the historical footage rolled, etc. I told her I wanted to be a woman.

*sidenote: she flips out about the smallest things and I was sure this would not end well

In the end, she was just glad I wasn't leaving her.

We had a nice talk in the morning before I left for my 9-5 job and I explained that it wasn't like I was going to magically turn into a woman overnight, but that I was just now free to express a previously hidden part of myself. She asked, "Like David Bowie?" (I have been a huge fan since childhood, so YES)

I also added, "and Grace Jones."

She said Grace Jones was scary, and I mentioned to her that people might find me scary as well.

That night, she brought me a pair of stockings and a nightie/cami thing that had been left behind by a patient at her facility. It was such a sweet gesture.

I'm still not sure how things will turn out, but this went welly welly weller than expected!

I do plan on acquiring hormones and exploring transition. For now, though, I feel a great weight lifted. She won't be shocked to find my panties or other things, now.

Thanks for everything, SP!


Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: Hikari on June 03, 2014, 09:17:32 PM
Awesome, I really hope it works out. Things will probably be fragile so make sure you frame things in a positive light for her.

I do find it nearly hilarious that people always jump to a conclusion that isn't trans. When I came out to my now exwife, it was because she thought I was gay...which is bizarre seeing as we were regularly intimate, like at least she could have jumped to the bisexual conclusion. Well years later and on hormones I like women exclusivly so I guess I did turn out to be gay, just not the way she thought lol.
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: ada armstrong on June 03, 2014, 10:22:25 PM
We are having our ten-year-together anniversary in July and our five-years-married anniversary in October. She has always known that I (at the very least) bisexual.
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: gennee on June 05, 2014, 05:42:20 PM
Hi Ada and welcome to Susan's. Congratulations on coming out. I came out to myself in a similar fashion on 7/26/2005. It was the best decision of my life.

:)
Title: Re: Howdy!
Post by: EllieM on June 06, 2014, 11:22:01 AM

((( Big hug, Ada )))
Welcome to Susan's. I guess your next step is to find a therapist? I know it helped me a lot, that and Susan's. I held it in for way too long but things are much improved now :)
You have friends here, Ada, friends who will not judge you, friends who will offer solid advice based on life experience, and a lot of different perspectives.