Site News and Information => Introductions => Topic started by: Shannonymous on July 12, 2026, 06:51:05 AM Return to Full Version
Title: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Shannonymous on July 12, 2026, 06:51:05 AM
Post by: Shannonymous on July 12, 2026, 06:51:05 AM
Hi everyone! My name is Shannon, and I'm a 48-year-old trans woman from Vermont, where I live with my wife and our two daughters.
I figured out that I was trans at eight years old, but back in 1986 I had no vocabulary to understand what it was that I felt, and neither did my parents. They did their best with what they knew at the time, and they were very kind, but their message was basically that it was probably just a phase, and even if it wasn't, it didn't matter because there was nothing to be done about it. As a result, I spent most of my life simply making do with the cards I'd been dealt. I didn't figure it out again until I was 45.
Here's how it happened. I was talking to my older daughter one morning--she was six at the time--about how her day went. She was telling me about someone at her school, and she didn't know whether they were a girl or a boy. My wife and I gave her the typical leftist parent conversation about how the best way to find out is to ask someone who they thought they were, with the understanding that the answer might not match the way they looked, or might not even fall into easy categories like boy or girl. She got bored halfway through (I mean, she was six) but the conversation stuck with me.
After all, if I had gotten that same response from my parents back in 1986, the trajectory of my life would have been very, very different. That set me on a path to actually learn more about what it meant to be transgender, to discover that simply being able to deal with dysphoria was not somehow "proof" that I was cis. A few weeks later, I told my wife (who was VERY supportive, and still is!) and began the process of transitioning.
That was back in 2023, and the last few years have been an amazing journey. There were some people in my life that couldn't get on board, but way fewer than I feared, and I've made so many new friends in the time since then. My life feels more wholesome and healthy now.
I'm looking forward to joining this community, sharing what I've learned and learning from others. Thanks for reading!
I figured out that I was trans at eight years old, but back in 1986 I had no vocabulary to understand what it was that I felt, and neither did my parents. They did their best with what they knew at the time, and they were very kind, but their message was basically that it was probably just a phase, and even if it wasn't, it didn't matter because there was nothing to be done about it. As a result, I spent most of my life simply making do with the cards I'd been dealt. I didn't figure it out again until I was 45.
Here's how it happened. I was talking to my older daughter one morning--she was six at the time--about how her day went. She was telling me about someone at her school, and she didn't know whether they were a girl or a boy. My wife and I gave her the typical leftist parent conversation about how the best way to find out is to ask someone who they thought they were, with the understanding that the answer might not match the way they looked, or might not even fall into easy categories like boy or girl. She got bored halfway through (I mean, she was six) but the conversation stuck with me.
After all, if I had gotten that same response from my parents back in 1986, the trajectory of my life would have been very, very different. That set me on a path to actually learn more about what it meant to be transgender, to discover that simply being able to deal with dysphoria was not somehow "proof" that I was cis. A few weeks later, I told my wife (who was VERY supportive, and still is!) and began the process of transitioning.
That was back in 2023, and the last few years have been an amazing journey. There were some people in my life that couldn't get on board, but way fewer than I feared, and I've made so many new friends in the time since then. My life feels more wholesome and healthy now.
I'm looking forward to joining this community, sharing what I've learned and learning from others. Thanks for reading!
Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: ChrissyRyan on July 12, 2026, 06:52:32 AM
Post by: ChrissyRyan on July 12, 2026, 06:52:32 AM
Welcome Shannon!
Chrissy
Chrissy
Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Finally Anna on July 12, 2026, 07:12:29 AM
Post by: Finally Anna on July 12, 2026, 07:12:29 AM
Welcome! I think you will find many in here, who share a similar life-path.
Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Maid Marion on July 12, 2026, 07:16:37 AM
Post by: Maid Marion on July 12, 2026, 07:16:37 AM
Hi Shannon,
Welcome! It is great that you have a wife helping you transition.
I talked to my wife a lot about her experience growing up with sisters.
Marion
Welcome! It is great that you have a wife helping you transition.
I talked to my wife a lot about her experience growing up with sisters.
Marion
Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Devlyn on July 12, 2026, 07:18:21 AM
Post by: Devlyn on July 12, 2026, 07:18:21 AM
Hi Shannon, welcome to Susan's Place! My best friend suggested my name for me when I came out to her; it was a tossup between Shannon and Devlyn.
Here's our standard welcome pamphlet to get you off to a good start here on the site.
See you around the forums!
Hugs, Devlyn
Please familiarize yourself with these resources.
Here's our standard welcome pamphlet to get you off to a good start here on the site.
See you around the forums!
Hugs, Devlyn
Please familiarize yourself with these resources.
- New Members... Please Read this First (https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,250343.msg2295001.html#msg2295001)
- Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By (https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,2.0.html)
- Site Policies and stuff to remember (https://www.susans.org/index.php/board,492.0.html)
- Membership Agreement (https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,216851.0.html)
- Cautionary Note (https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,82221.0.html)
- How to Contact Forum Staff Members (https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,246913.0.html)
- Standard Terms & Definitions (https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,54369.0.html)
- News posting & quoting guidelines (https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,174951.0.html)
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Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Stottie Girl on July 12, 2026, 07:24:04 AM
Post by: Stottie Girl on July 12, 2026, 07:24:04 AM
Hi Shannon, A big warm welcome from the UK!
I'm Sarah, a bit older than you at 50. I live in Northern England. I too knew from around the same age (about 7 years old in my case) and just tried to muddle through with the cards I was dealt. Hasn't worked for me anymore than it worked for you!
I look forward to learning more from you and hearing more about what you've learned. I'm sure it will help me and others as we negotiate transition.
Lovely to meet you.
Sarah xx
I'm Sarah, a bit older than you at 50. I live in Northern England. I too knew from around the same age (about 7 years old in my case) and just tried to muddle through with the cards I was dealt. Hasn't worked for me anymore than it worked for you!
I look forward to learning more from you and hearing more about what you've learned. I'm sure it will help me and others as we negotiate transition.
Lovely to meet you.
Sarah xx
Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Shannonymous on July 12, 2026, 07:42:28 AM
Post by: Shannonymous on July 12, 2026, 07:42:28 AM
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!
It really is. I had no idea what coming out was going to do to my marriage, but I knew that hiding things or lying would poison it for sure. I'm so glad we kept those lines of communication open. I won't say it wasn't ever hard on her, but I think now we are a stronger couple than we ever were, and neither of us would ever want to go back.
Picking a name was actually way easier than I thought it was going to be! I wanted to keep my original initials, so that trimmed down the possibilities considerably. I also wanted a first name that was popular around the time I was born, one that came from the same general ethnic background (Irish), etc. But to be honest, a lot of that was just retroactive justification for the name I already knew I wanted!
Oh nice, whereabouts? For whatever reason, a lot of my reading and media watching, in regards to the UK, has been centered on Northern England. All Creatures Great and Small, for example--I devoured all of the James Herriot books before I even realized there was a TV show.
Quote from: Maid Marion on Today at 07:16:37 AMIt is great that you have a wife helping you transition.
I talked to my wife a lot about her experience growing up with sisters.
It really is. I had no idea what coming out was going to do to my marriage, but I knew that hiding things or lying would poison it for sure. I'm so glad we kept those lines of communication open. I won't say it wasn't ever hard on her, but I think now we are a stronger couple than we ever were, and neither of us would ever want to go back.
Quote from: Devlyn on Today at 07:18:21 AMMy best friend suggested my name for me when I came out to her; it was a tossup between Shannon and Devlyn.
Picking a name was actually way easier than I thought it was going to be! I wanted to keep my original initials, so that trimmed down the possibilities considerably. I also wanted a first name that was popular around the time I was born, one that came from the same general ethnic background (Irish), etc. But to be honest, a lot of that was just retroactive justification for the name I already knew I wanted!
Quote from: Stottie Girl on Today at 07:24:04 AMI live in Northern England.
Oh nice, whereabouts? For whatever reason, a lot of my reading and media watching, in regards to the UK, has been centered on Northern England. All Creatures Great and Small, for example--I devoured all of the James Herriot books before I even realized there was a TV show.
Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Rochelle on July 12, 2026, 09:31:33 AM
Post by: Rochelle on July 12, 2026, 09:31:33 AM
Hello and welcome to Susan's Place. I live in New England as well. We're happy to have you here. 💚
Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Lori Dee on July 12, 2026, 09:41:28 AM
Post by: Lori Dee on July 12, 2026, 09:41:28 AM
Hello Shannon,
It is wonderful to meet you. Welcome to Susan's Place!
It is wonderful to meet you. Welcome to Susan's Place!
Title: Re: Greetings from Vermont
Post by: Stottie Girl on July 12, 2026, 01:00:35 PM
Post by: Stottie Girl on July 12, 2026, 01:00:35 PM
Quote from: Shannonymous on Today at 07:42:28 AMOh nice, whereabouts? For whatever reason, a lot of my reading and media watching, in regards to the UK, has been centered on Northern England. All Creatures Great and Small, for example--I devoured all of the James Herriot books before I even realized there was a TV show.
I'm a fair bit further north from the land of Herriot, That's more yorkshire I think. I'm in Northumberland just North of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. Most northerly county in England, just North of the roman wall (where the wildlings live!). TV wise "The last Kingdom" and a lot of the "Vikings" series was based in this region.