Hello, my name is Ovada! It's not a name that really conforms to any gender, so it suits me. No need to change it. I'm glad to have found a place to figure things out and chat with like-minded individuals.
Well, time to talk about how I got to this forum.
Huge post incoming; I figure the more honest and upfront I am with you folks, the more advice I can get.
My trans-itional journey actually began in a sensory deprivation tank a few weeks ago. I laid there for about an hour just staring into my own mind, contemplating life, and really thought deeply on what really matters most to me. There was something that I've been ignoring for the longest time, and it needed to be addressed. As soon as I stepped out of the tank, I knew what needed to be done. I have not been quite the same person since.
There was a moment in high school that kept flashing through my mind: it was Halloween in 2004. I actually cross-dressed for the first time and went to school. I was 16 at the time. No one knew who I was, but when they figured it out- I was accepted easily by most, and I shrugged off the nay-sayers. It was a rough hump to jump over, but it felt good. I felt incredibly comfortable as what I was, my sisters (all 5 of them) were quite amused and supporting, but... Society was quick to beat that phase of my life out of me in the years to follow. My body grew to be hysterically masculine and tall (198cm/6'6") for someone with these thoughts, as if to say "this is what you have to be." When in the military- any feminine trait I had was seen as weakness. I just tried to be a strong guy, as it felt like I'd never be able to pass as a woman. It's depressing, but that's life. I tried to live as a man would, but it just didn't suit me.
I escaped this restrictive reality by playing online games, because I was able to pick my own appearance. They allowed me to live as a woman in an online universe without discrimination. I could role-play my way around, and this worked great until I stopped playing them.
I'm 25 now, and after thinking on it- I really only live once. I dislike saying "YOLO!" but seriously, you only live once. I know what I want to be, and would regret not pursuing the life I really want to live. If we were to look at the spectrum of male and female in black and white, I want to be gray. I desire a bilateral orchiectomy as both a means to an end, and reducing risk of prostate cancer (which I hope I was correct in reading, as it runs rampant in my family), but it's a cost prohibitive procedure. I desire the changes that come with it physically. I'm not too worried about my blood or bone density. I've never had any interest in reproducing, so that's not a big deal. I'm aware of the risks, but I don't have the funds yet. I figure HRT is the way to go until that fateful day, but I don't know how to get that started.
I come here to seek advice, and hopefully help others in my situation.
Pleased to meet you all!
Pffft! I've seen longer. ;)
A very warm welcome to you. It is interesting, we have an active sensory deprivation article right now.
Please be sure to review:
- Site Terms of Service and rules to live by (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,2.0.html)
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Here it is - take a look: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,149170.msg1235632.html#msg1235632
Welcome to Susan's Ovada. :) I hope you find the support you need here, and I am sure you'll meet our other wonderful military veterans here.
Henry
Quote from: Jamie D on September 22, 2013, 09:25:42 PM
Pffft! I've seen longer. ;)
A very warm welcomed to you. It is interesting, we have an active sensory deprivation article right now.
Please be sure to review:
- 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)
Here it is - take a look: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,149170.msg1235632.html#msg1235632
Thanks a bunch! After reading a few other introductions, mine is on the itsy-bitsy side, heh.
I'll contribute to that post as well! :)
Quote from: LearnedHand on September 22, 2013, 09:27:15 PM
Welcome to Susan's Ovada. :) I hope you find the support you need here, and I am sure you'll meet our other wonderful military veterans here.
Henry
Thank you very much! :) I'm glad to be here!
Hi Ovada, :icon_wave:
Welcome to our little family. Over 7655. That would be one heck of a family reunion.
Feel free to post your successes/failures, Hopes/dreams. Ask questions and seek answers. Give and receive advice.
But remember we are family here, your family now. And it is always nice to have another sister. (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-3.gif&hash=f49e2f86761323f2abd9c33941920389dbb3b10f)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-5.gif&hash=cfc7a68438be4575d8493dfbe65d1b3586f10b81)
Janet )O(
Quote from: Ms. OBrien CVT on September 22, 2013, 09:52:36 PM
Hi Ovada, :icon_wave:
Welcome to our little family. Over 7655. That would be one heck of a family reunion.
Feel free to post your successes/failures, Hopes/dreams. Ask questions and seek answers. Give and receive advice.
But remember we are family here, your family now. And it is always nice to have another sister. (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-3.gif&hash=f49e2f86761323f2abd9c33941920389dbb3b10f)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-5.gif&hash=cfc7a68438be4575d8493dfbe65d1b3586f10b81)
Janet )O(
I feel at home already :)
Thank you! :D
Hi Ovada, I'm glad you found your way to Susan's. The best way to start off is to find a good therapist. You will need a letter from the therapist to start HRT. Now the part about the orchiectomy, I believe in most cases you have to be on hormones for a year plus you'll need another letter from your therapist, but I could be wrong. Anyway I wish you well on your journey.
Quote from: Bethany Dawn on September 22, 2013, 10:01:30 PM
Hi Ovada, I'm glad you found your way to Susan's. The best way to start off is to find a good therapist. You will need a letter from the therapist to start HRT. Now the part about the orchiectomy, I believe in most cases you have to be on hormones for a year plus you'll need another letter from your therapist, but I could be wrong. Anyway I wish you well on your journey.
Thank you for pointing me in the right direction! :D
I'm around the Seattle area, so I'm certain that there are quite a few therapists around me. I'll take a look-see.. Again, thank you! :)
Hello Ovada, nice to meet ya!
HRT is usually prescribed by an endocrinologist. You could try seeing one and ask about HRT. Many US endo's and therapists follow the WPATH Standards of Care (http://www.wpath.org/documents/Standards%20of%20Care,%20V7%20Full%20Book.pdf), so it might be worth a peek at that. If the endo does follow it, then you'll need a letter from a therapist, as Bethany said, but rumor has it that not all of them follow the SoC.
It also might be worth finding out if there's a gender clinic in your area.
~ Mara ~
Quote from: Marissa on September 22, 2013, 10:41:30 PM
Hello Ovada, nice to meet ya!
HRT is usually prescribed by an endocrinologist. You could try seeing one and ask about HRT. Many US endo's and therapists follow the WPATH Standards of Care (http://www.wpath.org/documents/Standards%20of%20Care,%20V7%20Full%20Book.pdf), so it might be worth a peek at that. If the endo does follow it, then you'll need a letter from a therapist, as Bethany said, but rumor has it that not all of them follow the SoC.
It also might be worth finding out if there's a gender clinic in your area.
~ Mara ~
Endo.. Crinol... Mouthful there. Gotta write that one down.
Now that you mention it, there is a gender clinic called "Ingersoll" very close by! I'll be there asap, I didn't even know about it!
Thanks for the tip, Marissa~
Quote from: Ovada on September 22, 2013, 10:14:10 PM
Thank you for pointing me in the right direction! :D
I'm around the Seattle area, so I'm certain that there are quite a few therapists around me. I'll take a look-see.. Again, thank you! :)
You might want to contact these folks:
http://ingersollcenter.org/
Quote from: Jamie D on September 23, 2013, 12:41:10 AM
You might want to contact these folks:
http://ingersollcenter.org/
Oooh yes, I will be in contact with them asap :3