I went to a new hairdresser today, explained I was growing my hair out because I was transgender and transitioning.
She didn't so much as bat an eye, and asked me what style I had in mind and how far off it would be. I said an asymmetrical bob in about seven to eight months. She asked me about face changes on hormones, then talked me through two stages of hairstyle that will go from the mess I had, to something androgynous that would finally get to the length needed to style a feminine bob-or give us room to style if it does not suit the changes to my face after seven or eight months hrt and weight loss.
Done.
I walked out with a male/andro haircut I could femme up and a plan.
Whilst getting the cut she asked me is she could ask some questions about being transgender causes, and I filled her in on the lingo, hormones, what causes it and so on. She also angled me so I did not have to look directly at my reflection to minimise my dysphoria.
Total win. I could not imagine a better result. I was terrified, but chose a salon in Newtown- a neighborhood high in lgbt and alternative lifestyle people. It was a good bet.
So I had to share such a positive experience- and let early transitioners know you can stage your cuts to morph from one gender to the next over stages. Pretty cool.
By the way... my profile pic is the mess before my cut. (Chuckle.)
It's great to hear that you could have a somewhat open conversation about ->-bleeped-<- with someone. I've always gotten the impression that if someone was told, they'd freak out. I know it's the wrong perception to have but I don't know, it's like a default setting I guess.
Congrats on the hair cut - remember to update your avatar :P
'Mones and laser first before clear new avatar! ;)
I guess you need to pick your people to talk about it carefully- but I have had no problems.
I also always talk about it in terms of a physical condition- once people hear it happens in embryo stage because hormone levels can change during stages of development, resulting in my case as an essentially female structured brain but a male reproductive system (oversimplified but a necessary conceit)- most people click and get it. It helps I look and present male right now- less confronting.
Ah yeah, I guess it all comes down to how you explain it to people. Making people understand that it's not some sort of odd fantasy (thats how my grandparents would perceive it!) and that actually, its something perfectly natural that cant be controlled by anyone.
Works a treat so far. I totally thought it was a mental illness and kink before I read about gender dysphoria and did the reading. I think this is really where we need to focus public awareness to begin with. Connecting ->-bleeped-<- (is that the correct form?) with a physical condition- that we are otherwise everyday people. That is why I don't like the term transexual and use transgender in its place. The word 'sex' gets peoples heckles up- and as we know, it's about gender not sex.
:-*