So as some of you know I publicly disclosed I'm trans this week in an article for The American Prospect and a memoir piece for Medium. Here's my favorite sequence of reactions on Facebook from my friend Spring:
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"You know, I saw those posts! And I was like....WHAT??? But I didnt want to offend anyone even though I KNEW they were wrong....and I personally DONT get it AT ALL...so you tell me...PLEASE??? WHY on earth does ANYONE think you are a trans?????"
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"And either way, honestly, you are quite the wonder-woman to me!"
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"Just read ALL of it! Im Flabergasted simply because I would have NEVER guessed...you are an awesome, stunning, amazing, superhero genius no matter what gender you are! Love your writing...please do more!"
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I know it's my vanity but the level of disbelief at the beginning made me be like, woah, I guess I was pretty stealthy. Didn't think of it that way...
Haha great reactions! Hope it's all going well for you!
yes, must of made you feel good
I have a few favourites..
1) 'Derr!' - this from an exGF..
2) 'That explains a few things.'
3) 'What took you so long?'
Seems I failed to surprise many people when I came out.. lol
I mostly found it amusing, the shock to the acceptance to the pride.
My best so far was from a work colleague who hadn't seen me for a few years, he called me up for a meeting to discuss a new project. I agreed but told him I had undergone gender reassignment and I was now Cindy. There was a pause, then "Oh congratulations! You still drink coffee though?"
I absolutely hate disclosing and try as much as I can to avoid it. But... when I have to I'm very matter of fact. The last time I did, it was to a cajun guy that I was trying to get to help me change my name in a hospitals system. He was like "This is a guy", and I told him I'm transgender. His attitude went from very helpful, very polite to "Um... dunno what to do" kind of shock.
The only time I have to disclose is because of name changes lately. The usual reaction is "who is this?" when I show them proof of my previous identity.
But my absolute favorite time was when an NOPD cop had no idea. I had gotten into a physical fight with a cis girl who had come to visit for the day. He was hitting on me the entire time he was at my house. He came back and said "I had no idea you were a guy... you're gorgeous. I run into transsexuals all the time, but I seriously had no clue until I looked at your ID". He wrote a ticket for public fighting and later told me (we exchanged phone numbers) he ripped the ticket up and to not worry about it.
A female friend who I have known for over 30 years: "oh sweetie, I've always known"!!!
Quote from: Ms Grace on April 19, 2014, 04:02:47 AM
A female friend who I have known for over 30 years: "oh sweetie, I've always known"!!!
Exact same from my sister in law. I felt so weird :laugh: I thought I had hidden it.
Oh dear so many disclosure stories this week. When I first told my boyfriend he said, "I'm 98% sure you're ->-bleeped-<-ting me, no maybe 92%."
The only person I've told so far who was reasonably certain I'm trans (though didn't want to ask me because he thought it would be sooo embarrassing if he was wrong) was a biologist friend I've slept with a couple of times, who said and I quote. "It wasn't very hard for me to notice that you don't have a cervix."
Frickin' biologists. :)
Quote from: Cindy on April 19, 2014, 04:11:47 AM
Exact same from my sister in law. I felt so weird :laugh: I thought I had hidden it.
We only think we hide it..
Quote from: Ms Grace on April 19, 2014, 04:02:47 AM
A female friend who I have known for over 30 years: "oh sweetie, I've always known"!!!
I've come out to seven people so far and got that response from three of them. It got me thinking. I now realize that many of my mannerisms and speech patterns are feminine. Strangely, no one has asked me if I'm gay in many, many years. With my manners and speech I would have thought people would have.
Weirdest reaction I got was, "are you going to keep your (penis)? 'Cause I think that's hot!"
Dion
I heard this from several people- "You're still going to play guitar/jam with me, right?"
Quote from: Jill F on April 19, 2014, 12:46:05 PM
I heard this from several people- "You're still going to play guitar/jam with me, right?"
My nephews were so relieved when I told them I was still interested in sci-fi and comics.
I got a...
'oh. That makes sense... remember when you... (insert a dozen perfect examples from ten years ago (many of which I had forgotten but did infact confirm further) without skipping a beat).'
That was a cool reversal of the whole "but you (insert male behaviors in attempt to squeeze you back into male role) reply.