I've been on E for just 5 weeks now. The Girls are starting to take shape, definitely growing. My hair is to long for any guy in their 40's or 50's. My figure is mostly female (145 lbs [66 kg, 10.3 stone]). I consider myself lucky. But that's not the story.
This week I'm in Orlando, Florida (no, not doing the theme parks - too expensive) and today I went to St Augustine to walk through the tiny quaint shops etc. I was specifically looking for a necklace to go with the shirt I was wearing. I went store to store and found a store that I thought would be a good fit. I asked the girl working (maybe 23 years old) for suggestions and I tried on a number of items and finally settled on one. She took it to the register and asked the older woman (probably in her 60's?) to ring me out. Now the fun, I pulled out my debit card and she looked at it and then asked for some ID.
When I handed her my Driver's License with the name Daniel in big print she paused and said "but this says Danie....." pause, double take, pause....
I smiled and said "as it should since I've not changed my name, yet." She just smiled handed it back and said I had no idea, you look great. I wanted to jump over the counter and hug her.
I probably walked 2 miles on crowded streets, talked to a number of other proprietors and I got NO lingering stares (none that I noticed) other than the occasional guy who doesn't know the term "Hey - my eyes are up here". It was fun.
...... Then the flip side of the coin.....
I went down to Kennedy Space center to watch a satellite launch and stopped off in the "Space Shirt store" (I'm looking for a cycling jersey with an astronomical theme). I asked the clerk (50+ year old woman) and she stuck her head in the office and in a very loud voice asked someone "hey some guy...he's looking for..." I turned and walked out. I'm wearing a tight feminine top with a B-cup bra under it, strappy sandals with above the ankle white skinny jeans, carrying a purse and bright cherry colored finger nail polish. There is no freaking way she didn't notice. Some people are dense. I really wanted to ask her "why the male pronouns" but didn't think to ask before I was driving away. I would have gone back in had I realized I wanted to know.
I ended up sharing a table at an over-crowded patio restaurant (packed with people waiting for the rocket launch, which was cool btw) with an older couple (early 70's) and they didn't say boo about my attire or anything. I was just another normal person there for dinner.
I guess the moral is, some people are either idiots, jerks or downright bigots or all three. But others are in their own world or just saw me for what I am, a woman out for a stroll.
Denise, revel in your first story, throw the second in the trash. Stories like yours when buying the necklace are to be treasured, thank you for sharing it. I hope that you thanked her for the joy she gave you. Stories like the blind hearted woman at the space center don't rate any wasted head space! This ride is just to precious to waste on hurtful people. - Anne