Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Site News and Information => Introductions => Topic started by: AgentVermont052 on January 22, 2018, 02:58:19 AM

Title: Long Time Reader, New Member
Post by: AgentVermont052 on January 22, 2018, 02:58:19 AM
Hello!!

I've been a long time reader of the forums, both for recommendations and input for my own transition. And after a year or so I finally decided to become an actual forum member. This forum is my go to for new information and help with anything I need.

I'm finally, and extremely hopeful, beginning my transition in the next month or two!! My first appointment with a transgender friendly therapist is this week and I'm excited and extremely nervous. I'm hoping to start HRT soon as well!!

Minor About Me's:

...Still trying to figure out exactly how the forum and my profile works? I'll try reading some posts to help!
Title: Re: Long Time Reader, New Member
Post by: V M on January 22, 2018, 03:08:37 AM
Hi AgentVermont  :icon_wave:

Welcome to Susan's Place  :)  Glad to have you here, join on in the fun

Here are some links to the site rules and stuff that we offer to all new members to help them along


Things that you should read


Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,2.0.html)
Standard Terms & 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.)
Cautionary Note (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,82221.0.html)
Reputation rules (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,18960.0.html)
News posting & quoting guidelines (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,174951.0.html)
Photo, avatars, & signature images policy (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,59974.msg383866.html#msg383866)
Membership Agreement (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,216851.0.html)

Hugs

V M
Title: Re: Long Time Reader, New Member
Post by: AgentVermont052 on January 22, 2018, 03:26:21 AM
Thank you!! I've been looking at some of the TOS and other policies. I think I understand everything now.
Title: Re: Long Time Reader, New Member
Post by: Kendra on January 22, 2018, 06:46:12 AM
Hello AgentVermont, welcome to Susan's!

Lots of good news and planning on your part - sounds like you have a great network of friends.  My first therapist meeting was May 2017 with HRT two months later - my endocrinologist had a waitlist.  If your therapist is good you have absolutely nothing to worry about.  They should put you at ease, be totally open to your questions, and provide advice based on their professional experience. 

I am sorry to hear your parents won't be open to your identity or sexuality.  Or they might not be.  Or... maybe they will be?  There is only one way to find out for certain.  Since you're in a situation where this doesn't risk your safety (they can't throw you out of the house), well you can see where i'm going with this.  One reason is I had convinced myself my parents would completely freak out and reject me for the rest of their lives.  That fear built up over time until I realized: if they accept me or at least tolerate this, wouldn't that be great?  If they reject me because they misunderstand - or worse because they care more about what their neighbors think than about my existence, well then I've learned an important fact about them.  And it turned out when I came out to my 86 year old parents (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,226090.0.html) - I was shocked by how immediately and completely they accepted me.  My mother is excited, and my father picked my new middle name.  It's the female form of his middle name. 

Life can be very interesting.  All the best wishes for you.

Kendra
Title: Re: Long Time Reader, New Member
Post by: AgentVermont052 on January 23, 2018, 02:17:52 AM
Quote from: Kendra on January 22, 2018, 06:46:12 AM
... I was shocked by how immediately and completely they accepted me.  My mother is excited, and my father picked my new middle name...

If anyone in my immediate family would eventually accept me it'd be my brother. He grew up very homophobic and close minded. But last year when I mentioned volunteering for a lgbt group he was surprisingly supportive.
I have a cousin and his wife who are supportive but are also keeping it a secret until I'm ready to tell the rest of our family.
I appreciate you sharing your story, I'm trying to keep my head up!
Title: Re: Long Time Reader, New Member
Post by: Lena101 on January 23, 2018, 05:42:25 PM
Hello & welcome.

I hope your appointment with the therapist this week goes well.  It is great you have supportive friends & a cousin with his wife that also support you.  I wish you all the best on your transition.
Title: Re: Long Time Reader, New Member
Post by: Devlyn on January 25, 2018, 07:48:17 PM
Drizzle, drazzle, drezzle, drome
Time for this lurker to come home!   ;D

Welcome to Susan's Place, as you probably know I'm the court jester!  :laugh:  Glad you decided to come in out of the cold. See you around!

Hugs, Devlyn
Title: Re: Long Time Reader, New Member
Post by: AgentVermont052 on January 27, 2018, 07:19:31 PM
QuoteI hope your appointment with the therapist this week goes well.  It is great you have supportive friends & a cousin with his wife that also support you.  I wish you all the best on your transition.
Thank you Lena!! The therapist appointment did go well. I mentioned how I identify as transgender and although I am comfortable with that, I'm not in a safe place to come out publicly yet. So she and I will of course work on that and will help me with referrals with HRT and surgery, but not until I'm ready to come out. So I'm glad she understood.
I'm also seeing her for other things and we focused mostly on those things last session. She seems like a wonderful therapist and willing to understand and work with me!

And Thanks Devlyn!! I've been busy the last few days with work and running around town so I am behind on checking the forum.