I have been out before at night, going to clubs or just out with a few trusted friends. But today I went out in public, during the day, with my wig on and my best outfit (along with a new purse.). I went to my college today and represented the lgbt community at a festival. I thought that I would be nervous and excited. Frankly after making the decision days before, I just felt more complete. Im not saying that it was bad, in fact I felt happy all day! But after thinking about it, i began wondering if it was normal. So I was wondering if I could her others stories.

My day wasnt perfect unfortunatly. everyone stared and i doubt there was a single person who didnt know... but honestly it didnt bother me much, and im going to keep being myself regardless.

"and im going to keep being myself regardless."
That's the best approach. Thanks for sharing your day with us! Hugs, Devlyn

That is great!! Congrats! It is a huge step.

For my first time out in femme during the day, I went to Portland, Oregon with my friend Beth, and met up with a couple of other wonderful women from Susan's. It was a wonderful day!

I dwelled on seeing my therapist presenting for weeks, even before approaching him about it. He had early said early on it would be OK if I wanted to. Still.... Then it was another couple of weeks before "The day" came.

Though I was so nervous going into it, by the time the day came it was almost anti-climatic. I had been going to my TG group for a year presenting, even out in more public places. So putting my best face on and dress I took one last look in the mirror and felt so perfect. After the therapist I did the requisite walk around the mall, even some shopping. With no issues at all. No Odd Looks. No smirks from the teens. A far far different experience from 30 years ago during my earlier experiments with transitioning. To be fair, I also felt far far differently from back then. Gone was all the underlaying feelings of shame and guilt. My self esteem was vastly increased during the past year thanks to my TG group. Totally gone was the self-destruct "Some guy in a dress" program running inthe background.

That day marked the turning point of my battle of faking being a guy.

My first time out in daylight was fantastic & scary, it was also the first time I had been out as female at all.
I had a long walk to the train station followed by an hour long train journey, by the time I arrived at the station my knee high boots were killing me so I got a taxi to my friends house, after a girly chat & many coffees later I went home.

I was called mam several times by some very polite shop workers & a charming ticket inspector.
I also gave the taxi driver a shock when I said thank you for my change & forgot to alter my voice, looking back i'm amazed he didn't notice I was trans but he did spend more time loking at my legs than the rest of me (or the road!)

I only noticed one hostile look, everyone else just went about their day oblivious to my nerves

My techinical first time out in the day was when I cosplayed as Misato from Evangelion at a anime con.  I remember being nervous because the con got out at the same time as a Baseball game and I was all "uh oh". Some baseball fan ended up taking a picture of me with his kids!

My real first time out In daylight would be the day I drove to Chicago to see the first Evangelion movie in the rebuild.  But first I went to a Japanese grocery store down there.  I remember the security guard standing in the store was on the short side and I still wasn't comfortable with my height so I felt like gigantor woman.  The clerk was nice to me an I muttered a stressed out "thank you" as I checked out.

I nearly didn't go to my movie, but I did then dashed out for home afterward which was a several hour drive.

I didn't use the bathroom all that day!

The first day is the scariest and the best. Because after the first day there is no going back.

You are you so enjoy your life as you should.

Hugs

Cindy

Quote from: Cindy James on October 18, 2012, 03:45:41 AM
The first day is the scariest and the best. Because after the first day there is no going back.

You are you so enjoy your life as you should.

Hugs

Cindy

Thank you! I did mark it down in my calandar as my female birthday. (should have waited till a holiday. lmao.)

Quote from: Misato33 on October 17, 2012, 10:34:01 PM
My techinical first time out in the day was when I cosplayed as Misato from Evangelion at a anime con.

Thats a great way to come out! I remember always thinking that Misato was sexy.

Thank you everyone! I cant wait to read more, but this does help me set my mind at ease. Im going to be bad and use my next college refund to see a therapist and try to start HRT. I will have already bought everything else that I need for school.

December 2010. Went to my doctor dressed as a woman for follow up blood work downtown then went grocery shopping afterwards. Why I have no idea, guess I was still in the clouds after starting HRT in November. It was the best moment in my life. Was I nervous yea; however, no one paid any attention to me.  After that day I honestly never looked back

Jennifer

It must have been about March 2008.  I wanted something for my birthday, so my friend and neighbor said "Well if you are going to be a woman, then now is the time to be one."  She almost dragged me out to Walmart to purchase my birthday gift. 

I was scared to death, but I did have my wing woman with me.  I purchased a nightgown and some panties.  It wasn't so much the purchase as it was being accepted as a woman for the first time.

Quote from: jacqueline_rose on October 18, 2012, 09:53:50 AM
I remember always thinking that Misato was sexy.

This made me remember some of the con goers took my picture too.  All I could think of at the time, in relation to some of my photographers, is "I don't want to know what you're going to do with that picture"because some gave off this real creeper vibe.  I let it go because socially awkward or creeper can be hard to tell sometimes.

Still, my qualified first time out in the day and interacting with the public, started me thinking about things that as a man I never considered.  I never felt like pray before.

My first time out during the day was to a genderqueer meeting at the local pride office. I was a bit overdressed since the clothes I had on hand to wear were bought for a night out with some friends that unfortunately did not happen.

The contrast between going out at night and going out during the day was dramatic. I felt way more exposed and self conscious in the day and i'm sure that it showed in my confidence. I felt like everyone was looking at me and forming opinions but that may have just been the spotlight effect having it's way with me. When i was out at night i didn't have those feelings as badly.

I was very positive after my first night out but not quite so positive after my first day out.

My first time out in daytime was a shopping trip by myself to a mall back in '87 or so.

My first time out in public was not during daylight - but that is just a technicality as it involves a well-lit street and many other people out on a beautiful Spring evening.  Its one of those things that was scary as hell when it happened but which makes a funny tale later.

I had gone to a support group at the Pacific Center on Shattuck or College Ave in Berkeley, CA.  Since this was very early in transition I brought my things and changed in the restroom.  The group went as usual and at the end we all went out for coffee at a place on busy and well-lit University Ave.  It was a lovely Autumn evening so the sidewalks were full of people enjoying the nice weather.

Berkeley is not known for having an surfeit of parking spaces and I had a hard time finding a place to leave the car.  Finally a space opened up - four blocks away.

Picture this, if you will.  I'd never been in public as a woman so I was unbelievably frightened.  And then, during the walk my left breast decided it wanted to come out of my bra.  So here I was, trying to blend into the crowd and not stand out - while simultaneously trying poke my tit back into place. 

Well we had a good time at the coffee house and by the time the party broke up and with borrowed safety pins holding the errant false in place there was no problem getting back to the car.

All I could do when I got home was to curl up in a fetal position and tremble violently.

A day or two later I went out for lunch.

While eating a bunch of punk kids came into the restaurant.  On the way to their table one of them glanced at me and said to his friend "what an ugly broad".  Which really made my day because that meant I was passing!  LOL!