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getting used to pronouns.

Started by amber roskamp, August 07, 2014, 10:27:31 PM

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amber roskamp

I have been out to some people for awhile now, but most of the people that I am out to are cis. they don't have a huge understanding of how to deal with trans people. I am very non confrontational so I haven't really forced the issue with being called the right pronoun. a few of them have come around and asked me and I told them she/hers. Every time I get called it I get an initial freak out. then I am like beaming ;D for a good ten minutes. im just so not used to being called referred to as female. my initial reaction when I do get called her is like "OH!!!! your talking about me!" anyone else have a struggle getting used to it.
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Just Shelly

I can say that after over 3 years I am fairly use to it....but there are times that I think ....oh, there talking about me!!

It didn't take me long not to answer someone calling out sir in a line or something. I think I did it once maybe twice....and though WTF am I doing. I never got a weird look and just turned away when the guy they were initially calling stepped forward. LOL
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Valleyrie

When people first started to refer to me using female pronouns it just felt so natural. I never had any moments like that, it was a bit odd at first but that's because I wasn't used to it but it just feels right. I never had any reactions like that but I cringe every time I'm called he, etc. Absolutely hate it and it destroys my mood completely. I really don't like confrontation too lol.
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amber roskamp

yea I think I can get used to it. when ever I think of other people talking to me I think of them using she but for some reason when ever they do it always suprises me. oh and shelley, that would be another thing to get me worried about. I never thought about when im out as a girl, will I respond to guy pronouns? im really ditzy so that will probably get me a few times.
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immortal gypsy

Two friends of mine started using female pronouns late last year regardles how I'm dressed. Even today when they are talking about me in my presence it sometimes takes a moment to click that the her/she I'm hearing is me :D
Do not fear those who have nothing left to lose, fear those who are prepared to lose it all

Si vis bellum, parra pacem
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Hyacinth

I've always thought pronouns were confusing. Honestly as a little kid I had a hard time remembering the differences between them, or whether or not people were one gender or not. Eventually as I got older I just started referring to everyone younger than me as "kid" and everyone older than me as "person" and people the same age as "You" or whatever their name was, casting off all attempts at grammatical accuracy. Around about 15 or so, when I finally got better at remembering names I just referred to most people by their names, or "person" or "people". The whole idea of gendered pronouns just seemed like a nuisance to me, (don't even get me started on Spanish or other languages that insist on gendering everything) So when people ask me about preferred gender pronouns, I usually just say I don't care what they use. Because I don't. They can call me "it" or even "that thing" or whatever, it doesn't ruffle me, people have called me much much worse things, and those didn't really bother me that much either.  But Other people care so much about pronouns, trans and cis alike, so I don't have a choice but to try and figure out which ones to use, which is just tiresome. Trans people are at least more tolerant of mistakes, but the second you accidently use he to refer to your mother, or her to refer to some famous football player, everyone gets up in arms, like I'm trying to insult them or something. It's not my fault I speak a language that was stupid enough to lose its neutral gender. But at least pronouns are the only thing I have to remember gender, so I guess its not that bad.
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suzifrommd

I've been female full time for over a year now. When someone uses "she" to refer to me, I still look around to see whom they're talking about.
Have you read my short story The Eve of Triumph?
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amber roskamp

lol I think my heart skips a beat every time lol. but in a good way!!!
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MugwortPsychonaut

Quote from: amber roskamp on August 07, 2014, 10:27:31 PM
I have been out to some people for awhile now, but most of the people that I am out to are cis. they don't have a huge understanding of how to deal with trans people. I am very non confrontational so I haven't really forced the issue with being called the right pronoun. a few of them have come around and asked me and I told them she/hers. Every time I get called it I get an initial freak out. then I am like beaming ;D for a good ten minutes. im just so not used to being called referred to as female. my initial reaction when I do get called her is like "OH!!!! your talking about me!" anyone else have a struggle getting used to it.

Ha ha! This totally happens to me, too!

PS: I didn't actually laugh out loud, but I do share the amusement.
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Julia-Madrid

I must admit that it still gives me a bit of a thrill to hear people use female pronouns for me.  Especially in a work setting where I only made the change a month ago.

As for when people get it wrong, mostly my mother for reasons I can well understand, if the slip is made in private I gently correct and fine the offender €1.   It's a joke but not quite.  In public most people get it right, thankfully, but when they get it wrong it feels a bit like a lightning-bolt.
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Illuminess

No one uses my preferred pronouns yet. I've told people to please use ANYTHING but male ones, but it just hasn't sunk in yet, and I don't want to be a bitch about it. I think it'll be easier for them when I actually have a physically female appearance through HRT and clothing, and that's just around the corner.

But when I imagine a situation where I'm being called 'she' I feel all warm and fuzzy like when you think about someone you really like who just happens to like you, too; and the anticipation for that very moment is like the same anxious feeling when you're waiting to see that person on the weekend. I can't imagine I'd react any differently when it actually happens.

Until then, I just have to deal while I get everything situated.
△ ☾ Rıνεя Aяıп Lαυяıε ☽ △

"Despair holds a sweetness that only an artist's tongue can taste."Illuminess
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amber roskamp

Quote from: sororcaeli on August 11, 2014, 07:42:41 AM
No one uses my preferred pronouns yet. I've told people to please use ANYTHING but male ones, but it just hasn't sunk in yet, and I don't want to be a bitch about it. I think it'll be easier for them when I actually have a physically female appearance through HRT and clothing, and that's just around the corner.

But when I imagine a situation where I'm being called 'she' I feel all warm and fuzzy like when you think about someone you really like who just happens to like you, too; and the anticipation for that very moment is like the same anxious feeling when you're waiting to see that person on the weekend. I can't imagine I'd react any differently when it actually happens.

Until then, I just have to deal while I get everything situated.

I always imagine people referring to me as her, when it actually happens I'm like "woah where they talking to me!" lol. and the same thing happened to me with the not using the right pronoun. I think they forgot because they were like "do you want me to start using she?" when I started dressing up.  im like :icon_confused2: :icon_yes: :icon_cute:
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katiej

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on August 08, 2014, 05:53:52 PM
I must admit that it still gives me a bit of a thrill to hear people use female pronouns for me.  Especially in a work setting where I only made the change a month ago.

Julia, how in the world did you pass as a guy as recently as a month ago?!?  Doesn't seem possible.

[/OT]
"Before I do anything I ask myself would an idiot do that? And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing." --Dwight Schrute
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Ms Grace

I think "yay!!" And do a little happy dance inside my mind! ;D
Grace
----------------------------------------------
Transition 1.0 (Julie): HRT 1989-91
Self-denial: 1991-2013
Transition 2.0 (Grace): HRT June 24 2013
Full-time: March 24, 2014 :D
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Julia-Madrid

Quote from: katiej on August 13, 2014, 03:54:22 AM
Julia, how in the world did you pass as a guy as recently as a month ago?!?  Doesn't seem possible.

[/OT]
Hi Katie

I honestly don't know ... makeup definitely helps but I confess that I was one of the people most surprised to see how I looked as a girl.  My avatar, BTW is a hastily-taken selfie, unretouched.

Make no mistake, I realise how lucky I am... :)   And I am grateful for my luck!
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RuthFrances

My wife referred to me as "she" for the first time yesterday.  It took a second to sink in but when it did I was smiling.ear to ear.  :)

amber roskamp

that's awesome ruth. I've never told anyone that I am that close to about my gender, but I could imagine how good it would feel. that's a big step for your relationship. hope she continues to acknowledge your gender.
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Lazarus Plus

Great topic. This is something I've been wondering about, how other people react... The few times in my life where I had a really really fit body and hair past my shoulder blades, I'd have my back to someone at work. I'd turn around and have people go "whoa I thought you were a girl do you have a sister" and I couldn't believe how good it made me feel. I'd been trying to be ok with being a guy for a long long time at that point. The feeling of validation from that, as opposed to any male form of address where I felt glum or nothing was shocking. Has anyone else had an experience like that?
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gennee

It does take getting used to but it's wonderful when someone uses the right pronoun to you. Whenever my spouse and I are out together we are called ladies.


:)
Be who you are.
Make a difference by being a difference.   :)

Blog: www.difecta.blogspot.com
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Taka

pronouns are funny when used wrong, but otherwise rather unimportant.
i never had problems knowing which pronouns to use for people (you kind of amaze me, hyacinth), but my daughter had. kept making mistakes for years before she finally learned that you can't use he and her for everybody, there are she and his as well (they sound a little more similar in norwegian).
but that's my fault, for speaking a very genderless language to her. she also learns that at school, so it really takes a whole lot of talking to other kids and adults for her to sort out the odd grammar quirks of the majority language here.

the words i have problems with are all the things that you call people outside pronouns. call me he or she as you like, but no girl or daughter or babe or whatever. someone please kill gender specific terms about people.
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