Before I transitioned it seems like I saw trans people quite frequently, mostly trans women, while I was out in public. Since transition I have noticed hardly any (other than those I know socially or at the gender centre that is). I find it hard to believe - this is Sydney there are lots of trans folk, but maybe since I've transitioned my transdar has become less attuned? Maybe my subconscious no longer needs "confirmation" or "calming"?

Quote from: Ms Grace on November 22, 2014, 06:18:40 AM
Before I transitioned it seems like I saw trans people quite frequently, mostly trans women, while I was out in public. Since transition I have noticed hardly any (other than those I know socially or at the gender centre that is). I find it hard to believe - this is Sydney there are lots of trans folk, but maybe since I've transitioned my transdar has become less attuned? Maybe my subconscious no longer needs "confirmation" or "calming"?

or they're being abducted by aliens for experimentation.

Maybe they blend in now? I've been caught of guard quite a few times. At one time a girl gave herself away solely by her voice. I did not notice anything about her while standing in line, until she spoke. So maybe this is true for us as well, maybe we also blend in the same as they do, until we do something like talking with a typical male voice? I think most people aren't expecting to see a transperson, they think too much in binary for them not to expect something else. 

I think we just don't care as much now, and how other women look isn't as important.  Oh I still envy those girls that look so incredibly stunning, but I'm not jealous or anything like that so I don't dwell on it. 

Oh yes Grace ... you look pretty damn good. 

  So jealous
Kathy

Haha Yeah when I first learnt about HRT n everything else, I began to wonder how many are really out n about around here n I began to wonder about some people, like wonder if they could be trans when I heard their voice or seen em, but then I realized I was stereotyping because I now know about HRT n then realized that's just the way some people are n there's no real way to tell, people are so diverse, which makes me think passing could be much easier then I ever thought.

Plus I think I would be quite rude to ask them so I don't think any one would ask me for any reason 

I have also realized that people look at people when their out n about whether it's on purpose or even just because it impossible to avoid it, like I even do it myself, they look back I look away just like they do so being that I know I do that, that's all other people are doing, so I'm getting my confidence in going full time

I think it's great that people blend in. I went to work in girl mode yesterday and walked around town a bit, went to therapy then down near NYU and union square to walk around. As long as I kept my mouth shut and smiled I got ma'amed a few times and people held doors open and let me in elevators first. It was awesome.

Probably too busy lookin for your own reflection. 

I am not sure about what time-span we are talking but I think people find more support on the internet nowadays. It is a lot less scary to talk to mind a likes online than that it is to walk in a room of unknown people where they automatically see what you are probably coming for.

Yes, this is interesting. First time I tried to transition every single time I saw a trans woman  I'd think "oh God, so obvious, that's exactly what I'll be like"...rude I know, but I was only 23 and I was very much alone in terms of connecting with other trans folk as it was the early 1990s and there was no support forums like thus (wasn't even really an Internet!). Although it also occurred to me that I was overly attuned to the differences/"signs" but at the time my overwhelming fear was that I was going to stand out like a sore thumb.

After I decided to to transition I remained very aware of any trans woman in a public space (of course, there have no doubt been many I never noticed at all) but the one thing that slowly started to sink in through my massively thick skull was that I was the only one who seemed to have noticed them, other people were blissfully unaware. In fact, as I neared transition this time, if I did spot a trans person in public I started paying more attention to everyone else to see if they were reacting in any way. Nope, not all.

So unlike last time when noticing a trans woman would fill me with despair this time it started to fill me with hope. And indeed that does mostly seem to be the case, most people hardly give me a second look, if they look at me at all. Sure I've had a few people stare and look me up and down, but that may just as much be a "OMG what a tall woman" as anything else.

Quote from: Ms Grace on November 22, 2014, 01:19:00 PM
Sure I've had a few people stare and look me up and down, but that may just as much be a "OMG what a tall woman" as anything else.

Somewhat off-topic: my family has lots of connections with Baylor University in Texas, and I just saw an article about the new recruits for next year's women's basketball team--two players at 6'4" and one at 6'5".  The two "small" players were a mere 5'9".  And don't forget that Brittney Griner at 6'8" only graduated a couple of years ago.  So when people are looking you over, they might possibly be thinking, "I wonder who she played for."

Back on topic, I noticed when I came out that my mentality changed in lots of ways.  Possibly you've stopped seeing other transpeople because you've stopped looking for them.  You're thinking about your own life, not other people's.  And when you're trans, that's not a bad thing.  We all have lots to do without worrying about others.