After three days of heavy, torrential rains it was quite nice in Sydney yesterday. I was in the city to meet up with a friend for lunch and run a few errands. After lunch the next stop was two subway train stations away (from Town Hall to Circular Quay for those who know the lay of the land), it was a nice day so I thought I'd walk to the Quay instead (for those not in the know, that's where you can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, catch a ferry, etc).

Now I wasn't on the look out for trans people but I do have a keen eye and I'm pretty sure I saw at least three other trans women during my walk to the Quay and the time I was around there. I could be completely wrong of course, it was only a very brief glimpse as I passed them coming in the opposite direction and I know better than to stare...but I'm pretty sure. I noticed but I don't think anyone else in the immediate vicinity did. Of the three, one seemed pretty obvious (to me) because of the way she was dressed, posture and make up but still everyone else around was seemingly oblivious.

I'm not sure if I have a point here, I was amazed I'd seen three trans (most likely) people in such a short period of time, but I know there are many of us in Sydney... it was great to see them going about their lives, doing their thing.

When I tried to transition back in the 1990s it used to bother me that I could pick trans people so easily (if I could, surely everyone else could and therefore they'd be able to spot me too) but now I know that isn't true and yesterday bore that out.

I just saw the girl I see once in awhile walk by the restaurant window about 20 minutes ago

One of my next door neighbors
had an extramarital affair with a tg woman and his wife went ballistic when she found out.  All the  surrounding men would oogle at her,  when she was at the neighbors house, strange situation. I happened to lock eyes once with her, even though she was wearing glasses. I knew she was a tg woman, pretty sure she clocked me too. Rare to see a working tg girl way out in my neck of L.A, unless you own property or live with family.

You never know where you will meet fellow tg people.

We are everywhere.  This is good.

I predict that we are about to have a transgender population explosion now that being trans is no longer the taboo it once was.  Can you imagine that someday it will be no big deal and seeing transfolk everywhere you go will be the norm?

Quote from: Jill F on April 24, 2015, 08:00:38 PM
We are everywhere.  This is good.

I predict that we are about to have a transgender population explosion now that being trans is no longer the taboo it once was.  Can you imagine that someday it will be no big deal and seeing transfolk everywhere you go will be the norm?

If you spot a large green pod , just put it in your bedroom and take a nap.

Pretty sure I pass trans guys all the time and never even notice. I've seen a few around Sydney from time to time but I figure there a lot more than I've noticed.

Three spotted in 30 min? They need to work on their presentation

But seriously, just think of how many trans women you've passed on a day to day bases *and didn't know*.

I know you're only joking but their presentation was quite good. It's only because I know what to look for and the fact I can often see it without trying to that gave me edge. The majority of people wouldn't have blinked at them.

Yes I think I pick some of the time too... thing is tho, Sydney has a higher proportion than most other places in AU, but then the population is higher too I dunno, but I think maybe we have some sort of a radar???

I personally think the stats actually have no real basis for numbers and percentages; as many transitioner's go it alone and therefore under the radar.

Damn, hope I can go un-noticed... 

L Katy

We are everywhere!

Recently I had two separate meetings with nursing home advisors during which my previous name and gender was revealed in documents. In both cases the people (one male the other female) said basically the same thing. 'Oh you are transgender' with no evidence of surprise, shock, rejection or anything.

We are not only everywhere but we are increasingly accepted as normal everyday people.

Just as it should be.

Had my brows waxed last night and in the course of conversation, the woman doing the waxing mentioned that she had several other trans clients - another of whom was also named Kelly. I've seen a couple myself lately, just while out and about.

While its possible they were all trans, there are ciswomen that have been mistaken for being trans before because of feature or to.  I think most of us are so familiar with the tells as we all likely analyze our own appearance very closely, that we can pick up on the little things many wouldn't even see.  The problem with that is some f those features can be found in genetic women as well, so its kind of a difficult thing to tell in some cases as we may be reacting hyper sensitively. I know I obsess very much on the features I don't like and I know notice them on other people when I didn't see it before. 

But sometimes you can tell and you just know.  And being in a big city probably increases your chances of running into another trans person compared to a small town.

pretty sure the girl at my school's dining cafetria is transitioning. Like I want to go up to here sooooo bad and ask her but I feel like that would be rude. I need more trans friends 

Quote from: TransSasha on April 25, 2015, 06:34:30 PM
pretty sure the girl at my school's dining cafetria is transitioning. Like I want to go up to here sooooo bad and ask her but I feel like that would be rude. I need more trans friends 

You can go up to her - just say hi and be her friend. If she is trans she will tell you in good time.

Quote from: Ms Grace on April 25, 2015, 06:40:42 PM
You can go up to her - just say hi and be her friend. If she is trans she will tell you in good time.

Yeah I'm planning on it 

In my travels if you don't count transgender support groups and such, I'll run into at least one other trans person (or highly suspected to be trans) at least once every 2 weeks. Sometime a lot more. I would never out them, but as a transgender woman, it seems that I'm able to tell a lot easier than the general population. I think many of us here can probably say the same thing.

Metro big city USA, there highly visible, the stixs and burbs of America, there invisible, until one moved in right next to me in the other property, and I was holy smokes, I thought I was the only one in this neck of the burbs. In the L.A. burbs, everybody is in their car, so kinda hard to figure who is who, especially with tinted windows and shades.

A lot of cis woman look like trans people to me. Either there is one woman out of 50 that is trans in Paris, or this whole concept of "looking trans" is totally messed up.

Oh wait. It is totally messed up. 

I often play this game in the metro. I look at each woman and wonder "is she trans" ? Surprisingly enough, I can rarely rule out the possibility - only once in 4 or 5 times I can say for sure she's not, and in 1 case out if 4 I'd say it's very possible. I have no way to verify it. One out of 50, I'd say "oh that one definitely is, I'm sure of it", and then I realize it's the 3rd time I say that in roughly 10 min.

On the contrary, half of the photos I see on this forum give me a "oh sh*t really ?" reaction.

Most of the time, only heigth and voice can give you away. Too bad it's not the easiest things to change. 

I've certainly seen a few genetic women who I wondered might be trans, only to be shown in various ways that I was wrong! I can't be 100% sure about the women I saw the other day either but I'd say two of them at least were highly likely... still, could have been wrong.