A very nice post.  I too was a lurker.  I searched this website for almost two years as a guest and learned a lot.  My wife, for the most part has been very supportive of my desire to become a woman.  She has put up with a lot of my purging.  This month I confided that I felt ready to begin my transition and today I joined this website.  Thanks to all who participate.

Just like Tori said I am still virgin at this idea about transition my self. That why I join this forum hope to learn along with my journey of transition to became Luanne.

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Welcome to the forum Launne, we are glad to have you here. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: luanneph on February 02, 2016, 02:40:36 PM
Just like Tori said I am still virgin at this idea about transition my self. That why I join this forum hope to learn along with my journey of transition to became Luanne.

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Quote from: Mariah2014 on February 02, 2016, 02:57:12 PM
Welcome to the forum Launne, we are glad to have you here. Hugs
Mariah

Thanks so much Maria. I feel like I just return to my new home with my new life.

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I had srs in 1988. No internet or online back in those days. Had loving family for emotional support. I wanted to say, it is very touching seeing this forum and support for everyone transitioning or post srs.

loves to everyone my name is Myka. Im looking for some helpful reviews for some upcoming operations and Im excited to meet all of you. I currently live in Bozeman Montana and work at the University as well as attend classes. Really hopeful for my transition and moving forward and finally freeing the bird here. Unforuntately i think i was bitten by the bigger of the bugs thankfully...

[/size]Hello, I'm new to this group. My name is Brenda Jean Louise. My Partner and I live in Waterbury, Connecticut. We're both Post Op M2F's. Call us transbians. LOL We both had out SRS in 2003. Not too happy with the Presidential election results here, and are toying with the idea of relocating to Canada. We are in our mid 60's. I was born and raised in Montreal. My parents and I moved to the US back in 1964. Just wanted to say hello to all of you.

Hi Brenda,
   Happy to meet you and read your post. I have to say I love the term "transbian."
Monica

Hi Monica,
Yeah "transbian" term gets a lot of laughs at LGBT socials. LOL. Great to hear from you. Ever since 2000 I've been involved in trans-activism. Here in Connecticut, we finally got our basic human rights legally guaranteed us. Might I ask where do you live?
Brenda

Hi Brenda,
   I am from just across the sound from you, Long Island, but I live in Maryland now. Thank you for your activism. I wonder, what form does your activism takes? You sound like you have an interesting story. Would love to hear more.
Monica
You want rights and you want them legal? Whatttt??? My sorry sense of humor gets away from me sometimes. My apologies.

Well, my activism is in many areas, like attending local demonstrations, giving testimony to Senators and Congressmen, appearing several times as a speaker within Connecticut state legislative sessions involving human rights, and volunteering as video camera crew or photographer at LGBT events. Both my partner and I managed to turn a key Republican Congressman's standpoint on a federal LGBT student protection bill from a no to a yes. As far as human rights goes, there needed to be a law on the books that clearly and legally defined transgender rights in employment, housing, and public protection from hate crime persecution, and transgender affirming restroom usage privileges. I was a victim of a wrongful termination of employment and rampant discrimination in the workplace. I won my case and added my testimony about these issues in front of a legislative committee hearing.

Monica, seems I can't reply through the message system because of a weird Verification question that does not respond to my answer. So what I wanted to say in reply to your message. Well. here in Connecticut it was more easier to go to stores and restaurants, but you still ran into idiots from time to time. They would catch me off guard and my emotion would get crushed by what they had to say publicly, or hear that hideous laugh behind your back. Then there was always the snide register clerk who would look you straight in the face and call you "sir" in earshot of the rest of the folks waiting behind you. But now that seems to happen much less now because of the law defining our human rights against transgender discrimination. Store management makes sure their clerks will be disciplined for their negative activity against us. The police are good to us and give us the respect that we are due. Our Governor is very transgender friendly. I spoke before the Legislator Committee 4 different times on the issue of the Transgender Bill of Rights. If you google my name 'Brenda Jean Louise' you will see what I said on the last appearance. 'PDF Brenda Jean Louise 125 Parklawn Drive, Waterbury, Ct.'
I'm in google for some other things I commented on as well. I also do nature photography and video work at a public access studio.

tgbrendaj, welcome to Susan's Place. The reason you are having difficulty using the site is you haven't reached 15 posts. It all explained in the following links. Normally you  would have received them if you made an introduction post but you have been posting only in this thread and we didn't catch you.

We issue to all new members the following links so you will best be able to use the web site.

• Site Terms of Service and rules to live by
  
• Standard Terms and Definitions
  
• Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
  
• Reputation rules
  
• News posting & quoting guidelines
  
• Photo, avatars, and signature images policy
  

I'm sorry, I wrote before I read. I promise I'll write within your guidelines. Thanks for the response. Glad to meet you. I've been out 24/7 as transgender since 2000, and post-op TS since 2003. I say this because I'm not some kind of lurker or troll.

Not a problem. Your posts have been good or you would already know about it and we allow a fair amount of freedom on the site. Just some members are a bit more difficult to catch up with than others. I never posted an introduction in the introduction areas but instead did it in the voice area as that was what I was interested in. My surgical date was 1982 so I have a few years on you but we have far to few post ops on the site so more area always welcome.

Your totally fine. We just give those links to all new members once we discover a new member hasn't received them. The 15 posts is just a rule as far as to allow access to certain features. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: tgbrendaj on December 03, 2016, 10:03:29 PM
I'm sorry, I wrote before I read. I promise I'll write within your guidelines. Thanks for the response. Glad to meet you. I've been out 24/7 as transgender since 2000, and post-op TS since 2003. I say this because I'm not some kind of lurker or troll.

Thank you Mariah.

Dena, Thank God for the internet. Before 2000 I was deeply closeted, but I knew I was a girl inside since I was 6 years old. I never knew how to get in touch with the trans community here in Connecticut until I saw a posting in a local free newspaper that gave the location of a nearby LGBT Community Center, and an open invitation to come to a LGBT get together. I went and finally met a down to earth M2F who invited me to a Transgender Group that met monthly in the LGBT Center. When I attended the group, I was amazed how many people there were. After that, Brenda came bursting out of her shell. LOL After that, I helped many girls to come out and live. I gave loads of protective information to them so as to prevent them from any harm. When I went on the internet I found it to be a great tool to meet area trans folk and arrange the group to have parties and dinner meetings at a local Gay bar/restaurant.

Hi Brenda,
   Sorry, I was out of town. I really liked your letter. You are an inspiring person and I hope you will stick around here at Susan's. I have been extremely lucky not having experienced the nasty comment or laugh (maybe a stare or snicker a time or two.) Either people here are conservative but tolerant,  or I pass better than I think I do. I am also fortunate to work in a school for kids with special needs, so my workplace has been wonderful as far as being accepting. Guess when someone gets nasty it will hit hard. I have an eye to educating people as well. I am very open to questions from people. I think it is the best way to gain allies and show folks that we are real, feeling people who bleed red blood like everyone else.
Moni

Wow. What a great place to work. And how great is the fact that they accept you and encourage you to continue working there. Being a teacher has it's rewards when you help a student connect and learn. Waterbury has a lady that won the teacher of the year award, and she went to Washington with her son to personally meet the President and Michelle Obama. I once visited my sister who lived in Raleigh NC. All of the stores were were very polite to me so far as clerks go. And back then there were no bathroom issues whatsoever. As far as passing, your avatar picture tells me your real good in the passing department. As for me, being 5' 12" with very large paws and football player feet, passing has not been one of my specialties. But as I have progressed with my HRT, things seem to have progressed. I was privy to a special class of M2F speech therapy being done and a University in New Haven CT. It covered pitch, pronunciation, vocabulary, feminization and facial emphasis while talking. I rarely get 'sired' much now. But when I do, it still bugs me. I agree about teaching cisgendered people about being transgendered whenever I get the opportunity to. Especially to medical staff I meet. They all listen with interest and walk away more knowledgeable on the topic. We have 2 other M2F transsexual people who board at our home. One is involved with IT, and the other is an Episcopal Minister. People know we call our place Trans Central. LOL I plan to be a permanent guest at Susan's. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that today I got a call from my older brother, who wanted to make peace with me and offer an olive branch of acceptance. We talked for two hours and traded email and street addresses. Blew me away with joy. Take care.
Brenda