Just curious, I know from being on this form for almost 3 years that we trans can get so wrapped up about how we look which is normal for people to do. I was just wondering to what degree does it bother you. Me personally I just waited too long for a boatload of reasons to transition being 64. I just came to the end and it didn't matter what others thought because I wanted to live.

I voted other.

I have a weird backwards kind of passing problem. I'm present male but if I could get a BA and FFS any nobody would notice I'd do it right now. I don't have any social dysphoria, but I've some physical issues.

I'm sure I'd have issues with not passing if I ever got in the middle, but right now its the hiding that's getting to me. More in in the practical sense than dysphoria.

Kind of weird I guess.

I voted for the second category and aspire to the first.  My truth is that I am some sort of a hybrid, especially considering my long life living and being socialized as some kind of boy and man.  The current labels are inadequate for describing  me or really understanding any individual's life experience IMO.  I often feel quite differently from how I appear.

"just let your true colors come shining through" to paraphrase Cindy Lauper

I don't want to pass as female.  Visibility is important to me.

There comes a point in life where we have to ask: "Is this still a problem?" I don't give a hoot anymore.

I try to look nice when I leave the house but I'm a total bum around the house. It's a good thing I don't have anyone dropping by to visit unannounced.

I freaked out today , I left my apartment and had a nice dress and tights , I had my purse with me and at least I had my eye lashes and foundation in my purse , but I left my all important eye liner in my apartment. I'm sorry I don't go out without my eye liner. I totally freaked about worrying about being stared at. I made it to the doctors office to pick up meds now I sitting at Starbucks and I think I might of freaked a little too much.

Death is the ultimate conclusion, my resolution is to walk, wherever the road takes me. See no pain, feel no pain, as long as I accept what I have and never expect more.

It terrifies me.  Being stared at or called something like a "shim" would really hurt.

That said, it's not like I'm going to give up.  This is who I am, and I'm finally becoming the person I've always wanted to be.

By the time I'm fully done with transition, there will be no point to questioning my gender, as I will be physically female and the opinions of other people will not be able to change that.
And I'm not doing it for the sake of being considered female by everyone. I'm doing it because I want to be able to feel happy with my body, all of it. Being considered female is just a bonus.

As for the current moment.....I really don't care what people think about me right now. Pre-transition is just an in-between phase. When we talk of butterflies, the cocoon is the life stage you pay the least attention to.

I answered 'other' and so owe an explanation:

Every day is better than the last.
I've been lucky - no one has ever been anything other than encouraging or pleasant to me.
But there are still days - like bad hair days - when I feel... wrong... but go out anyway and no one seems to comment or notice. I think people remember how you look when they start to know you and don't look any more to notice your bad days :-)
So I don't worry - people will see what they want to. I can't change my big hands and neck, for example. So I learn to accept the good times that I enjoy and ignore anything that goes awry with my appearance to others - no one is immune to that! Everyone gets judged every day and often poorly. But I choose to note the research that demonstrated that people underestimate their own beauty http://americablog.com/2013/04/women-go-to-sketch-artists-and-find-out-theyre-prettier-than-they-think-video.html to believe that even on days when I don't feel right, other people are seeing me better than I feel ;-)