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Told my sister and nothing changed?

Started by jossam, May 21, 2016, 06:39:54 PM

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jossam

So I made a post talking about how I came out to my sister completely. By completely I mean I told her about my need to physically transition in the future (whenever I am financially independent and don't live with my parents). She said some stupid things at first and then just said it's my life and I should do whatever makes me happy.

It's just that.....nothing changed. She does not bring up the topic. I don't either. She doesn't ask questions or anything. She keeps treating me the same way as she's always treated me and I don't know if it's a bad or a good sign. Obviously she keeps using feminine pronouns and language. I know that it's hard to change your mindset when you've always known someone as their birth sex. I dont really know how she never realized I am a trans man before I told her. My gender expression is completely male (I would never be able to be fake and do something that repulses me like and doesn't come natural to me like being feminine). I am not simply masculine. I wear men's clothes, men's haircuts and pass most of the time even if I am pre everything. I don't understand how my sister thought I was just a masculine woman. It kinda pisses me off.

Seriously....is it good or bad that she keeps treating me the same way? And that she never asks me anything?

Also my mom....I feel like she knows what I am but she is strongly anti transition. She thinks I should remain the way I am. But this is like a death sentence to me. I can't remain the way I am because my dysphoria is too huge and when I tried to suppress it and went into self denial and thought I could live my life without transitioning I was simply lying to nyself - and I knew. Plus I wasn't aware of how hrt works and stuff like that. I was ignorant about transition. As soon as I got informed I got brave and admitted "yes, that's what I want and I shouldn't be scared".

I know transition can be a long and painful process but nothing could be more painful and depressing than keeping the wrong body. I have never wanted to stay this way. I got tired of social brainwashing telling me we should stay this way because anythig else is "against nature". I won't let society dictate what's best for me. And I have always known that my body is my prison. It's like a curse. I have felt this way since childhood and tried to keep dysphoria away only made it worse.
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Laura_7

Here are some materials that might help :

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,208438.msg1847638.html#msg1847638

This is an emotional letter fom a cis parent .. parts of it might be shown :

http://www.acceptingdad.com/2013/08/05/to-the-unicorns-dad/


You might also look for an experienced gender therapist to help you explain...

you might aks at a lgbt center, plannedparenthood or PFLAG for counseling and a referral ...
or you might talk to a school counselor you trust ...

I'd say try to understand that cis people sometimes cannot relate. They are happy with their body.

You might tell that its a recognized medical condition and the brain is kind of preprogrammed and kind of expects the correct body.
Otherwise people feel unhappy.
Its biological, fixed before birth, and since the brain cannot be changed (and people would not want to because its how they feel they identify) the recognized remedy is to adapt the body .
Its not only gender identity.
The brain is kind of preprogrammed to expect a matching body.

Also transition is a process. Usually people start out with low doses so they have a few months to see how they feel before changes are permanent.


Just keep on ... you will reach your goals in time.
Many others have done this too and succeeded.


If you feel like it please reach out ... there are helplines:

www.translifeline.org

http://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us


hugs
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Ms Grace

I'd say your sister is in denial. She's probably hoping that if she doesn't talk about it you will forget and go onto your next thing.

If you haven't started transition yet it makes it easier for people to pretend that you're not serious and ignore the whole thing. It's at the stage of transition, especially when it becomes very physically evident that the attitude changes - usually but not always to anger.
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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Midnightstar

Quote from: jossam on May 21, 2016, 06:39:54 PM
So I made a post talking about how I came out to my sister completely. By completely I mean I told her about my need to physically transition in the future (whenever I am financially independent and don't live with my parents). She said some stupid things at first and then just said it's my life and I should do whatever makes me happy.

It's just that.....nothing changed. She does not bring up the topic. I don't either. She doesn't ask questions or anything. She keeps treating me the same way as she's always treated me and I don't know if it's a bad or a good sign. Obviously she keeps using feminine pronouns and language. I know that it's hard to change your mindset when you've always known someone as their birth sex. I dont really know how she never realized I am a trans man before I told her. My gender expression is completely male (I would never be able to be fake and do something that repulses me like and doesn't come natural to me like being feminine). I am not simply masculine. I wear men's clothes, men's haircuts and pass most of the time even if I am pre everything. I don't understand how my sister thought I was just a masculine woman. It kinda pisses me off.

Seriously....is it good or bad that she keeps treating me the same way? And that she never asks me anything?

Also my mom....I feel like she knows what I am but she is strongly anti transition. She thinks I should remain the way I am. But this is like a death sentence to me. I can't remain the way I am because my dysphoria is too huge and when I tried to suppress it and went into self denial and thought I could live my life without transitioning I was simply lying to nyself - and I knew. Plus I wasn't aware of how hrt works and stuff like that. I was ignorant about transition. As soon as I got informed I got brave and admitted "yes, that's what I want and I shouldn't be scared".

I know transition can be a long and painful process but nothing could be more painful and depressing than keeping the wrong body. I have never wanted to stay this way. I got tired of social brainwashing telling me we should stay this way because anythig else is "against nature". I won't let society dictate what's best for me. And I have always known that my body is my prison. It's like a curse. I have felt this way since childhood and tried to keep dysphoria away only made it worse.

When i told my aunt she didn't want me to transition she wanted me to keep my body the same and learn to love it
so what you said i can understand. With my aunt it took time, i don't yet know if there still agents it or not but i think my aunt at least is more understanding. I'd say try giving your family a couple youtube videos and education see if maybe you can slowly help them understand how its effecting you. 
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Elis

My brother's the same way; even though I'm now over 6 months on T. I think it's hard for siblings because they're so used to having a sister/brother; that they don't know how to deal with having a sibling of the opposite gender. Even if they've never acted as they're assigned gender. I've always acted like a brother instead of a sister and always been very masculine; but I guess it's hard for him because I've kind of embarrassed him by not acting like how a 'sister' 'should' act. Maybe it's the same for your sister? I'm guessing she was quite looking forward to having a sister to do girly things with; but things didn't work out that way. My brother did end up having a conversation with me about trans stuff some months ago. He agrees with me about the science side of being trans; but still ignorant on how misgendering makes me feel. The same conversation is bound to happen with your sister; just wait for her to come to you.

As for your mum my dad was the same way as in not being accepting.  Now a year after coming out my dad is finally using my actual name. It just takes time. Dealing with that made me a much stronger person so  at least some good came out of it. Just keep doing your own thing. The only person who knows you best is you.
They/them pronouns preferred.



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Peep

I agree that it could be denial, or the tactic of hoping we'll forget/change our minds, but it could also be that people don't think of our transition as 'real' until it becomes medical. If you said you're waiting to transition, they might not even realise that you want them to use a different name/ pronouns while still pre-everything.

People in my family didn't know that it was legal for me to change my title (in the UK at least, miss/mr/ms/mrs/mx aren't legal titles and you can change them at any time). A lot of people spend their time waiting to be told they're allowed to do something. I feel like when I came out to people they got the idea that I hadn't decided yet, or was waiting to be 'diagnosed' as if I thought i might have a virus, before transitioning.

Leave it a few weeks for it to sink in, and then remind them again that you'd rather not be referred to as female, and that you're serious about it, you realise they're not trying to make you uncomfortable, but that they are. That's all you really can do at this stage
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jossam

Forgot to say there are no gender therapists here, someone suggested seeing one but there are no gender therapists in my area, and no LGBT groups in general. I live in a country where LGBT people are pretty much invisible, and my area is one of the worst of the country.
Quoteyou might aks at a lgbt center, plannedparenthood or PFLAG for counseling and a referral ...
I don't live in the USA, so we don't have those organizations.

QuoteI'd say your sister is in denial. She's probably hoping that if she doesn't talk about it you will forget and go onto your next thing.

If you haven't started transition yet it makes it easier for people to pretend that you're not serious and ignore the whole thing. It's at the stage of transition, especially when it becomes very physically evident that the attitude changes - usually but not always to anger.
If that's the case then she's hypocritical. She can't say she knows it's a natural thing and that I should do whatever makes me happy and then secretly hope I will suddenly stop thinking about it. It'd mean either lying or being hypocritical. I used to think it was possible to just stop thinking about it, but it made everything worse and now I got increased anxiety and depression because of this.

I tried to make it clear that I can't transition because of our parents (I still live with them) and she seems to know it. She even seemed to implicitly suggest waiting until I'm financially independent.
I don't understand why people wouldn't think I'm serious, especially seeing how I've never done anything a woman does. It's not like I had feminine gender expression and all and then came out of the closet all of a sudden. This is why I'm surprised people don't figure it out earlier. I guess trans men are invisible and some people don't even know we exist so they'd never think I'm one.

Sitting down with my entire family and talking about it would be impossible. It'd be way too stressful to me and might give me serious mental health issues. I already have mental issues, I'm very vulnerable when it comes to stuff like this.
QuoteI think it's hard for siblings because they're so used to having a sister/brother; that they don't know how to deal with having a sibling of the opposite gender. Even if they've never acted as they're assigned gender. I've always acted like a brother instead of a sister and always been very masculine;
Same here. I don't understand how my parents could feel like losing a daughter or siblings a sister, cause I've never acted like those things. And it's not because I "wanted to act masculine"...that's just what has always come natural to me. It's just the way I am.

QuoteI'm guessing she was quite looking forward to having a sister to do girly things with; but things didn't work out that way.
I have another sister, so she can do girly things with her. They used to dress me as a girl when I was a small child, but later it stopped cause I made it clear that it wasn't what I wanted. It irritates me when they use it as a way to tell me "oh look you used to be a girl". No. Never been. At that age, it's the family that chooses stuff for the child, from haircuts to clothes. When I started to become aware, I immediately told them to stop.

QuoteLeave it a few weeks for it to sink in, and then remind them again that you'd rather not be referred to as female, and that you're serious about it, you realise they're not trying to make you uncomfortable, but that they are. That's all you really can do at this stage
What worries me is that I can't get myself to do it, at least not yet....I don't know why. If I was transitioning then I'd be more willing to talk about it but right now I feel like she wouldn't take me seriously if I told her to stop referring to me as female. I fear she'd be hostile or ridiculize me.

I kinda feel weak. I feel like I can't get myself to do anything because I'm too scared and mentally ill. It makes my self-esteem crumble.
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