Quote from: Devlyn Marie on August 25, 2016, 03:45:12 PMA. Please stop dropping the autogynephelia references, it's already been explained to you why we don't allow that subject on the site.
Sorry, I wasn't repeating it, I was copying it directly from s document I'd started earlier. I am curious though as to what you would call it when a non-female has a fetish for having their male anatomy swapped with a female one, because that's what I mean: I know cismale with that fetish.
QuoteB. I'm a woman, I'm not womaned. I'm Irish, I'm not Irished. I'm transgender, I'm not transgendered.
Really? I've never heard that, but that's probably because I've never been involved in the trans community any more than an activist and drag artist.
Quote from: ElizabethK on August 25, 2016, 05:24:37 PMFirst thing I can suggest is a good therapist
As stated,
I AM working with a competent therapist. He has told me to keep exploring, and part of this is me gathering information to discuss with him at our next session.
QuoteI must admit for me sex is so low on the priorities it rates just above walking the dog and lower than doing my nails...both things I like to do.
See... Part of me does want to be a horny girl, and I feel like, while there'd probably be less masturbation on hormones, I'd be really into having as much sex as I do now, especially if my body became more feminine, because that'd make sex more enjoyable.
QuoteAre you a woman?
I don't know?
QuoteDo you want to be one?
Yeah, that sounds like It'd be a whole lot of fun!
QuoteDo you want to live the rest of your life a woman?
Well, I wouldn't want to get OLD as a woman, but no one wants to get old as any sex... So... I should say I think I would enjoy that, and I certainly can't see myself regretting it. The only problem I have would be dealing with the patriarchal society without male privilege, but then again, I've always have problems with society, so...
QuoteWhat is the most important thing for you in wanting to be a woman?
Sex, Prettiness, Softness, Cuteness, Sassiness... Pretty much the stuff that comes out when I'm comfortable presenting as female feels better to me.
QuoteHave you sorted out your child abuse issues? if so is this ongoing or resolved?
I don't think it is safe to say that they will ever be sorted out: C-PTSD is a permenant injury caused by the brain wiring itself for trauma during part of its formative years. I had severe, ongoing trauma in every stage of development from 3 years old to 17 years old. I know I'm not supposed to think about this, but some psychologists consider that a terminal illness, and there certainly isn't a cure for a miswired brain.
QuoteHave you thought about where on the gender spectrum you fit in?
Feminine-Leaning Androgynous.
QuoteLets say for the sake of the argument that sex was no longer part of equation, would you still want to be a woman?
Maybe... I mean, I like looking pretty and being cute and indulging in things... Sex IS a big part of who I am though: I embrace it and am one of those people who "loves freely" as they say. My general response to "wait, are you attracted to me?" is "If you were interested, I would not turn you down."
QuoteDo you know what was making you feel uncomfortable speaking to your therapist about how you feel.
Social Anxiety. Fear of Rejection. Being of a conservative mindset. (I sometimes feel like I'd be a moderate Republican if it weren't for my understanding of science) It's not that I'm really uncomfortable with the idea of becoming female: if I were offered the opportunity to become physically female (menstruation and pregnancy included) right now, I'd probably take it. I think pretty much everyone can relate to being generally uncomfortable about coming out as a member of a highly persecuted group, especially when you grew up in fear of being found out for anything that made you different...
Quote from: Dena on August 25, 2016, 07:17:49 PMSounds like you have a good deal of it worked out
As I said, I didn't come into this blind, I'm just looking for insight.
QuoteYou might be binary female or non binary favoring female.
I will make this clear: I am pretty sure I'm non-binary favoring female. I'm more deciding if I should transition in my non-professional life.
QuoteWhy do you wish to retain the masculine role and would you be content to fully give it up?
Punk Rock comes across much better with a masculine voice, and I really like the way I sound right now. I don't want to do that whole "gender ambiguous" thing that the emo bands were doing, and I don't want to pull what Laura Jane Grace did with Against Me. I want to keep singing the songs I've been writing in the voice I've been singing them, and I want it to stay under the image I wrote them for: the one I grew up with when Punk Rock chose me.
Yes, this is an artist thing.
I've written songs for female singers before, and I've thrown together some ideas for a potential project as a female, but that's a different thing: I'd like to retain what I've built, at least for now, even if it means having to cross-cross-dress back to male whenever I do it.
As for the business stuff... Cismale privilege. I absolutely hate it, but I'm not in the position to push it to the point that transitioning would.
QuoteIf it's because at times you still feel somewhat masculine, then you would be non binary.
It's not that I feel a large degree of discomfort at being male: I've gotten used to it, and it's by far not the worst thing I've had to live through. I mean, you have to understand: I was literally tortured and brought to the point of near death several times during my teenage years, and at some point believed that if my father did not kill me I would kill myself before the age of 18. Now that, through luck of guns which weren't loaded, pills which happened to not be deadly, and lungs persistently breathing after suffocation, I have lived past the age of 18, I don't know how much there is that I can really call a life-ending ordeal. This, however, is partially dissociation, and is most certainly not healthy nor conducive to this decision...
That being said, I don't necessarily feel like a man. I mean, I never do, and being called one actually bothers be on some level. Sometimes masculinity is comfortable and efficient for me, and the other times, I've been just sort of going with the flow because that's easy enough for me.
QuoteIf you like many of us fear the reactions of others, that is short lived and can be overcome.
It's what I'm trying to overcome right now. The social anxiety problems are pathological, I know that. I'm working on it. I've already come out to some of my close friends about this, and I've even tried presenting as female to a few of them. I hope to be comfortable enough going out in public to start presenting as female in a club at the University which I know to be a safe environment (because I've talked to the gay couple which runs the group about it) in a week or two.
QuoteSurgery and HRT could still be appropriate in either case
Honestly, I will not deny that I want both of those.
Quotethe goal is to construct a new life
...does it have to be? I mean, I don't feel like it's possible to just restart as if I had none of my previous connections and experiences. I actually like most of my current life, and I'd like to keep living it, I just want to change one thing about it, and that's who I get to be when I'm not trying to sell s*** or screaming profanity on stage...
Quote from: Sno on August 25, 2016, 09:31:08 PMAs it stands, you are aware of male privilege, and passing. This conflicting with the knowledge that you have desires to be female.
Yes, you get it exactly: I'm worried about
QuoteSwitching gender as lead in a band. Yup, that's been done before, and it expanded the bands reach into new groups too. (Take a look at Against Me!)
I've actually been listening to Transgender Dysphoria Blues lately, and read her interview again. As one of her contemporaries, I am well aware of her coming out and transition. I've actually been considering getting into contact with her, although my social network has waned in the past few years, and I'm not sure if any of my people know any of her people...
QuoteIn a business/commercial sense, that transition can be managed, by creating an employee for your alter-ego, when you are comfortable with your appearance en-femme.
I'm going to be dead honest with you: I don't think this will be possible. I don't know if you've picked up, but I'm actually a celebrity in the area I live in. I was hoping this wouldn't be the case, but I'm coming to terms right now that, if I transition, I'll be recognized as "that very unique artist in this area is wearing dresses outside of drag shows now!" Part of me hopes I can hide behind the fact that I'm a known radical for a while when it first comes out: it might actually be easier if people think it's a publicity stunt...
Quote from: JoanneB on August 25, 2016, 09:51:15 PMANY Other woman feeling "She looks Hot" getting ready for a date, or a night out, or just going to work does not get crap like that. There is nothing "Sick" about feeling good about how you look
You guys are completely misunderstanding my use of that word, which is probably from me reading it in a few articles (some of which are recent and by transgendered people and gender-therapists) and not fully understanding it in the context you are. I'm talking about the possibility that wanting to "become female" is mostly fetishistic. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not a good idea to go out and get a sex change just because the idea turns you on. I think it should be obvious that I'm not saying that that's what transgendered people are doing, and I think I'm making a clear distinction. I'm just trying to stay aware of the potential that this might NOT be a real identity thing but a sexual thing.
Remember, I'm trying to be open and casual here because I'm here asking for feedback in my own self-exploration here, and the idea that this might be me taking a fetish too far is a very real concern.
QuoteIf you think you are TG, you are. Cis people NEVER have such thoughts as we do.
Not sure this is true...
QuoteWhat you need to keep in mind is being TG only means you are somewhere "On the Spectrum" between cis-female and cis-male.
Oh, ok yeah, that's right. I guess I should say is that I'm trying to figure out if I'm trans-feminine enough to start moving towards HRT and all that.
QuoteSo just where are you?
Female-Leaning Androgynous, as far as I know.
QuoteDepending on your age
25. It says it at the beginning of the document I copied.
QuoteBeing TG is not an All In or All or Nothing situation. [things that the wikipedia article says]
Ok, let me be clear about something: just because I'm confused and have no one around for good advice does NOT mean I have no idea how gender works. I'm aware that I don't HAVE to even transition to call myself trans-feminine, I'm just wondering if this is worth it to me. Transitioning is a very arduous process, but also one that I'd rather do sooner than later. As for X, Y, and Z, I would probably like Y and Z (HRT and SRS) very much, but I'm hesitating because, as has been said, this is not a decision one should take lightly.
Not saying that it's not something I need to be reminded of, because saying that just now was a good reminder to myself, so thanks. Just don't think I'm unaware of basic gender stuff. I'm no stranger to gender issues, and I only turned to forums after general-use articles lost their use.