I voted with the majority in this poll. I know several trans folks IRL.

One sister I met was a neighbor, I would pass by her house on my walks. She would be outside tending her garden, and we would wave or exchange "hello", or "nice day" for quite a while. One day as I was visibly changing and transition was obvious, she approached me and introduced herself and said "I am like you". From then on we became friends, it turned out her daughters went to the same school as our daughters. We went to the same surgeon for our GCS about a year apart.

C -

Yes.  I know many, several of them as good friends that I speak with regularly.  Some are out and proud, while others are mostly stealthy like me. 

Yes, but up until last September's Susan's Place meetup only one MtF that I knew about!

Hope to meet a lot more in the future but interestingly, I've never met an FtM guy.  I would really like to as well as I think FtMs and MtFs can learn a hell of a lot from each other! 

Quote from: VickyS on March 29, 2019, 10:24:51 AM
... I've never met an FtM guy.  I would really like to as well as I think FtMs and MtFs can learn a hell of a lot from each other! 

As far as you know! 

I know several FtM gentlemen, as well as non-binary and genderfluid folks through joining and facilitating a group at our local Q center.  The FtM gents who are doing medical transition and seeking to 'pass', even if just using testosterone for a couple years, are remarkable.  On the street I would never 'read' them as trans. 

Appearance-wise, I've seen men who look like portly and distinguished diplomats projecting manly authority, folks that look like they were in a ZZ Top tribute band, to guys that were rediculously pumped up Muscle Beach types.  Folks transitioning to the masc side can be every bit as driven and thorough as those of us transitioning to femme appearance!

Yep  plenty and for those of you that haven't you definitely should.  I think it is part of the process of learning to be OK with ourselves.  Besides more friends is always a good thing.

When I was first transitioning it kind of threw me a bit meeting other transpeople.  We are so conditioned to think it is peculiar.  The first few I met looked strange to me.  I have mentioned this before.  How messed up is it to think that people just like ourselves are strange? 

Answer - it is very messed up.  But that is what living in this world does to condition our thoughts.

Getting to be friends with other transpeople helped me realize how 'normal' I am.  I have met more than 50.

Yes, most of them I met through LGBT groups and the like. I happened to meet a trans man at work once, too, though. He actually joined the job shortly after me. He wasn't out at the time, and of course, neither was I. I was trying not to assume anything about him, but he began to approach me to get closer. I ended up coming out to him via text message, and then he ended up coming out to me, too. 

That was great! Who would think they would end up with a trans coworker? Isn't that statistically improbable? lol.

Yes,

Quote from: Virelai on March 30, 2019, 06:58:10 PM
Yes, most of them I met through LGBT groups and the like. I happened to meet a trans man at work once, too, though. He actually joined the job shortly after me. He wasn't out at the time, and of course, neither was I. I was trying not to assume anything about him, but he began to approach me to get closer. I ended up coming out to him via text message, and then he ended up coming out to me, too. 

That was great! Who would think they would end up with a trans coworker? Isn't that statistically improbable? lol.

Not as improbable as you would think. I have seen statistics that about 0.4% of the population are trans. That is one trans person in every 250 persons. Plus, that statistic is probably an underestimation, since a lot of trans folks are not out at all and wouldn't be counted in such a tally.

At the place where I work, we have 28,000 employees worldwide and at my location there are close to 1,000 employees. That makes statistically about 112 trans employees worldwide and at my location 4. At times I wonder who the other 3 trans employees would be besides me. Since I am not out, I guess the other 3 probably wonder the same thing... Heck, we might be working together not having the slightest idea what we have in common...


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I assume many saw this topic in a different thread.  We debated the number of transitioned people but I won't reopen that too much.  A study by the Williams Institute (UCLA) states 1.4% of the population identify as trans.  Considering all the people in the closet I think that number is a minimum but probably realistic.

There are 330 people where I work.  I just started that job recently thinking I would be the first.  I am the third.

In public as I was leaving a Dr's appointment, I was in the lift and she asked if I'd just seen the Dr as she wanted to know what was a good time to see him..... I wouldn't have know she was trans but she knew I was ....🙄

I've run into a number of girls randomly over the years, here in San Diego, and in Salt Lake City of all places. The craziest one that I still can't get over though...  flying back from Europe to LA, assigned seats, huge plane,  and I am seating directly next to a transgender woman,  early 20s with her whole family. My wife grew up in Santa Monica,  and this family was from Santa Monica.  Of course, I said nothing in all these situations, as their lives are none of my business, and nothing about me at that time suggested I was trans, for my families' sake.  Granted, it was a flight from the Netherlands, but the odds of two Transwomen sitting directly next to each other still boggles my mind.

Quote from: Kate.claire on April 02, 2019, 02:17:47 AM
the odds of two Transwomen sitting directly next to each other still boggles my mind.

Life's twists and turns that bring about these encounters are fascinating.

Back in Jr HS, I was bullied by a trans woman and it was not good. I was tormented by this person, they were trying to play up a "tough" image and picked on me relentlessly. Later in life a friend that also knew her told me she moved away to WA state and "became a woman", this blew my mind. I was like look at what GD can do to people, it was like way overcompensating for what was going on in her mind, OMG. Then as fate would have it our band had a gig in the small town where she supposedly moved to, that whole night I was there playing at this nightclub, I was checking out all the females way more than usual 

I've attended a few meetings of the local trans support group. I haven't gone for a long time, because my work schedule precludes it. Since my last visit, over a year ago, I think I've seen three trans women. Two of them didn't want to be seen; the third was my waitress at a local breakfast place. She was very sweet, and I tipped her well.

I guess the fact that I don't pass is part of the reason. The other two were obviously avoiding my acquaintance, perhaps because they thought that even being seen in my vicinity might make people question them and then realize they weren't cis. Both encounters were in passing at Walmart. The first was a young woman with a purse who barrelled past me, going the other direction, her eyes fixed firmly in front of her. The second was an older lady, very well done up, who found something terribly interesting in the ceiling as I passed her.

I understand their fears. I just wish things could be different. Sometimes I hunger for the company of someone else who "gets it."

Quote from: CynthiaAnn on April 02, 2019, 06:59:02 AM

Back in Jr HS, I was bullied by a trans woman and it was not good. I was tormented by this person, they were trying to play up a "tough" image and picked on me relentlessly...she moved away to WA state and "became a woman"...

Hey, I met a girl in WA state that said she was a huge bully in school to try to overcompensate and feels so awful about how she treated people way back then. I also went to a small town in WA with her and others to watch an all trans band perform.  Spooky!  🤣

Quote from: Kate.claire on April 02, 2019, 08:10:22 PM
Hey, I met a girl in WA state that said she was a huge bully in school to try to overcompensate and feels so awful about how she treated people way back then. I also went to a small town in WA with her and others to watch an all trans band perform.  Spooky!  🤣

I know it is spooky  the sound you hear in the background is the theme from twilight zone.... du.du.du.du..

I would forgive her today, because I truly understand what's it's like to live with GD, OMG

Quote from: Ann W on April 02, 2019, 05:02:12 PM
I've attended a few meetings of the local trans support group. I haven't gone for a long time, because my work schedule precludes it. Since my last visit, over a year ago, I think I've seen three trans women. Two of them didn't want to be seen; the third was my waitress at a local breakfast place. She was very sweet, and I tipped her well.

I guess the fact that I don't pass is part of the reason. The other two were obviously avoiding my acquaintance, perhaps because they thought that even being seen in my vicinity might make people question them and then realize they weren't cis. Both encounters were in passing at Walmart. The first was a young woman with a purse who barrelled past me, going the other direction, her eyes fixed firmly in front of her. The second was an older lady, very well done up, who found something terribly interesting in the ceiling as I passed her.

I understand their fears. I just wish things could be different. Sometimes I hunger for the company of someone else who "gets it."

In the first 6 months to a year that I was out I probably would have been one of those people looking at the ceiling.
Hate to admit it but it's true.

Those that don't want to be associated with others that might cause them to be 'clocked' have not yet conquered their own internalized transphobia.  Mine is almost dead but once in awhile it tries to raise its ugly head with its last dying breath.

Feel good about YOU.  You have more courage than they do and you know what?  Some people in public are very nice to us.  Extremely so.  They are trying to show their support.  Be out and proud and enjoy those that want to show they support you because you deserve it !!!

I spent the weekend in Las Vegas with an amazing group of trans women.  A couple were doctors (including the lady who put the event together to launch her new health care company), another lawyer, a construction company owner, a research scientist, a member of the Board of Directors of GLAAD and a number of other professionals.  It was fun to among a group of successful and inspirational trans women.  Here's a picture from our dinner at Spago's.

Quote from: KimOct on April 02, 2019, 09:35:58 PM
In the first 6 months to a year that I was out I probably would have been one of those people looking at the ceiling.
Hate to admit it but it's true.

Those that don't want to be associated with others that might cause them to be 'clocked' have not yet conquered their own internalized transphobia.  Mine is almost dead but once in awhile it tries to raise its ugly head with its last dying breath.

Feel good about YOU.  You have more courage than they do and you know what?  Some people in public are very nice to us.  Extremely so.  They are trying to show their support.  Be out and proud and enjoy those that want to show they support you because you deserve it !!!

Thank you, sweetie. 

I spend a lot of time representing online, because I can; and it's hard, sometimes, although I do get the odd support votes, now and then. If you're familiar with the Old Testament, I feel very much like the prophet Jeremiah. No one wants to hear what you have to say, yet you know it's the truth.

We endure.

Quote from: KimOct on April 01, 2019, 08:20:52 PM
There are 330 people where I work.  I just started that job recently thinking I would be the first.  I am the third.

KimOct that sounds amazing to me.
We are over 1300 people where I work and I think I am the only one and the first one....

Hi!

I've met a total of four transgender girls *my age* in person, two of which from a support group my parent joined. Funny story: one of the girls from the support group I had known as a guy years ago--I had wondered where he went.

My mom is also friends with a transgender woman who also happened to move to the US around the same time as us from our home country.

---

Regarding trans guys: I know one, closely. He's been my friend for a few years and was one of the first people to know about me. He also began medically transitioning about a year or so ago and he's coming along quite nicely!

- Chantal