In Europe you have to start your RLT as soon as you start with HRT
so getting HRT without living like a woman in real life is no option here.

For me it is no option anyway I could not wait to start living as a woman, I will not get my HRT before august this year and I started my RLT half a yaer ago.

I need to waer a bra with hard cups other wise my chest is too flat and yes when you waer the right size in cotton bra's it can even be rather comfortable.

I won't hide the boobs I need so much !

Good luck to you all

The way it works over here in the states is a person typically is on hormones for a period of time and gradually gets more feminine looking and at a certain point, they start their RLT when they feel they are ready.  This isn't always the case, because some people start RLT right away before hormones and some people start at the same time.

For me, I would like to start right away, but because of so many people who have problems with transsexuals, one must pass fairly well or they will have an extra tough time with their RLT and may fail, whereas they may have passed otherwise.

My facial features themselves are not a problem.  My biggest problem is coming up with the money for removing facial hair, which I am working towards every day.  In this day and age, men wearing bras for whatever reason is less uncommon than it used to be.  So, I wear mine more out of necessity than because I like wearing it.

I imagine upgrading my bra (size) will be pretty exciting as well.  I'll just wear my current size until it starts becoming obvious that I'm too big for it, then get a new one.  But, I'm thinking too far ahead.  At this rate, that will probably be at least a few months.

Trust me when I say I look forward to starting RLT and I almost wish it were required to start at the same time (and thus be more acceptable) but I have changed my timeframe from the end of the year to somewhere closer to the middle.  Perhaps in another 3-6 months depending on how well hair removal goes.

Well, back to dreaming up more ways to get money.

Melissa


Posted at: April 19, 2006, 12:24:14 PM

---

Here's a bit of an update to this thread. 

I've now come to the point where I fall somewhere between an A and B cup.  If I wear the A-bra, it's ok, but I'm starting to bulge out of it a little.  I haven't tried shopping for a good B cup yet, but will probably try some on in a couple weeks.  I have a push-up type B bra that fits well, but I'm still not out at work yet, so that doesn't work for my situation there.  I plan on coming out in about 2 months.  I'm not really worried about losing my job, I just found out several things working to my advantage:

1. I found out today that they have a written discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation.
2. The location I work in has laws that protect gender identity.
3. The office where HR is located is situated in the Bay area.
4. Everyone's extremely nice to me despite how feminine I look already.
5. I work with some very intelligent people and from what I heard, they tend to be more accepting.
6. I'm doing a good job and they need people right now like fish needs water.

I could potentially come out ASAP, but I want to get as much stuff prepared as I can.  I don't feel I'm quite ready to go fulltime until it's closer to September, but would definitely like to before October.

Anyway, back to the topic.  One reason that my breasts may be growing fast is because I tried something I read on a different forum.  I had heard that American Ginseng (panax quinquefolium) which I've only found at GNC and no other type of Ginseng when combined with your HRT regimine has been known to help with breast growth.  I've been taking that for almost 2 months now.  The thing is that I don't think my mom or sister are any larger than a C-cup if not smaller, so at the rate I'm growing, I could potentially reach fullsize.  I'm not even taking progesterone, which is also supposed to help.

Oh yeah, I started facial hair removal about a month ago.  It's is very effective so far.

Melissa

> one must pass fairly well or they will have an extra tough time with their RLT and may fail, whereas they may have passed otherwise.

Being a girl who isn't exactly cute (YET!) and that passing thing is starting to happen more often but is far away from being the norm, AND who does not present as male... ^*shrug* RLT isn't a test, there is no exam at the end of the year; RLE is far far more apt of a term. ^*shrug* Besides, it is not like I can fail anyway. Fail to what? Go back to what? ^*wink* It is all down hill, an I can't even see the top any more...

^*smile* I am glad to hear things are going well for you Melissa.

I didn't mean fail at being a woman, but more like fail at life.

Melissa

Ah all right. ^*smiles* I must respectfully disagree there also I am afraid.

(metaphoric) You cannot fail at life. No matter what you may think, no matter what you have done, or have yet to do. No matter what is ever said or even not said. Some part is exactly what you need, and some part has touched another for the better.

I am not certain, but I am tending to think that some part will hurt another, even if only slight.

Just my thoughts, nothing more...

Perhaps fail was the wrong word, but more like "less successful".

Melissa

*smile* That I think I agree with

Hello Melissa!  While you "in-between" cup sizes, there is a brand of bra that started making "Nearly" sizes.  I believe that they range from nearly A through nearly C.  It might be Playtex, but I'm not certain.  That may work better for you in the meantime. And it's not like you'd have to buy five of them. If you could buy one and just wear it for a few days and then hand wash it before bed at night and let it dry. Believe me, it's so much better to wash bras that way, even though I'm kinda lazy and allow mine through the washer and dryer. Unfortunately, it wears the material out much quicker and if you're using underwire (which you probably won't be doing for awhile yet) it can bend the wire and make your bra real uncomfortable.  Just my two cents!

By the way, I'm happy to hear that your coming out at work will be made easier due to their own policies.  I think it's great that more and more companies are doing this for their employees.  Just you make sure that they follow their own protocol! 

Thanks, I actually bought one of those bras today.  It is Playtex.  I didn't think about handwashing being much better as I'm lazy too and use the washer and dryer too.  I'm not going to be wearing underwire for a while, but I didn't think of them getting bent out of shape.

For the policies, they don't have one that specifically mentions Gender Identity.  But they seemed to heavily stress not tolerating discrimination in the new employee orientation.  I'm going to see a new therapist next week and talk to him about coming out at work and see what he says.  Thanks for everything Angel's Girl.

Melissa

Hey, any time!  I play big sister to everybody most of the time (I'm the eldest of four) so I'm pretty used to handing out advice, soliticed or not!   Usually, I'm reading the message board for ideas on how help Jocelyn (mostly on things I wouldn't normally think of myself as a GG) or other info I might need to keep in mind due to being in a relationship with a T-girl, but if I see a topic that I can help add to I usually do.

Good luck again with coming out at work if you decide to do it soon.  I believe Annie Social had a post not too long ago about a letter she had written a prospective employer about her condition, so you may want to either find that thread or ask her about it.  Also, if you haven't read "She's Not There" by Jennifer Boylan, she had a meeting with her superiors about it and then sent out a well-worded e-mail to all of her co-workers.  It went over quite well for her.

I hope that bra works for you.  By the way, if you insist on being as lazy as I am, be sure to dry your bras on low heat to avoid shrinking them. From experience, that really is not fun!  And as far as outgrowing a bra is concerned, a couple ways you can tell is if the bra starts leaving deep grooves in your skin (either on the breasts, shoulders, or under the arms) or if your cups literally runneth over!

I haven't quite outgrown my bras and don't quite fit into the new one, but at least I have it available now for when they do grow bigger.  I didn't have a good basisi for measurement before, so I had to do a certain amount of assuming.

Melissa

I am a mtf and I think we all go thru this.  At what point do I go full time.  Do I begin by dressing a little or do I do it completely.  Everyone has there own point.  I think it comes down to how ready are you and how confortable are you dressing either partially or totally as a woman.  So let me say my opinion.  The suggestions by some to wear a cami sound helpful and at the same time prudent.  I was young when i started Hrts.  I didnt really need a bra for many months some have said when they start moving and or the nipples are showing thru and I think when your breasts whether they are small or large are hitting everything and causing you much pain.  I think that should be your clue.  Their are many style bras out there that if you are not dressing full time should help and at the same time not be apparent to others that you are wearing one.  But the key is being properly fitted.  Going shoping is a whole topic itself and I am sure the many members here will be able to offer some good tips.  One final thought and i think it was express very well by angelgirl, even if you dont absolutely need one now maybe it is time to begin to get use to wearing one since you will be eventually wearing one for the rest of your life.  And as angelgirl said, it does get better.  But dont expect to go thru this transition without some mishaps, the important thing is learning from each one and getting stronger.  Also look at yourself and see yourself as others do but dont let their opinion deter you.  You only have one life to live.  Good luck.  Patricia

Quote from: mariska on April 19, 2006, 01:59:26 PM
In Europe you have to start your RLT as soon as you start with HRT
so getting HRT without living like a woman in real life is no option here.

For me it is no option anyway I could not wait to start living as a woman, I will not get my HRT before august this year and I started my RLT half a yaer ago.

I assume you're talking here about the UK and though admittedly this is an old thread, I believe that some GID's (Gender Identity Clinics) might have relaxed their practices with regard to RLT and HRT. As recently as 3 years ago my local GIC (CHX) insisted on 6 months RLT prior to them prescribing hormones. Personally, I neither would nor could have coped with that so I went private and after counselling etc. was put on prescribed hormones two years before I decided to transition in November last year.

With regards to bras, being full time I wear them daily now. However, whilst still part time I only started wearing one in 'boy mode' after a woman friend of mine took me aside and told me that I was starting to look positively indecent without.

You make an excellent point Jenny.  In many cases we are a lot harder on ourselves than others see us.  It took me so long to feel confortable with my new image and to feel secure.  In terms of wearing a bra while still in male mode, it took a girl friend of mine to get me aside at work and ask me when am i going to start wearing a bra.  Did not realize my nipples was sticking out of my shirt like a banner.  I was working as a nurse at the time and still do.