Not at all 

I'm out everywhere except my hometown, I wouldn't dare present female here. Looking for a house closer to the city rather than try to make a stand against the rednecks 

I've been back to Warrington once since I left and it was so rough. It kind of changes my perception of my time there as a child, especially when i learned that my neighbour (local bully) who was my friends brother got done for class A and violent assault.
Makes Finglas seem fun and carefree

Claire xoxo

How accepting is my area? Let's just say McCain won the vote here.

Edit: This is what happens when you click the link to the thread off the front page and don't realize what section it's in..


Never mind me ladies.

I have noticed references to Warrington, England and although initially I had no comment to make, perhaps I might offer one observation.

Is it the smell of the soap factory near the Warrington Bank rail station or the town's proximity to Liverpool that gives the feeling of walking into the camp of the enemy?  I had thought the fact that the town lying south of the M62 motorway helped it but now I have my doubts.  I have been to both places many times with my work in the past, Warrington at the time of the IRA attack and Liverpool at the time of the football holiganism and the death of a child by other children.

I am not going to make a judgment of the people involved nor the people that live there today or of those with a connection to those places but I do recall a very oppressive atmosphere towards outsiders and to any one that was different in any way or form.  Oh, I was living and working as a male when I last lent my prescence to those domains.........just to make things clear etc., personally, I have no plans to go back to those places until well after SRS if at all and as for Ireland?     

Quote from: Osiris on March 19, 2009, 02:04:30 PM
Never mind me ladies.

I didn't even notice until you mentioned it!

I live in Western Canada and I think that my city (Edmonton) is quite laid-back but I don't think I would go flaunting the fact that I'm trans around. Most of my friends and their families have been ok with me, but I also think I'm luckier than most.

However, Canada does own the USA when it comes to GLBT rights.

Chrissi

and as for Ireland?

And as for ireland what exactly? don't know what your experiance of it was or what part but Dulin is by and large very accepting.

If you meant the north it has more issues than i can mention here

Claire xoxo

Quote from: Claire on March 20, 2009, 09:36:50 AM
and as for Ireland?

And as for ireland what exactly? don't know what your experiance of it was or what part but Dulin is by and large very accepting.

If you meant the north it has more issues than i can mention here

Claire xoxo

I refer mainly to the North, that part within the UK.  I have not been to the Republic but know of a few that have and they say that they disliked the place.  I am half Irish myself, been to Belfast many times since leaving when a youngster during the bad days and just don't feel comfortable there.  A gay friend ( former, now no longer a friend, hostile to transfolk ) went to both parts of the island and had an aweful time there. Obviously this is heresay but it seems to ring bells that sadly alarm me.

I'm sorry your friend (former) had a bad time but that is one case and seems unfair to me to judge a place or it's people entirely on the experiance of one person, especially if that person is very judgemental themselves. Personally i only mentioned Warrington because I lived there for some time and experianced different sides of the place and Ireland because I live there now and have a good knowledge of what it's like.
Sorry if my last post seemed reactionary and angry but i do't like it when people make broad sweeping judgement with seemingly no reason for or explanation of them.

Claire xoxo

I too am sorry Claire but my thoughts were based on opinions of others and my own history of living in the north, my part Irish bloodline and a 'feeling' of not feeling comfortable about the place.  That said, I still have to visit the Republic before I can offer my own views.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my earlier remarks for which I apologise.

Why would you care about acceptance?

If you pass as a women, than stay stealth.

And avoiding company with negative people.

Personally, I could give two living ->-bleeped-<-s if family or friends object.

Big deal, they sucked anyway if they are that narrow minded.

I live in Oregon during the summer and Massachusetts when I'm in college. Wow, there sure are a lot of Oregonians here! Portland is possibly the most trans-friendly city ever, at least in the States. Though I don't live there, I go there as often as I can. Totally amazing place. I think it might be the new San Francisco...!

Quote from: Tanya1 on March 20, 2009, 03:56:36 PM
Why would you care about acceptance?

If you pass as a women, than stay stealth.

And avoiding company with negative people.

Personally, I could give two living s***s if family or friends object.

Big deal, they sucked anyway if they are that narrow minded.

Agreed. I do the same.

I don't get how people can say that it doesn't matter if people are accepting.

Supposing you are living stealth. Then being outed is like a sword of Damocles if you are in a hostile area. Supposing you're not stealth, it's nice not to have to deal with harrassment or worse from people who don't see you as a valid person.

I don't like living around a lot of people who "suck." I like having friends. I like being treated like a human being in stores, restaurants, and other public places. I don't like being treated like an object of ridicule and scorn. Maybe I can handle it, but I'd be fooling myself to say I don't care.

~Alyssa

I live in a village on the outskirts of Altrincham which is itself about 15 miles south of Manchester, UK.
I'm 54, 6 foot with broad shoulders and a big nose so don't pass most of the time especially if standing.
Manchester in general is probably the most trans-friendly place in the UK although there are still some areas that are more hostile.
Around Altrincham I very rarely have any problem at all, occasionally a teenager will shout the usual sort of abuse.
In my village, although I haven't socialised much in 30 years I've lived here, most people knew me by sight at least.
Apart from a bit of heckling by local teenagers when I first transitioned 18 months ago I've had no problems here at all. I did front up to a couple of the local young louts and they chose to back down (fortunately)  The rest, I went over to and had a quiet and sensible chat with, educated them a little and these days I have no problems locally at all - many say hi as they pass or chat to me a little if we happen to be at the bus-stop together etc.
One curious thing - several of the old ladies who are my neighbours have become very friendly indeed, without asking me any questions about trans. A couple in particular have taken it upon themselves to be my champions! - e.g. some workmen came to erect scaffolding and catcalled etc as I walked past them on the way to the shop. I found out later that one of the old ladies had overheard and when I had gone she went out and gave them a right good telling off.  Likewise, I heard that another one had shut down a couple of women who started making negative comments when I walked past them at the bus-stop. She told them that I was really nice person and that they should talk to me and judge for themselves instead of making assumptions. As a result of that incident they made the effort to talk to me and have now become people who stop and have a brief chat when we do pass in the street.
How cool is that for a local attitude?

All in all I'm very lucky indeed. I transitioned because I had to, but went into it fully expecting that I would be constantly insulted and ridiculed for the rest of my life.
I'm so very grateful that despite my obvious shortcomings, that has not been the case.

Quote from: Alyssa M. on March 27, 2009, 06:52:56 PM
I don't get how people can say that it doesn't matter if people are accepting.

Supposing you are living stealth. Then being outed is like a sword of Damocles if you are in a hostile area. Supposing you're not stealth, it's nice not to have to deal with harrassment or worse from people who don't see you as a valid person.

I don't like living around a lot of people who "suck." I like having friends. I like being treated like a human being in stores, restaurants, and other public places. I don't like being treated like an object of ridicule and scorn. Maybe I can handle it, but I'd be fooling myself to say I don't care.

~Alyssa

I agree.  When I finally decided to do this, I decided I could accept scorn, rejection, even violence if I had to in order to be who I've always wanted to be.  But I wouldn't want to live with only that.  My friends have been very supportive.  Being able to be open to them helps enormously.  Being treated as human is nice.  I can tough it out, but that doesn't mean that rejection doesn't hurt.

- Kate

Quote from: Steffi on March 27, 2009, 11:38:52 PM
All in all I'm very lucky indeed. I transitioned because I had to, but went into it fully expecting that I would be constantly insulted and ridiculed for the rest of my life.
I'm so very grateful that despite my obvious shortcomings, that has not been the case.

Wonderful.  I, too, have been very lucky.  All my friends have been very supportive.  One has decided to be my mentor.  I'm still very early in the process but have had no bad experiences yet.  (I will, I'm sure, especially when I start living fulltime.)  I am thankful every day for the kindeness of those around me.  Certainly there are some jerks out there, but most people are amazingly kind.

- Kate

I live on the west end in Atlanta and the people here are relatively nice about things. I get some laughter from a couple of guys down the street, more then probably because they used to hit on me from there front porch but they are uncomfortable with me now since they heard me talk (my voice is not so good) but the majority of people that can tell I'm not, for lack of a better word, average just seem confused about me. I'm sure It doesn't hurt that Im 15 minutes from midtown one of the most glbt(Is that the right order?) friendly areas in the south east.

My area is very accepting, actually it was my lesbian friend who made me comfortable enough to finally admit to everyone I know of being transgender, ever since then shes been helpful, her girlfriend has adopted me as "little sis" and those two are letting and encouraging my female side and want to help me every step of the way to adjust to my new better life and not only them but my male friends as well, everyone around is helpful atleast my friends, my family is currently a whole different matter currently lol

It's somewhat accepting to gays....but it's more hush hush, conservative, and then to pansies stuff.

I don't even think there are transgenders in my area.... I don't even know one.  I think I only saw two in my life, and that's only a guess. I don't even know gay people, I hardly know anyone to begin with except those acquaintances at school (I'm talking about straight people; I just don't have real friends lol).

My family is not accepting to this or anything in the GLBT community- worse being transgenders. It will be the gossip of the family, and not good gossip at all.... I know for a fact that once I am out that whole family is going to reject me, and hopefully my mother/grandmother doesn't... hopefully.