Congrats Emma! It's a daily fight for me not to throw up the same kind of post on my guy FB account, I've got a few more close people to come out to then it's happening. Love me or leave me... I have no use for the in between.

~Sara

The only thing that strikes me as weird is talking about yourself in 3rd person? The "she is my friend"?  Maybe I read that wrong. When I finally totally came out, only ONE person couldn't deal with it and I have a feeling he is a closet gay anyway You really can't worry about the couple of old friends who might have an issue. Obviously now that I'm a woman I don't do some of the things "guys do" together but I never liked that anyway so no loss for me

Stephe

Quote from: EmmaM on March 24, 2011, 11:44:35 AM
Thanks for the support everyone. Now it's back to business as usual, I felt like a rock star (good and bad) all night with the attention I was getting. I'm not even sure I'll be able to escape it today. (I don't really like it, but hey.) I'm off to get my family a new placed to live and I have an interview for a full time gig at the department of fish and game! Yay for environmental science!

Sounds like quite an ordeal!  Does it feel good to move forward?  I ask people this about seven times a day since I'm so thoroughly locked in place, but I do love hearing awesome stories like this, of brave people tearing off the mask.  Bravo!

Quote from: Stephe on March 25, 2011, 12:08:10 AM
The only thing that strikes me as weird is talking about yourself in 3rd person? The "she is my friend"? 

I felt some reason to address them in that way, it's not really a big deal. At that point I was allowing them to still speak to Ryan as they knew him (me / not me). If I had said "Emma is my friend" or "Emma can be found on Ryan's friend list" it would have made no difference. There is no way to do any of what I did without addressing everyone as two people that both exist and do not exist. As you can plainly see by how much sense this reply makes, maintaining two identities was wrecking my sanity and sense of clarity. Whatever. It's over, moving along.

Quote from: dil on March 25, 2011, 01:19:49 AM
Sounds like quite an ordeal!  Does it feel good to move forward?  I ask people this about seven times a day since I'm so thoroughly locked in place, but I do love hearing awesome stories like this, of brave people tearing off the mask.  Bravo!

Yes. The whole ordeal has made me stronger. I no longer give a **** what people think. I'm a nice and caring person, but I just had to swing the axe.

Quote from: EmmaM on March 25, 2011, 01:52:22 AM
As you can plainly see by how much sense this reply makes, maintaining two identities was wrecking my sanity and sense of clarity. Whatever. It's over, moving along.

Try explaining three separate names (guy, girl, online persona) to anyone who asks.  Guy name Keith - I've had it for too damned long.  Girl name Kathy, I'm only just beginning to really live it.  Online persona Caith - It's the Old Gaelic root of both my guy and girl names, and it's who I truly need to be.

Quote from: EmmaMYes. The whole ordeal has made me stronger. I no longer give a **** what people think. I'm a nice and caring person, but I just had to swing the axe.

I bolded part of Emma's quote, because that's a point I reached in my early 30s, twenty years ago.  I am an individual, I am me, and if you're not okay with that, then that's YOUR problem, not mine.  My wife doesn't understand how I can honestly feel that way, or everything it took for me to achieve that realization.  I'm fairly certain Emma has just  hit the bullseye and explained it clearly in a lot fewer words. 


Congratulations on becoming a stronger, more whole person, Emma. 

I totally understand how you can feel like "2 people". At one point early on I was very concerned I had MPD, was a relief to realize I am just TG Especially it's difficult when you have to live dual roles to feel as one person, but you ARE one person! I guess most people would understand the way you worded this and maybe I'm just sensitive to this whole dual personality thing since I lived it myself.

Hi, Awesome Emma

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!
Hamlet Act I, Scene 3

Thou hast taken Polonius' words as thine own and shall reap thy true reward. 

Since I really don't care too much about "networing, I actually took about 30 minutes to hack into Chelle's FB account to read your post.  Brava!  Although your life may truly be anything but simpler and easier, think how much less complicated it will be without having to maintain two personnas. 

Good luck with the house hunting and job seeking. 
Susan

Quote from: Susan Baum on March 25, 2011, 02:02:48 PM
Hi, Awesome Emma

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!
Hamlet Act I, Scene 3

Thou hast taken Polonius' words as thine own and shall reap thy true reward. 

I would add John Keats' "Ode on a Grecian Urn":

Quote from: Keats'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all   
    Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'

and a biblical quote, from John 8:32:

QuoteThen you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Maybe you can appreciate how well they all mesh together for us.

I thought you face book coming out post was INCREDIBLE! I have been formulating how I plan to come out and that was pretty dang close. If you don't mind, I may borrow a good bit of it for my coming out letter/posting. I want to congratulate you on your decission and your many good friend and family who have come out to support you.

Hugs, Stacy

The best part about all of this is: life has become better! I found a cheaper doc so that I will be able to continue HRT without starving, and as soon as I'm moved in I'll probably just dive in everywhere except for work (I'll "grow into" it at work).

Thanks a ton everyone!

I found that hardest part was getting up the nerve to just do it. Once I did, I wonder now why I waited so long to do it! Good luck and congrats!