Quote from: tekla on March 28, 2011, 08:39:45 AM
"I had the worst name EVER"

Maybe if your mom and dad were Mr. and Mrs. Manson and they named you 'Charles'.

Or if they were Mr. and Mrs. Dahmer and they named me Jeffrey. Or if they were named Bundy and called me Ted. Etc, etc.

Thankfully, I don't know anybody with an infamous name, just people with names that very much didn't suit them.

I knew a kid named Cookie in kindergarten.

/offtopic

Quote from: Renard on March 28, 2011, 03:51:58 PM
I knew a kid named Cookie in kindergarten.

/offtopic

Thats so awesome. I would've tried to wear blue every day and serenade them with "C is for cookie that's good enough for me!!!"

I knew brothers named Bow & Arrow

Everybody needs to see the youtube video about bad questions to ask transsexuals.  It makes me laugh and cry.

My teacher told us about the girl he used to bully because she was named Candy Cane... yeah horrible names do exist, and there is a Harry Dick near here.

My mom had a student named Hard Dick. He had no eyelids.

There was a girl I went to highschool with named Sunny Day. Best part, she was a complete twat.
There was also a girl named Sparkle.

Sometimes I am appalled at the direction taken in the discussion of a serious topic.  Have we really sunk to the level of making fun of people's names and taking potshots at people who will never read this board?  Instead of helping people figure out how to deal with such a difficult issue?  Or is it because this is The Guys' Board?

My approach to being trans is completely different to yours.  I embrace those moments and make jokes.  I am completely open about my past.  I think thats really the best way to be.  Who wants to have something that they are openly embarrassed about?  Not me.  I'd rather not have a deep dark secret either.  Being stealth creates at least one of those situations [and often times both.]  I mean there are situations where its necessary, or just not worth the bother.  Generally though I find it makes everyone a lot more comfortable about the whole thing.  If you can crack jokes on yourself it doesn't give them the same amount of power to really do it behind your back because you'd probably shrug and agree with a smile [and possibly a witty retort.] 

Story time:
My school uses a website to link professors and students with materials and online dropboxes ect.  My name has inexplicably not been changed on that site [despite the fact that its been changed on my email and on the scheduling/business side of the site] I've had a couple teachers be like "whats up with that?" one of which I'm pretty sure didn't know I was trans [hah.] On like the second or third day of class he asked which I prefer to go by.  Everyone in the class was like "wtf?" because most of them know I'm a big ole ->-bleeped-<-.  I simply said "I go by Rowan, but if you want call me that I'll probably respond too so really do whatever you feel like." and left it at that.  He seemed confused, but has called me Rowan ever since.  The rest of the class was fairly amused.  It was a very stress-free situation for me.

I've had people ask me what my birth name was, again with the 'What's your real name?' thing. It makes me really mad, it's none of their business, and it's private information. I can understand most people don't realise how touchy the topic is when they mention it, and it may just be idle curiosity, so I don't mind just saying, 'My old name doesn't matter, that's not me anymore.'

But if they question further than that, after it's been made clear that I won't discuss it and that it's none of their business, then they're an arse, plain and simple, and I don't need them around.

Quote from: GinaDouglas on March 28, 2011, 07:28:16 PM
Sometimes I am appalled at the direction taken in the discussion of a serious topic.  Have we really sunk to the level of making fun of people's names and taking potshots at people who will never read this board?  Instead of helping people figure out how to deal with such a difficult issue?  Or is it because this is The Guys' Board?

It's because it's the guy's board. We suck.

LOL.

I'm sure, though, that a girl named Sparkle has heard it all before and doesn't care if we make fun of her name one more time. (And I'm saying this as a guy who has already heard every onion joke in existence in regards to his name.)

Quote from: GinaDouglas on March 28, 2011, 07:28:16 PM
Sometimes I am appalled at the direction taken in the discussion of a serious topic.  Have we really sunk to the level of making fun of people's names and taking potshots at people who will never read this board?  Instead of helping people figure out how to deal with such a difficult issue?  Or is it because this is The Guys' Board?

I see how joshing someone over their name can be viewed as poking fun. I forget that not everyone has thick skin and can laugh at themselves. I don't think the less serious posts here make the more serious ones less helpful.

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It makes me a little uneasy when people ask about it, often referring to it as the "real name" (err.. as opposed to imaginary?? fake? unreal?) or "original name".

To some I actually bother explaining that it was the name of a person that doesn't exist any longer, and most respect my wishes as soon as I ask them to mention it no more since it makes me uncomfortable.

Quote from: Kohdy on March 30, 2011, 10:57:59 AM
I just hate how parents have a say in the matter what our name is going to be, and we have to take so many steps just to change it later in life.

How do you propose you get a name when you can't feed yourself, talk, walk or do anything else for yourself? Do you want to go through life being called anything and everything that someone (besides parents) else chooses? Changing your name legally is one of the less hassling parts of transition, it is just much more sudden in others eyes.

Quote from: Kohdy on March 30, 2011, 11:23:01 AM
I suppose you're right, but I feel that maybe we should be able to legally change our name earlier than 18. Almost 20 years of being called one name is really hard to change for the people around you.

I agree.  I'm almost 20 and I just legally changed my name.  and my family is trying a little to remember.  But it's really hard for them too.  and they don't know how big of a deal it is to me to not be called by a girl male.  I'm trying to decide if I should keep reminding them everytime they forget, just as a helpful reminder.  I'm not mad at them for forgetting.  but then I don't know if they would take me reminding them too well.

Quote from: Kohdy on March 30, 2011, 07:36:59 PMI'm legally changing mine this summer, and my parents (especially my dad) have a hard time using my male name. If they use my birth name, once in a while I'll chirp in and remind them it's Kohdy. Once in a while my dad will even correct himself. The first stage of them getting used to your name is a little awkward, but it just takes time and patience, and persistence (do remind them, if you don't speak up they won't ever use the name or pronouns you want them to).

Ah, okay, yeah, maybe I should start reminding them once in a while.  I'm not really out to them yet.  but I actually think it's helpful that I changed my name first, and give them time to get used to them, so it's not like I throw a bunch of changes at them all at once.

You can legally change your name under the age of 18. My daughter did.

Quote from: LordKAT on March 31, 2011, 03:23:55 AM
You can legally change your name under the age of 18. My daughter did.

In what state?

Quote from: JohnAlex on March 31, 2011, 12:42:22 PM
In what state?

Any state you can change your name under 18 --- however most if not all require parental approval