In the last few days, I've had my first session with a gender therapist in Exeter, and today saw Dr Perring in London, who's a psychiatrist (and a lovely old geezer). It felt really, really good to get met in the way they both met me, enquiring and supportive, I felt taken seriously. Leaving Dr Perring's office this morning, I felt stupidly happy that I'm doing this, and that the "objective experts" aren't telling me I'm nuts .

Plus I was wearing my new blue/green boho shirt, and Dr Perring said "that's a pretty shirt..." and I felt oddly more affirmed by that than anything else. Go figure.

Oh, and I was at a trans women meeting in Norwich last night (a once-a-month thing, so it's the only one I'll get to) which was very helpful, around 8 or 9 people, a couple of them there with their partners. One of them talking to someone else there referred to me as "she"  - that was the first time that's ever happened, and it made my hair stand on end (in a good way). I had no idea it would matter that much (getting teary writing this...)

I had no idea until today, but I've had this unconscious feeling that it's not alright to ask people to call me "she" until I'm presenting more as a woman.

Insecurity is a slippery fish.

Well, to hell with "is it allowed?", I'm raising my gender flag today. Venus is the morning star too .

You've taken some amazing steps, that's awesome!

I've been shocked by how supportive people have been in and out of the medical community, including my GP. It has been a bit strange to be called she and treated as female while presenting as male but it feels so good.

What's I find really surprising is that sometimes the smallest thing, like your shirt compliment, that feel like the biggest victory. My electrologist told my that I have such nice skin. No one had ever said that to me before and it left me on cloud nine the rest of the day.

Dr P is awesome, you made a good choice with him Padma.

Just following the recommendation of you and Jenny . He's sound as a pound.

Really glad to see you happy and moving forward and a new forum gender sign too 

I spoke to Dr P too a few times in email before I took over my own healthcare ect he seemed really nice, he tries to get you nhs funding for hrt ect?

Anyhooow hug and keep smiling before you know you be on the trolley to physical womanhood x

Yoxi, before you put your gender marker up I will admit I assumed that you were female to male because of your avatar.  I thought that you had a hell of a long way to go before you were going to be completely convincing as a man.

I have a feeling that your transition is going to be very successful 

Quote from: JohnR on April 12, 2011, 12:54:40 PMI thought that you had a hell of a long way to go before you were going to be completely convincing as a man.

Heh, you're in the illustrious company of a number of men in my past . C'mon, I'm growing my hair as fast as I can...

Yay!

Quote from: yoxi on April 12, 2011, 01:04:51 PM
C'mon, I'm growing my hair as fast as I can...

I know, right?

Quote from: yoxi on April 12, 2011, 09:14:22 AM
I had no idea until today, but I've had this unconscious feeling that it's not alright to ask people to call me "she" until I'm presenting more as a woman.

Insecurity is a slippery fish.

Aaaaaand add me to that list. I'm terribly insecure- Progress, though, is amazing isn't it? Here's some happiness!

I've spent most of the last 20 years with a "Buddhist Buzz Cut", so it's a bit of a shock to see how thin my shock is these days! At least it's thin on top, and I'm so tall that most people won't see that . And I'm told finasteride will help this a bit, at least, come the day.

I'm going to see Dr Perring in a month's time (he's off having a hip operation) and I hope he might recommend me for HRT then, but it's very early days, so there's probably more talking to be done first. He had a helpful suggestion about finding a good GP, which was just to go into all of the local surgeries and ask the receptionists there whether they have any GPs who have experience with gender issues. There's bound to be one somewhere, I hope.

It's going to be a lot easier for me to "change my look" once I arrive in my new place, as no-one around there knows my old one. Now for some online dungaree shopping .

Yoxi,

Congratulations! It does feel good to get it out there doesn't it?

I first saw my therapist last June so I'm coming up on a year now.  I still don't ask to be referred to as 'She' or go by the name Siobhan even though my hair is now almost shoulder length and I wear full make up and 100% women's clothes.  I think it's lack of confidence, and knowing that everyone will see straight through my disguise and think "He's not fooling anyone".

Hopefully the hormones will help, I'm due to start them two weeks tomorrow!  (Thirty-one years of wanting to be a girl, and it finally starts to happen in fifteen days!)

I think you'll find that they want you to see your therapist for at least three months before recommending HRT.  That's if they use the Harry Benjamin criteria which seems to be the norm.

Hang on in there!

Siobhan.

That's great Yoxi    I'm glad things are moving forward well for you