NO NO NO. You in no way, no how offended me. Pretty much there is nothing that offends me. I am sorry if that last little bit came out wrong it was more of a disclaimer for what I wrote. Like you said sometimes it is hard to judge from words alone.
What I was trying to convey is that
we are nothing new and have been around for a lot longer than society is willing to see. That we don't eat children, kill cats, are not going to magically turn other folks into the opposite gender or gay and so on. That there was a transgender hero that helped save a whole country and God more or less told her to be transgender and the church supported it. And more often that not when someone states that they are on yourside and really care about your rights and points of view that they really want something from you. Polititians for votes. Companies for money. Religious establishments for followers and the list goes on. I tend to ramble on at times but the old saying of beware of wolves in sheep's clothing is a good rule to live by.
When an establishments such as a church pops up and says all of a sudden, we welcome transgendered people open heartedly, I have to ask myself why all of a sudden the doctrine and beliefs have changed and what do they want. If I dig around a little and can't find any reason other than true acceptance, I may visit sort of anonomously as my physical gender. I would ask questions and so on. The next time I may even hint around to me being transgendered and judge their reactions again. But until I can stand in front of them either as male or female or combinations of both and there are no snickers and looks of abhorration. I just don't trust it. Too many times people speak one way and act another.
Since very few people know me on a personal level all they see is a male with long hair. Publicly I dress the part. Another transgender that can read people might pick up subtle hints but believe me, that is rare. My skin is a little too clean, most of the time. My hair isn't always a mess, most of the time and so on. A lot of women envy me for my hair, I know because I hear it all the time. Let them be jeolous, I rather enjoy it since I can't wear nail polish and envy them for that. But anyway, I can fit pretty good into society and society doesn't suspect a thing. Even the so-called most open-minded in society still has hang ups. I hear crap like this all the time; "Man, did you see that, I didn't know what to call'em." I will quip back and ask, "Were they dressed like a man or woman?" And they'll say one or the other and I'll tell them to adress them like they are dressed. All this comes from people that see themselves as open-minded. Me personally, have been called both. I find niether offensive. On the phone a lot of times, my voice isn't overly masculine, poeple will call me ma'am or if they are trying to get my attention from behind.
When we start getting transgendered of all levels appointed to all positions in government. And be able to dress how they want to dress and so on. I might believe that things are truly changing. I thought Obama, with whom I don't neccisarily agree with, would change that with all the feel good hope and change. But he like anyone else needs our vote so we hear the same old, "I feel your pain" and "You should have equality" and so on. When I can see a MTF or FTM in his cabinette, then I might believe that he and or all the others that need our votes might have our best interests at heart. As far as that goes though, when I see a long haired straight male, I might start looking for the sun to come out tomorrow.

As for me, never worry about offending me because the only thing I find offensive is body odor and the smell of stinky farts. Oh and a lot of Hollywood stereotypical stuff when it comes to LGBT people. Funny how the seemingly most open-minded people in the U.S. drag us out in the public square in the way of movie and TV screens for laughs or entertainment purposes and try to portray who we are but ends up just reinforces the same old sterotypes. That, my dear friend, screams at me like a banshee that they haven't a clue of who we really are even though they claim to.
Sorry, I tend to ramble too much. Again no one ever worry about offending me.
peace and love to all,
Jessica.