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"Family" and where to draw the line (Trans needing advice from SO')

Started by Shana-chan, June 11, 2014, 04:04:23 PM

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Shana-chan

Hello, as the name suggests, I'm trans (MtF) and I've had it with family and am basically putting my foot down and telling them, "no more! Either accept me and respect me and call me by the correct name/pronouns or, this is good bye."

I have told them, I would give them "time" to adjust and do the right thing, but all I get is

A) Not going to happen
B) We'll "try" but it may never happen (This is ALWAYS accompanied by religion and the person thinking I look like a man which isn't true and also that they're embarrassed/ashamed to be seen with me as myself)
C) Some support, then pulled away and ultimately told they won't call me by what I wish to be called name wise (And as I said before, support vanished..)

This is what I've been having to face and deal with. What I'd like to hear from the SO' here are your take on how a family member/friend/acquaintance who came out as trans has affected you? How hard has this been for you? Is what I am doing wrong? If so, how likely would you come around to supporting someone whose trans and being there for them and respecting them without putting restrictions on them? Would you be seen with them? Really, any advice you can offer would be great!
"Denial will get people no where."
"Don't look to the here & now but rather, to the unknown future & hope on that vs. the here & now."
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muffinpants

Hey there! So here is my take- when  my gf came out to me, it was not really a surprise... it took about 10 minutes to sink in and then I was like 'cool, this could work out'. She's always been FAR more fem than masculine, which is why I was drawn to her in the first place. Dudely dudes are just not my thing, when we started dating, she was as far away from 'male' as you can get and technically still be called a 'boy'... which obviously she isn't, but I digress. Tbh, it works out a lot better for the two of us! As for her family, well that was a bit different. She came out to them before she started hormones, but after she started therapy. They took it as expected.. not too well. They didn't throw her out or anything, but there were threats of cancelling her health insurance and stuff like that (fortunately it never came down to that). Her mom at first seemed pretty accepting.. but then when it came time to tell her father, her mother ultimately threw her under the bus and sided with her dad. That was roughly a year ago.. max year and a half. Education is the key. And willingness to learn. Her mother actually was interested in learning about the condition and why she felt the way she did. Her mom has come around SO much now. It's not time to change pronouns or name yet, as she doesn't want to tell people to change the way they address her while she's not full-time or presenting female atm, but her mom reads up so much on trans issues now and keeps up with the news and what not. Even her father has come around a lot. He still doesn't want to talk about it, but he did tell my gf's mom that 'this really does make sense... he never really was much like a boy, was he?'. So that was great news!

tl;dr it takes time and a willingness to learn and accept. How long has it been since you came out? Honestly though, your family sounds hurtful and mean spirited... idk why they'd tell you they'd be embarrassed or tell you that you 'look like a man'... sounds like they are really trying to hurt ya :/ perhaps suggest some reading material or a documentary on trans people... hopefully they can learn to accept you... and if they can't, then you truly are better off without them... good luck to you and I really hope they come around. Please keep us updated! <3 <3

Oh, and you could always suggest that they visit this forum and speak to some SO's/family members/etc.. could help?
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Zane

I don't think you're doing anything wrong. Some people are just mean and hurtful on purpose. I don't know why or how someone could live with that much hate in them but I think it's best not to have them in your life if you can. Which I know comes harder when it's family. I think the big thing is education. Maybe offering them some resources on where they can read articles, web sites, forums, and even youtube videos are great. That's what helped my BF family. You could try that. If none of that helps if might be best just remove yourself from a toxic situation.
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deanh

You have to be persistent and firm. Take it from someone who has had to do this twice!

The first time I transitioned, to a female in high school, I spent two years hiding my female clothes in my backpack and changing in the bathroom until I said enough is enough. I told my family that I wouldn't be attending Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other family gatherings until they acknowledged that I was a "her" now. They followed suit for the next 4 years.

They were less supportive with the detransition. They kept using "she", "her", and my chosen female name. I think their attitude was "you made your bed now sleep in it." I did the same thing, telling them that I didn't want to come to any family gatherings as Kate. This time though I said that we could compromise and pick a gender neutral nickname, but I didn't want to be called Kate anymore, ever. When they messed up and said Kate, I'd reply "Dean." They're getting the hang of it now.
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Emma_Royd

for many, including myself(47, mtf, 8 months full time), transition comes with a very hefty price tag.
work, housing, friends, family, children. all or any in combination. GID and eventually transitition has cost me all of these at various stages. before you make any decision that you cannot turn back from, you really need to sit, look, think what price you are ultimately willing to pay for your freedom. what are you prepared to lose?

the day i went full time i knew i would NEVER go back to living as a man. i will NOT even do it for my son.
miserable as a man, or miserable as a woman? i live miserable as a woman and i WILL make it work because if i go back then all the losses will have been for nothing! i WILL NOT let those losses count for nothing!!!

but then that is me, my choices. your choices may be different to mine, your situation may be different to mine.
total stubborness  means i will make this work. how i live now is the minimum way i can live. actually, on a day to day level, going about my business as any other woman, has been quite easy and although i am borderline passable, it is going well for me(so far). i live as i see fit now. i deal with the losses, but i have my freedom.

EM
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Catspit

Seconding the bit about education. I've been on both sides of this issue - before I realized I was trans, I'd had a couple of friends come out. I think part of the issue is that family especially tends to see it as a decision ("why have you decided to be a girl now, when you were always happy as a boy before?" etc), when actually it's a slow realization. The only decision is when and how you tell other people. But your family doesn't see the realization process, just the end result, the "I'm trans" announcement. Without knowing about the process, they don't get the benefit of all the education you've gotten along the way. Even people who are accepting of and knowledgeable about transgender issues may have trouble processing someone close to them coming out as trans.

I would suggest writing a letter or an email to give to your family members. In it, explain what it means to be trans - maybe talk about the current theories about what makes someone trans, and about how sex and gender are different - and explain terms like dysphoria. Talk about how you realized that you're trans, and how it feels to know that (does it make you feel more "right," does it explain things you did when you were a child, etc.), and how it feels to be invalidated by people you love. Ask them to explain how they feel. Avoid making accusations if you can - don't accuse them of hating you or not caring. They probably do care, a lot, in their own way. But if they're coming from a position of "being trans is bad/wrong/against my religion," then they may think that endorsing your identity will actually be bad for you. They need education, and they also need to understand how much they're hurting you, and how much you'd like a resolution. Having all that in a letter will allow them to go back and re-read it and maybe actually digest it, whereas just telling them isn't as effective because they may misremember what was said, or get so caught up in being angry that they can't hear you. Ultimately, remind them that being trans doesn't change who you are, because you've always been this way - you just have a word for it now.

When all else fails, though, you can't keep people in your life who are only going to be bad for you. You do need to set limits - for example, tell your family that you will only remain in contact with them if they use your chosen name and pronouns. You don't deserve abuse.

When people use the "God doesn't make mistakes" line at me, I usually tell them "I'm not a mistake, if God made me this way it must have been for a reason." Mind you, I'm not religious, but I do value the lessons about tolerance I've learned and been able to pass on because of being trans.
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