Ok Girls get your mind out of the gutter. I could have titled this How Long Have You Been Doing Your RLE, but that just wasn’t salacious enough to grab your attention.
I flew this morning from Indianapolis to Kansas City. I received a cheerful greeting from one of the flight attendants as I boarded our aircraft. I was sitting near the back galley. After the attendants had completed the in flight service one of them took the empty isle seat across from me. She immediately started a conversation with me about my I phone. Then the conversation took a turn. She was very tentative and said, “I hope I don’t offend but may I ask how long you have been living RLE?” I could tell she didn’t want to ask the question, but just had to satisfy her own curiosity. I was not offended but was totally taken aback by her question because I didn’t expect it.
I explained to her that I had not decided if I was going to transition and I was just starting over with a new therapist and did not plan on officially beginning RLE for over a year at the earliest. I told her I like to spend as much time as I can as a woman, but I am far from 24X7.
I asked how she knew so much about this process and she told me that she had completed it about 3 years ago. I about fell out of my seat! I had no inkling that she was TG.
We talked about therapists, surgeons, voice training. She shared that she felt the standards of care slowed here process, but she was thankful in the end. It was a wonderful few minutes and made the time on the flight zoom past.
She asked me if I planned on keeping my job if I transitioned and I told her I didn’t think I would. She then suggested that I should look at being a flight attendant, because although I am a little tall I have the personality for it.
I laughed and thanked her. She told me she was serious. Her airline has several TG’s winging to and fro including a couple of pilots. I told her that I have a PhD in Psychology and am working towards a counseling certification in Gender and Marriage and Family counseling, but if that doesn’t work out I may be calling her for a reference. I didn’t want to burst her bubble. I am a natural born klutz and that doesn’t lend itself to a successful career as a flight attendant.
It’s always wonderful to make the acquaintance of another sister or brother. However, I can’t help but think how many TG people I have passed in my lifetime and have never known. I would have never thought twice about this wonderful flight attendant had she not approached me.