If you could integrate your life

[Jessica Who]

Hi everyone,

Lately, I've been mulling over the idea of telling more of my family and friends about Jessica. Through sharing with my wife, mother, best friend, and two other good friends, I have gained more confidence and acceptance. I am starting to feel much more comfortable with myself and starting to lean toward an attitude of "if they don't like it, who cares?" philosophy.

Actually, though, I feel like most (if not all) of my family and friends would be 100% okay with knowing about Jessica, even if they didn't want to see her.

So, what would I accomplish or how would this change my life? I've been thinking that for starters on Halloween I would probably dress up in a girl costume (e.g., Wonder Woman). Beyond that, I wonder what it would be like to just be at a family function as Jessica. I don't know if I would do it, but I would like to explore the idea of it further.

What would you girls do if everyone around you knew and was okay with your dressing. Would you invite the fam over for a bbq and grill the steaks and burgers in a pretty summer dress? Would you take a family vacation and remember to pack a female outfit and accessories in order to dress up for at least one day of the trip? Or would you just keep your dressing private, even if people would be okay with seeing you?

peace girls,

Jessica

[Karren H]

Hell if everyone knew and most were cool with it I'd probably chuck the male side and go 24/7. Maybe sigh up for a bit of feminizing surgeory...

[Misty G]

I would be all dressed up and in church everytime the doors opened

[Sara Jessica]

I could only wish, being on that precarious middle path that I'm on. And for me it's not at all about "dressing", it's simply "being". Knowing that I cannot/should not transitiion, dreams such as these crop up quite often...like nearly every day. It's certainly not an easy place to be, but one I know I have little choice to remain...which doesn't make it any easier day to day.

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

I'm at the point now where I honestly don't care who knows in my family. The only problem is that there may be a few members of my family who see the real me as someone who has fallen into the hands of the devil or something. Grew up in a very religious family.

I'm really not close to anyone in my family, so no big deal if I take heat for it. I'd probably just tell them to leave me alone and don't bother me with their religious fanaticism (note that I'm not picking on religion - JUST fanaticism).

I guess the bottom line is that I'm really not close to anyone in my family and don't see much of them anyway. Though it would definitely be fun to show up to the big extended family Christmas gathering as Gabrielle, it's probably not going to happen. I can't help but wonder though. I feel like an alien at my extended family gatherings now (I felt VERY out of place around my own family last Christmas). Would I feel more so or less so as Gabrielle? Would I fit in better, or even less than I do as Gabe? Would family be welcoming and/or curious? Or would I just get an earful of "I'll pray for you" kind of stuff. They're not all fanatics, btw - just a couple.

I guess for integration to happen in my life, I need people in it to integrate with. Seeing family members a few times a year doesn't count for much.

Who knows though. No plans to tell them now, but maybe some day. Part of me does want to... I guess I just don't see any benefit right now.

[Patricia1]

If my life were fully integrated I'd be dressed every day day, all day and move as close as I could to being the woman that I am underneath it all. I would love to be the girl you see in my avatar - a smiling girl, welcoming the world about her.