Role Models?

[LisaMallon]

I sometimes wonder that if the genetic roll of the dice had gone the right way, so that my mind and body were integrated, what sort of female I might have been and the life I might have led.

Thought experiments in a sense, but for me important. So many females and the lives they lived are not me. Not what I would have done if I had been born a female.

Not criticism, just not what I wanted in my imaginary life. Role models are important as I try to find my personal way in my new life.

I have met some females were who I could have modeled my self on, but only partially.

Then this. The discovery of the Higgs Boson. And I saw her. Fabiola Gianotti, head of the Atlas team at CERN http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1459565 (52 mins in).

And, frankly, after being fascinated about the Higgs (my background is Physics) I envied her life and who she is and what she has done.
Maybe, just maybe, I might have done things, not as great as that, but good none the less. If I had been lucky.

And I realise now how much this conflict within myself has crippled and stunted me.

No more, I want to be whole.

[Jorja]

I read your post early this morning and have been thinking about it since. There are many women that have had an influence over my life. It would be difficult to pick just one.That being said, I have to say my role model is my Auntie LeiLani. When I was young, I was kicked out of the house because of my "transness". LeiLani took me in and understood my problem. She taught me everything I needed to know. You know, all those little things a girl learns when she is young. She taught me to be the woman I am today. She had a strong personality. She knew what she wanted and needed and she went after it. Most of all she taught me to be me and leave everyone else guessing.

[Crissy65]

My role models presently are Karren Hutton and Kimberley Huddle. They are living life as classy women. They have achieved what I could only wish In my dreams. Their clothing choices and skill with makeup are just super Wow. You go girls

Ciss

[Jorja]

My role models presently are Karren Hutton and Kimberley Huddle. They are living life as classy women. They have achieved what I could only wish In my dreams. Their clothing choices and skill with makeup are just super Wow. You go girls

Ciss

Your really shooting for the stars there! :D

[PaulaAnn]

Good question Lisa. Undoubtedly my role models are my mother and my sister.
My mother for her inner strength,and understanding....when I told her that I wanted to live my life as a woman,she totally accepted and supported me 100%;oh how I love her !
My sister who always wanted another sister.....my sister who guides me in the mysteries and wonders of being woman; who gently shadows my manner and style yet still makes sure that am my own woman. Her complete acceptance of who and what I am amazes me;she is just so damn cool !!
Yes indeedy, my two super role models.I'm so blessed.
Paula.

[MC-lite]

I thought about that myself. :) I have to say that being aware of what I was at a very young age drove me apart from people and forced me to bury myself in Electronics and Math books. Eventually, I became a technician, an engineer, and ultimately a software developer.

I'm not sure that I would have taken that path, had I been "Integrated" as you put it. I even thought about getting back into software development, but I just don't have the taste for it any more. Oh, I can still do it (I taught myself Objective C in about 3 weeks) but it's not me. Truth be told, I was never happy being the resident genius. Too much time spent alone.

At this time in my life, I'm just concentrating on the things that I missed out on over the past 40 years or so. Interacting with people, getting to know my own heart. I'm just too busy trying to find my true self to emulate anybody else.

And yes, you're right. I've been stifled for the past 40 years, living a lie. It's all but destroyed me.

Don't envy Her, because I seriously doubt that She could do what We've been forced to do because of our inner disharmony.
And never forget that, from the buddhist's point of view, we're are living blessed lives; two lifes in the span of one lifetime. :)

We TS folk are special creatures. And we should -never- forget that. :)

:Miki.

[Karinsamatha]

I would have to say my mother, she has long since passed but she always looked fantastic even when she was undergoing cancer treatment. On top of that she was a gentile, loving person with a will of iron. I wish she was able to meet the real me.

[KellyJameson]

Strangely in my own case starting out life in a male body has enhanced not detracted from being female minded (souled) in that I feel I received the best of both worlds and most of the pain related to this incongrous experience was caused by others reaction to me that resulted in my thinking something was wrong with me.

I changed my appearance for myself because my own aesthetic sense was offended by what I saw when I looked in a mirror but the relationship I have inside me with myself has in general been tranquil and the conflict within me is always born out of relations with others and I think this inner calmness comes from how I was born and the blending of body and soul.

As a child I discovered the stories of Pippi Longstocking and immediately felt like I had discovered myself in a fictional character and my life and attitudes are eerily similar to this character.

I did'nt care much for the adult world as a child, I watched adults and feared what I sensed as a form of mental sickness in them.

I promised myself I would never become an adult because they all seemed so unhappy,lost,angry and scared. I understand now why.

All my role models have been found in books.

I now consider myself whole and so I'm able to look back and see the value in how I was born and I hope this ends up being true for you as well Lisa.

[Kathryn Martin]

I have many role models, my wife, my professional partner, our former sitting judge, Helen Mirren, my daughter, my mother, Frances from here, Lea, Stephenie S, Reine, an old male friend of mine, a male physicist which I had the privilege to meet many years ago, and so it goes.

I am inspired by women I see in Court, an I strive to be as wonderful human beings as they are. I am blessed.

[MarieTS]

Jorja, I am happy for you. You were very fortunate to have Auntie LeiLani's unconditional support. Better still, you seem to give it back theough your positive support you provide in our Forum. Thank you!

[Jonianne]

Role models - one of my favorite subjects! My mother and my grandmother have always been mine. My female boss at work, who I have known for nearly 30 years, is probably the most practical role model I have. ReineD, Kaitlyn, Jorja and many others here on the forum are also very important role models to me. I also have to include my father and grandfather and although I did not like some of their mountain man attributes, they were still very good to me and had high character and I am blessed to be a part of their lineage.

[amielts]

As transwomen, male role models have limited attractiveness for us (speaking for myself). Before transition, the limited ability to identify with female role models hinder our self identity development. After transition, finding that female role model to identify with is a great step in catching up on that development, in my opinion.