I have heard OF the bell

[ErinP]

As far back as I can remember, I have felt different. I know I was born Male. I was comfortable, for awhile, with the fact that being male did not mean I had to fall at that point on the gender scale. I have educated myself enough to know that. But, feelings are getting stronger and I'm not sure now. Truly love being a dad and love my fiancé. She knows I WISH I was born female. But, I did not think I would ever have these feelings I have now. At the moment, fairly sure that female IS what I want to be. I hear the bell. It keeps getting louder!

[Eryn]

Welcome to the club. A lot of us have similar stories. For most of my life I described it as having an "inordinate interest" in feminine things. The "bell" as you describe it, started to ring louder and louder for me as I got into my 50s.

Just remember, gender is a spectrum and many of us lie somewhere in the middle. It is up to you to decide, for yourself, where you lie upon the spectrum. Nobody else can make that decision. It may be at one end or the other, but don't discount the fact that it may be in the middle.

[Persephone]

I always think I hear the bell, but at my age it turns out to be tinnitus!

Yes, our feelings do seem to get stronger as time goes by.

Hugs,
Persephone.

[I Am Paula]

Yup. It grows gradually, but faster and faster over time. Between ages 15- 30 my GD got only slightly worse. Between ages 40-54 it got so terrible I could feel it getting worse every time I got manned up, and trotted off to work.
I pray that you never feel like I did pre-transition. Don't ignore it.

[Angela Campbell]

I couldn't tell if the bells were getting louder, the song they ring I finally recognise

[Vikky]

Hi Erin

I have felt much the same way, and finally it has got me and I hear the bell loud and clear.

Vikky

[Kaitlyn Michele]

The idea of "bell is rung" comes from some writings that got passed around and ended up on the internet. It's hard to talk about it without it seeming silly, but its a decent description of something i experienced.
and many people will agree they felt the same thing. I find it helpful to think of it in these terms... one reason is that its important to know I didn't ring the bell... my bell was rung....

Hide the bell!!

Your best bet is to find a good therapist and hopefully a good group of people that you can learn from..

Btw...i'm saying this because i just know that if you don't denounce and repress all this now, you will have to do it later...

[Mickey M]

I started CDing at age 14 , then at age 16 met my
Wife to be. Raised a family , and my bell
went off after the nest was empty. Now at 61 I wish
to be the women I've always been on the inside.

[DreamRin]

Feeling different throughout all my life i searched for a way to overcome or ignore the crescent uneasiness with who i was expected to be, i was always sheltered and protected from all sides possible. But stil there was something wrong and i couldn't point it out! Despite my young age and a certain degree of imaturity i realize that it was the bell ringing, in the darkest corner of my mind, all along!

And now, after somewhat nineteen years of strangeness the bell is ringing louder than ever!

Maybe there are some people that feel the same way, maybe there aren't. But if you do, don't ignore the bell! It won't go away. It's not a fantasy. Face it, fight and win!

Your beliefs will follow who you are, maybe you won't be a man or a woman. Maybe you lie in the middle of the line, or maybe you are at one of the far ends, only you can decide that.

The only person you cannot lie to is yourself.

[Jorja]

Hearing the bell is a good way of describing that feeling. It is like a call to arms so to speak. If you feel it is something you need to explore further, I would recommend locating a gender therapist with experience treating transgender people. Living where you do, you should be able to find one without too much trouble. It is important to sort it out and discover if transition is really something you need.