I define Acceptance as exactly that.

[Jean 103]

I find it pretty hard to tell if someone accepts you when you have only just met. Unless they out right tell you how they feel. It has happened to me a few times. My best friend (GG) is a witness, she is like it’s just Jean, OK she didn’t say it that way, but it is what she meant. Really all my friends are that way, it’s no big deal because they accept me.

When I’m out and about I don’t have any real problems. All I expect is a little tolerance, to be treated like everyone else. If you think about it, I’m not asking for anything at all.

I know I’m different, still I believe you should treat people as you would wish to be treated or better.

I’m not perfect, but I do try. I have had a couple customers complain, saying I was rude. No matter what a customer does or says I am never rude. I just wasn’t my normally bubbly self. I’m not worried because I grew up with the people I work for and they accept me.

[Beverley Sims]

Yes, it is great when there is no fuss and a friend approaches you and says Hi, Jean.

You then go about your daily tasks forgetting about gender and clothing issues.

There are more important things in life like shopping, eating and entertainment. :-)

[Tracii G]

I have friends that were not phased when I told them and some ran for the hills but that happens.
Most people tolerate me in public and treat me just fine so I can't complain really.
Most grief I get is from other trans people thats the truth.
Had one on FB today tell me I wasn't even part of the trans community.
Why would a person say that to someone they don't know?
I had to laugh and kind of pity the person for being so hateful.
She was your usual trans activist that hates everything.

[docrobbysherry]

Don't feel bad, Tracii! It seems to be a rite of passage.

If you're going to hang with T's? It seems inevitable someone will think/say, "U aren't trans enuff!":doh:

Happened to me a number of times! But, I get it!:brolleyes:

[Jean 103]

Tracii,
I have heard that before about TG' s.

I don't want anyone to take this the wrong way but I don't have any TG friends. I did attend a support group that meets every week for awhile. I found that if I needed cheering up I was better off hanging out with my real friends.

It's not that people in the group are not good people, it's a mix and a few have attitude like you expressed Tracii.

There is a girl there that the group helps sponsor. She does a college tour in the South. She is a very good person. She did give me her number but I just have never found the time.

[Stephanie47]

I've found throughout life the best friends are those who see past the visual, i.e., the clothes you wear, the color of your skin, anything visual, and, look at the person inner being. I've found if you go looking for a friendship you'll never really find one. Good friends just seem to happen and they are few in number.

[Helen_Highwater]

Jean,

"to be treated like everyone else." is really all we should, no I''l correct myself, can ask for. Having said that we do ask that little bit more in that we like to be addressed using the correct pronoun and that asks of those addressing us to be conscious of our presentation. The fact that more and more people are doing this is for me an indicator of the way society is moving towards de-stigmatising the Trans community.

[kimdl93]

In my prior, more public life, I didn’t really hang out often with groups of TG people. Occasionally I’d have lunch with one TG acquaintance in the midst of cis-gender people. On occasions when I went out at night, it was to venues that were TG friendly, but it was rare to encounter another person like me in the wild.

To the OP I enjoyed interacting both with people who simply curious about me and those who readily looked past it. Either way was fine. To me, either reflected acceptance.

[Kelly DeWinter]

Jean & Traci;

I've also had it with "Support" Groups. I'm not looking to just have interesting conversation,relax, chill, listen to a bit of gossip about the Kardashians.
If you are in Therapy, Support Groups are good. Otherwise I'm really not looking forward to being captured by someone wanting to tell me I need to be more active for the capital C Cause or to spend an hour and a half while people unload a week or twos worth of "I feel down because ..... fill in the blank". I spent an hour getting ready one night, to go out with a new group for dinner, Things were good, the food came and some one brought out "The sharing spoon". The evening quickly went down from there. Half way though, I tucked the cost of my meal and a generous tip and excused myself for the bathroom and made my exit. Two other gals siting on either side of me called me 15 mins later to say they had done the same thing. We then went to a local friendly bar and talked and laughed ... and gossiped about the Kardashians.

[Tahoegurl]

Hi jean, thanks for the topic. I have to remember that what other people think about me is none of my business. It does serve as a reminder to me to be more tolerant of others and to watch my words and deeds. When I look in the mirror I am OK with the person looking back. Cheers.

[Nikki A.]

Some people are just too much into meddling in other peoples lives. I had a TS girl argue with me that I should and will transition in the near future. That was like 5 yrs ago and I just guess I'm just too stubborn or stupid to follow her path. Although I must admit I've traveled a bit farther down the road than I thought I would have.