Surprise outing

[nancy58]

I attended my local trans support group's meeting on Friday night, arriving a little late, and as I glanced around the circle, I looked up from a pair of white, knee-high platform boots a couple of seats over and recognized a young man from my congregation. I had known he identifies as being gay, but it never occurred to me that we might have trans-ness in common. Since I am not out to the world, he had only previously seen me presenting as male, and I was curious whether he would recognize me. At some point, he did, and we had a nice little conversation after the meeting.

It's kind of a neat feeling being out to someone besides my wife and my therapist, and I'm glad to have made this connection. In my congregation, there is a contingent of young people who make no effort to hide their non-conformity, and I've been wanting to connect with them but have been unsure of how to do it. I am old enough to be one of their parents, and that's a rather deep gap to cross even without the difference between an apparently straight old guy and a young, free, out-and-proud person. But anyway, it's done. Now, to screw up the courage to disclose to my daughter and my siblings....

[Raven Skyy]

It has been an exhilarating and terrifying moment when I've come out to someone , especially if I gain a new accepting Girlfriend . I'm batting 500 half the women are tolerable and want to keep a friendship. I have also lost possibly a true love. The one person I thought would be somewhat accepting spoke to me twice after I revealed Raven. Family well that's let's say a just an unplayed game for me.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Nancy :hugs:, That was Great , You just never know who might pop in to your circle,>Orchid**0:daydreaming:0**

[kimdl93]

Thanks for sharing this. It is nice to find that we can have something in common across the generations.

[Genifer Teal]

Years Ago I met someone at a support group that I work with. Turn out they saw me at a meeting years before that but I didn't recognize them. They were always so nice to me at work but didn't say a word. Was weird finding all this out so long after. The company has several thousand employees. So it's not that small.

[Diane P]

Nancy, glad to hear that you saw someone you knew from church. I hope that if you do try to concet with the younger bunch at church you new friend will be able to help you.

[Heather76]

That is such a nice outcome. Of course, if this person was at the same meeting you attended, there was a reason. It is nice to be able to share with another person who accepts you as you are.

[Stephanie47]

Nice to read of finding a person with similar interests. I hope there is no generational divide. As any of us age there is a wealth of information to pass on. Maybe, he would be receptive to inquiry how an elder's journey has gone. It's in the realm of therapy. At age 76 (wife 72) sometimes we find neighbors with single digit kids unintentionally seem to ignore elders.

[Sometimes Steffi]

I think that you're out to more than one person. You are out to the whole support group, even if they only know you en femme.