Recent Adjustments

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

I was thinking about all of the adjustments I've been making recently when I was spacing out during my (mandatory) academic advisor meeting about "my future." It's only the third week of classes, but I feel like I have nearly (if not completely) adjusted to college life. I'm enjoying my classes, I can pretty much figure out how to get everywhere I need to go and I've gotten comfortable with the idea of sharing a room with a peer who, until three weeks ago, I didn't know from Adam.

Even my body has settled into some different adjustments. Before I got here, I was still dressing in secret or rarely, when I thought I could get away with it. As soon as I got here (away from my folks) I started dressing full time. I quickly discovered how painful this could be; binding hurt a lot and my hips ached from walking differently (yes, wearing cargo shorts causes me to walk like a guy, versus my femmie sashay). Not to mention I wasn't used to getting strange looks no matter which bathroom I use. Now, I hurt if I don't bind, or walk guyishly, and I've managed to locate every "family" and "either-or" single stall bathroom on campus.

Oh, and I've been getting used to being in a much more diverse (politically and otherwise) city - given that I grew up in Wonderbreadland (white, middle class moderates) - which was illustrated today by this lovely graffiti I found:

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[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

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[Cai]

Nice. We don't have graffiti in our bathrooms, but I think I'd appreciate a debate on the concept of gender no matter where I found it!

[DanielMacBride]

Nice thread, man :) The graffiti gender debate thing is SO cool, LOVE it :D

As for body adjustments - yeah, I can relate to that. First time I wore a binder I was like "ouch"....but now I feel weird without it, it just doesn't feel right and I have lost count of the number of times I have almost forgotten to take it off to sleep because I forget it's even there, that's how right it feels :happy:

And I know about the walking thing too - I have scoliosis in my lower spine so have problems with my left knee and hip, but since I have been walking in a more masculine way, I have a lot less pain when I walk and I actually find it difficult to remember how to walk like a girl now!

On a side note, I had my first argument over my name yesterday - the welfare officer who deals with my kids has been really nasty about my gender stuff, so yesterday I told her she is to refer to me as Daniel and not use my female name. She emailed back to say she would be using my female name to refer to me until I legally change it - so I told her, in Australia, it's legal to assume any name I choose as long as its not for the purpose of defrauding somebody, and that since I intend to legally change it ASAP anyway, she better use my male name because as far as I'm concerned, I am not the person my female name refers to, and if she uses my female name, I won't acknowledge it.

So yeah, score 1 to Daniel on that one, I won't change my gender presentation or perception to make other people comfortable with it.

Daniel (feeling very strong today :heehee:)

[ZenFrost]

Binders are weird, they're both my most comfortable and least comfortable pieces of clothing. Most comfortable because by flattening my chest they improve my image which makes me more comfortable, and least comfortable because they squish my breasts, ride up uncomfortably, get sweaty, dig in in certain places, and are otherwise annoying.

P.S. That's some very interesting graffiti. The most we have here is initials in a heart or something lame like that.

[Cai]

I've been wearing mine a bit less this week, mostly cause I couldn't be bothered with getting it on. But yeah, it is interesting how I hate wearing it and I love wearing it, at the same time.


Before I got here, I was still dressing in secret or rarely, when I thought I could get away with it. As soon as I got here (away from my folks) I started dressing full time.
I did the exact same thing. And I've noticed that I've become more and more bold in my clothing choices (I've drifted from androgynous to definitely male) the longer I'm here and the freer I let myself be. I'm happier for it, too.

[BarbaraTalbot]

The graffiti was too cool! Mens bathrooms do not commonly have that level of thought put into their stall philosophies. I hope you added your own scrawl in a strong nearly illegible masculine scrawl preferablt with the point of your pen knife! ~grin~

And dude, it's really good to hear how comfortable you are feeling being able to express your gender away from home.

[Syr_SwitchyGQ]

The graffiti was too cool! Mens bathrooms do not commonly have that level of thought put into their stall philosophies. I hope you added your own scrawl in a strong nearly illegible masculine scrawl preferablt with the point of your pen knife! ~grin~

I honestly cracked up when I saw it... however, I was in the women's bathroom at the time :( because I was having :cough: "female issues" which are usually best dealt with in the bathrooms that have mini trash cans in each stall.

Oh, and I would've added further comment, but I figured that a guy taking pictures in the ladies' room was scandalous enough without adding vandalism! ;)