When did you start to. . .

[Plasibeau]

I'm curious as to when someone begins to refer to themselves i their own chosen name. How long between the first time a name is selected to when you start calling yourself that in your own head? I have mine selected for almost four years, Alyson, and still don't. Anyone have a clue as to what this could mean on a psychological level?

[Jessicaparkson]

This deals with association and a preconceived knowledge basis. You associate the act of acknowledging yourself with your male name. You've been trained to do so since your earliest years. So even if you continue to tell yourself your new name you still will associate your early name. Even after 4 years you have to remember you are mentally remapping and redoing years upon years. Although not impossible to do from a psychology standpoint you are, as I said, redoing parts of your schema.

[avril findlay]

Asking my Mum what she'd have called me if I'd been born a GG.
Avril's fine for me.

[John]

It took me... a couple of years or there abouts.

Question: are you living full time, and how do other people refur to you?

I found it hard to ajsut to my male name untill other people where using it (espeshally, since I still live at home, when my mum started using it).

[Plasibeau]

It took me... a couple of years or there abouts.

Question: are you living full time, and how do other people refur to you?

I found it hard to ajsut to my male name untill other people where using it (espeshally, since I still live at home, when my mum started using it).

I am as close to full time as I can be at the moment, but I'm not even seeing a counselor yet so. . . Most friends call me by the femme depending on how feminine I am dressed.

I dunno, calling myself in the masculine feels like I'm negating what I know to be truth, just one more source of conflict I guess.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

just let it all happen...,,i am just starting my transition, and so far i am enjoying the "becoming"..

i go back and forth all the time and it just feels right to me right now, so i stick with it..

[karent]

I practice my voice by talking out loud all day. I make sure to call myself by my name often. I find the saying / hearing of it reinforces it to me.

[ToneVik]

Asking my Mum what she'd have called me if I'd been born a GG.
Avril's fine for me.

That's how I ended up with my name as well!

[tanyalynn51]

At home, I concentrate on thinking of myself full-time as Tanya, but since I have to go out there as a man, I concentrate on my "other" name, much as I have to not sit with my legs together out there or walk properly, etc.

[Kimberley]

I dont ever remember that I didnt; at least from puberty.

[shirley1]

I chose my name from a girl I used to work with, I couldnt have her so I took her name instead ! My name incidently isnt Shirley I just somehow used it as a password by mistake I am called Lorraine, it seems to suit me, and I suppose I adopted the name properly only when I started going out and socialising with others, until then a femme name didn't seem that important to me, but I must admit I can't wait until I can go fulltime now and change my name by deed pole and no longer have to use my male name anymore !

[Sarah...]

I've had my name for such a long time that I can't remember when I started thinking of myself as Sarah. I just do. But it's not exclusive - I also think of myself in terms of my male name sometimes. Though it's a strange fit, a bit forced. Sarah seems much more comfortable.

Sarah...

[Steph Butterfield]

In the early 90's when i went on the Newcastle scene as my femme self, then as time went on it grew internally, and i added my mums names to make me Stephanie Elizabeth Anne on the 6th April 2006 and start a new life.


xx

[Sara Violet]

I found once you go full time you will have a much easier time. You will not nave have to be alert to some one calling you by your male name.

[Steph Butterfield]

That's not my experience in the North East of England. My family hate me for transitioning and still refer to as ******* or worse. They know my true name, but that doesn't matter to them, so long as they can hurt me they will.

And there's those members of society who cannot accept me as a female, and want to speak to the "real" Stephanie Butterfield, you just can't be bothered to educate everyone, its a chore.

Stephanie

[Valerie]

I first started identifying the name with my clothes, such as "Valerie's shoes," before this body writing now became Valerie's. By now I feel closer to the name Valerie than to my drab name.

Valerie

[sybercom11]

It has been easy for me. Since I grew up feminine acting, most people have always called me the feminine-sounding Stevie so that is what I have always answered to.

By the way, the bullies in school felt the need to taunt me by calling me Stephanie.