My Transition Update

I have mentioned before that I expected to keep a low profile and mind my own business when I transitioned. That has not happened. I repeatedly find myself in high profile situations.

Starting over is not easy but things seem to work out for me. I am not the person I tried to be for most of my life so my new life has little resemblance to the old one. My intention for this thread is simply to update my transition from time to time. This is not a journal, it will just be some of my experiences as I continue my transition.

Last year I volunteered with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and served on the ticket services committee. The HLSR is possibly the longest, largest philanthropic activity in the world. Here I am wearing the official Ticket Services uniform.

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This year there will be 35,000 volunteers on 110 committees who will put on the 21 day rodeo. For 83 years the profits go to scholarships and this year we will surpass $500,000,000 since its inception.

Each rodeo season begins with a social. A few days ago Ticket Services had a social for the committee's 2,100 members. I was curious about what kind of reception I would get when I showed up. I was hoping for at least tolerance. When I walked into the huge facility it was not hard to find my team. They were excitedly waving and calling my name. Here are some of the girls on the team.

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This guy is the Vice Chairman of Ticket Services, the largest of all the committees. He loves my cooking and hangs out with my team as much as he can.

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Coming up in a few weeks will be a Ticket Services meeting. I'll update then.

That's so awesome, Jeri! :thumbsup:

You go, girl! I know you are doing what you like and having fun in the process! Hugs Lana Mae

I recall you mentioning that someone once told you that one measure of the success of a transition is the ability to make and keep female friends, or something like that.
Are you sure you're trying hard enough?
:laughing:

Jeri Ann, you look so happy and youthful! Love you!

Jeri Ann,
It's a wonderful story and it's so good to read it but I'm not surprised of the outcome , how can anyone question you , how can you have any self doubts ?

You are through transitioning. Your life now proves it.

Wow! I always enjoy your threads Jeri because they are like a beacon for me and I was missing them, so thanks for this one.
You look grrrreeeat! And the cowgirl style look great I you too.
So please keep posting on your life (I wouldn't keep calling it transition you're a woman)

I have wanted to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for a long time. Last Saturday I brought nine pies for the building crew to have with their lunch. Being there made me want to volunteer even more so I registered and worked a shift yesterday. I have considerable construction knowledge and skills so this was an opportunity to give back.

This is Matthew, one of the Habitat supervisors. He was impressed with my work. We actually went to lunch together.

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I worked on ladders much of the day.
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Sorry about the poor picture quality. These pictures were sent to me from another phone.

This is so liberating! You are demonstrating that transitioning does not require us to negate who we are and adopt some cultural, "feminine" role model. You go girl!:)

Jeri Ann, just keep on being you! The world is already a richer place for you being here! Hugs Lana Mae

Lovely pictures Jeri

Jeri its so great to see that you are able to just live your life in a way that makes you happy and that you find rewarding. Being transgender, aside from not being a lifestyle choice, is also not a lifestyle. There are no rules as to how we can, or are supposed to, live our lives. If you enjoy building homes and helping with Habitat for Humanity then all the power to you. Some people find that for them leaving their past life behind and in essence being reborn is their preferred way to move forward in life. Speaking for myself that was not ever an option I could consider. For one thing I still have a wife and children who are the most important people in my life. Also how do you just put aside so many years of life, in my case 50 years before transitioning. So, like you, I have chosen to continue to pursue activities that I have always enjoyed, dropped some of those that fell on my plate because supposedly "I was the man of the house", and am now also pursuing activities that I felt I never could as a man and also developing friendships with other women but as girlfriends. A much happier life.

Good for you and its so important to give to the community. You look great!

Hi Jeri,

What a lovely "Positive" post with some real photographs (not posed) living a normal life since your transition. I can resonate completely with this as my life (like yours) has changed tremendously since my transition and keeping a low profile is not what happens. You become a totally different person finally living the life you have been depriving yourself for so long.
You are a great success and inspiration to those people who are either, considering change, or on their journey of transition to see what their real life can be like?? Love it!!

Best wishes and long to continue;

Janice

I know others had already said it, your journey Jeri is an inspiration for many. You were one of the reason I decided that I could move forward in my life and I'm happily living my real life too.

Thanks,

Devi

Wow, it has been a month since my last update. Time passes so quickly.

It has been a busy month. Here are a few highlights:

I met Barbara and George at a Dio de los Muertos celebration a few weeks ago. Barbara is a member here but has moved on and checks the forum only occasionally. At the celebration there were about 25 transwomen, all Latina. I was the only Anglo. On this alter is a framed picture of all the transwomen who had been murdered so far this year.
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I bring baked goods to church every Sunday. Here are ten dozen cookies I brought this past Sunday.
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I baked cookies for this past Sunday because they could be done in advance. I needed to leave for church at 8:00 am because the pastor had asked me to conduct the communion ceremony for both the 9:00 am and the 11:00 services. In this picture you can see a microphone at my left cheek. I am with my friend Jacqueline who also had a part in the service as did two other transwomen. Jacqueline transitioned about two years ago. She is a veteran law enforcement officer now working in administration with an agency in the area.
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I got a lot of favorable feedback about how I conducted the ceremony. Several people said that I should do communion more often.

Thank Jeri Ann. Wonderful photos. I wish I could have one of your cookies!

Thanks for sharing, Jeri Ann! You always look so nice,Sis! Dorit, believe me those cookies are so good! Hugs Lana Mae

Thanks Jeri, I was thinking the other day about post something but I said to myself, well it's the current and ordinary life as any woman lives, but there are a lot of things we, trans people live, that we get used to, like normal daily things but for others ladies, behind in the journey, are a proof that we can live a normal life too so is good to tell them.
Thanks for sharing, you're always an inspiration for me...