I pulled this quote from my thread about my first time going out because it really had me thinking about how nervous I was (still am) and why.
I honestly don’t know how this will be received but I think it deserves some consideration.
Certainly some of our fears are irrational but there are a lot people who hate transfolk. And although a huge percentage of CDers are straight and even married, your average Joe and Jane Doe do not know that. They see what they believe to be a trans person, or a gay person or someone who is a deviant or fill in the blank. And if it’s the wrong person who thinks you’re a transperson things could get bad.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is in a few weeks. And it’s day of observation of trans folk who have been the victims of hate crimes. They were killed because of who they are. I don’t mean to be a downer with this post but I’ve read a few threads where gals go out and there was a real threat to be fearful of and I remember one thread where a member wrote of how she was terribly assaulted.
Gretchen, I’m really glad my post was encouraging. And if you can, I hope you can get out into the world as Gretchen some day very soon. Plan ahead. Run through that plan in your head a few times. Don’t forget to put on your boobs like I did. Be very careful. Go with a group if you can find one. And of course, have fun.