The time has come for me to communicate my recent life changes with the friends and family members who don't live in my town. I've been socially female for four years. I am 61, and I am now two months into HRT and my 'year of living full time female', heading distinctly and without reservations for full medical transition from male to female.

I've had my 22-year-old daughter's support from day one. I've also recently had 'the discussion' about my living full time as a woman with my sister, my only close living relative other than my daughter, who together with my sister's four adult kids already knew and accepted that I was living in 'gender fluid mode', and that I was already almost solely female for my social life. Her kids had fully accepted my gender fluid state, and I am fairly certain they will be equally accepting for my full transition. My sister accepts my transition, though it is hard for her to get used to the idea. She will get there, in time, she assures me. I've given my sister the go-ahead to discuss it with her kids, because she also wants to make sure they know not to tell their father, my brother in law. He is the one relative who instantly rejected me when he heard I was going out socially as a woman. Knowing I am heading for full transition now will just add fuel to his hatred. I don't care how he feels about me, but I'm sad that he gives my sister a hard time about it. My parents, aunts and uncles and my wife are all passed away, so I won't have to deal with coming out to any of them. I'm retired, so no need to discuss it with an employer or coworkers. My local friends in the town I live in all know and accept that I am becoming female full time. My neighbors may not know all the details, but they have frequently seen and amiably chatted with me as a woman for months now, with nary a strange look or odd comment. So no apparent issues with the neighbors. Ditto with the employees at the many stores and restaurants and bars that I frequent. All 100% accepting of me as a woman.

That leaves my two sisters in law and their families (My late wife's sisters), about 15 cousins (most of whom I am only marginally in contact with, via Facebook, as my male side), and about 15 out of area friends who knew me only as a male, who still need to be told that I am transitioning. Once they have been told, nobody who really matters in my life will have been left out. The two sisters in law will need to get postal letters. They are in their 70's, and too old fashioned to use email or Facebook. Everyone else I can contact via FB Messenger, or via e-mail. I'll try to use email where I can, as that will be better for a longer communication like this.

I have made a first pass at 'The Letter', but it is WAY too long. 6 pages or so! So now I need to edit that down to something short enough to get them to read all of it, yet long enough for them to understand why I am transitioning, so late in my life.

I don't expect many bad reactions. Those remaining friends and family members are all pretty liberal and well educated. And even if some of them want to cut off contact, none matter enough to me for me to care that I may lose some of them.

Ceera