At a dance on Saturday, a lesbian couple invited, “me and a plus one” to join their family for Thanksgiving dinner. I told the lady who asked me that my 22 year old daughter and I would be glad to join them.
We likely would have ended up dining at a restaurant, otherwise. My nearest relatives live two hours drive away.
Two of those families are sisters in law, sisters of my late wife, who do not even know I cross dress, let alone that I am now three months into HRT and living full time female. We joined them and their families at a restaurant in their town last year, but I was still presenting male, for them. (I plan to tell them before Christmas, which we also spend at least part of with them, but telling them before Thanksgiving would be too abrupt.) And they haven’t talked to me about either holiday yet. I do not anticipate rejection from them, when I tell them prior to Christmas. Their families are exceedingly liberal in viewpoint. But I want them to have time to process the idea that their little sister ‘s widower is becoming female.
My other close family are my sister, her husband (who has detested me since he found out I was cross dressing) and their four adult kids and their families. So celebrating with my sister is out, due to my hate-filled brother in law. My nieces and nephew will certainly travel an hour further North, to enjoy the day with their parents. My sister is trying hard to accept my transition, and my nieces, nephew and their families are okay with me. But even telling my brother in law I am going for full transition would just dump explosives on the fires of his homophobia and hate - let alone showing up as a woman!
