So here i am at 42 and at a bit of a crossroads in my life with regards to whether or not Siobhan is a temporary measure that can be brought out as and when or is she my future!
Where i work is a broad mix of male and female, different ethinicities and backgrounds so as to how any kind of response to a colleague coming out as trans and potentially transitioning will provoke quite a varied reaction across the board. Not withstanding where i work is also extremely customer facing (public transport) so i will be fighting some aspects of an uphill battle for acceptance. To that end in the last week i've chosen to come out to a few of my female friends and colleagues (will build up to the blokes lol).
The first was my best friend Rachel and over a phone call last week i just said i want to send you a picture and see what you say. Her response was so nonchalant 'ok, that's cool. Does she have a name' that it blew me away and we chatted a bit more on the phone and i said, you can ask me anything and her next question was 'What size boobs do you have, they better not be bigger than mine?' I couldn't have asked for a cooler, more disarming question and as it went on i never thought i'd ever have an outloud chat where i said the word vaginoplasty! lol
So back at work this morning and i thought no time like the present to talk to some others and first up was Clare (who is like a mum to me), phone comes out. I bring up a tasteful photo of me and just show it. She has a good stare and just looks up and says 'so who's this then, new girlfriend?' i just replied, no that's me. Next thing i know i'm getting a big hug and we're settling down to long chat about this, that and the other whilst i try to explain what i think might be going on with me. Her conclusion, 'Be who you need to be, we're all here for you and find your path'. I couldn't have wished for such great initial reactions.
Now i know that future reveals and such like will not always be so easy but at least the initial getting things off of my chest has gone ok. So as i search for a path that suits, whatever that is. I've survived day one (if we can call it that).
Sorry for the war and peace but just feel i needed to tell some other ladies how it's potentially starting for me.