well, first off, welcome.
Secondly, its not h morons that say you have a mental disorder. Its the people who are not morons, but are not Trans that say that.
They sorta have the upper hand.
get ready for a rather interesting journey, where yu find yourself subjected to all sorts of external pressures, and you lose something you never even knew you had that makes life *really* easy for you.
Callie's is a great place to learn. There are people from all walks, all levels, all backgrounds. It can be a bit negative at times, but always focus not on the negative, but on the positive.
Avoid bigotry within yourself. Much easier said than done.
Ask questions.
Be brave.
Hold your head high, and face fear.
Be kind to others, smile, and laugh.
Be considerate -- that is, consider those around you as you move foreward, and act in a manner consistent with how they will respond. That doesn't mean *not* do something, just be aware of what you are doing and how it affects them.
Plan on losing everything you have now, and gaining all new things to replace that which is lost.
Be open in heart, mind, and soul.
Be more humane to others.
Know that you will gain enemies now. Know them, and know what they will do and how they will do it.
Educate yourself. Learn about sex, gender, hormones, surgeries, law both local and national, and religious bigotry (both sorts -- the bigotry against the religious and the bigotry of the religious)
Have fun, and take everything only as seriously as it deserves.
Get your feet rubbed.
Save every penny and use it on laser & electrolysis first.
Remember that you have to undo 40 years of masculine socialization, and catch up in one tenth that number of years.
Know that hormones take 6 months to really start working, and that its consistency more than amount that matters. And that its five years to really finish it right.
Remember your puberty for all that it sucked. Because you get to do it again -- and this time you know now what you didn't know then.
Help others. They, in turn, will help you.
Take care of your health.
Buy a lot of kleenex, and prepare for mood swings.
Follow your own style.
Accept criticism, both constructive and otherwise.
Remember there is no *right* way to transition. But thee are a LOT of wrong ones.
Be aware that this has f'd you up over the years. Your therapist will be key.
They are your employee. Fire them if they try to treat your GID, and don't immediately assume they are fighting with you on anything else.
There are a gazillion stupid rules. Learn them:
http://wpath.org/Documents2/socv6.pdfRead that. Make sure your therapist has. Have them explain it to you -- and if they can't, fire them. They have a job to do, and it is more than write letters. But those letters are all you will really care about.
Protect your credit.
If you want to go fast, go fast. If you want to go slow, go slow. Expect to want to go fast at the start.
Go meet other Transfolk. Support groups aren't fun, but the experience is helpful. In person, as online is not a substitute.
Don't *only* hang out with transfolks. We're weird. It rubs off.
Be yourself, and love the life you have built thus far as much as you will build the one you start anew on.
Remember that life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving. Feast a lot.
And, lastly, and most importantly, remember that opinions and assholes share a lot in common.
Previous Topic
Index
