Easy/Lucky/Free

At one of my recent therapy sessions - I found out something amazing. Apparently, the three month time period for therapy before starting hormones (that I thought was legally mandated) is just a recommendation. I'm sure some therapists won't write letters before that time period is up, but others will happily do it as long as you're set on hormones and surgery.

Initially, I was really resentful of feeling forced into therapy. I think it's beneficial to talk to someone before any life-changing event or decision, and it's great to get some feedback on how to transition more smoothly. I'm still planning on going regularly, since my experience has been overwhelmingly positive. It's just great knowing it's a choice, and not forced upon me.

My partner and I are planning on going to Camp Trans this summer, hopefully with a giant caravan full of friends. http://www.camp-trans.org/

I've decided that I'm going to come out to my parents, other family and boss right after the trip. The whole event sounds really validating and uplifting, and it'll be great to get that kind of steeling boost right before having a bunch of difficult, complicated (and potentially painful) conversations with people.

Right now, I feel very lucky to have a partner who loves me for who I am. R has been supportive and helpful through all of this. If anything, I'm the one who has to be prodded a little bit in order to open up about gender stuff sometimes. I am also lucky to have friends across the board who are open to these things and are occasionally trans or otherwise gender variant themselves. And I've probably said this before, but my boss is 100% cool with it. Now I just have to get up the nerve to put it on the table.

The one strange thing I've noticed is more openness and dialogue happening with friends who are outside the queer or trans scenes. Maybe it's not the same old thing when it's off your radar to begin with. Most of my friends have already had conversations about transness in various forms (or their own internal dialogue). The only big downside to this is that it stops being a topic for discussion, since everything has supposedly been said. I've probably been guilty of this in the past, especially with people who are more acquaintances than friends. But I've been trying to let people know that I'm happy to have those conversations about them (or about me), if they're looking to talk.