Hello, everyone. This thread was inspired by the one for homosexuals at Everypony. Essentially, I wanted to create a thread for people who identify as transsexual as well. A little history for those who are not familiar with this: transsexuals are people who desire to change their physical body from one sex to the other due to being born in a body that does not match their brain. It is not a sexual orientation but rather a gender identity issue; being heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual or pansexual is a different matter entirely. Some well-accepted scientific research states that the brain and the body, while interdependent, develop separately from each other. Depending on circumstances, a child can be born with a male body but a female brain; in the other case, a child can be born with a female body and still have a male brain. This affects how we see our gender, but not who we are attracted to. I am opening a thread to discuss this matter because I, myself, am a transsexual individual. I was born as a male but am currently in the process of transitioning to a female body (known as "Male-to-Female Transsexual" or "MtF"). I have been in the process since this last Summer when I started gender therapy, and am currently on hormones. I do not plan to undergo surgery. I have a female name (Matty Jei) that I desire to be called and I live life full-time as a female. This is why I don't often come out as transsexual, but I've come to a point now where I feel I need to be honest and up-front about this. To explain a little more: gender therapy is when you go see a gender-specialized therapist to discuss options and how you want to handle the process of transitioning. Hormones is the next step; that's when you take medications to change the hormones in your body from your natal sex to your desired sex. Males and females both have specific hormones in their bodies that promote development of secondary sexual characteristics, affect mood and affect mental health. The hormones are given in order to help change the physical appearance of the body and to provide some mental stability. The third option is sex reassignment surgery, where one physically alters their genitals to look like those of the chosen sex. Not everyone opts to do surgery for myriad reasons: it is very expensive and can provide complications. Not everyone feels they need it to be complete and comfortable with themselves, either; that is the case where I am concerned. I started this thread to see if there's anybody else like me here and to see if I could find support with folks here. I know this is a very accepting, tolerant community; I feel safe posting this here over anywhere else. It is very difficult to go through this process: I've lost some friends and supports who are not fond of me going through this change to be myself and I don't feel very well-supported in my local community; even other transsexuals in my community don't seem to like me very much. This thread is open to everyone and I encourage people to post experiences. I also hope that my posting this inspires others who may be here that are like me and feeling the same way I feel. Here's hoping to hear from you all. :3 ~Matty Jei
Well, you got my support. I can only imagine what you're going through, but I'm glad it's working out for you. And, yeah, you're going to loose some people along the way - some people just can't handle change (which we've talked about quite a bit on the Gay thread as well). Any ways, I'm here for you. Since you're seeing a therapist, I'm guessing you don't need some one to talk to, but I'm usually on Skype if you ever do - or just PM or whatever. So many ways!
Thanks, Dwynter! To be honest, I did open this up both for people to be open about themselves if they wished and for support. My gender therapist is wonderful, but my local transsexual community is not as supportive. Therefore, I would love to talk with you sometime; I always like to make new friends anyway. :3 Thanks again for the post! It makes me feel very good.
I want to meet you in real life, just so I can shake your hand and buy you a drink. I can't imagine it was easy posting that, but I have the utmost respect for you to do so, and assure you that you were right in doing so. I honestly do commend you for this. I don't have to much to say, as I can only really agree with everything you've said. One thing I will ask, is how do you feel about surgery? Financial issues and the like aside, would you want to go through with it? Only curious.
Very well said, Yeitone. :3 Aww, thank you so much! ^///^ You're right: it wasn't easy to post this, but I know that this is a wonderful, accepting community; there is no better place to post it. I'm grateful for the support I've gotten thus far here. As for the surgery, as I mentioned above, I am not going to opt for surgery. My reasons are not ones of expense but rather of completion: at this point in time, it's not possible to have a uterus or ovaries surgically implanted. For me, it's an all-or-nothing kind of deal; I want to have the plumbing to go along with the genitalia. I'd be completely infertile if I got the surgery right now; I would want to have the surgery only if I could have the option to have my boyfriend's babies as well. :3 Thank you again!
Though I mostly lurk here (and not even much of that lately) I decided to post here, 1. Because Matty is my friend, and 2. I feel I can offer something to the topic. People should be who they want to be, regardless of what others think, as long as it is not harming anyone else. There are many people who are still against the idea of transsexuality, but that's life, like some others said. And yes, I am FtM trans, so if anyone needs to talk, I am willing to as well (although most here don't know me xD; )
Oh, how odd. I thought you had the surgery already. Eh, I need glasses, what can I say? Any ways, I really get what you're talking about there - I kind of have an all-or-nothing attitude about certain things as well.
This is a topic that suffers from conviction far more than even gays. While I'm glad society slowly creeps into more accepting positions, the open acceptance of transsexuals tends to still be a bit more distant. I'm sorry your relative community does not support you. You're very brave for moving forward and identifying yourself as you (correctly, rightfully) want to. Few people understand the psychological traumas and hardship involved with this decision. I wish you the best in what you choose to do. You will only find support here. If you don't mind me asking, how does your boyfriend feel about you, essentially, being "both sides of the coin"? I don't know how to make that question sound polite, but I assure you I'm being sincere.
Thank you so much for the reply, Matt! Yes, people should be who they want to be. Ah, okay. In most areas, I'm a "shades of gray" kind of girl, but in this one, it's fairly black or white. Wow, thank you so much! You're absolutely right: the transsexual end of LGBT continues to receive quite a bit of trouble and lack of recognition, even within its own community. It's wonderful to hear such supportive words from you. As for my boyfriend? He fully supports me and has gone as far as to say, "I can't see you as anything but a girl anymore." He's made the switch in his mind and he's very supportive of and happy for me.
Trans thread? Interesting, I hope you continue to be happy with what you're doing and that this thread is useful for other trans folk.
Wow Matty, its great that you posted this thread, and I'm glad the Gay thread inspired you to make this, because seriously, a thread like this needed to happen. Transgenders are all great people, from those I've met so far (you'd be the third). Its a very brave thing to do, I feel, much like coming out of the closet as gay, but even moreso for transgenders for your entire identity is being changed (or rather, already is changed mentally-- sorry if my words aren't exactly coherent, I'm a bit less than understandable 99% of the time xD) and I just wanted to say I support you 110%. You're so brave to be doing this, more brave then I ever will be (I'm still struggling with coming out of the closet over something as little as being a homosexual!). So yeah! Great for you. Also, um, excuse me for bringing this up, but Aynine, can we please not compare who suffers more conviction/condemnation (between gays and transgenders)? I don't feel its a very productive or appropriate thing to do, sorry.
Wow, I'm so glad to hear that you like the idea of this thread! I'm honored that you feel I am so brave for doing this. I guess that I'm the kind of person who finds it terrible and impossible to live as anybody but myself; I'm an extremely honest person with everybody including myself. Due to this mindset, I feel that despite the hardships, I have to be very open. However, I still need support and since I can't get much of it around my local community, I decided to try here. The support from this community has been more than I could hope for and I am elated at all the kind feelings I have received thus far. Thanks! It's going very well so far.
I'm happy to hear that something positive Has come out of all of this. If anytime you need help with anything, We're all here. Just drop us a line. We're all (I very much hope so) rooting for ya.
Thank you so much, greyOne! I really appreciate that. Also: yes, the support of the community has made me very happy; it's been a tough road so far and I feel wonderful that everyone has been so warm and accepting here.
I respect all decisions, as I believe a person is built upon their actions. If I met a homosexual who was rude and patronising, then my opinions of homosexuality would not change (in actual fact, they would most likely alter, though I'd try my hardest not to alter them. Psychology's an odd subject), but my opinions of the person would. Same goes for if the person was kind. I respect all decisions, and allow the person to follow the course they choose, but I don't talk about it or encourage it (as in I don't wander around shouting "Support the gay movement" or "Gays are odd"). I know you're a kind person, Matty, so I will support you. If anyone's harassing you about this, then you know where to find me and the others here. (I'm absolutely crud at structuring texts)
Thank you so much, testyal1; I really appreciate it. I am glad that you are someone who looks to the person inside and not just a superficial label. I do want to make one clarification to ensure we don't have a misunderstanding, though: transsexuals don't choose to be transsexual. There's a fair bit of good research that has shown that people who are transsexual are born that way. I know I mentioned this in my opening post. Also: I'm flattered and honored that you feel I am a kind person. ^///^ Thank you so much!
