| (no subject) |
[Jul. 12th, 2009|01:24 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  cheerful | ] |
Hey guys. I had an amazing day today, and I wanted to share :)
So, I went to a movie tonight (Transformers: Return of the Fallen. Epic film) and on my way to the bus some guy asked me for a lighter. He "bro'd" me, which is no big feat as it happens often... until I talk that is. I have a very high voice, and I have difficulty lowering it with out mumbling incoherently. So I usually avoid talking in situations like this. Anyways. So I handed him my lighter, and noticed he only had a little stub of a cigarette. Being the nice guy I am, I risked the pronoun switch from him and offered a smoke. He still referred to me as "bro" or "buddy" He got on the same bus as I did, and we had a whole conversation. Never once did his pronouns switch. Now, he may be an ally and may have picked up on it all, regardless I'm happy about it.
Fast forward to after the movie, waiting for the bus home.
Some other random guy sparked convo with me. Once again I was "brother" or "guy" It was very exciting for me.
This is the first time that male pronouns and the like have stuck when talking to strangers for me. Usually I get a pronoun drop, which is better than a switch I guess. But not today. No sir, today I was able to just be me, and not feel discouraged. (Though I did have to duck out of the bathroom at the theater... due to a shy bladder)
I'm not posting this for congrats or validation. I'm posting this story to share a good day with people who understand just how bad a bad day can be, and appreciate how this would make a guy feel good. Also, in hopes that another guy who has some trouble passing their voice will hold on to some hope, that right when you think it's hopeless til hormones, life will find a way to surprise you, and keep ya smiling.
Peace,
Andrew |
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| Studying abroad in South America/Dominican Republic |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|04:13 pm] |
I've just had top surgery, and I'll be at least a couple months on testosterone by the time I'm looking to study abroad next spring. I'm researching different programs in South America as well as a couple in the Dominican Republic, and wanted to know if anyone has any experiences to share about living abroad as FTM in a S. American country or the D.R.? I'd most likely to be living with a host family. My passing ability right now in the states is pretty good but it can swing either way, although that may improve with the T. I'd be able to get most if not all my paperwork changed by then to read my gender as male.
Does anyone have any success stories of living abroad in S. America? Countries or areas of countries that may be safer or less safe for someone who may not be passing 100%? It seems like it would be easier to pass as male as a foreigner, but I am also concerned about possible emergency situations. I don't want to have to disclose to a host family if I don't have to, but I also don't want to end up in a situation where not disclosing could be dangerous.
I guess I am mostly looking for some reassurance that I'll be able to study down there without my trans status becoming a big issue. I'm depending on my parents for financial support for schooling so I'd also like to be able to back up my argument for studying abroad with personal stories from other guys. |
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| Should Be Getting T In About A Month |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|08:01 pm] |
Hey guys! :3
I am now going to attempt to type out my experience with Dr. Curtis. It would have helped immensely for me to read something like this before seeing him, but no-one seems to bother - but I am. 8D
Also - I am currently in the process of filing an official complaint with my local PCT about their refusal to fund my referral to Charing Cross when I was 18-years-old, as well as seeking their support to fund my prescription. All is going well so far, I am being taken seriously and have been in contact with a lovely woman who has been great with working around my anxiety.
(For those who do not know - Dr. Curtis is a private Gender Specialist who runs his own clinic, 'The London Gender Clinic.' He is also a transman.)
( Chopchopchop )
Basically - I should have T in about a month! :'D |
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| If Someone Decides to Out You, Does That Grant You a Liscence to Kill? |
[Jul. 10th, 2009|04:10 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | My House | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  exhausted | ] |
| [ | music |
| | The fountain in my back yard | ] |
So today at my dumb OB class, we couldn't do what was scheduled, and instead were in class for 8 hours watching birthing videos. I left to go to to the bathroom.
The instructor was not in the class, but in another room, a bit down the hall on the way to the classroom. She saw me as I walked past and said "Mr. X! I wanted to tell you, I read your file, and I know about your condition. Your secret's safe with me, and this is totally confidential. If you want to talk with me about your condition, I am very, very open minded to this. I just find you fascinating. Tell me, are you a hermaphrodite or is it just a born in the wrong body thing?"
I tried like 55 times to LJ cut this. Then I had my buddy try it. The rest of the story is in the first comment on the page. Please continue reading... |
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| Underworks |
[Jul. 10th, 2009|10:58 am] |
I have search through the tags but I dont think there was anything to do with this style of binder yet.
Has any one bought the Extreme Chest concealer FTM chest binder style 988? I know I read the style 997 rode up alot of guys, is this one similar?
Any help is great thank you :) |
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| My Dad Doesn't Want His Parents To Know |
[Jul. 10th, 2009|01:33 pm] |
I came out officially to my parents last time I visited, and has mixed reactions but nothing awful.
I'm back up to see them, and my dad collected me from the station. His first conversation was him basically stating that he hasn't told his parents and he didn't want them to know.
He said that they were too old to understand (they're in their 70s) and that it would just cause them distress, and the would just spend the rest of their lives worrying about me.
I told him that I've come out to people of all ages, including older people, and everyone has taken it fine. My mum's parents had been okay with it. (His reaction that was why had I not been invited to Sunday dinner this weekend and I said that actually I had but wasn't going as I'm going to be a zombie in Manchester!)
I told him that I thought they had a right to know and he said that that was what I though and that he was looking out for the well being of his parents.
I really don't know what to do here. He seems pretty made up on the subject, and I don't want to disrespect him, but I don't want to hide this from them.
I won't see them this visit as they're away, but I'll see them later in the summer, or my birthday or Christmas at the very least, and every day that goes past my transition becomes more and more noticeable. (I'm three and a half years full time, over 18 months on T, and am currently applying for funding for chest surgery.)
Is there anything I can usefully say to him? Should I tell them? If so, when and how? Or at least hope that they notice and ask? |
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| therapist recommendation- SE Michigan |
[Jul. 9th, 2009|10:10 pm] |
Sandra Samons isn't up to the hype. May be helpful with early transition stuff - letters and stuff, but I saw her for some trans related personal issues and she wasn't very helpful.
Amity Walter with Ann Arbor Consultation Services gets my vote. |
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| International travel, US passports? |
[Jul. 9th, 2009|04:10 pm] |
Hello,
Has anyone:
- boarded an international flight originating in the US with a US passport that lists a typically-male first name and an 'F' gender marker;
- gone through customs in Europe with a passport fitting the above description?
If so, what was your experience like?
I'm asking because I just had my first experience being hassled over the gender marker on my ID not matching my name and appearance (at the airport boarding a domestic flight on the way back from from having top surgery), and have a trip to the Netherlands and UK coming up. I'm concerned that my ID will be challenged and I won't be able to board the flight. Aside from issues of whether I want to change my ID, I probably don't have enough time to before I leave. When I got hassled, I basically just said, "Yes, that's my legal name, and that's my legal sex," and refused to disclose anything else; they let me board eventually, but I'm not sure I want to risk getting turned away at customs on the other side of the ocean because they don't like what my passport says.
I'm not looking for advice on what to do or for comments from anybody who hasn't been in the situation I'm describing -- only for examples of people's actual experiences. Thanks in advance. |
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| Man-go f*** yourself. |
[Jul. 9th, 2009|08:39 am] |
Hey,
So I'm pissed off about mango products taking advantage of ftms by breaching their contract and never dishing out the products, did someone file a class action suit against them? Anyone know of a lawyer who would be up on it.
Thanks.
N |
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 7th, 2009|07:17 pm] |
Just a question for those folks who are doing subcutaneous injections. What's your dosing schedule?
I was on .5mL/two weeks for the first two shots which went fine, but today I upped my dose to .75mL and had a bit of T seep out, very pleasant. I'd like to stay at around this dose for a while to see how it goes. My doctor said there shouldn't be an issue injecting up to 1mL subcutaneously, but he's a little cavalier about the whole thing and doesn't have any other patients using this method.
Anyway, anyone injecting .75mL successfully, or is that too much for a subcutaneous injection? Would .5mL/ten days be an approximation of this dose? |
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| Checked Memories.. |
[Jul. 7th, 2009|02:12 pm] |
Hi,
I checked the memories but couldnt find anything.. I may have not looked in the right spot.
My partner and I dont have very many places in our area that sells packers if any, we have looked, nothing.
We are in Canada, I am wondering if anyone can help with a online site that he could get a packer from, preferably one with I believe it is a STP? in the packer.
So this online store would need to ship to Canada, preferably take Paypal, if not thats ok too.
Any help would be great, thanks. I am not sure if this is more suited to ftm_in_bed
Thanks again :) |
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| areola size difference post keyhole |
[Jul. 6th, 2009|10:40 pm] |
Hi,
I had keyhole with Fischer 3 weeks ago & have actually been healing pretty well, aside from paranoia about potential probs here and there. My most recent concern has to do with my current difference in areola sizes. The day after surgery, Fischer took the tape off of one incision because it was bleeding and she needed to clean it. For almost 3 weeks, I've had tape over one incision but not the other. When the other incision's tape came off 2 days ago, I noticed that the sizes of my areolas are different. (The one without tape in the past 3 weeks looks like it stretched.) Has this happened to anyone out there? Will my areola sizes eventually become pretty similar once the other one gets used to not having tape on it? I hope that one will stretch out similar to the other.
Thanks! |
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| Natural Fiber non-stretch Binder |
[Jul. 5th, 2009|05:39 pm] |
Just a quick introduction -- I think I'm gender queer, and one of my friends hopped on board of an idea of running me around in Seattle as a boy. I should be doing that this fall; in preperation I'm working on my first masculine outfit in a very long time. I'm a costume-maker and garment sewer in my free time. (Otherwise, another technowonk in the IT industry.) This of course, is an ideal situation for stretching my costuming legs.
( Prototype Binder and Impetus For )
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| testosterone and anger |
[Jul. 4th, 2009|06:56 pm] |
ok this seems like a fairly basic question, and one that has probably been dealt with before, but i always forget how to search the subject tags.
so bear with me.
i've been on T for about a year and a half, for most of that time i was on 1mg every two weeks and was fine. a few months ago my endo recommended that i go up to 1mg every 10 days because i was having this soreness in my ovary area, and was afraid my "pipes" were trying to turn back on. around that time i start getting, well, angry. i was having minor rage issues out of nowhere. these have continued. i guess i didn't address the issue immediately because i thought i might just adjust to the new level and that everything would even out. but it hasn't. i find that i'm pretty edge most of the time. i guess i have some stress in my live, and hey, we're all living in during a recession and some weird times. but i want this anger stuff to stop. it's not in my nature otherwise.
so, duh, i should lower my dose again, right?
i was just wondering if anyone else had any relevant experience to this whole "roid rage" thing.
i'm also wondering if i should lower my dose to less than 1mg every ten days, say 0.8mg every 10 days, or go back to 1mg every 2 weeks.
i know i could/ should ask my DR, but wondered if anyone else had relevant thoughts.
THANKS! |
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| urinary packer |
[Jul. 4th, 2009|07:00 am] |
Has anyone else had difficulty find urinary packers online recently?
The STUD is unavailable at the moment and Nick doesn't know when he's going to make them again.
dj.knowsdicks webpage won't come up no matter what computer I use or where I'm located.
ManGo isn't taking orders until July 7 and has a large backlog of orders.
Anyone know other companies that offer urinary packers on the internet that will ship to New England?
Thank you!
x-posted to ftm boston, _ftm_, ftm_students
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| My Gender Workbook |
[Jul. 3rd, 2009|08:49 pm] |
Hey, I heard a while back that Kate Bornstein's My Gender Workbook was available in full online. I can't seem to find it. Anybody mind linking me?
Thanks in advance! |
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| Looking for volunteers in the Bay Area this summer |
[Jul. 2nd, 2009|08:56 am] |
Hi everyone,
My name is Lal Zimman, and I’m a graduate student at the University of Colorado. I'm in the Bay Area this summer doing research, including a project on how men from diverse backgrounds (including trans men and others on the FTM spectrum) talk. I am a trans guy myself, which has motivated me to make my study inclusive of the trans community, and also to be careful that trans-identified people who volunteer will be treated and represented in an appropriate and respectful way.
So, I’m looking for volunteers in the San Francisco Bay Area who would be willing to do a short interview with me sometime in the next six weeks or so (July and August). This interview would involve meeting with me for less than an hour to answer some questions about various aspects of your identity, your thoughts on various types of masculinity, what it means to you to be a man, etc. These interviews can take place at a comfortable location of your choice, such as your home or in the apartment I'm staying in this summer in Berkeley. The only requirement to participate is that you are a native speaker of American English (note: it’s fine if you are also a native speaker of another language or languages); please contact me if you aren’t sure whether you meet this requirement. If you choose to volunteer, you'll receive $15 to compensate you for your time.
If you’re interested in participating or have any questions about this study, please email me at zimman@colorado.edu or call my cellphone at 415-533-2202.
Thanks very much, and I hope to hear from you! |
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