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Well, I've had a bit of a setback. I phoned the gender specialist's office, and found out that I don't yet have an appointment to get my blood tested to start female hormones. Apparently, there is some question as to whether just going to work as Dorothy qualifies as a real life test or not. (Why this matters, I don't know, but there you are.) So now I have to wait and hear back from the specialist, or maybe I'll be waiting until I see him again in December to find out if I can start them anyway. ... Sigh.
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Usually RLT does mean one
Usually RLT does mean one must LIVE in their target gender role 24/7/52/365, not just represent it in selected parts of your life. In some ways it is a rite of passage, a declaration of "OK, this is who I am, so get over it", and shows those who are set up as gatekeepers that you are serious. The purpose of the RLT is to ensure that you can cope with all aspects of life as yourself.
I guess this includes explaining things to your daughter, so that you can start living 24/7. She seems unusually aware of gender role symbols including details of clothing, and she may have some trouble with it, depending on how you explain things to her. And depending on her mother's attitude and her comments about you. And your mother's attitude as well. Usually a kid remains close enough to the concepts of magical change myth that they can handle transition particularly well, until they become so enamoured of status and position within their little community.
Good Luck Dorothy
CaroL
CaroL
I think it's ridiculous that
I think it's ridiculous that you have to start rlt before hrt!
seriously, Do they want to make our lives more diffcult than they already are?
I mean I did have to go to a gender psychiatrist for a year before she could allow me hormones, but I didn't have to live as girl before that.
I mean I was 4 months on anti-androgens and a couple of weeks on estrogens (recently the policy's changed to starting them at the same time), before I decided to start my rlt. My shrink even told me that I could wait longer if I wanted to, that there was no rush to get me started on living full-time. Though ofcourse after a while the hormonal changes would become obvious.
Anyway, I'm really grateful that I could start on hormones before living as a girl. that would've been a nightmare honestly, I'm a very emotional person (even before hrt) I don't think I could've stand the comments. They did happen a few times since a started living full-time but I still ended up crying when I got home...
So in any case, my heart goes out to you, Dorothy!
I truly hope they'll change that qualification soon, where you live.
grtz & hugs,
Sarah xxx
RLT
Pre-hormones? Oh, how I have laughed at that one! Live as a woman, look like a woman, but hey, no artificial aids, Mr CD!
Sorry. Train delays. Ar**hole drunks on said train. Men exposing themselves after too much booze. Tolerance levels low.
Oh, right, the Clark
Oh, right, the Clark Institute, by whatever name they're going by, these days. They had some seriously messed up ideas about treatment of transsexuality. When I was starting transition in the early 90s, they were widely renown as the example of how NOT to do things. Unfortunately, they'd gotten their ideas codified in the Ontario health care protocols, and negatively influenced those of some other provinces. I'd hoped the situation had gotten better in recent years, but I haven't been paying attention to that situation at all. I believe they were the ones that used to require three months of RLT before starting hormones, which most people find absurd. I'd hoped that had been fixed long ago, but it doesn't sound like it. I was very glad to not have to deal with them.
When does RLT start
In my experience (from my own experience and speaking to others) most gatekeepers (shrinks, therapists, endocrinologists, etc. etc. believe RLT starts with the _OFFICIAL_ change of your name.
Until then you may jump back into your 'old' life willy nilly as it suits your mood. But investing the money in a name changes shows commitment.
Dayna.