Hi everyone @Former-Member @outlander @TheVorticon @Former-Member @NatureLover @Schitzo @Fluttershy1 @Adge @Rebel @Maggie @The-red-centaur hope today is off to a pleasant start for you all. For anyone who wasn't at Topic Tuesday // LGBTQIA+ & Mental Health // Tues 29th September, 7-8:30PM AEST this week you can check it out on that link if you want to.
I've had another crazy hectic week and didn't get here until last night. I'm wrapt to see this discussion continuing and all the lovely support happening.
FYI I identify as queer these days. A pansexual woman. When I was younger I went through a few of the options - bisexual, polyamorous ...., but as I'm 57 now, it was a different era then. We didn't even know what our options were or have the language to express our feelings and identities authentically like so many younger people are doing these days. Let alone the availability of hormone replacement therapies or surgical options.
I'm also the parent of a transgender non-binary person who is 32 now and also legally blind, who spent their whole childhood with dysphoria about their body and gender assignment, but also had not the language to express it. Much guilt here about not knowing as they grew up. They came out in their early 20s and since then have had years of T, with a break for having a child twice, and last year had a double mastectomy. Yes they were one of the people able to conceive despite having been on T for some time. Their husband identifies as cis-het male.
So that also means I'm also the grandparent of two divine children, one is 6 and the other is 2. With both these children there has been no gender assignment at birth, and the older one clearly chose the words she prefers when she was about 3. She says "Daddy uses he words, ZaZa (my adult child) uses they words, and I use she words"!! It's not confusing to the kids because it's the norm they've been raised with. That people can choose who/what they want to be and can also change their minds if they want to. As my adult child says, it's no-one's business what parts you have in your pants, or what you want to do with them - except disclosure by consent by the person themselves.
Yes there were years of hard times, especially with having to 'pass' when out in the world, assumptions made by people who were complete strangers who had no need to even know what was going on e.g. shop attendants, doctors' staff, people on public transport .... It was amazing to me to see my adult child stepping out into the world happily wearing tight t-shirts after their surgery - I was moved to tears several times and really happy for them to feel comfortable after so many years.
So all the above is my way of saying I'm happy to chat/support/listen whatever to any of you in your wonderful diversity. I get it. I'll be around a bit this long weekend if you feel like reaching out. Use the @ symbol to tag me - you'll get a drop-down box where you should see my name. If it's not there, then @ and type it slowly and it will appear (3 letter names need the slow typing for some reason).
I really look forward to connecting with anyone who wants to share here. This is a safe space and I am an ally.
