One more thing

A lame attempt of photoshopping me into a closet

So last night I was catching up with a friend of mine. It has been a while (since he moved to another town) that we have actually seen each other (besides through IM and such) and had a lot to discuss on topics of hobbies, work, free time and plans. My plan was also to finally tell him about the other me (kinda inspired by Natassia's efforts in that area I must confess).

I found it a bit ridiculous to drive every once and a while to the town he now lives in for a T&T meeting without not saying hi. Not that I actually would do that as the other me, but more like going for other business than T&T related.

I already told him when I arrived that it was not that far from where the photo exposition is being held, and he  knew I had done a good job taking pictures during the 40 yr. anniversary of "an association I knew".

Time to put the puzzle together. As I was about to leave I said that there was "One more thing" (as Steve Jobs always unravels his surprise at the end of his keynote) and that it may sound weirdish...

I know him as a pretty relaxed guy which would go 99.9995% easy on the topic so it would be just a formality but still I was taking care when breaking the ice. It is still not easy to do that and the last thing I wanted was to cough up an incoherent story and sound like I had gone barking mad or something like that.

I elaborated that the exposition was about them transgenders, and that it is a term encompassing all from transvestites/crossdressers to transsexuals. I then told "the association" was also about them. And finally I said I was also part of that very club.

Yes that raised a brow or two with him :)
Then came the questions, do you feel like a woman, how long have you been doing this, where do you do this, who knows... I told him that I felt quite indifferent, but more at ease, be a bit more assertive, that I am not gay and that I am not in for gender reassignment surgery. I told him about the T&T and the evenings the local chapters organize (it is a bit like a bridge or a beer club). I told him I really don't like the word transvestite (sounds too much drag or extreme) but that you have alternatives like crossdresser (or what I call part time woman, but has the exact same meaning as crossdresser). That this all (re)started in my early puberty, and I have just started telling people other than my mum and brother.

I also showed him some pictures of me. The one taken in Tromsø in front of the hotel and me on mums bike in the park. He really squinted his eyes in amazement and would tell me it was not for the world he would not recognize me or see a guy in there. Actually more like a nice piece :)

So we chatted on about the topic and I said that I didn't see myself as a victim. I just have this and for the sake of it make the best out of it and don't think too much about underlying causes. And please do make jokes about it :)

If he has the chance he would for sure visit the photo exposition. He is quite intrigued by the subject now and still has a lot of questions he would like to ask but that all has to settle down for now.

I am really glad I told him and that everything went just so well.
At least it is one heck of an excuse for my shaven legs when we will go on wintersports ;)