As of June 2, 2024 I have been out as a crossdresser/transxxx in public and at work.  People have largely accepted this aspect of my personality I think partly because they realize I am still the same person no matter what I wear or how I dress.  Plus I am on the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) committee and hold a modicum amount of respect from my fellow committee members partly because of some of the ideas or suggestions that I have.  Some are within the realm of possibility and some not so much but my input seems to be valued.  Somehow, mysteriously, I was volunteered to be on the book club committee, I'm not complaining.  

As we grow as a committee we plan reaching out and making our presence known to all staff and employees that work for the company with staff training and development to educate them about culture, gender and identity - I'm excited.

 One of the goals of me being on the committee and coming is to be a role model of sorts, a mentor to those that might afraid to come out as trans or any part of the LGBTQ community because it is scary and nerve racking to think about the possible outcomes of coming out, especially in a public environment such as the work place when historically the work place culture is a very negative and repressive enviornment much less to say "we support you."  I was fortunate to so much strong peer support, department heads, managers, coworkers and my direct manager and the CTO.  One of the agency directors that has an office onsite told me that his company supports people like me, that was huge for me.  So, I want others to know that they are in a relatively safe environment where they practice what they preach.

Societal norms are changing from when I was a kid, what was once seen as deviant behavior is now becoming accepted largely because no one cares what you wear what gender you or may not identify as because everyone is a human being and should be treated with respect not demeaned for being different.  I know for me, I have a female half and a male half and I live as both but in one body.  I may have been born male but I have female traits when dressed.  My wife and friends say I have two distinct persona's, female and male because when I am en femme I act and sound very feminine and when I am male I sound and act masculine (ISH).  I do consider myself to be a woman when dressed because it isn't just about the clothing it is also a mind set, confidence and attitude - things I have learned from my wife and one of our very close friends.  And as I venture out in the real big scary world, I find that I am more accepted as a woman and treated as such, things I have dreamed of since I can remember and it has been a good ride, one I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.  However, I still have reset to default mode because every relationship needs a balance and no not 50/50 balance, no such thing.  There is always going to be a give and take, some days more giving than taking on one side or the other but never a even split.  May I should talk more about that in my next blog post.