Yes, you seem to be a lot further in transition than I.  But am learning a lot from you and others and am grateful for it.  Gives me more courage every minute.  Thanks

Like Christy, I’ll never go back. I’ve never felt as good as I do now. Like you, Jessica, I suffered a lot over the decades. Good grief, what a struggle. 

Coming out into one’s authentic self is scary and fulfilling, like tackling a complicated project that you’re not sure you can handle. The joys of incremental progress are phenomenal.

Can't really say I've suffered much, but yes struggled immensely.  Just feels so right at this time in my life and I've usually been successful at accomplishing things I put my mind to. As I write this now I'm confident I can and will handle moving forward and I intend to enjoy every moment and am thus far.  I'm sure I will have many, many doubts but I'm a thinker and a doer and I will overcome and adapt to them..   And yes!!  "The joys of incremental progress are phenomenal"  As I'm not a drinker, they are quite intoxicating, too. 

More on this later . I like you give me insight and things to think about.  Gonna think some more.

Took care of two autistic men, and they have a sensitive sense of smell.

People accused them of being cross dressers, but they weren't.

With the first, his mother died, and he was very close to her. Her clothing was bagged up and I was instructed to not wash it.

To get him to settle down for bed, I removed a piece and put it under his pillow. Sometimes he wore her slippers, and I had to remind him to keep it indoors, to preserve the slippers and avoid misunderstandings among neighbors.

The other one I cared for would sleep in his mother's bed. This involved bonding with her smell, and calmed him down.

Belonged to several autism care givers support groups, and I never thought to bring this up.

Does this resonate with anyone?

Dear Christy,

Became friends with a group of Gaymales. Had a conversation that was a first for themselves and myself, which prior to this conversation, they only discussed among themselves.

They found the smell of women offensive, no matter how clean. Also, they liked the smell of men.

Interestingly, as a cisgender butch Lesbian, I find the smell of even clean men offensive, and I like the smell of women.

Your friend,

Monica