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Aww Jess, that is really affirming! I'm glad it was the best kind of run in! I am picking my way through it all slowly, but because I was doing so many firsts - I just couldn't process them all - so having an outside opinion would help lol. 💛 x

Sounds to me like you had a great first experience out. Your " standout highlights" were exactly what the doctor ordered, ! Your next excursion will bring many more new ones, each as satisfying and more profound for your own psyche and self realization and before long Dee will be the most natural you that ever was; you'll know longer want to know, you'll KNOW. I ran into a friend last week (on purpose) whom I used to see several times a week for the last 15 years, but had not seen since I closed my business about 7 months ago. Had a great talk he never had a clue about Jess. When I got home he texted me.... Congratulations, he likes it, and has never, ever seen me so happy and natural. Looks forward to him and his wife getting together with me again soon.

Thanks Christa, My family and friends have been amazing! I hope they were being honest with me and not just trying to build my confidence though. I don't really have a giggle 😂 But it was definitely a fun weekend, I need to try to do more normal life stuff too like when we popped in to buy a dress top and cardigan before the night out - the changing rooms weren't open but if they had been I would have used them. I felt natural but I really want to know if that came across or not (just in case I'm using rose tinted glasses) X

Hi Emma, There's no such thing as late online - unless this gets archived! I know I will go out again, what I have been trying to do this week is decide on the what/when/where. Picking up where I left off with the kids in my male get up has been fairly simple - no big fanfares. Like putting on an old comfortable pair of shoes - well worn in and exactly as expected. I don't know if I expected to react more or if it is just being flat after having such a packed and emotional weekend. On reflection there were 3 stand out highlights over the two days: The first was going out for dinner on the Friday night, when at separate times my sister jumped thinking a strange woman had stood in her personal space at the traffic lights and then watching my niece walking past our dining table because she just did not "see" me at the table. The second was chatting to the coffee ladies and talking about holidays after being left on my own for a while in the Pride village. I was waiting on my latte, and it was just a fun upbeat conversation, and they made normal eye contact and I never once saw the cogs turning, or the sleight hesitation I had seen the day before in some of the waiting staff, though my assumption is that they knew I was trans, especially when I mentioned just being myself while I was there. The third was hearing that my friends had an excellent night out, that after an hour or so of it feeling a bit weird, that they just relaxed and had a great night because they realised I was still the same me and not acting differently.

Hi Dee, I'm amazed that I'm joining this conversation so late! I loved reading about your wonderful time at Trans Pride. Your photos look fantastic! Good for you, very good. I don't mean to push you in any direction but I'll say that your experience with going out and about as a woman parallels mine. It was like I was finally out just being myself and it was so enjoyable, like a weight had been removed from my back and my mind. What and when will you go out again? Best wishes, Emma