Peak Time
Like many of us in the T community, I like to watch documentaries or read news items or articles about other T girls and their journeys, and the challenges they have faced and overcome.
Of course, as we all know, the last two year or so have been stellar for T people with almost weekly coverage of some major personality coming out as Transgender, or young children from the ages of 4 or 5 being recognized as T, or other some newsworthy items covering T issues. Many of the major TV channels have jumped onto the T bandwagon as it were with, for example, the BBC in UK offering a variety of interviews with and programs about different T people from across the country.
It has not always been like this, though.
Still, one thing which always strikes me when watching such programs is just how many of the post-50 year old generation T-people there are — and just how similar their journeys and stories appear.
You can easily make a list which is almost applicable to each and every one of them (us!):
- knew they were different from an early age but didn’t know why
- had no-one to talk to or confide in — least of all their parents or immediate family
- had no way of knowing if there were other T people out there
- if ever caught dressing up in female clothing, they were scolded, maybe beaten or ostracized
- often over-compensated by, for example, doing extreme sports or activities, riding fast motorbikes or joining the military
- suppressed their needs and desires; entered periods of denial
- kept their secret well hidden
- got married, had children, built a career…. but the feelings never, never went away
Then, some 20-25 years ago the internet was born and many societies gradually became more liberal — and, as a whole, more aware (although still not always accepting) of T matters.
Yet, the advent of the internet was not a quick fix for our post-50s T person, maybe in his (I still use male pronouns at this point) mid-late 30s and he still struggled with his feelings, his life commitments; watching, waiting to see where his T journey would eventually take him.
Until, one day, our T person:
- with children all grown up and left home
- maybe or maybe not separated or divorced from wife and possibly living alone
- having the opportunity to learn more about other Ts, attend groups and meet others
- with the time and greater inclination to dress whenever he/she wants, more than likely having the confidence to get out and about en-femme
- knowing that gender affirmation surgeries were becoming so much more advanced
- being financially secure or nearly so — and able to have some cosmetic and/or facial feminization surgery
- being aware of reducing changes in the male libido, testosterone and easier availability of hormones
- with dawning realization of his mortality
decides that: It’s now or never!
He/she makes a decision that, indeed this is the peak time of his/her life; nothing or no-one else matters as much as the need to transition and carry on with an unrelenting march towards womanhood. And so be it!
Category: Transgender Body & Soul, Transgender Opinion
About the Author (Author Profile)
Christine has written numerous (at least 150) articles, columns, op-eds, features & stories for well known T magazines, websites & e-zines; she also works as a part time fiction editor for Club Lighthouse Publishing, and is a co-editor of an award winning T-girl Magazine. In addition, she has written 8 adult books mainly in the T sub-genre which have been published by Club Lighthouse Publishing, for whom she has been the best selling author for the last 5 years.Subscribe
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