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But seriously....
Recently, in response to one of my posts, a former friend wrote a nasty comment which I will not display here. Any mention of her that I have made in this blog does not mention her name, show her picture (with a discernible face), or say anything about her personal life. I will freely admit that I talked a little too much in the past about things that shouldn't have been mentioned. So, do I erase her existence from my past? To answer my own question, I will not erase the fact that she existed, but I will reference the past if only to note my mistakes in life - especially regarding her. And if she doesn't like it, she can send an email directly to me to tell me what objections she has. If her complaint is reasonable to me, I will perform some edits to the blog. Although we will never be friends again, I will do this as a courtesy, and nothing more than that.
In regard to another person, I felt that any mention of a dispute that we had was fair game, as long as I stated things from my point of view. At least, with this person in this blog, there is no mention of her name, no showing of her picture, no identification of her business. But I was asked not to talk about our conversation in this forum, and I complied for reasons I will not discuss here.. (This may be the only time I reference the discussion here - for obvious reasons.)
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Today, I went to the office knowing that I'd be directly hired by the firm to do the job I'm already doing through an agency. I would now become a direct employee, eligible for benefits. But to do this, I'd have to show my male ID in a place where I've always presented as female. So, I went into the office with an almost unnoticeable nervousness (if you could even call it that) regarding the unknown. But I needn't have had any concerns - I was treated professionally by the lady in HR.
As I get older, the more I find that people in the Northeast will generally treat a transgender person with respect, as long as that person exudes a sense of self confidence. Yes, your mileage will vary, as old commercials used to say. But a smile at the right person, a kindly word at the right time, and a helpful gesture can go a long way towards being accepted.
A while back, I met another trans person at the LGBT center in White Plains. This person came up to me and said I was an inspiration that helped this person with the first stages of transition. (I avoid citing gender here, as I don't remember which direction of transition this person was on.) At least, I can say that I made a positive contribution to one person's life.
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But I still wonder. Is there anyone else that I inspire?
3 comments:
You most likely have others that you have influenced over the years. Some may speak up on occasion but as I've found many will not. Just keep doing whatever it is that you do and you may find a few more positive responses.
Add me to that list, hon. You're definitely an inspiration to me...you're doing something that I (and I'm sure many other readers, would love to do!! Keep up the good work!
Mandy
To All:
I'm glad that this blog has had some positive effects on people. In regard to the person who was offended by my former blog, she will never be happy with anything I do or say. She will carry a grudge to the grave, letting it eat away at the things that once made her happy. As they say, "not my hat, not my rodeo."
M
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