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Stewart’s thoughts

I HAVE found it best to assess my audience first to ascertain their possible level of understanding i.e. some people are more worldly, intelligent, open minded etc so accordingly I answer their questions to the best of my ability, and as honestly as I can, keeping mind I make it clear that any questions regarding my genitalia are not an option.

This is basically because discussing one’s genital makeup, issues, etc. fall outside appropriate everyday human interaction. I also like to quickly separate the curious from the genuinely interested, which is sometimes difficult but can pay dividends.

The most important point for me is for folks to understand that I am a man, have always been a man and will always be a man, regardless of my previous physicality. That I have NOT ‘become’ a man after having been a ‘woman’.

Having commenced hormonal therapy and having has several rehabilitative surgical interventions whilst still being employed as a registered nurse, has been both a rewarding and damned frustrating experience at times. Same story as above except that I was often spending long periods of time with these people.

Not everybody wants to be educated nor has an open mind. So therefore, I have had my fair share of uncomfortable moments, interestingly more this year than ever before.

I have never been able to be more stealth, due to my physicality etc., and yet this seems to have threatened some individuals more than whilst going through the process.

Maybe I am too much like them now (?) and the things that at one stage that separated us are no longer present. Hence an over-identification syndrome evolves, ie., if he is like me in so many ways then I could have been just like that – fear, ignorance, anger. To some I will always be different, so therefore I should look different so as to be easily recognisable.

Stewart (2004). Stewart’s Thoughts. Torque, 4(4).