Are you L,G,B,T or other?

eagle_&_bear

gay male, out since September 2000

DubArk

Gay.

Sorry

Bisexual male. One close friend knows but not bothered telling anyone else as it's my private life.

emma88

OpenFM - Which is Ireland's 1st radio station to celebrate gay culture has come up with the idea of colours check out www.openfm.ie to see which colour you are...each letter LGBTQQA represents a colour of the rainbow with a definition for what each letter stands for. It's interesting and a lil different & fun!:)

energy69

A campaign I came across while in London that a drama group use and that empowers young people. So most people probably know LGBT = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (umbrella term)

Q = Queer - a term that a lot of the younger generation (in the UK) feel empowered with because, they know they are not straight although they haven't quite decided so, they're Queer, seems fair enough to me.

Q = Questioning - this one is self-explanatory and one that I feel we don't have to go into, although, I will a little. This is where some people are unsure and are wondering. Just because people want to try something doesn't mean they are it. They are seeing whether its their cup of tea and therefore doing the act doesn't really make them anything, accept questioning. Now perhaps if they are Questioning for 10 years, one might ask...

A = Allies - the people that are straight and feel that the other letters are not them, although they relate to sexuality as an exploration of the individual and everyone to their own and they dont particularly feel like punching someone in the face because of their sexual interests. Perhaps they support or don't support marriage equality but they generally feel like they are behind the community in spirit or words

Now, for everyone else, we felt they didn't deserve a letter. So, we are left with seven letters and seven colours. The colours of the normal rainbow we all learnt in school and rather than choosing a letter to associate with you choose a colour or maybe 2 if you so wish or maybe none.

This is only an exploration we at OpenFM.ie believe in. Being open and including everyone. If you feel like joining in or helping out with web design , promotions or finding us a flat bed truck or double decker bus or you have some money you'd like to invest, feel free to contact us. We'd love to hear from you. Have a wonderful discussion. Try your best to find the silver lining if you can. Things always look better that way x

Sorry

emma88 wrote: »

OpenFM - Which is Ireland's 1st radio station to celebrate gay culture has come up with the idea of colours check out www.openfm.ie to see which colour you are...each letter LGBTQQA represents a colour of the rainbow with a definition for what each letter stands for. It's interesting and a lil different & fun!:)

I can't see anything about that on the website.

Mute

I dont see a letter or colour for.......

1. An eighteen yr old slim sexy female s1ut trapped in a married with two kids 38 yr old male body!

2. An eighteen yr old bulging muscular gigilo male trapped in a married with two kids 38 yr old female body!

I think the letter is X and the colour is Black:(

energy69

Sorry wrote: »

I can't see anything about that on the website.

Sorry, we have to move it although it is in the glossaary - http://openfm.ie/about_us

Pembily

Bisexual female, out to 2 people about 5 years and about 2 others a few months but not out to immediate family as its my business!!!

Msirishbell

bisexual female, out to a few friends

shay_562

Gay male, started coming out in '03, have been fully out since '05.

Jimmynala

Gay male. Only out like 3 months though so I guess I'm a wee baby gay :rolleyes:

livlondon

I'm a T that's out to all (apart from a few). Out at work, social life, etc..

hare05

bi trans, would be mtf if i had the courage to start...

so i guess for the moment bi with an unneeded appendage.

LegacyUser

hare05 wrote: »

bi trans, would be mtf if i had the courage to start...

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”

Be brave, and try to find the courage. Realising yourself can be one of the single hardest, yet most rewarding things in you life. And there is nothing more soul crushing than regret.

Links234

MtF Transgender.

Freiheit

I'm an aspiring male to female Transsexual, I hope it works out. I'm wondering whether I can remain in my current location........I'll be fine but I'm not sure how to handle the locals in a part rural-part suburban location.......some of the locals are very small minded....

Links234

Freiheit wrote: »

I'm an aspiring male to female Transsexual, I hope it works out. I'm wondering whether I can remain in my current location........I'll be fine but I'm not sure how to handle the locals in a part rural-part suburban location.......some of the locals are very small minded....

I suppose I should say I'm an aspiring MtF as well, and I'm only out to a few very close friends and immediate family members, but I've been taking a lot of steps preparing to transition. Are you out to anyone yet? I don't know if my experience will help put your mind at ease or not, but I was terrified beyond words of what might happen when I came out to people. I had prepared myself for the fact that it might be the very last time I spoke to that person because they might shun me and think I'm just disturbed and sick in the head. So the first couple of times I told anyone it took a tremendous emotional toll involving me breaking down into tears and unable to stop for ages. The reality is that everyone I have told that I'm trans has been incredibly cool with it, accepting, supportive and helpful. I expected that I would have gotten grudging acceptance at best, as in someone saying they're still my friend but that they don't approve of what I want to do, but the amount of encouragement I've been getting from friends just completely took me by surprise.

If you've got friends and family who support you, then that's what matters. If some small minded people don't like you for being yourself, to hell with them. I wish you the absolute best of luck.

Freiheit

Thanks Links, yeah I'm out to most people. Family have been difficult to put it mildly, friends and colleagues mostly great. My concern is the locals, I'm from a fairly well known rural Irish family, well known in the general area I mean and short term at least it would be a sensation amongst the community....and I'm not sure how I'd handle that....I'm hoping to attend a Teni meeting in Dublin in the near future, I might get advice and reassurance there. Are you familiar with such Links?.

I wish you good luck too Links....be true to yourself and I'm sure you'l flower.......

Links234

Freiheit wrote: »

Thanks Links, yeah I'm out to most people. Family have been difficult to put it mildly, friends and colleagues mostly great. My concern is the locals, I'm from a fairly well known rural Irish family, well known in the general area I mean and short term at least it would be a sensation amongst the community....and I'm not sure how I'd handle that....I'm hoping to attend a Teni meeting in Dublin in the near future, I might get advice and reassurance there.

I wish you good luck too Links....be true to yourself and you'l flower.......

I'm very sorry you're having difficulties with your family. I got the impression from your post that you're happy where you are currently, just afraid what some people might think. Transition seems like an incredibly daunting journey to take, and I understand that nobody wants to have the added stress of being a sensation or spectacle on top of that. But it might be worth giving people the benefit of doubt, as they can sometimes surprise you. If not, then maybe consider moving, but not before.

Have you made out a transition plan?

Freiheit

I'm very happy with myself Links....my self esteem is high,I've dreams on a few fronts and really good things are possible...so things have been difficult with my family but I'm secure in myself despite that....It is as you alluded to in relation to residence difficult in any event to predict how family will feel in the future....When they see me happy and hopefuly reasonably successful they might be ok....regardless I have no doubt I can be happy and succeed careerwise,hopefully in the mental health or caring field.

Think in relation to Mum there's a certain fear of the unknown, which is part of human nature I suppose, but the unknown might actually be something good!

The neighbours? As you say they might be ok...it's hard to say....look I would be a news story for a while, lesser things are and to an extent that's natural...the natives can be very judgmental....It's hard to say pre-transition exactly how it will go...

A plan? Yeah I've an appointment with Dr O'Shea/Canavan in October...hopefuly I can start hormonal treatment before Christmas and gradually have surgeries when I'm ready...have had about 17 sessions of beard removal.....I hope I can link in with others in Dublin who will hopefully make what you say is daunting feel a little less daunting....hopefully it will happen....

Have you any transition plans?

Apologies Mods if this has deviated from the original topic..well it has and please accept my apologies!

roxy82

female bi curious...but beginning to wonder if I will ever get the opportunity to explore this as none of my friends or family know and don't really go to any of the gay spots

hare05

Thanks for the encouraging words links, but I'm terrified to be honest. I'm already 6 foot 5 inches tall, and I don't think I'm gonna stop yet... Tall for women is 5'11" so I'd always stick out... I hate my body...

Came out as bi in april to my parents, but not to anyone else yet. Trans is a whole new closet, so to speak, and from what I can find, support in Ireland is almost non-existent...

I'm starting to wonder if I should just stick it out as a guy until I can leave the country... Hate this place.

rainbow kirby

Freiheit wrote: »

Apologies Mods if this has deviated from the original topic..well it has and please accept my apologies!

No problem, I'm finding the discussion quite interesting even if it isn't exactly on-topic! Do feel free to start a separate thread if you want to though.

Links234

Freiheit wrote: »

A plan? Yeah I've an appointment with Dr O'Shea/Canavan in October...hopefuly I can start hormonal treatment before Christmas and gradually have surgeries when I'm ready...have had about 17 sessions of beard removal.....I hope I can link in with others in Dublin who will hopefully make what you say is daunting feel a little less daunting....hopefully it will happen....

Have you any transition plans?

Can I ask why you started hair removal before hormones? Everything I've read says that permanent hair removal works better once you've started hormone therapy, so you could be spending extra money on whatever extra sessions it's going to take? That's not to criticise, I'm just wondering why. I've not scheduled any appointments yet, so you're considerably ahead of me.

As far as plans go, in the short term I'm focusing on things such as health and lifestyle, as well as my voice and practicing makeup. Really anything I can do pre-transition to make things easier when I start HRT. I've also chosen a name for myself. One of the most important things is actually learning to be happy with myself, which is also one of the hardest things. Before, I was extremely self-loathing and couldn't even stand to look at myself in the mirror. A heathlier lifestyle and looking after my appearance more than I had been has really helped rebuilding my confidence. I think for a successful transition you really have to try to shed whatever hatred you've got for yourself. After I've started HRT, I've got quite a few plans as in when I'm going to start wearing female clothing, how subtle I'm going to be about it, and who I'm going to tell. I want as little surgery as possible. I'd like to get away without FFS if possible, and I certainly don't want breast implants. So hopefully vaginoplasty is the only procedure I'll need to have.

hare05 wrote: »

Thanks for the encouraging words links, but I'm terrified to be honest. I'm already 6 foot 5 inches tall, and I don't think I'm gonna stop yet... Tall for women is 5'11" so I'd always stick out... I hate my body...

Came out as bi in april to my parents, but not to anyone else yet. Trans is a whole new closet, so to speak, and from what I can find, support in Ireland is almost non-existent...

I'm starting to wonder if I should just stick it out as a guy until I can leave the country... Hate this place.

You know being tall isn't the be all and end all. In fact a lot of people find tall girls very attractive. I dated a girl who was far taller than me, she was absolutely gorgeous, and I got so many compliments from jealous friends. There was a girl on another message board who was about your height and had an absolutely astonishing transition, she looked so cute it was unreal. I wish I had saved the pictures so I could show you, she really looked amazing and her height didn't detract from that at all.

Freiheit

I'm really sorry that you feel as you do Hare, your feelings may change obvver time as your life does, there is support available and if you use it your life can improve. Coming it of any closet initially is hard, but things usuually do improve in the aftermath, maybe not immediately but over time. There is groups now in Cork, Waterford, Limerick,Galway and Dublin, people there will support you. I'm a firm believer that bad weather cannot last.

Links your right that I probably am spending a certain amount of money unneccasrily, but I've been waiting a very long time for my appouintment with Dr O'Shea and I wanted to make a start. I get the impression anyway that the reduction of facial hair with hormones might not be that drastic.

I've had a undergone virtual facial feminisation with Alexandra for a a 70Euro fee, and also corresponded by email with Dr Bart at the Agave Clinic in Marbella. People say that the effect of hormones on facial appaearance can be considerable, so it is of course possibkle that it won't be neccessary but I am prepared to go for it if need be. Marbella could in any even be a nice holiday(, although how much of it I could enjoy with my face in a burqua like mask is debatable!:)

I echo the sentiments about hright either, it's not about how tall you are , it's about confidence and developing a look that reflects how you feel, natally assigned female comes in all shapes and sizes,, the most popular girls aren't always those with barbie like bodies, it's those with happy personalities that people want to be around. That can be you in time! There is also nothing wrong with being a 6 5' woman, just because most women are shorter doesn't mean all have to be!

Viel Gluck!

Annasopra

hare05 wrote: »

Trans is a whole new closet, so to speak, and from what I can find, support in Ireland is almost non-existent...

Well it is starting to improve TENI now have 3 or 4 employees

See TENIs website at www.teni.ie

Freiheit

It's very hard to know how things would work out where I live now...have big decisions,not all directly related to gender but all affected by it, to make over the next year.....hard to explain accurately on-line really.

hare05

Freiheit wrote: »

It's very hard to know how things would work out where I live now...have big decisions,not all directly related to gender but all affected by it, to make over the next year.....hard to explain accurately on-line really.

Yeah, it's hard to give an accurate description with pre-designed labels like gay, bi, trans, etc.

I won't go as far as to say make the right decision, just be happy with the one you make

Freiheit

Thanks , life is short, too short for too much procrastination....I'll take my chances and stand by them...I have to decide where to live anyway...have to retrain for a second career and thirdly pursue gender reassignment because I simply cannot possibly be happy living as a man....I'll do my best and be true to myself....