Brave New Life: Part 6: Never the same, and that’s OK

July 3, 2014 By Leave a Comment
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This post is part of a seven part series. To start with the introduction click here. We went to visit for the first time about a year after coming out, it had been almost 2 years since I had seen any of my younger siblings. It was so scary, knowing that just your existence caused so much drama makes it really nerve-wracking  to voluntarily hang out. It makes you second guess each thing you say or do, worrying that something could inadvertently offend or enrage people who have to work so hard to tolerate you. On the other hand, you just want to relax and be yourself, and not try to be something you’re not just to keep the peace. The words from my mom about love mattering more than who … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Conservative Christianity, Healing, LGBTQ, Series Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment

Brave New Life: Introduction

May 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment
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Once upon a time there were two girls. One was very sad most of the time, she kept her head down and did what she was told, because she could not imagine ever being strong enough to do anything different. She hardly knew what it meant to dream, to have goals and ambitions, because her life was already mapped out for her by others, she just had to follow the rules and be the person she was supposed to be. The other girl was very afraid, she had been told her whole life that she was a boy, but secretly she knew she was a girl; she also knew that she could never ever breathe a word about it to anyone, because being a girl born with a boy’s body was wrong and impossible in the world she … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Healing, LGBTQ, Series Tagged With: , Leave a Comment

Gender Transition: Two Years Later

May 14, 2014 By 3 Comments
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A guest post written by my wife Haley Last week marked the two year anniversary of when I started hormone replacement therapy for transitioning my physical body to female. My transition didn’t start with hormones, due to challenges and an involved process to get access to hormones, many other transition milestones had already happened before that day.  I was already full time and out to the world as transgender in March 2012. I had changed my name legally the previous October. Yet these two years have gone by so quickly. When I started hormones, I was a beauty school student. Most of my former social circle had recently disappeared in the wake of having come out. I had moved to a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Encouragement, Healing, LGBTQ, Reflections Tagged With: , , 3 Comments

No Blurred Lines

February 25, 2014 By 7 Comments
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We were picking up toys in the living room, and the radio switched to Robin Thicke’s song “blurred lines.” After a minute I walked over and changed the station, MS Action stopped her be-bopping and asked “Why’d you turn off that song mom? It’s good for dancing.” I thought about it, “It is a good beat for dancing isn’t it, I just don’t really like the words in that song.” “Oh, why don’t you like the words mom?” My 7 year old persisted. “Well, he sings about doing stuff to people that they don’t want him to do, and… he thinks it’s OK.”  I tried to explain. “That’s not OK!” piped up 5 year old MS Drama.” “You shouldn’t do things to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Conservative Christianity, Feminism, Healing Tagged With: , , , 7 Comments

‘Tis the Season

December 6, 2013 By 4 Comments
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It’s below zero outside. Even though I can feel the cold seeping through the walls, the house feels cozy.  I try to organize my thoughts enough to write, and end up making spaghetti for the kids instead while snitching bites of leftover homemade brownies in the corner cabinet.   The tree in the corner is re-decorated by the kids almost every day, Mr Punk likes to crawl behind it and unplug the lights. Each child has a pair of boots and coat and snowpants that fit them, we have mittens and hats to go around too. That is a good feeling.   It’s dark when I walk to work in the morning. Sometimes I trip because I am looking up at the moon and stars while I crunch … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Healing, Life, Reflections Tagged With: 4 Comments

The Habit of Peace

February 4, 2013 By 12 Comments
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Every season is nice, but each one ends up feeling about 6 weeks too long for my taste. I have always hated the month of January, long, cold, gray, lonely January. And this year February starts with more snow. I may be tired of the cold, but the snow is beautiful. What makes it swirl as it falls? It’s like a soft blanket for the soul. Watching it fall soothes the hurts, it feels like a hug. Quiet. That’s what it is. Snow falling is the definition of quiet, even if you are surrounded by chaos, lightly falling snow is a visual representation of peace. Peace. I’m still learning the meaning of the word. I used to think that peace meant that everything was perfect, something to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Healing, Life, Reflections Tagged With: , 12 Comments

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