And It Got Serious When…

And it got serious when…

Two years ago around this time is when I came out to my parents, after years of subtle hints, most of which they would attribute to childish behavior and label as a “phase” and gee was that a long phase or what?

Looking back now, it’s kind of funny how it all fell into place: I made a joke to my mom that what I was planning on doing in Canada was getting bottom surgery. She freaked out and talked to my cousin who sat me down and gave me a lecture, but I was not ready to discuss anything so I kept quiet. What was I supposed to do? I was sure they wouldn’t understand!

I was still convinced this will never work in Lebanon and I’ll have to do it alone somewhere else.  They all agreed I should be taken to a psychiatrist, so my mom talked to a cardiologist friend of hers who works at this clinic. He told her to take me there, that he’d talk to me and that there’s a psychologist who can see me too. Confused yet? I was and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. The Saturday before my cousin’s wedding and 2 weeks before Christmas, we go to the clinic and after talking to both doctors, they tell my mom that there’s no doubt, the boy has Gender identity disorderand should be left to express himself they way he wants. They were not sure how to proceed though, but at least they told my mom not to pressure me to go to the wedding and to let me choose my own style.

So after that, my mom takes me holiday shopping. We go to my favorite shop and I get pants, a shirt and a vest. It was the style I wanted at the time and I looked good in it. Around that same time, we got internet at home and that’s how I got in touch with my brothers and how we later got introduced to meem. It was still a rough patch with the parents; they were still in denial and trying to cope. Months later -and several doctors later- there was no doubt in anyone’s mind, I’ve started the process slowly and steadily.

And nowadays, it’s all going according to plan, a regular job with a steady income, a roof over my head, loving parents I visit whenever I get the chance and a great network of friends always around the corner. And let’s not forget The Boyz and the wild journeys we take. Life is an adventure and that’s how we’re living it.

 - Contributed by MavericK