The Inner Struggle

I wish I could say it was easy.  Parts of this transition are.  I know who I am, I have hope of how I will change the external to match the internal, but I also have family and friends, work and society.  Most of you know what I am talking about…while those of us who are transgender must wrestle with the gender dysphoria feelings, we also must occasionally deal with the desire to purge.

For me it usually follows a setback.  Comments that are decidedly negative about the current transgender issues from friends I assumed were much more open minded have been a frequent stumbling block for me lately.  One such occurrence happened to me just a few weeks ago, and as I was about to “come out” about my current journey.  Talk about being sucker punched in the pseudo-lady bits!!!

The inner dialog always starts with the same question…”Wouldn’t it be easier?”  The words that have launched numerous agonizing bouts of self-doubt, temptation to take every “girly” thing I own and treasure and lock them away (or worse throw them away), a thousand mental reminders to cancel my next therapy appointment, let my counselor know by email “I’m cured” and slink back into the same male farce that has made me feel so out of place and “wrong” as I have tried to live it for so long.

Balance is so hard to achieve.  If I had my way sometimes I would book my surgeries, disappear without a trace, and start a whole new life as the me I really am inside, but that isn’t fair to my ultra supportive wife, my kids, my parents, her parents who have virtually adopted me as their own. So why not just let things stay as they are, or just deal with my dysphoria as I always have?

Unfortunately the answer is always the same: because it keeps getting worse; because life is short; because the stress and depression that come from not moving forward are often more binding than the corset I try to squeeze into to give myself more of an hourglass figure.

As I write this I’m not experiencing one of those episodes…this isn’t a cry for support.  I promised myself when I started writing for this site that I would be honest with the good and the bad.  I hope to help others the same way I have found help and encouragement here.  Are there days I wish I could stop being Vicki?  Would it be easier? I can stop wanting to breathe but it doesn’t mean my lungs or body will allow it.  And when the panic hits it’s what I always come back to…when I remember to slow my breathing and calm down.

Vicki isn’t someone I’m trying to become, it’s who I am. I can put on every item of male clothing I own and it will never change the fact that my inner voice is female, or that when I look in the mirror it’s not the reflection I want to see…yet!

The journey continues.  In my case it simply has to,  but sometimes it’s finding the right pace, the right balance that matters the most.

EnFemme

More Articles by Vicki T.

View all articles by Vicki T.
The following two tabs change content below.

Vicki T.

46 year old "new born" to transitioning. I'm finally coming out of the box I kept my true-self in for so long, and though it's not always easy, its definitely more the real me every day. I'm looking to make new close friends. I have so much to learn and I can use all the help and support I can get.

Latest posts by Vicki T. (see all)

Tags:
0 0 votes
Article Rating
14 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Vicki Rogers
Lady
Member
7 years ago

Oh, Vicki… this was a very good thing for me to read right now. I recently adopted the name Vicki, myself! My wife was very supportive of my need to express myself as Vicki. I only found out recently that she was doing so not because she accepted it, but because she felt it was something I needed to do and she wanted me to be happy – even at the cost of her own comfort. So, I’ve had to NOT be Vicki for some time now. So when I saw the words in the email notification about this article:… Read more »

Anita Watkins
Anita Watkins
7 years ago

Vicki, thank you for sharing. Your struggle is what I’m dealing with. This helps put it into words. I hope to be as courageous as you are as I get more into this journey.

Tamera Lynn
Tamera Lynn
6 years ago

Dearest Vicki . . . . . I can’t possibly hope to understand what you’ve been going through; I can, however, offer all of the love and support that I can muster for your brave transition. Your words act like a sponge, drawing me in, and I sincerely thank you for the honesty and integrity that you impart with each sentence that you write. I hope that you’ll accept me as a friend, just as you have so many others. Love to you, Tamera

jill vail' class='avatar avatar-64 photo' height='64' width='64' />
jill vail
5 years ago

I can relate to this article as I am going trough some of the same emotions right now thank you for your insightful story as I find it to be inspirational

14
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from Crossdresser Heaven.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?