Skeezyks, I wish I could offer you words that ease the particular pain you are in. I think for anyone of any age, gender identity issues must be such a difficult thing to face, because society is so threatened and hostile by and to people with it. Which is so stupid - while I can see perhaps the concern of a partner or child or close family member, since they always knew the status quo, and change is hard no matter what the situation, the larger society needs to be enlightened as it is gradually with sexual orientation. I am sure for older people it is even much harder, growing up in a far more rigid and unsympathetic culture.

I know that transgender people are often the butt of jokes, or worse. I think that much more openness would help that. But, as I feel about my situation, you may feel about yours, to "out" yourself is to go through a one-way door, impossible to go back, and the fallout and effects are unknown. So it is an enormous risk.

I am glad to see more exposure in the public eye that shows trans people as people leading regular lives. I really enjoyed watching the character development of the beautician Sophia on the Netflix series 'Orange is the New Black" about a federal women's prison. Sophia the character is transgender male to female, fully transitioned, but faces questions such as does she belong in a women's prison, should the government pay for her ongoing hormone replacement therapy? The actress who plays Sophia is make to female fully transitioned, and I gotta say, she has had a couple of nude scenes, and she is a stunningly beautiful woman. The storyline also gives her back story, starting as a male NYC firefighter who kept in the closet, then slowly coming to terms, transitioning, dealing with a child and wife who freaked. I honestly do not know how or why the character was sentenced to 10 years, I have to confess the only time I watch tv is middle of the night, and I often fall asleep and miss things.