Wherein i decide to post a sappy, saccharine-filled, four minute infomercial for Mastodon and the Beige Party cuz it’s today is my one year on Masto day!
Don’t bother wasting your money on extra cheese. This is pretty dang cheesy right outta the box.
Love you all super bunchies to the moon and back!!!
I remember you were one of, if not the first person I had a conversation with via Direct Message here.
I immediately told our friend Terra via text "Mastodon is SO coooool!!! I just had a conversation with the person who started and helped develop Safari!"
Thank you for befriending me. I am truly humbled to be in your company. Muah!!!
@lisamelton There is a virus, and you’re spreading it. 😜 Your coming out post was the beginning of my awakening. The egg had cracks, for sure, but… I started following you because I had some vague notion of who you were from your Apple days, and I am a geek, and love Apple products and I thought “isn’t it cool that people can still find ways to be their true selves even later in life?” What a good ally I (thought I) was!
And then I started seeing transition timelines, and shared experiences that sounded just like the things that I was thinking and feeling… So I started reading about HRT, because I had no idea what was possible, and what changes the body would go through. One of my brain’s blocking points, for years, had been “I would just look like a man in women’s clothes and I don’t want that.” When I saw what was actually possible, even without surgeries… 🐣
I had a realization this weekend that I had known for a long time that I was a woman; I just didn’t realize that what I was feeling was the trans experience. Your post, unknowingly to us both, opened the door to that knowledge for me, and for that, for being visible and out and proud, I can never thank you enough. 💜🫂
@portugeek ZOMG, I am humbled and delighted by this! That I might have played even a small part in you blossoming into womanhood. 🥲😊💖
Thank you so, so much for your story. On this day of actual thanksgiving.
And I can say in solidarity how much your story echos my own. Finally seeing the possibilities and believing they can be made manifest in ourselves. But we both overcame the fear too, didn't we? We are the strong ones. 🥰
@lisamelton Trust me, you played more than a small part. I have no doubt that I would have eventually gotten there, but who knows how much longer it would have taken?
And yes, we do overcome a lot. The fear can feel a bit overwhelming but… I don't know how was it for you but the certainty within me, once I understood who I really was, was an unstoppable force. Once I knew, I knew there was no turning back and no other option, no matter what. It also cost me my marriage, and my home... but I wouldn't give this up for the world. I am also privileged and proud to be your sister. 🫂
@portugeek (Sorry I took so long to see this and respond. My son was visiting for a Thanksgiving lunch. The only celebration I'll get today since I'm no longer invited to my soon-to-be ex-in-laws for such.)
Oh god! Same, same, same. Once I knew then I was on a mission. @jessica likes to joke that I'm speedrunning my transition. And I think she's right. 😊
It also cost me my marriage and home. But I wouldn't give it up either.
@lisamelton (No need to apologise, you don't owe me a quick reply. And I am so sorry to hear about your celebration; my soon-to-be-ex-in-laws don't know yet but I have a feeling that they will have a similar reaction…)
I feel like if I had been given the chance I would have been doing the exact same thing but unfortunately bureaucracy and gatekeeping stopped me just as I was prepared to sprint my transition. I am in a bit of a limbo because of multiple things out of my control... but once this is over with, watch me run. 😄
@lisamelton@Terra@WrenArcher
Trans time is weird. It's been 5 years for me, which still feels like yesterday in some ways, a lifetime ago in others. I've seen SO MANY folks coming out since me, and it NEVER GETS OLD! It's kinda funny, while the right is kinda right but for all the wrong reasons about trans being a "social contagion". There's an awful lot of closeted siblings living out their lives that just need the exposure to and support from someone to figure themselves out. But it's not that we're turning anyone trans, we're just showing them it's safe to stop lying to the world and it's okay to be themselves.
So I wasn’t really on the bird site before, although I did have an account. I just didn’t really interact there or post very often, if at all really.
And so I heard how a lot of people were leaving it for Mastodon. And I signed up during that huge influx of people last year.
I still have that account from when I first joined and I post to it every now and again but it’s more politics and policy focused. And I saw it leaning that way more and more you know, just a few months after I joined and I guess I decided I wanted an account where I could be a little silly, a little off-the-cuff, maybe a little vulnerable?… and just you know, an account that was like… a little more personal.
And I eventually landed at the Beige Party. And I’m so glad I did! There are some really neat people here… really funny. I love the extra-long character count. And our Admin is…
You know Theropologist, I couldn’t do this without giving a shout out to you. @theropologist is the best. He is so good at taking care of things behind the scenes and I don’t have to worry about haters coming at me, which is something as a trans girl online, you know… more often than not, we have to worry about people being ugly to us. But because of the way I’ve found Mastodon to be and particularly this instance, I rarely think about it.
And that’s something that has made such huge difference compared to other places on the net. Being on this platform has really just been amazing.
It’s been so good for my mental and emotional health. And honestly… I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say, it’s been “life changing”.
I mean, I’ve had conversations with people that have opened my eyes to new ways of looking at things, interactions that have tugged at my heart, made me cry. Heck I’ve had interactions with people that have made me laugh so hard that I started crying.
And just… the whole experience has given me a fresh hope, in a number of different ways, in… in ways that I haven’t felt in a really, really long time.
I mean I’ve… I’ve met people here and because of that, I have texting buddies who periodically check on me. I’ve had lunch and dinner with a few who were at one point just strangers on the internet… you know people who lived in my phone, who turned into friendly people here who I interacted with and then became trusted friends.
I’ve met women here… cis and trans, who have become role models. And I’ve met guys here who are some of those…
actually…
really nice guys.
Yeah, imagine that. Guys who are just… nice.
I’ve had video calls with a handful of people here. I have a friend from here who… she, she doesn’t really post here anymore but I regularly call to let her know how I’m doing…
as well as to see how she’s doing.
And believe it or not,
I’ve become really, really close to a handful of very special friends here who’ve become like sisters.
Yeah. In just one year…
I have
new
sisters.
I am so, so very thankful I found all of y’all.
I cannot express how much you all mean to me…
not even close.
Happy Mastoversary to me.
@WrenArcher 💗 I am getting all teary eyed over here after listening to that.
I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but it reminded me of Dolly Parton telling a story by a campfire. Just so sweet and genuine and uplifting and it has made my day (perhaps even year).
She's like... a queer-community Icon... with a capital "I" ! She is THE example of queer allyship. She makes people feel warm and fuzzy. She has a theme park! She helps people when they're down.
She is Dolly FUCKING Parton!
Nope. Not coming across the wrong way at all. In fact, I might just print this response and hang it from the mirror in my vehicle. I love it! 🥰
@WrenArcher Well I sure am glad you joined. I can't imagine this place, or this year without you. Yes, sisters. Imagine that. Happy Mastoversary, Wren Birdie! 💗
Add comment