Random Meetings

I had planned on catching up with one of the new girls I had met at my second cafe night. For coffee and the all important window shopping trip . She sent me a message Sunday morning to let me know that she was at another coffee meeting and how she would love me to meet some of the other girls there. Needless to say within an hour I'm jumping into the car that I had  borrowed from a good friend and headed over to "cafe Aroma" in Werribee. honestly its not that far
No sooner than I get there I'm introduced to Alex the co-creator of the group and Amy, another girl I hadn't met before and we head inside to meet the rest of the little group. This little group is 20 to 30 of the most diverse collection of souls I've ever met, a complete alphabet soup of diversity coming together to offer support for each other and the topic of the day!!

How to achieve the best results, from the proposed  relocation of the train station.
with the group discussing ideas for the footpaths roadways and intersections to ease the traffic congestion problem they have now


I know. Your thinking to yourself  "an odd topic of discussion for a gender diversity group" surely shouldn't they me proposing that the red stoplight is changed to pink.
but then again why not , its an important proposal that will affect all of the citizens of Wyndham however we identify ourselves
Of course we discussed the flag raising ceremony that will be happening shortly, and ways to support each others business interests and how best to  provide a safe community for all.


I was totally blown away, by just how diverse this group really  is , 

Shhhhhh. they even have straight people there. 

  I know shocking , and they were really nice too. Not at all like I was led to believe.


 

You can
Find them on facebook

Wyndham Rainbow Neighbours

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003739425610

or 

email them on 

neighbours@tpg.com.au

If you find yourself wanting something to do 

Thursday, 17 May 2012 at 9:30 am

why not join us as we raise the flag raise the flag and stand proud! 

Come meet with your GLBTIQ community and celebrate an inclusive society.

Morning tea provided.If you rsvp on facebook

or via email

Lisa.Field@wyndham.vic.gov.au

that always helps for catering, otherwise just turn up! 

IDAHo Day - Raising the Rainbow Flag in Wyndham

http://www.facebook.com/events/224201131015434/

Cafe Success

The Second cafe night

Well last night was my second cafe night at Alphabet cafe .
It was a two bus and a tram  to get there as I am now find myself without a working van  ( I kind of destroyed the motor ). But that gave me an opportunity to gauge how easy or difficult it might be for anyone else relying on public transport.and honestly it was really easy, I quite literally  hopped of one bus straight into the next and again just as easily onto the tram finding myself  dropped of almost in front of the cafe door. Something that would never happen in sleepy little Adelaide

Upon entering early I saw two close of my close friends already deciding what delectable feast will be delighting their taste-buds this evening. Again Mark bought me my usual pot of Chai tea to begin the night while we all waited to see who else would turn up

Pretty soon we had taken over one large table and were sprawling into the next table as yet more arrived
Surrounded by a sea of faces that I have known and people that I had only  met that night. I managed to greet the new people and introduce them to the others and spend some time to make sure they were comfortable
and happy. Seeing everyone interact and share tales with each other really made my night perfect. Even I had no problems engaging with them which was always my greatest hurdle,  one that I would constantly fail to achieve with any measure of success, unless you count falling face first into a muddy pool

Thank you to all of you who were able to attend last night.  Thank you Leanne for promoting my night on Your Vic-Gender group

And a  very special thank you, to My good friend Ina for saving me from eating this delicious chocolate cake 

YUM

Hope you all had a great night as well and I look forward to seeing you at the next one.

Tuesday the 15th of   May

Jade's story

A very good friend of mine from Sydney has allowed me to post her story on my blog

Jade is one of two people in my early stages of coming out, who helped me to realise that yes I can achieve my dream of being true, to both myself and those around me
And that it is possible to transition into the female I have yearned to be (felt I was )  my whole life
Jade and myself shared our inner thoughts and after seeing her before and after pictures and hearing her story,
I realised that I to could pass as female ( or should I say be accepted by the community I live in as female )

I owe so much too Jade and Andrea for helping me to make that difficult decision to finally be free and happy

I Hope her story helps another person to decide to live the life they dream of

Just hit the link in my pages bar and it will take you the her blog 

Belief

Just the other day on two separate occasions at work, I was validated by two completely different types of customer

The first being a mother of two children. Where as I started working on installing their new shower , her children questioned Mum about me. And after explaining what I was there for, she commented to me on how the children rarely see a female tradesperson. I must admit that made me smile as a mother of two affirmed me as a female in front of her children

The next was on a construction site where the tradies were unloading my van , there was some sort of discussion which I never actually  heard , but the comment " Don't do arguing in front of a woman ". Now that I did hear
and I must admit I blushed and smiled with glee. even though my very next thought was, Oh he's going to cop a ribbing about that

Two completely random events that combined with the positive responses I have had from strangers should surely empower me and give me strength to continue. and realise that maybe just maybe they really do see a woman  coming to do a job that is usually dominated by males, or a woman coming to do some shopping

And combined with walking into a fashion house to find the manager hunting for more clothes for me to try and parading me like I am her new clothes horse , Walking out of there after three hours of being pampered, dressed up and told how beautiful I am. with bag loads of gorgeous clothes at less than trade price. And  having her play the Thai version of "Please marry my son " (which actually made him blush ). Now surely all that should make me wake up.

But No... 

Funny how that doesn't really work out. Even after two years of transitioning and semi confidently going out as my true self fulltime for the last 4 months. I still at times find it difficult to believe... that, maybe just maybe I am passing and much more feminine looking than I think.

I know I look better than I ever did three four years ago , when I had a constant beard shadow carrying 20 kilo of extra fat and an expression that would scare a statue into dust, as I lumbered down the path looking more like a character from a horror movie. If I had been any more of a Neanderthal you would be looking for the bolts holding my neck in place
 

So why is it that I still find it so difficult at times 

to have that belief in myself 

I swear if i wasn't so adverse to violence

 I'd give me self a damn good SLAP!!!

It seems that lately I am being received far better that I could ever have wished for. Being accepted as just me not as some side show act for their entertainment. And yet even then I don't always see what they see in me

Colour me Dumb