ALWAYS FEELING DIFFERENT

I knew I liked girls when I was probably six or seven years old, though I didn’t know why I was feeling that way. When I was about 18 or 19 I decided I was gay – it was all I knew at the time. I didn’t have an understanding of what transgender or transsexual was.
I was always attracted to straight women and I couldn’t understand what that was about. It worked for me at that time though, so I was happy with that.
It was hard to have long-term relationships with straight women, because they would always go back to men. So when I was 30 I decided I would be interested in lesbians. But when I started going out in the gay community I felt different. It was hard for me to come across anyone I found attractive.
I used to have a strong reaction to bridge women, so I would engage them in conversation. I was really surprised to hear that they didn’t feel like men – they dressed like men, but that was about presentation. They didn’t want to be labelled in a particular way.
I was studying counselling at that time and learning about gender issues. I hadn’t had much exposure to it, and I found that lesbians weren’t very open in talking to me about it. There is still so much confusion around the issue.
I then started dating feminine lesbian women and there were also some issues there. Every now and then I found them to be a bit masculine and that made me uncomfortable at times.
But for the last two years I have been with a partner who has a lot of knowledge on the subject. She helped me to understand that I was transgender.
I don’t want to change my sex and I don’t want to become a man. I am happy this way and I am not going to go there. That is where a lot of the confusion and misunderstanding comes from.
Most of the other women I have met who are in a similar position will have the operation and change their sex, so I do feel quite alone. I am sure there are others out there, but I haven’t met them.
I am now beginning to understand why, when I go out on the scene, I am not attracted to lesbians. However, I sometimes find feminine lesbians attractive.
I now formally identify as transgender. I don’t specifically dress like a man or wear men’s clothes. Maybe if I was a man I would be happy to wear men’s clothes, but I am comfortable with the identity I have got.
I wear women’s clothes, but I wear pants and a shirt that are not of a feminine presentation.
People would not know I am transgender by looking at me – they usually see me as a tomboy. Straight women are often attracted to me though. I don’t know whether it is for fun or because they are attracted to a male energy.
If people ask how I identify, I will often say I am gay. But I will say I am transgender if I am talking to someone who has an understanding of gender issues.
In my experience, the straight community has been more willing to understand it. When I talk to lesbians there has sometimes been a negative reaction. A few women I have spoken to when I go out on the scene just look at me in a really confused way. I have definitely found that within the lesbian community there is a lack of knowledge.
* Not her real name.
As told to Cara Davis


Internet Comments:
User Comment

Submitted by Craig, from Sydney, NSW,on the 16/08/2007 3:57:27 PM
Congratulations! to the SSO for putting this accurate piece of information about transgender 'out there' and not turning it into a hodgepodge. Well done! More power to 'Kim' in life as well! Kim said: " I don’t want to change my sex and I don’t want to become a man. I am happy this way and I am not going to go there...Most of the other women I have met who are in a similar position will have the operation and change their sex, so I do feel quite alone. I am sure there are others out there, but I haven’t met them.".... there ARE transgender girls out there like yourself. You might need to 'hunt a little" than usual, but they are absolutely around. It's true there is that group of men around (in apparently female-looking bodies) who will correct their sex and their birth certificate - but my friend - there is definitely plenty of women just like yourself who are transgender. I hope you meet some through this excellent piece of journalism. FTM Australia http://www.ftmaustralia.org/

http://www.ssonet.com.au/display.asp?ArticleID=6870