2010: Snapshot from a Pivotal Year

January 2, 2010

This was from way back at the beginning of 2010.  I was obviously happy to be dressed that day but I've changed quite a bit since then....

2010 was a pivotal year for me. 
The previous year I had made the decision to come out to my spouse and had been trying to do that for at least 6 months when this photo was taken. I had no idea how or if I could ever come out to my parents, what I considered my Mt. Everest, and my greatest fear in telling my spouse is that she would tell them about me. I also had been wanting to see a therapist for quite some time and was trying to gain the courage to actually do it.  I hoped that the therapist would be able to help me come up with a way to come out to my spouse but in October, 10 months after this photo was taken, I came out to her on my own and told her I wanted to go into therapy.  At first she agreed but it became obvious that she wanted me to see a therapist who would somehow "make me stop" and I wanted to see one that could help me with my gender issues, which had become so consuming by this time that it was seriously affecting my work.  14 months after I came out to her, in December 2011, I finally entered therapy and 12 months after that, on December 21, 2012, I was full time.  My Mt. Everest was behind me and I was much happier than I ever remembered being.