Over the past week, I’ve been coming out as trans to my family in bits and pieces. For my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins, I composed an email and sent it to them. For those who are are Facebook or Myspace, I sent the emails to them there because I had no real email address for them.
Below are some of the messages I got back:
Dear Jesse,
I’ve always loved you for your soul. Your a great person and a wonderful cousin. I’ve admired you & looked up to you since I was very young. Your have our support whenever you need it. I hope this transition gives you peace and strength to live a content life. We love you and are here for you.
C*** & L** (Tj & Wolfie too)
—
Hey Jess,I Love You and give you all of my support.I hope everything goes well with the doctors and everything you have to do for it to be successful.I just wanted to let you know that.You go man!
Love, C******
—
You know I love you and want you to be comfortable in your skin. I just hope everything is completely safe. I think it would be odd to us, if you went from the way you were before, then make this decision, but you have looked and dressed like a male for many years, so it is not going to be an awkward transition. Good luck. I am glad Tina and the kids are supportive. I actually work with a transgender person at work. She is really nice. I love you and good luck.
Love you and miss you much – J***
—
hey jess! how r u doing cuz? i just want 2 let u know that i support you 100%. I love ya lots. tell tina and the fam me n H***** say hello!!! xoxox
———-
Hi Jesse,
I support you and feel this must have been a hard decision for you to make. Ever since you’ve come out, I’ve always thought of you as a man. I hope everything goes great with your surgeries etc. If you ever need a friend to talk to please call me. I love you dearly, Aunt L***. Goodnight, nephew.
—
I love you and will always support you. xoxoxoxo Aunt R**** 
—
And then, yesterday I went to see my Grandfather for a face-to-face coming out conversation.
Me – Grandpa, I need to talk to you about something (moved closer to sit by him so I didn’t have to shout as he’s a bit hard of hearing these days)
G – Sure, is everything ok?
Me – Yeah, it’s actually really great. (and then I tell him about the transition process etc. didn’t really need to preface it he already knew)
G – Sweets (aww), I’m proud of you for doing this. It had to have been really hard for you living as a female all these years. I’m sorry if you felt you couldn’t be your true self because you were afraid that your family might reject you. I love you and just want you to have peace and happiness and will always be here for you.
Me - Wow, Grandpa, thank you for saying that. It means very much to me to have your support. (big hug)
G – Now you said you had a problem or something to tell me?
Me - No Grandpa, no problem… that was it.
G – Aww geez, I though there was something wrong with you or you were sick or something.. you scared me. That’s not a big deal, thanks for telling me.
—
Holy hell. I could have left that house doing backflips. I was so freaking happy and calm inside, it was great. I was most nervous abt talking to Grandpa for some reason. Now the only ones left to tell are on my Dad’s side… including Dad himself and my youngest siblings. I’m less nervous now knowing that I’ve got so many people who love me unconditionally and the most amazing wife ever by my side!
Wish me luck.
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01/06/2009 at 11:28 am Permalink
You don’t need luck.
You have love.
01/06/2009 at 11:34 am Permalink
OMG, I read grandpa’s response and cried at the depth of his love. I am so happy everyone is so supportive and that you are so brave. We love you!
01/06/2009 at 2:10 pm Permalink
I’m crying over here, you have an amazing family.
01/06/2009 at 2:38 pm Permalink
Awww Jess, I’m so happy for you, your family is great! And your grandpa made me cry at work!
01/06/2009 at 2:52 pm Permalink
WOW that’s amazing! Congrats! May all your conversations about your transition be as loving and ‘easy’ as these have been!
01/06/2009 at 3:14 pm Permalink
Wow, Jess! Your family truly is amazing and your grandpa even more so. I’m so very happy that you are so well loved and supported by your family. And I totally agree with Tina!
Cheers! ^_^
01/06/2009 at 4:22 pm Permalink
Jess,
That story about your grandpa is AMAZING. I am SO HAPPY for you that you have such love and support. Really shows how the world is changing.
01/06/2009 at 6:18 pm Permalink
i read this post aloud to fg just now. when i finished i said to her, you know, jess’s family seems to be all… just like jess. warm, generous, kind, and loving. so happy for you, man.
01/06/2009 at 6:20 pm Permalink
I’m feeling very happy for you Jess and I hope the good stuff keeps coming. QRx
01/06/2009 at 6:53 pm Permalink
Wow, that is so great that your family is so supportive. I’m so happy for you!
01/06/2009 at 8:37 pm Permalink
Your family is amazing. It’s so good to hear how much support and love you are getting.
02/06/2009 at 3:23 am Permalink
Wow that’s brilliant Jess. You have a wonderful family.
02/06/2009 at 3:57 am Permalink
Jess, I am weeping reading this. You are surrounded, deservedly, by so much love in your life. Amazing.
fimg xx
02/06/2009 at 5:32 am Permalink
Wow Jess!
Your family seems absolutely wonderful, and I’m very happy for you. Surely I don’t have to tell you that it is not always this way.
I’m really happy for you.
02/06/2009 at 8:06 am Permalink
All comments above are so right… amazing family and surrounded by love.
But what it comes down to is that you get what you give and Jess, you give a lot of love. It all comes back around – you’re so deserving.
And your Grandpa – what an angel. I had that kind of unconditional love with my Grandma and it’s so friggin beautiful. Bless you both.
02/06/2009 at 9:45 pm Permalink
Jess, it goes without saying that you do have an awesome family. And having met you, I can see that you are extremely warm, generous and very kind. Obviously you get that from your family. You are very very lucky and I am sure you are aware of that. What you put out there does come back to you.
03/06/2009 at 3:16 am Permalink
..now, ya know don’t like to cry…. damn you and your famtastic family……
we loves you much!
09/06/2009 at 12:04 am Permalink
As someone who comes from a less than supportive family, I got a little emotional when reading the responses from yours. How wonderful for you to have that support net, especially your grandpa.