Wednesday July 22, 2015 - I told my cousin and it went great

I traveled to New Jersey, on my way to CT. Flying into Philadelphia because of a cheap airline ticket, I decided to spend some time with a college buddy and his wife. I met him (I will call him Steve) during the first week of school and we because instant friends. We were in each others wedding and even though he went back to Philly and I stayed in Atlanta, we get together every  year or two.

He and his wife took me out to lunch. While waiting for our food, Steve's wife complimented me on my nails. She told me that they looked better than hers and were well groomed. She turned  to Steve and asked why he does not get a manicure.

He laughed and said that he needed them rough because it helped him when scratching his butt and private areas. We all laughed knowing that is Steve. Going to college in the early 70's, Steve and his Philly friends were very aggressive toward women. I found that different and funny. I do not think that same behavior would be acceptable today. I know it would not be to me. One example of their behavior was "cat calling" women.

However, I was smiling and very pleased that another women recognized my nails and complimented me on it.

I then complimented our waitress on her eyelashes. She said thank you and explained that she use to wear extensions but the glue took out her natural eyelashes. So she uses an eyelash serum to help her natural lashes grow and an extender mascara.

I do not know if Steve's wife picked up on my new found attention toward female grooming, but she joined my conversation with the waitress on her eyelashes.

I left Steve's and traveled to New Jersey to see my first cousin. I arrived at around 6 pm and we stayed up talking until 1 am. We talked about our families and of course that led to our time growing up. I only have two first cousins and they are sisters, two years apart. We all grew up together.

I am the only one of my siblings to have children (3) and she is the only sibling to have children (3).

Our discussion turned to one of our favorite second cousins, Jeffery. I may have mention this in a previous post, but Jeffery was a couple of years older than me and came out in 10th grade by wearing women's clothes to high school. It was a big issue in our small town and in our family. He was kicked out of school and his father kicked him out of the house. My Dad was President of the School Board and tried to help my cousin. But he ended up on the street ans eventually died of AIDS in the early to mid 1980's.

He was one reason why I went deeper in the closet. I saw what happened and did not want that to happen to me.

While we were on this subject, I told my cousin that I was like Jeffery and I was and still am a crossdresser. I went on to explain what being gender fluid was. She was very surprised but was pleased I told her.

We spent the next couple of hours talking about Caitlyn Jenner, how my family feels about it and how I handled it over the years.

I told her I was telling family first because I want my family and then my friends to know that they have known a "crossdresser" for years.

Polling shows that once someone who knows a transgendered person becomes more accepting of our community.

So I am doing my part to help myself and the community.

Today, I am having lunch with an old girlfriend and I am going to tell her. This will be the first non-family member I am sharing my gift with. I am hoping she will share her secret with me.