Welcome to my world. I’ve been asked every last one of these questions at one time or another (many of them, more than once). Most of these (and many others) tend to be more likely to induce a facepalm than an answer.
Now, please don’t misunderstand. If someone has questions for me about transsexuality for the sake of better understanding the situation and condition and whatnot, I would be happy to educate others on what I have learned and experienced over the years. I mean, it’s certainly better to ask questions (whether good or not so good) than to make derogatory remarks or accusations. I guess they’re not technically invalid questions, but think of it like this: When I tell someone I’m transgendered, it tends to be a less than easy task for me. So when I entrust this heavy aspect of my life which for better or worse has made me everything I am today, and the first question I get is “do you sit to pee”, I’m going to feel just a little bit insulted.
Anyway, venting aside it IS supposed to be a joke page. I mean, normally I don’t get barraged like this (thankfully). ^_^
Also worth noting is the extremely experimental page layout. I hope it’s not too hard to follow. Just start at the top and follow it down.
Funny you should say that. I have this friend. Actually we dated for a bit and he told me one night that he liked to dress up in corsets and stuff. So I put him in his first corset and helped him out with make up for awhile. I eventually moved away and when we got back in touch she kept going on and on about the stupid questions people asked her and she was just trying her damndest not to smack some one! lol
Late, but just for reference, generally refer to someone by their current name and pronouns. If you NEED to use the old pronouns, put ‘em in quotes or something
Yep, and such questions are always asked in the most public of places in the loudest voice, as if that in thinking someone "knows something" about you entitles them to rip your privacy away from you.
Foam pad inserts plus padded bra. There are better ways of doing it, yes, but for the kinds of tops Rain tends to wear, this is a totally practical and effective means.
Honestly, for me the most annoying thing about these kinds of questions is that they treat being trans as some kind of hugely abnormal thing -- like it's so incredibly hard for people to grasp the fact that Rain's a girl, and pretty much all of the questions Rudy asks here (except the boobs one and possibly the one about sexual orientation) would probably have the same answers if he asked them to Maria.
I love this comic! Especially being a trans kid myself. When I first came out as trans and went back to classes as trans I was just like this:
Someone is gonna find me out. I'm gonna run into someone who knew me when I was a girl. I won't pass, everyone will know I'm trans. No one is gonna call me "he."
And honestly after a while it gets to be like:
No one cares. I pass good enough. People are gonna call me "he" and if they don't I'll correct them. (Although, I still have one teacher who messes up quite a lot.)
Funny enough, this exact thing happened to me. I went to a class and there was my brother's friend who knew me before my transition when I was, like, 5 or 6 years old. It was crazy! I'm not sure if he's caught on yet (I've mentioned my last name and my brother's name so he probably has because my brother's name is pretty uncommon at least in America) but wether he has or not, he's awesome about it and has actually become one of my best friends.
Awkward questions are always the worst. I like answering questions (and if ever/whenever I start presenting neutrally I will be ready to answer whatever's needed) but when it gets intrusive then people should really start thinking about what they are asking. Curiosity isn't a bad thing, but the other person should always be taken into account when asking them stuff.
I will admit that I have been that person before. One of my friends from school is trans, and that was basically our first interaction. Some of the questions I asked, others I left unsaid. I'm not particularly proud of that whole sequence of events. It's just that he was the first trans person I'd ever met, and being bi with a bi sister and gay brother in a Catholic family, I was legitimately unsure of how to proceed. However, it's worth saying that I meant no offense, I had nothing but love and respect for him, and he took it like a champ. It's still something I feel bad about, but I'm glad we were still able to become friends after that fustercluck.
(rereading and finally got an account!)
looking back on the first chapters i'm alot more bothered by the pronouns than the questions.
~some~ transpeople (points to herself) ask themselves this kind of thing anyway, tiptoing round 'social norms' for the sake of others. yet when other people actually asked me i'd say things like "so when a guy-guy's sitting on the loo, does he then have to stand up before he's comfortable peeing?" .. still never got a clear answer to that.
rudy got me giggling here, reeling off everything without even pausing for answers, and then maria just cornering herself, priceless!
Someone is gonna find me out. I'm gonna run into someone who knew me when I was a girl. I won't pass, everyone will know I'm trans. No one is gonna call me "he."
And honestly after a while it gets to be like:
No one cares. I pass good enough. People are gonna call me "he" and if they don't I'll correct them. (Although, I still have one teacher who messes up quite a lot.)
Funny enough, this exact thing happened to me. I went to a class and there was my brother's friend who knew me before my transition when I was, like, 5 or 6 years old. It was crazy! I'm not sure if he's caught on yet (I've mentioned my last name and my brother's name so he probably has because my brother's name is pretty uncommon at least in America) but wether he has or not, he's awesome about it and has actually become one of my best friends.
looking back on the first chapters i'm alot more bothered by the pronouns than the questions.
~some~ transpeople (points to herself) ask themselves this kind of thing anyway, tiptoing round 'social norms' for the sake of others. yet when other people actually asked me i'd say things like "so when a guy-guy's sitting on the loo, does he then have to stand up before he's comfortable peeing?" .. still never got a clear answer to that.
rudy got me giggling here, reeling off everything without even pausing for answers, and then maria just cornering herself, priceless!