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Comments
Excellent
as always, and also heart wrenching. So many of Rayne's feelings are familiar, though I hope she doesn't end up waiting 30 years to do something about it.
This is a truly wonderful story Flummox. It always makes my day when there's a new chapter.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it
Thanks so much Kristen! It always makes my day to hear from you.
Seb has to know.
He knew Eve was spending time with a "cousin" that he knew they didn't have. He's come to Ray's defense over his art, and was sort of a voice of reason after the documentary trying to say there's more to this than just a documentary... I can't help but feel that he suspected something, and when Ray admitted to spending time with the two art students, who were at an art showing the night before and since Ray is the artist... It felt like his comment of 'dammit' was more of a confirmation to what he was already thinking...
At least thats how it felt to me, but then again I probably read too deep into it. Lol
So glad to see chapter 10 this morning, please oh please keep writing.
I know I’m weird. The fact that I’m trans is probably one of the more normal things about me.
Seb
His 'damnit' was more about not knowing Cynthia and Ryan, like Raymond said he wouldn't. But you're definitely right about him suspecting something, after what he's seen and heard he'd be pretty dozy not to. That's all I'll say for now though. ;P
I'm so glad to see you're still reading, and don't you worry. I have no plans of stopping yet. :)
A terrifically well written chapter
It covered a lot of topics with sensitivity and felt very believable. The personalities of the families were so well done it was almost like I was sitting in at the family reunion too.
Wow
That's such a huge compliment, thank you so much Wendy! A lot of the characters are loosely based off of real people, so maybe that contributes to their believability.
Either way, thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment!
Nooooooo!!
... I think Rayne should give Eva a key (if its a key lock) just in case, I don't see her "coping" with her rollercoaster life much longer without something going off
...
Seb and Lizzie seem cool with it (Seb may have twigged and it feels like Lizzie might explode with happiness if 'Raymin' turns into a princess)
Kinda hope some of the others realise (from Eva's insistence on them watching it, Rayne's reaction to their reactions, and them leaving early) that it was a test and that they totally failed
and what is up with Billy's reaction? disagrees but doesn't want everyone to turn on him, or something different... (probably just disagrees)
....
outside the story, I am genuinely curious just how many trans people's first moment of questioning was that moment in Pokemon
Really good point about the key
Rayne is under a lot of pressure, maybe Eva or Mrs. Reid will insist.
Reactions
It's definitely been quite a ride for Rayne. Hopefully things will calm down for her soon.
You're probably not wrong about Lizzie. xD She'd love to have a princess for her cousin.
Billy's reaction was mostly because he hadn't fully formed his own opinion yet, and so - as children often do - he just echoed someone else's.
When I decided to incorporate video games into the story, that was one of the first scenes that leaped to mind. I thought it fit this story very well.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment. It means a lot to me.
Poor Ray
The lack of understanding by the assembled family left Ray absolutely devastated.Eva will need to devise a plan to bring up within the immediate family as an assembled group is not the forum yet to bring this up.\
Loving the story. Keep the updates coming
A big challenge to overcome
It's definitely something that they'll need to overcome in the future.
I'm overjoyed that you've been enjoying the story. New chapter should be coming soon.
this is so well done, such a pleasure
I can't imagine how Rayne feels right now.
I loved the way you switched between Rayne answering her father to Raymond clearing his throat. Lovely bit of writing.
The whole thing is just fantastic. It just hits a tone that I really enjoy.
I love the way Seb and Eva stand up for Rayne/Raymond.
Overjoyed
I'm on cloud nine right now. Thanks you so so much for the kind words. It really means a lot.
I'll keep doing my best, and hopefully you won't be disappointed.
Serious chapter
We've seen Raymond's tiny hope crushed, and by some of his own relatives too, though unknowing. Some must have been following cues and inherited opinion from their elders too. This will take some mending. Good work, Flummox.
Small oops: "Cynthia" describing Cynthia?
"Reach for the sun."
I cringed
When I saw that. Ugh. What a silly mistake. ^//////^
Thanks for pointing it out though, I fixed it right away. Someone else pointed out that I mixed up names in one other place.
I'll have to be more careful of that in the future. I think I tried so hard to catch typo's and grammatical errors that I paid less attention to other things.
Thanks so much for the comment and the catch, always glad to see you're still reading Podracer.
I knew this page was coming
It doesn't hurt any less. You wrote them well, don't get me wrong. Just... wow this is so familiar... I too had very little support. My littlest cousin supported me because she wasn't yet brainwashed by the cult I was born in. But alot of my family members still look at me like... it's not even me anymore. Flummy you wrote this well, I'm just... it's just so painful... so freaking painful *sobs* Poor Rayne...
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D
Don't be sad!
I'm so sorry you had to go through that Chelsea. I've never understood how people can be so horrible to anyone at all, let alone their family. I just don't get it. Why can't everyone just give each other the love and respect they deserve? Things have improved so much compared to 20 or 30 years ago, but still. I don't see how that was ever okay. I'm truly blessed to have been born into a supportive loving family.
"He just needed to sleep, but first, to cry."
ouch.
Not easy
You're not wrong Dorothy. It's not easy hearing people's honest, unfiltered opinions.
Different generation, different expectations
To me even a possibility of a conversation as a child (1960s and 70s) would have been great. But the idea of transitioning that young? Impossible. That helps keep the disappointment at bay; expectations, ya know?
While I empathize with Rayne to a certain extent, I roll my eyes a bit at how much better her chances are than the previous generations of us.
Changing times
You're absolutely right. Things are so so much better today then they ever were back then. It's the heroes like you, from that era, who have helped get us to where we are today.There is still a lot of discrimination, and a lot of things that need to be fixed, but we have come so far.
The LGBTQ+ from my generation have it so much better because of the contributions and sacrifices of yours. I am eternally grateful.
I hope that you'll keep reading in the future, and I would love to hear more from you.
I really liked Evalyn's
I really liked Evalyn's method of getting information and thoughts out of all her relatives and parents regarding their feelings about transgenderism.
I just wish that this type of method had been available to me when I was researching the subject back in my college days.
Did learn much, much more when I was in the Stanford University Medical Gender Program back in the middle-late 1970s.
I knew what I was when I first learned about and saw and heard Christine Jorgesen (sic) back in the early 1950's.
It was like a lightbulb came on in my head, along with a very large "DING".
I do have a feeling that Rayne's parents and brother especially will stand behind her and support her when she does come out.
So far I count for certain, a sister, a brother, a little cousin, most likely a Mom and Dad; and possibly an Uncle and maybe an Aunt. The rest of her relatives not so sure of right now. They may take a little longer to accept it, if ever.
It sounds like you've seen a
It sounds like you've seen a lot in your time Janice.
Things have changed so much since then. Thankfully the world is a lot more accepting now, although there is still a ways to go.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, comment, and share that with me. It means a lot.
Yeah..
Happy to be able to read another chapter.
I think it was good what Eva did for Ray. Now knowing how their family will react, atleast Ray can be prepare to face the reallity should Rayne come out of the closet. I hope Eva know what to do to help. And Seb too. I am scared for Ray.
I am thinking how will Bunny's mom react if she know about Rayne. hmm
Thanks Flummox.
You are so welcome!
I'm happy that my story makes you happy!
It's certainly scary, anticipating how people will react. Being able to test the waters is one thing, but actually taking the plunge can be totally different.
Thanks for continuing to read. I'll try not to let you down.
View points
Evelyn's plan to introduce the topic of TG was a good idea, even though the results weren't as desired.
Grandpa made his feelings known even before watching the program, by his statement about Ray's hair length. How did Ray having long hair affect grandpas' life? Did it keep him from having any friends? Or from going where he wanted? Did it keep him from shopping where he wanted? How did long hair affect his life in general?
Answer, it didn't. It's how he grew up. Boys and men having short hair was the norm when grandpa grew up. So it was an attitude ingrained in him without any thought on his part. What if Ray was growing his hair for Locks of Love? Would grandpa object then? Likely without a second thought. Boy have short hair, girls can grow their hair long. How about the reverse, grandpa? Women having short hair?
Except for maybe Sabestian, no one had really given the topic any thought, why should they have done so? It wasn't as though they dealt with the subject at any time in their lives.
Their reactions certainly didn't help Ray, just the opposite, it made him sick. Even so, he still has to talk with his parents before the pressure gets to great and does something foolish. Besides, he has two b people on his side, Evelyn and Bunny, the young man who accepts Ray as he is, without any condemnation.
Others have feelings too.
Close-minded people.
Sometimes people just get too stubborn and set in their ways. They don't want to open themselves up to new possibilities, or give other's a chance. It's ridiculous because you're absolutely right, how is it affecting their lives? The only possible reason I can think of is that people like Ray's grandfather believe that they are looking out for Ray's - or anyone in a similar position - best interest. Maybe Grandpa thinks that Ray would be happier if he would just listen to his grandfather, but he simultaneously refuses to listen to Ray, or admit that he could be wrong.
People can dogmatically lock themselves into one line of thought, causing them to unintentionally hurt those they love.
Thanks so much for continuing to read, and taking the time to comment, Jamie. It always means a lot, and I love reading your thoughts.
Interesting reactions
The problem with this sort of open response is that the first one or two responses will influence the others, especially in a family or social group.
Those who reply later may not want to stir the waters too much, especially if they disagree with their elders or social superiors.
The very young like Lizzie haven't picked up on that yet.
So the answers may mislead Rayne or Raymond.
Gillian Cairns
You have done a good job
writing this,and I am enjoying the story. Some of the families reaction to the documentary was probably realistic I am sad to say. The word is slowly getting out.
My god
did you somehow sit in and listen to the reactions of my family? Thankfully some of them came around and accepted me, but so many of them reacted just like Rayne's did. This is just so real to me.