This really is wonderful news. Great to see when someone takes a scary chance
and it pays of just like they hoped. Whatever else happens with your family
you have a sister treating you like a sister- and I know what that means.

I tried to give my sister the "I'm t.g., probably t.s." talk- and got the most unbelievable rejection. She refused to even hear what it was I wanted to talk about, all she knew was it sounded like "something heavy", some kind of whiney confessional, and she informed meshe doesn't do "deep talks about problems".

Then she wanted to be buddies, but on her terms. Long after she'd forgotten that day I couldn't even see her without becoming furious. I came to think it would have beena real mistake to tell her like that. Finally it came up again, I decided to do it kinda casual .......... We were watching some t.g. themed movie, and I told her I think I might have something in common with the herione of the film. She said "Bullshit, no way!" She said that she had no problem with the concept of transsexuals, but that there was nothing female about me. Period. Seemed worse somehow than if she was a transphobic zealot.

But somehow since I planted that seed in her head there have been slow small subtle changes in how she regards me & treats me. Little things, like asking my opinion about what she's going to wear, or dropping a DVD from the library that she just watched, saying "Watch this, you're gonna love it!" And it's a 'Chick Flick', but an intelligent one, and as it turns out she is right. Joking with me about guys & their habits in a way that implies I wasn't one. Not exactly a warm sisterly embrace, but then she doesn't embrace people.I kidded her I thought we got our genetic behavior templates mixed up, I somehow wound up with her female ones and she with the male ones I was supposed to get. She said, "Huh. Maybe you're right..."

It ain't much, but it seems tolerance & acceptance have to go two ways. She's who she is, ill-equipped for "heavy" discussions, but we're getting along SO much better. Anyway, sorry to ramble at you Jessica, I just needed to articulate all this to someone, these tiny victories with the only (genetic) family I got left...
~~hugs, Laika