LGBTQ+ Community Check-In: Week of November 28 - Dec 4

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The final few days of November are here and December arrives this week! This can be a time of year where there is extra pressure to be cheerful and bright, even while those of us who wear our rainbow brightly are sometimes asked to dim that light for the “peace” of this season.
Questions:
As December arrives, how are you feeling about this year so far?
Do you have any plans for December? Anything you are looking forward to?
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Holidays can be a time many of us feel pressure to head back into the closet, or retreat further into the closet in order to maintain our relationships with family and friends. Do you find yourself retreating or hiding who you are more this time of year? Any words of support or understanding for those of us who do?

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@EmotionsListener
As December arrives, how are you feeling about this year so far?
Time went by too fast and I don't remember most of the year, but some of the bits I do remember were good, and that is improvement.
Do you have any plans for December? Anything you are looking forward to?
Nope, I'm trying to avoid making plans of any sort, I am preemptively increasing therapy for this season though.
Holidays can be a time many of us feel pressure to head back into the closet, or retreat further into the closet in order to maintain our relationships with family and friends. Do you find yourself retreating or hiding who you are more this time of year? Any words of support or understanding for those of us who do?
I enter the closet inside of my closet.
I hope for others this year more understanding and acceptance and love can be found.
I hope its a month filled with love and joy for you too Emo.
🎄🐈
@SleepyShyCat
I'm glad that while much of the year isn't memorable for you, that some of what is memorable has been good. I hope you find that the improvement continues and this last month of 2022 and next year will give you more good and memorable moments to hold on to.
Preparing for the stress and emotional turmoil of the season by increasing your therapy sessions sounds like a very wise and self aware move! Thank you for doing what you can to take care of you!
I am sorry to hear that part of 'surviving' the holiday season for you is going so deep in the closet to keep yourself safe, I do hope you will find more love and acceptance and maybe feel less stuck in that closet inside a closet.
Wishing you a better season than it seems you currently expect, with lots of good memorable moments!
Thank you for checking in.
@EmotionsListener
Questions:
-
As December arrives, how are you feeling about this year so far?
- Do you have any plans for December? Anything you are looking forward to?
- Holidays can be a time many of us feel pressure to head back into the closet or retreat further into the closet in order to maintain our relationships with family and friends. Do you find yourself retreating or hiding who you are more this time of year? Any words of support or understanding for those of us who do?
Answers:
- changes, a lot of changes
- starting HRT
- quite the opposite, I've nearly entirely socially transitioned, apart from my brother and his family, and dreading the fact that because most probably I'll be spending the holiday with them, I'll have to go back pretending my AGAB, as a general advice when it comes to coming out, no matter the circumstances, just remember, you're never pressured to come out, this needs to happen on your terms, plan ahead, survey the waters before making the dive, if the waters are filled with sharks don't make the dive at all, it's unfortunately a choice between the lesser of two evils, would you rather be unhappy because you're in the closet or because you got rejected by your friend/family, weigh your options, make a conscious decision
@antico
Sounds like a lot of changes ahead for you, especially with starting HRT. I hope the changes will be good for you.
As for coming out never being required, this is true, it's more about what you need most and how best to meet that need with the costs you are willing to pay essentially. Sometimes the closet seems least painful for us, but then one day we reach a point where the closet has become too small and we need a new way to cope, but it is all a personal journey and decision for sure.
I hope you will have an enjoyable holiday season with your family however you feel you need to navigate it.
Thank you for checking in!
