If you’re like me, you ignore most of Facebook’s suggested groups as being of no interest to you. Tonight though, I noticed one I have no intention of joining, but couldn’t ignore either. It was called “The Caitlyn Jenner Support Group”. Now I agree that we could all use support when we begin this journey, so my objection isn’t to the existence of the group. I just wonder if this group was started from an honest desire to support Caitlyn or from some hope to perhaps share the Jenner/Kardashian spotlight in some small way because of her former life? I just hope for her sake that anything Caitlyn gets involved in doesn’t degenerate into a typical Kardashian media circus but that hope may already be misplaced.
But my real question is this: What of those other people who chose the day Caitlyn made her debut to decide they could no longer live the lie and took their first steps into this strange new world called Trans without all the television interviews and magazine covers? Where are their Facebook support groups? No, I’m not bitter or jealous for I’ve been Cat for 19 years now and am doing quite well, thank you for asking. We’ve read recently of people committing suicide, Leelah Alcorn comes to mind, because they had no support systems and didn’t feel they could cope on their own. There may be some support groups out there, but how easy are they to find? I know of none in my town or the two towns on either side of mine.
I recently changed doctors and this new doctor is very trans-friendly. One of the first questions she asked was “who’s in your village?”, meaning “who supports you on your journey?”. If asked that question, how many people can put a number to the people who they can rely on as they go through this? I’m fortunate in that I not only have some close friends in my village, but two of my three sons also support me.
As I asked in the title though, where are the support groups for these other people who aren’t athletes or reality television personalities? They are just as deserving as Caitlyn Jenner, if not more so since they probably don’t have the same financial backing.
Cat.
Catseyeview 
Cat what a great question and what a wonderful post, you are of course right on! Please oh please write more, write on!
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Thank you Kevin. I write about whatever catches my eye, but when it involves trans issues, I usually put a little extra effort into it. When I started in the late 90’s, I had no support other than a couple of sympathetic people I met through my church. There seems to be more support for the younger trans people now, but what about those who start later in life? I was in my mid fifties. I’ll do some research and write about that as well. Once again, thank you for the compliments. Cat
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Cat you are describing me. i am 56 and have known i was a girl since i was 5 but after too many years hating me then running from me then accepting me and finally loving me i need to transition but what if i am too old? My spouse thinks i am going to hell when i transition and 2 of my kids think that i am a pervert, 2 think i am a bad person for hurting their mother. i tried for 33 years not to hurt their mother.
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Both my parents had passed and I waited until my youngest son was in his teens before I did anything. In some respects I honestly wish I’d started earlier.
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My youngest is 20,still not easy.
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You are a good writer caring and kind, doesn’t get any better than that!
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I can point you out to a ton of Transgender support groups on Facebook. Some are open,closed and secret. Just depends on the group. But they are there. I run one as a leader myself. If you need help finding them. I will be more then glad too
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