Last year, when I asked my readers for assistance with the legal and medical expenses associated with transitioning, you all came through for me with a generosity beyond anything I had expected. And today, I’m happy to say that thanks to your kindness and support, one major obstacle is finally out of the way. Six months after taking my new name, it’s officially mine:
As we stood at the counter waiting for copies, the young trans man who was there for the same reason beamed at me and asked: “Does it feel good?”
It does.
Thank you.
38 comments
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sisu
January 3, 2013 at 1:24 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!!
Ed Brayton
January 3, 2013 at 1:29 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
So happy for you. I have another friend who is really struggling to get this done and I know what a huge moment it is. Congratulations!
jackiepaper
January 3, 2013 at 1:37 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yay!!!!!!
Gnumann+, Invoker of Mansplaining
January 3, 2013 at 1:37 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
Buzz Saw
January 3, 2013 at 1:40 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
Pteryxx
January 3, 2013 at 1:43 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Conga rats!
Ratmas
Christoph Burschka
January 3, 2013 at 1:45 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congrats!
Sercee
January 3, 2013 at 2:02 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!!
todd bstevens
January 3, 2013 at 2:08 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Well done Zinnia, or should I say Lauren? :)
I am not trans, just a hetero-normative cis guy. But my beloved fiancee is a trans woman. For her changing name was a Big Freakn’ Deal. R doesn’t even want me to know her old name, I do, but I wouldn’t tell her that.
While I comment infrequently, mainly when I have something.to say and often I can not contribute to the conversation. Your and Natalie’s blogs are frequent points of discussion over our dinner table.
We did the big reveal to my family this October. I can now empathize with every gay man that had to come out to family. Man, that was nerve wrackimg.
You and Natalie blogging helped, like a lot. I thank you for.that.
When I met R, I was in love. She is fairly awesome. I kind of learned about the trans thing on the back end. Never changed my opinion of R at all, and we are engaged, planning wedding in October. I think I may have read every post you and Natalie put up to try to understand. But I digress..
You have both my sincere congratulatioms, and best wishes. I will be so bold as to extend those as from my fiancee, though she does not know it, she benefits much.
With respect,
TBS
resident_alien
January 3, 2013 at 2:18 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congrats,Lauren is a lovely name,it suits you well.
billygutter01
January 3, 2013 at 2:21 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
Lauren
January 3, 2013 at 2:29 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Proud to share it with you!
Amy Dobrowolsky
January 3, 2013 at 3:28 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!!!
Doesn’t it feel great to have that official verification in hand?
All my best from a fellow Polish Chicago expat,
/amy
laconicsax
January 3, 2013 at 3:37 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congrats!
…are we breaking the law by calling you Zinnia now?
dab
January 3, 2013 at 4:42 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations to you!
Also, thanks to Todd for sharing his experience, very nice to hear from someone who found out their partner was trans and wasn’t affected, compared to some of the other stories we hear.
todd bstevens
January 3, 2013 at 6:40 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
@dab, well not unaffected, mayhaps nonplussed :). When R told me my first response was, ‘man, that must have been a scary thing to admit, you poor dear.’ It took a week before it really caought up with me.
Eric Haas
January 3, 2013 at 5:33 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
Didaktylos
January 3, 2013 at 7:30 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
My felicitations and good luck to you in your new life.
bertrandhustle
January 3, 2013 at 7:36 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Happy for you. A good name.
Jason Thibeault
January 3, 2013 at 8:05 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations, Lauren! :D
Felt a real pang of empathy at the over-written 2012.
markr1957
January 3, 2013 at 10:14 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations, Lauren.
serena
January 3, 2013 at 10:19 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Beautiful! =D
Xanthë
January 4, 2013 at 1:03 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yay, Lauren! Congratulations.
ulrikedunlap
January 4, 2013 at 4:34 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations. Great initials: LDS :-)
Dalillama, Schmott Guy
January 4, 2013 at 5:18 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Add me to the Congratuations
(e)m
January 4, 2013 at 5:52 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yay! Congratulations are in order. Would you prefer to be refered to as Zinnia or Lauren from here on out? I like your name by the way.
Zinnia
January 4, 2013 at 12:51 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I still go by Zinnia online. It’s my pseudonym/brand and how everyone knows me.
Lucy
January 4, 2013 at 12:18 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations, Lauren! And yes, it does feel good doesn’t it? :-)
besomyka
January 4, 2013 at 12:24 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Since you go by a pseudonym here, I’d normally never use it, but in this context I do want to say: congratulations Lauren, I am so happy for you!
shuteme
January 4, 2013 at 2:41 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Your happiness warms my heart and makes me joyous with you. Congratulation!
sheikhmahandi
January 4, 2013 at 4:09 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Happy Nameday To You !
Mazel Tov (or somesuch)
Seriously – congratulations Lauren
Jafafa Hots
January 4, 2013 at 6:09 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
crayzz
January 4, 2013 at 9:59 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Awesome! I glad you could make this happen.
VeritasKnight
January 5, 2013 at 2:54 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations! Reading this made me smile quite a lot. My little sister is named Lauren, and I associate the name with many, many positive feelings. I’m glad you made this happen!
osmosis
January 5, 2013 at 10:38 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Is it LAUren or LauREN?
Comrade Svilova
January 9, 2013 at 5:36 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
hackerguitar
January 14, 2013 at 10:08 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations to one of the finest writers and bloggers I’ve ever read!
oakley frogskins
March 20, 2013 at 10:43 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
He usually drops in at my place on his way home.I meet the boss himself.I’m very proud of you.Betty and Susan are talking on the telephone.I’m your lucky fellow then.It is tomorrow that they will have a meeting.It is tomorrow that they will have a meeting.What’s wrong with you? I went there three days ago.She likes Mike a lot, but she doesn’t want to get married so early.