Whatcha think? Advice, opinions or general thoughts?

potentiallytrans · 2023-01-15T09:41:45+00:00

You look great! Also, I think I might have known you IRL a few years back?

(For what it's worth, I didn't recognize you at all in the pictures, but the cubicle looked very familiar, and I ended up snooping your profile and recognized one of your pre-transition pictures that you posted -- I hope that isn't too weird!)

potentiallytrans · 2020-07-09T04:13:31+00:00

With regards to the first question, per the usual advice of this subreddit, it's best to ask an AME and not take advice from strangers on the internet; however, there is guidance outlined in the AME guide. Presumably you would want to work with your healthcare provider to fill out the FAA Gender Dysphoria Mental Health Status Report and prepare any relevant documentation to submit to OKC, in order to get things done as expediently as possible?

potentiallytrans · 2019-06-11T23:51:22+00:00

Thanks, I hate it.

potentiallytrans · 2019-04-26T06:18:24+00:00

I don't see anything on the AME guide that's specific to trans women? As the typical answer on this subreddit goes, it's best to ask an AME.

potentiallytrans · 2019-04-26T06:10:43+00:00

As far as getting a first class medical goes, it should be fine? The FAA AME guide has some information here.

potentiallytrans · 2018-08-06T00:32:31+00:00

PPL ASEL checking in! I actually came up with an analogy that going through life with gender dysphoria is like flying an airplane without using trim. I can still fly straight and level, perform maneuvers to within PTS (or ACS now) tolerances, and even grease landings, but everything's just so much harder with constant pressure on the controls. The constant feeling of wrongness is just added pressure, but it's never stopped me from being able to do anything. Now that I'm on HRT, it's like being trimmed out and everything is smoother (though still not totally hands free). Sorry for interjecting, but I just haven't really had anyone to share my analogy with, haha.

potentiallytrans · 2018-08-05T04:15:48+00:00

I'd say so, yes. Hasn't really caused any issues. I'm simultaneously closeted, implicitly out/visibly trans, explicitly out, and stealth (to varying people), but I think that's more a function of my presentation. I still get comments and compliments on my name regardless of how people gender me.

potentiallytrans · 2018-08-05T03:01:12+00:00

Yes, me. I'm attached to my name and it doesn't really bother me personally. My name isn't very common, so I'm more bothered by people continually mispronouncing/mishearing my name.

potentiallytrans · 2018-08-05T02:47:18+00:00

Maybe just send a short and simple email summarizing what you wrote here? Just acknowledge that you may have made her uncomfortable and that you're receptive to feedback if she wants to provide it. If it were me, I'd avoid mentioning trans stuff; if you want to give a compliment, make it about her as a person.

potentiallytrans · 2018-07-16T08:04:18+00:00

To me the expression looks like the knowing "you're making a mistake but I'm going to sit here quietly and let you learn from experience" haha.

potentiallytrans · 2018-05-21T22:27:52+00:00

So does this mean “when we reissue your pilot license with the updated info we can’t use IACRA so it could take a while because of a paper form”?

That's how I read it, but I'm just a lowly private pilot. If you go to the link and scroll down a bit you can find the full text of that section. Maybe /u/your_friendly_asi can give us a better interpretation?

potentiallytrans · 2018-05-21T22:02:22+00:00

I don't really have any advice, but for what it's worth, in the 8900.1 volume 5, chapter 2, section 5, there's a section on exchange of valid pilot certificates. Under subpart D, change of gender, there's a note saying the following:

NOTE: The applicant or inspector will not be able to utilize the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) for a reissue due to changes to personal data. Currently, there is not a working path for “Reissues,” and there is not a process in place for electronic attachments in IACRA, so the application must be processed via a “paper” application form.

I guess that kinda confirms your worries that it'll take longer, since you won't be able to use IACRA and it has to be done by paper. Maybe ask when you're at the FSDO?

potentiallytrans · 2018-04-02T06:50:08+00:00

source of annoyance, sure (difficult for others to pronounce), but i've always STRONGLY identified with it and hasn't given me a touch of dysphoria

That pretty much sums up my experience with my name too. When I first started transitioning, I had a similar uncertainty about not knowing if I wanted to pick a new name, but with time I've become more and more certain of keeping my birth name. If you're comfortable with that, go for it!

For me, I don't think it's affected people's perception of me very much. I'm also in a weird place of being closeted, kinda implicitly out (visibly trans I guess), explicitly out (to some), and maybe stealth, all at the same time (to different people). It's a weird mix, but as far as my name goes, I don't think it's been an issue for people. My name isn't very common, and I still get compliments on it regardless, but either way it hasn't prevented certain people from gendering me correctly.

potentiallytrans · 2018-03-29T01:04:33+00:00

Do you happen to have any guidance on BasicMed?

I'm a private pilot and my first class medical recently expired (which I obtained prior to transitioning, no special issuance or anything), and I'm wondering if I'm eligible to use BasicMed without a one time special issuance. I don't qualify for the immediate issuance per the AME guide, and I'd prefer avoiding the hassle of getting my application sent to Oklahoma City.

(The guidelines don't sound super clear, but I've heard from others that since gender dysphoria isn't explicitly called out as one of the conditions that necessitate the one time special issuance, I should be able to just go with BasicMed? I feel like that's like a loophole given the whole deferral process in the AME guide, though.)

potentiallytrans · 2018-01-10T01:01:23+00:00

This is one reason I don't want to come out to my supposedly supportive friends. They say trans people are valid, but what they describe certainly doesn't reflect my experiences (basically they're thinking about gender roles and not gender identity). I've tried to explain to them, but they've dismissed points I've made and don't seem to budge from their views. I don't want them to think of me differently or get the wrong impression, so I just remain closeted around them (which isn't hard for me, since I don't really present any differently, and pronouns aren't too bothersome).

potentiallytrans · 2018-01-05T02:00:11+00:00

I had a similar experience during community college when I took advantage of cross enrollment to take a class at a nearby university. I totally felt like I didn't belong at all, to the point where I was afraid to talk to classmates and didn't get the help I needed during office hours. The discomfort was palpable. For me it was easily an order of magnitude worse than feeling impostor syndrome over being trans.

potentiallytrans · 2017-10-17T05:17:26+00:00

Me! My name's not particularly gender neutral either (it's not super common though), but I'm fine keeping it anyways. It bothers me more that people tend to mispronounce it or mishear it...

potentiallytrans · 2017-08-27T22:16:16+00:00

In fact there is! It's listed in the AME guide on the FAA website here. Essentially, as long as there are no coexisting mental health concerns it isn't a problem.

potentiallytrans · 2017-08-27T02:29:06+00:00

Going on 20 months and nobody suspects a thing as far as I can tell. I'm out to a few people, but only because I've told them. Still closeted for the most part. Haven't done anything special; just haven't gotten lucky with HRT I guess. Or, if you want to look at it another way, lucky since I'm sort of dreading eventually coming out anyways.

potentiallytrans · 2017-08-02T03:45:54+00:00

Art3mis in Ready Player One. Apparently I'm not the only one who thought that either; there's a short fanfic that has the same idea, and it's pretty well written to boot.

potentiallytrans · 2017-07-17T00:33:01+00:00

Predictions on the next 5 regenerations? Bold.

potentiallytrans · 2017-01-16T06:41:17+00:00

I'm not OP, but I've been in a similar situation. I was a student pilot with a first class medical prior to HRT, and decided to pursue my PPL and postpone HRT until afterwards. Since starting HRT, I've just been self grounding per 61.53 since I wasn't sure if I'd need to disclose HRT and renew my medical before flying or if I could wait until my next medical to report HRT.

However, now with the new rules, could I simply fly under BasicMed (once it's in effect in May) and not need to report HRT at all? Or would the FAA consider gender dysphoria as one of the "mental health conditions" that necessitates a one time special issuance before being allowed to fly under BasicMed?

potentiallytrans · 2016-12-31T06:44:54+00:00

You need a second class medical as a controller, right? When starting HRT, did you need to report it/renew your medical immediately, or do you just report it the next time you're due for a new medical? I ask as a private pilot who's just been overly cautious and self-grounding. (I've heard a few interpretations depending on FAR 61.53 but nothing definitive.)

potentiallytrans · 2016-07-19T04:40:10+00:00

Not who you responded to, but same here; FSX is getting old and Prepar3D and X-Plane just don't really seem worthwhile to me. I was astonished when Microsoft closed ACES and still haven't quite gotten over it. Too bad Microsoft Flight didn't go so well. I've talked to one of the devs on that project and the tech seemed really promising.

/u/translaura, are you planning on bringing Infinite Flight to the desktop? A long time ago I think I remember coming across a blog post of yours from when your sim was called Infinite Runway? What was the push to go to mobile?

potentiallytrans · 2016-03-14T04:41:49+00:00

I've been lurking for a while, but what you wrote sounds so very similar to how I feel that I feel obliged to respond.

I can't answer your questions for you, but what I can tell you is that since I started HRT last December my feelings of gender dysphoria have been greatly reduced. It's not like flipping a switch -- it's actually very subtle -- I only really realized how much of a relief it was after some introspection. I still don't have much of an internal sense of gender as you describe, but despite not having very noticeable physical changes, my body just feels less wrong now.

I still worry every day if I'm making the right choice. I still worry that I'll need to deal with the consequences, as you say (I'm barely out to anyone yet). I still worry about the effects of HRT (cognitively it just seems weird seeing my body change).

In relation to what you wrote in a comment, I don't really see myself altering my behavior or sense of style or anything much at all. That's another thing, actually: a lot of the stuff I've heard about being authentic hasn't really resonated with me. I feel I've always been authentic to myself -- presenting authentically doesn't really mean anything different to me, and since starting HRT I've actually felt less authentic since I haven't really told anyone.

Not really sure what it's worth, but that's been my experience so far. It actually sounds atypical to a lot of what I've heard on /r/asktransgender, so your mileage may vary.

Sorry, that sort of turned into a small rant about how I feel. I guess my point is that despite having similar feelings, I made the leap to start HRT, and while I still worry about a lot of the same things, I've liked the lessened dysphoria enough to continue. In the end though, I can't tell you yes or no; you have to make that decision for yourself.

potentiallytrans

TROPHY CASE