Following the journey of one Arizona man's travels on the gender expressway

I have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people since I got involved with PFLAG. It truly opened up my world and gave me the chance to meet some of the most incredible and compassionate people I have ever met. It is one of the few places one can go and be who they are without judgment or shame cast upon them. And for anyone out there grappling with their sexual orientation, gender identity, or something within that spectrum, OR, if you are a family member or friend of someone struggling with these issues, OR, just an ally to the lgbt community, PFLAG is the place for you. And don't worry, if you do not live in Arizona, simply do a google search for the PFLAG meeting location nearest to you. You will not regret it - I promise.

Ok, with that said, I have gotten permission to post a link to a blog written by one of our very own PFLAG members who has decided to blog about his own unique story. And am I ever glad he is sharing his very personal story so publicly. He started the blog earlier this month so it is very new and I would strongly suggest scrolling down to his very first post and working your way up to his most recent post. You will understand why when you start reading, but I'll get you started by snipping and pasting his very first blog entry from February 8th titled Florida or Bust right here, that way you will get a taste of where his journey is taking him:

When I was 15 years old something terrible happened. I grew boobs. But on Valentine’s Day I’m giving myself the two best gifts ever. First, I’m burning my bras. Then, I’m heading to Sunrise, Florida, for male chest reconstruction surgery. Excited for me? Think I’m totally bonkerpants? Have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about? Come back each day and follow my adventures along the way.

I think, with some exceptions**, that we have reached a pretty good place when it comes to acceptance and  understanding of gay and lesbian issues, but I know we still have a long way to go to reach that same level of understanding and acceptance when it comes to gender identity issues. And ignorance can be such a formidable obstacle to reaching that point. So it is going to take courageous people like this young man to tell their story and share their fears and emotions to move understanding and acceptance forward. By blogging his transition story he not only lets others who are walking this same path know they are not alone, but he also educates those of us who do not understand what people who are struggling with these issues are going through. And I thank him for that. It is one more step towards reaching that same level of understanding and acceptance we've reached with our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.

**exceptions: Most of the Republican Party including every one of the 2012 Republican Presidential candidates, most conservative right-wing religious groups and churches, most so-called family advocacy organizations (Focus on the Family, American Family Association, The Family Research Council), and most organized groups who claim to want to protect marriage (NOM).