When I transitioned, 32 years ago this November, I lost everything. My family disowned me, my friends dropped me like a hot rock, my job fired me, my academic career ended, my landlord kicked me out.
For a lot of years, I thought that would be the narrative of my life.
Now I'm coming to understand that while I was losing, I also gained...I gained a community of people who get me, who love me for who I am.
And after some bits of activist work I've done over the years, they also have an overweening respect for me, which takes a lot of doing to understand and accept.
For the first time in 32 years, I feel like I gained more than I lost that November day.