Member-only story
Transgender and alone as usual
It happened again this weekend (October 2026). An afternoon out for the family, or should I say half the family, or less than that: a selection of the family all the same, all on my partner’s side. My two girls didn’t fancy it.
The day was organised by my partner’s eldest daughter, a relatively new mum, whose quest was to have one of those days out she remembers from being a kid in the late 1990s and early 2000s. On one hand, it’s an admirable quest. Bring the babies to the seaside, let them see Blackpool Illuminations, enjoy the beach and all that wholesome stuff, all surrounded by family.
But memories are one thing and the reality in today’s world is another. This outing was arranged through a WhatsApp group (I don't do Whatsapp or Meta products), which is the first difference from the old days. The organisation on the day was, erm, disorganised, to say the least, but the overarching desire was the same: to enjoy time together.
I met my partner later in life and our kids are from past relationships, so the ambience is never quite the same, simply because I am the only person, aside from the babies, with no memories of such family events back in the day. On top of that I am transgender, and although 90% of the family know and accept me as I am, a small but significant 10% or so don’t. The older generation play the game of knowing but not…
