How I Came Out to my Father
My father had an idea of what was going on since the time my mother called him in from Ottawa to "talk sense" to me. Mom and dad divorced when I was about 3 years old, and I only got to visit with my father on weekends (usually every second one) and holidays. My father always did his best to help me out any way he could.
Again, I never did get the chance to be the one to tell him first that I was transsexual. It was the wife who told him. As with my mother I was not ready to tell him just yet and wanted more time to think on what to say. Either way he was not overly shocked, and he said he loved me no matter what. Dad said he'd love me whether I was a son or a daughter, that the gender didn't matter to him, the fact that I was his child mattered. He just wanted me to be happy.
Dad has been great. Although he still slips up with the name occasionally he loves me as a daughter. He has been there for me time and time again, and I love him dearly. Dad even accompanied me to the gender clinic in Montreal, and didn't flinch an iota when he saw me as Petra for the first time. He was not embarrassed to be seen in public with me that way (my first outings were a little clumsy and didn't look too natural).
Since the first time I came
out to him, to now in 2001, Dad has been there for me. He is always
wanting to learn more about "my world" and is not ashamed to introduce
me as his eldest daughter. I love him very much.