On Sunday 10/20, I say goodbye to Colorado. I have lived here my entire life, 46 years. To be honest, outside of a couple awesome people, I’m not going to miss it. I’m really looking forward to starting my new life in Portland, Oregon.
Oddly enough, I’m going to be in downtown Portland. The thing is, despite my challenges, I need people in my life. I need to be able to be social. It’s just something that I’m not comfortable with here being a not very well-passing trans woman. I tried working for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and initially enjoyed it before boating season started. I soon had to deal with some exceptionally horrible people though which really hurt my progress trying to exist again since leaving my corporate job. Almost every time I’ve tried to exist in public here, I’ve had less than positive interactions with people.
I think Portland is going to be different. I know there are negatives to bigger cities, but Portland has a large LGBTQIA+ population, and is predominately to the left. It’s my hope that I can just exist as myself, and not be singled out in any way, good or bad, just because I am trans.
It’s easier I guess that I really don’t have anything left in Colorado. I have two friends, and the only family that interacts with me at all is my brothers family.