Tao of the Dive
Rabid Otter Spotter
Hi everyone, my name is Cadence. You might be asking yourself why someone who has been a member since 2004 would be posting in the introductions and greets section.
You know, a funny thing happened since then and now, and I felt it relevant enough to reintroduce myself and allow people old and new to get to know the real me.
Back in 2015, I finally came out carefully to select friends and family as transgender. I then began a very slow process of transition as well as coming out to other friends and family along the way.
At one point in my transition, I would have been content to simply transition and simply melt back into society, another face in the crowd. My transition however graced me with other options.
Even as common as it is for trans people to be out and known, a great deal of people have never personally encountered someone of trans nature (either knowingly or even unknowingly in some cases) and certainly have never had a trans person who was willing to be a resource; answer questions they had, even if they would usually be offensive. So I make myself available to those questions, but I also try to make it known when a question would be offensive so that the asking party will not think it’s appropriate to ask just anyone.
While I may be the same person I was when I joined Scubaboard as a brand new diver, my experiences have changed me. I express myself more openly, I am not as cautious or as reserved; people no longer experience me through a filter, and I no longer have to express myself through a male filter. So to me, all of my interactions feel more real, far more sincere as well. So to some people who knew me before, may feel that I have in fact changed. Deep down I know I have not. Maybe coming out here is my way of helping people parse that change in the dynamics of who Tao “was”, versus who Tao is now.
Anyhow, it’s a pleasure to still be here, be a part of this community, and enjoy the varied thoughts, perspectives and experiences of other divers from around the world. Happy and safe diving to all of you and I hope we get to chat soon.
Ever & Always,
Cadence
You know, a funny thing happened since then and now, and I felt it relevant enough to reintroduce myself and allow people old and new to get to know the real me.
Back in 2015, I finally came out carefully to select friends and family as transgender. I then began a very slow process of transition as well as coming out to other friends and family along the way.
At one point in my transition, I would have been content to simply transition and simply melt back into society, another face in the crowd. My transition however graced me with other options.
Even as common as it is for trans people to be out and known, a great deal of people have never personally encountered someone of trans nature (either knowingly or even unknowingly in some cases) and certainly have never had a trans person who was willing to be a resource; answer questions they had, even if they would usually be offensive. So I make myself available to those questions, but I also try to make it known when a question would be offensive so that the asking party will not think it’s appropriate to ask just anyone.
While I may be the same person I was when I joined Scubaboard as a brand new diver, my experiences have changed me. I express myself more openly, I am not as cautious or as reserved; people no longer experience me through a filter, and I no longer have to express myself through a male filter. So to me, all of my interactions feel more real, far more sincere as well. So to some people who knew me before, may feel that I have in fact changed. Deep down I know I have not. Maybe coming out here is my way of helping people parse that change in the dynamics of who Tao “was”, versus who Tao is now.
Anyhow, it’s a pleasure to still be here, be a part of this community, and enjoy the varied thoughts, perspectives and experiences of other divers from around the world. Happy and safe diving to all of you and I hope we get to chat soon.
Ever & Always,
Cadence
