And now for a completely different safety question.

[TFOS]

This is a tough one, so I guess all I can do is bite the bullet and ask flat out.

I'm transgendered, FtM, and planning to thru hike the AT next year with my (male) fiance. I pass as a young man, teenage or early 20s. I'm also a Yankee, and a little concerned about my safety while hiking down south. Would I be best served by posing as my fiance's little brother when we hitch into towns? I'm not worried about other hikers (we can just avoid them, and vice versa, if we make them uncomfortable) but the possibility of trouble with locals scares me a little.

Any thoughts?

[Penguin]

F@ck the Haters. I bet you've already encountered ignorant fools who can't understand you where your from and can deal with criticism better then any of the rest of us out here all ready. Be true to yourself and who you are. Don't attempt to be different just to please some backwards redneck. You have already come this far, don't give into hatred and bigotry. Spread the love, and don't succumb to your fear. If you can be brave enough to express yourself transgender, you're brave enough to deal with any BS out there.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Run when ya hear the preacher or the banjo music.

Seriously, it probably isn't going to be an issue, especially with hikers. But yeah, for convenience sake just say you're cousins on your mom's side, not brothers, if questioned by any pushy locals. That way if you're ID'ed by anyone official for some reason the names not matching won't be an issue.

[TFOS]

We'll be married by then, so we'll have the same last name.

[harryfred]

Your are a who,what, ha? Don't ask, Don't tell, Don't care. Be what ever you want to be we ain't checkin' and we don't give a Rat's a** what your relationship is to the hiker your are with. HYOH and don't give me no sh***.

[WingedMonkey]

I'm also a Yankee, and a little concerned about my safety while hiking down south. Any thoughts?

"Hate is not a family value"
Bigots come from both sides of the Mason Dixon line.

[TFOS]

"Hate is not a family value"
Bigots come from both sides of the Mason Dixon line.

Very true, and I won't say I never run into it up here. Just had a very unpleasant encounter last week, in fact. But you tend not to run into people who are quite so...religiously inclined...around where I live. Or if they are, they don't talk about it or act on it, to my knowledge. But down south, well - I admit I haven't spent much time down there, so my worries are based on what I have heard about how people like me are received in by some people down that way.

[4shot]

you should not have any problems in the south, you can't swing a dead cat around here anymore without hitting a yankee who has moved down here for whatever reason so we are not as bad about shooting them as we once were. As far as the transgender Ftm thing, don't see any reason why anyone should bring it up or why you would feel obligated to answer if they did. just stick to the truth..."we're friends' and leave it at that. actually, I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful NJ was and how friendly the people in the towns along the trail were up north so you may end up like i did with some preconceived ideas proven to be false. Best wishes on your hike.

[4shot]

F@ck the Haters.

I just now got the irony of this quote. well done.

[Fog Horn]

I would think that avoiding the topic all together wouldn't be completely impossible. I agree with the be who you are and not pretend to be anyone else, but at the same time I can understand your fears. Its a tough choice for you, but I think its going to come down to an intimate decision with you and your future husband. You could even laugh and say you just met. Or you could just use your trail names when someone asks. I can't imagine too many people being that nosy into the personal lives of thru hikers.

I'll be out there next year too, hopefully. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[RGB]

Hikers won't care for the most part. In town, however, I would have a story. One of my best friends usually hikes with me and I just say he's my brother since we look enough alike. I was born and raised in the South, but have spent very large amount of times in NY and New England. Comparatively, there is a lot more bigotry in the South. There's already enough blind hatred towards hikers down here (Exhibit A: The brothers getting jumped in Damascus) for them to think I'm gay too.

[stonedflea]

"Hate is not a family value"
Bigots come from both sides of the Mason Dixon line.

+1.. thank you!

But down south, well - I admit I haven't spent much time down there, so my worries are based on what I have heard about how people like me are received in by some people down that way.

you'd be surprised what you yankees would fine if y'all ever came down this way, instead of just assuming we don't wear shoes and still wear a white wardrobe. =P

[SerenitySeeker]

North or South I think you will still find a mixture of those who are intollerant...its the one in a mil that will take it to bully level or worse, and those that would bully or worse sometimes hide behind false friendship, and that could happen in the middle of ptown or new york or illinois or anywhere south...its just wrong place with wrong person at wrong time...I always err on the side of caution, trust is best given infrequently and with utmost discretion...not a paranoid just a realist who doesnt want anyone to end up as the exception to the rule when they meet that one in a mil...

[mweinstone]

im a matthewski. same issues as trannys. i worry. but my friends protect me. each time my meer existance causes some freak to get violent, it could be they saw me sleeping even,...one or more of my very capable friends steps up and says leave him alone. my friends are impressive. and well known among hikerdom. ill share them with you mamm. they would protect you too. even if i didnt introduce you. its what they do. in fact its what hikers do. we dont tolorate fools well. if a town or a dinner messes with you and it gets out? we boycott that place. period. solidarity. its whats hiker. welcome sister.

[TFOS]

welcome brother.

Fixed it for you.

[mweinstone]

im billville. confused and annoying. sorry.

[TFOS]

I have no idea what a billville is, but no need to be sorry.

[Majortrauma]

What is the point in deliberately proclaiming to everyone that you're x-gendered? If the point of this post is how to avoid being hassled just don't expose yourself to this ridicule by keeping your personal life private and don't try to make a big political/social issue out of it.
If someone showed up at my camp and made a point of telling me he/she was x-gendered my first question is why in the heck do you think I even care about that and why do you feel the need to tell me? The last thing I want to talk abut with other hikers is their sexual exploits.

[njordan2]

Simply do not say anything to anyone about it, and you will not get any of the attention you seem to be looking for.

[Pedaling Fool]

To the OP, you don't get out much do you and your paranoia makes it sound as if you watch too many movies and cable news programs. And this question is not "completely different", lot of people out there with your same sterotyping of the south. I, BTW, am also a yankee from Maryland.