So I'm quite new to being a mtf trans woman. I'm pre-everything and only just got my prescription for hormones, which I will be starting in a few weeks (yippee :D). Anyway prior to starting my transition, my girlfriend and I have decided to backpack around Europe for 2 months to give us both a bit of time to rest and reflect on what is going to be a really big year ahead. Now I don't think I'm anywhere near I to passing as a female, I still just see a really masculine looking male in the mirror and think it would be at least a couple of years before I go full time. I am however quite short (5'6"), I have been growing my hair out for 2years now and have started getting it cut in a feminine style with highlights, I have been practicing makeup for about a year and use at least a minimal amount of concealer/foundation everyday and more recently have been practicing eyeliner...which I pass off as a bit of a guyliner sort of look (most people assume I'm a musician). Anyway I've been using this trip as a great opportunity to practice presenting more feminine as I don't know anyone over here and on the odd occasion I do get starred or laughed at or someone starts having a go at me....I usually have no idea what they are saying. So I've been wearing more feminine makeup daily and concealing my beard, have bought some really cute girls winter clothing and have bought and wear more pairs of girls shoes/boots than I will ever be able to get back to Australia (Italy you will be the death of me!). It's been really fun and empowering and has really hit home for myself and my girlfriend that this is absolutely the right thing for me :)

So we are in Rome and visited the Vatican today (I'm not religious, I just love pretty buildings and history). We were waiting in the endless line to get into St Peters basilica and I was busting to go to the toilet. So I got my girlfriend to stay in line as I needed to "use the little girls room" and I marched over to the men's toilet near by as fast as I could in knee high girl boots. As I'm walking towards the door I hear a bit of a commotion, some guy rambling in Italian. Next thing I'm hearing "madam, madam, no, madam!". Then it kind of hits me, is this guy talking to me? I turn around and it's one of the Vatican police walking over to me. We get face to face and he says to me "I'm sorry madam, the women's bathroom is over that way" as he points. I'm freaking out having a policeman come over to me and not knowing what to do, I say "oh no no sorry I'm male". He looks at me for a while really confused and I'm feeling unreasonably terrified I'm about to get arrested by the Catholic police for some crazy foreign gender law I don't know about. I say "male...I use the men's bathroom". It then finally hits him, his eyes spring open and he starts apologising profusely "sorry sir sorry". I go into the bathroom both feeling completely shocked and have the biggest grin on my face. As I'm washing my hands I notice in the mirror an Italian gentlemen looking at me from behind with a VERY confused look on his face. I turn around, he looks at me still very confused and embarrassed, then looks around the bathroom like he is lost, looks at me again then kind of shakes his head and walks out. I come back to the line almost skipping, grinning from ear to ear and tell my girlfriend. I'm also sort of kicking myself at this stage I didn't just say to the policeman "yes I AM a madam, you are right, my mistake" and used the women's toilet.

Now I thought that was enough for one day. But straight after the Vatican we went out to lunch at a nearby restaurant. As the waiter brings the menus over he looks straight at me and says "may I get the mademoiselles something to drink?". I think my grin muscles exploded by this point, I couldn't stop blushing and not wanting to give myself away this time all I could do was point at the wine menu. I didn't say a word when he was around for the rest of the meal just loving every moment of passing, he talked to my girlfriend and flirted with us both heaps thou asking "where are you girls from?" And saying "are all the girls so beautiful in Australia?". I know it was a bit sleazy, for a waiter lol, but he made my day so I gave home a big tip (but not my phone number!).

This has honestly been the best day of my life and has helped ease a lot of anxiety I have about transitioning and passing. All I can say now is bring on the girl me! :D