*Sometimes the title of a post is a reference to something and this one is a wink to the autobiography by the talented writer and actress Mindy Kaling.
The MN T-Girls will always be one of my proudest accomplishments. What started off as a way to meet people and make friends has evolved into a wonderful little community. We have had so many adventures and over the course of the twelves years the group has existed, most of us have done at least one thing for the first time, whether it was leaving the house for the first time en femme or getting a bra fitting or simply having a coffee with a someone like ourselves.
At this point, I feel my role has settled into planning the monthly events (with wonderful suggestions from the group) and coordinating the logistics. From there, the events more or less run themselves. Members who have been MN T-Girls for years will help newer members feel comfortable and soon the room is filled with very tall girls and conversation.
As mentioned, the group has evolved into a little community, and it’s not uncommon for a member to bump into another at a non-MN T-Girl function, such as at an LGBTQ+ nightclub, for example. Other times members make plans outside of the group to meet up for dinner or a concert or something else.
Which was a little weird to me at first, lol.
I have gotten used to it but it used to be a little strange for me when a member would mention that they and another member met up for coffee or something. It was like learning that your friends were hanging out without you.
For a quick moment I felt excluded and it stung a little, but that feeling quickly passed. After my initial reaction, I felt surprised but in a good way. Like I said, the group was formed initially as a way to make friends, but I realized that the group was helping ALL OF US make friends.
The group was connecting others like ourselves and, well, that’s pretty wonderful, isn’t it?
It would be hypocritical if I didn’t acknowledge that I also meet up with members outside of the monthly events.
Although it was a bit of a surprise when I learned that members were hanging out without me, I realized that the group had the potential to become more than just non-binary people meeting up once a month. After twelve (?) years, I see that the potential has been exceeded.
Everything about this group/community has surpassed my hopes. How long the group has been meeting up, the number of members, and the kind of events we have had. So many lives changed, especially my own.
Love, Hannah
Hannah McKnight 