Originally Posted by Samantha
I'm new here, so this will also be my introduction.
I'm a transsexual lesbian myself, right now I'm in a LTR with another mtf lesbian. Both of us are pre-op, but done with transition except for SRS and breast implants.
Many, if not most non-trans people are disgusted by transsexual women. This goes for both men and women. On average, I would say it's pretty close, but that less women than men are disgusted by transsexuals.
Earlier in transition, but when I was still living as a woman, I told people about my transition status. The two lesbian/bisexual women I knew did not lose any interest in me, though I was not interested in them. These days, I do not tell anyone in the real world that I'm trans - and I think that being trans is the last thing people suspect of the girl next door. FFS helps a ton, too.
As far as why someone would want to transition and still want to date women. You're attracted to who you're attracted to and you feel like the gender you are inside. A straight man or lesbian woman would probably get some pleasure out of having sex with a man, but over time, it would ultimately leave them unhappy and unsatisfied. Ditto goes for a TS woman trying to live as a guy - she can probably do it to some extent, but it would be a very unfufilling existence.