Julie Gaum is 91. She’s been crossdressing since she was 15, after an earlier incident at age 7. Now she has written a book to share her story with the world. The book is called “Never Climbed His Mountain.” Julie starts sharing her memories today with TGForum users about all those years of indulging her secret joy.
Today’s Retro Rerun is from the early days of TGForum. The late Roberta Angela Dee did a series of articles on learning several feminine skills. Today we bring back her “Twenty Ways to Look More Beautiful,” first published in July of 1997. Ms. Dee passed away in 2003.
In the ’80s we had Madonna, a material girl living in a material world. Today we bring you The Artist D, a non-labeled girl living in a non-binary world. And that non-binary world can be confusing. It seems to The Artist D that many people today are rejecting labels so they can sink into a bland beige background noise and give up on any of their unique qualities. Either that or they are piling on so many labels the essential person is submerged under them all. And, why would anyone want to be “just” human?
Should toys be gendered? Is it okay for a boy to play with dolls or a girl to play with trains? Play is a very important factor in the development of humans. If they don’t get to play with what they want when they want children can develop differently. Learn the importance of play and both the good and bad of having toys that are marketed to specific genders in today’s post by Dana Bevan.
While cruising around Facebook we came across a status post from Elizabeth Jenkins, the President of Louisiana Trans Advocates. Her topic was “passing privilege.” The idea that trans people who fit into the niche of the gender they wish to express to the world will be accepted as members of that gender. Ms. Jenkins expressed her thoughts on the issue so well that we asked her if we could share it here on TGForum.
Recently Sophie Lynne took a trip with her roommate to retrieve her roommate’s belongings from a storage facility in Michigan. Now the collection of stuff her roomy accumulated sits in their living room. The trip made Sophie contemplate the many items she is holding on to that were obtained by the person she used to pretend to be. Why does she keep his stuff when it will all be meaningless after Sophie is gone? Read on and find out why she holds on to the Remains of an Old Life.
Amanda is a one woman woman and in Cali the vibe is not monogamy. People will say they love you but they love you like they love their latte. It’s a different world for a girl from Pittsburgh, Pa. and Amanda is having a tough time finding “the one.” She hasn’t quit yet. She’s still sorting through the fish in the sea and playing The Game of Love.
TGF contributor Dawn is cis-woman who wants to offer guidance to trans women. Today she has some thought on the need for trans women, and everyone really, to protect themselves at all times. Not just from dangers on the street but from possible harm in all situations. Dawn believes we all need a network of support and a good amount of self esteem to avoid bad situations.
Today Emyli Evyrling takes a look at just what it is that keeps humans from living together in harmony. That’s a big topic and while Emyli doesn’t have a solution to the problem of people making fear based decisions about how they will interact with others who are different she does think that it will be possible at some point in the future for humans to accept the diversity of life. It’s just going to take awhile.
It’s quite obvious that transgender people exist. We have been a part of many cultures all over the world since ancient times, and probably before. Conservatives who believe that we are “unnatural” are basing their belief, whether they know it or not, on Traditional Sex-based Theory. Want to know what that is? Read this post by Dr. Dana Bevan. She will explain our entirely natural niche in nature.
Today Amanda wrestles with the conservative’s biggest attack line against the trans community. “You people are delusional.” Amanda’s answer to that is that she doesn’t feel delusional, but she is willing to examine their charge and try to discern if it has any merit. What do you think she arrives at in her conclusion?
A lot has happened in Christine Zee’s life since her last TGF blog. She legally changed her name, came out to just about everyone and started working at her job as Christine. In between all that she attended family events, conducted seminars for her clients and managed to fit in some trans community events. Find out what’s been happening in the past few months on Christine’s Journey.
As someone who transitioned when their children were young Diane Hutchinson shares some thoughts on how to celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day when Dad is trans. Do up honor your MtF trans dad on Mother’s Day or on Father’s Day? Diane had her ideas on the subject and her children had their’s.
Dawn, a cisgender woman, helped Hannah to become the woman she was inside. Hannah and Dawn split up when Hannah left to walk her own feminine path. Dawn documented their one-year relationship here on TGF. Now she is offering advice and inspiration to others who are beginning to become who they really are. Today she advises that you should be you, not who someone expects you to be.
In honor of Mother’s Day we present a segment of video from the forthcoming David de Alba documentary in which David talks about his mother Tila and her great influence on his life. The video was shot in David’s Las Vegas home.
Recently President Obama admonished Black Lives Matter protesters that they need to be doing more than shouting if they want to move their agenda forward. Protest is often necessary but there needs to be another step beyond protest which leads to real change. Too much shouting can actually hurt the cause. There is real science that can be applied to creating change in a culture. Dana Bevan reveals some of it today and urges its use in the fight for trans rights.
Are you a male who reads TGForum, sees photos of the lovely ladies and wishes you could crossdress? What’s stopping you? Sure, if you’re in a relationship there are issues that must be dealt with. But, if you are single the only thing stopping you from having crossdressed fun is you. We start a series of articles today that offer tips to the novice CD who is just starting out. You’re not getting any younger, and the younger you start wearing dresses and heels the more fun you’ll have. More sophisticated TGF CDs may wish to add their tips using the comment area.
Colonel Amanda is waging a war in California, against California. Despite the many advances in treatment of trans people it’s still not a paradise and the enemy keeps putting up defenses that thwart Colonel Amanda’s sorties into enemy held territory. Can she hold out till reinforcements arrive? Will she have to fall back to her home base. . . or even further? Read this latest dispatch from the front and decide if she can win this war.
Hannah and Dawn have moved from a close relationship to trying to adjust to being just friends. Dawn knew when they met that Hannah would be an important part of her life and that she would be important for Hannah. But Hannah took the lessons Dawn taught her and moved on down her own road to her feminine destiny. Today Dawn bids Hannah farewell on her gender journey.
Linda has been writing about an ‘eternal love triangle’ involving a ‘CD admirer’ named Stan, Stan’s wife Susan and a pretty young crossdresser named . . . Well, she wasn’t given a name and we weren’t told whether she was pretty or young. Linda’s first article ended by repeating an email titled ‘Final Message from Stan’s Wife’ where the wife reported finding evidence that rather than being remorseful about his dalliances her husband was planning further trysts for his upcoming business trip to New York. The second installment featured more communication between the CD and Stan’s wife. Today Linda goes into further detail.
TGF member Emily Ott was questioned about “what drives these (specific) transgender people to want to drastically alter/damage their bodies?” Her response was so strong that she decided to become the newest Contributor to TGForum and offered her reply for publication. She calls her answer “Sehnsucht.” Is it another word for “dysphoria”? Give it a read and decide.
Last week our Sophie Lynne turned two. It has been two years since she came out to the world about her true gender. On her second birthday Sophie responds to a friend’s question, “And looking back on it all, would you do it the same?” Sophie admits to being happy with her decision to transition, and she credits it with keeping her alive, but would she handle it the same way? Read on and find out.
Amanda has been living on the Bay Area on the west coast for a year and four months. The last four months have taken a toll on her as she has dealt with anxiety issues, money problems and a need to be loved. Here at TGForum we love her and the contributions she makes. Today her contribution talks about her life in Cali and how while she is adjusting to it she is lacking any direction. There is a bright spot though in the love area of her search. Read on.
Sophie Lynne attended The Keystone Conference in Harrisburg, Pa. last week. She has filed a report about what the event meant to her and what she feels it means to all trans people. Read on for Sophie’s impressions of the 2016 Keystone Conference.
Last month Linda wrote about an ‘eternal love triangle’ involving a ‘CD admirer’ named Stan, Stan’s wife Susan and a pretty young crossdresser named . . . Well, she wasn’t given a name and we weren’t told whether she was pretty or young. Come to think of it she could be you or she could be me if we were to be dating a married man. The last article ended by repeating an e-mail titled ‘Final Message from Stan’s Wife’ where the wife reported finding evidence that rather than being remorseful about his dalliances her husband was planning further trysts for his upcoming business trip to New York.
It might seem at times that whatever you are for The Artist D is against it. But that’s the nature of the artist, isn’t it? They exist to prod our brains with images and sounds that make us question, think, and appreciate. Today The Artist D looks at people and finds them made up of a collection of cells and organs that create each individual. But the individuals have a problem combining with other individuals to create something for the greater good. But what is the greater good, anyway? Prepare to be prodded.
