In many people there is an innate need for a spiritual connection to something greater. For some it is God. Others feel one with nature. Still others see the universe through science and appreciate its complexity as an indication of a celestial planner. Dana Bevan sees trans-ness as a scientist does but she has a friend who sees it as a spiritual experience. Which one is right depends on who you are.
Hannah has come out of the closet for a week and allowed Dawn to help her be a woman. Dawn takes her out and treats Hannah like a lady. And a week is not enough. Now she is exploring her new world and learning what it’s like to be a girl, not the over-sexualized girl of her fantasies but a real trans woman who is finally free. Dawn continues to document how their lives have come together just when they both needed something.
Cate O’Malley has learned that no matter how supportive people in your life would like to be they may not be 100% on board with your gender choice. Sure, when you first tell them they be with you all the way but might that be them just wanting to not hurt your feelings with their doubts? Or maybe after some time spent with the new you negative feeling might surface. Today Cate runs through some of the “I support you but…” things she has gotten from family and friends.
When you’re contemplating gender transition it’s important to remember that there will be many challenges ahead. Even with the greater awareness of trans issues in recent years the trans road can be a bumpy one. It’s best to be aware of all the challenges that await you so you can do your best to prepare for meeting them head on.
The march from summer into fall and eventually to winter has a tendency to bring some people down. The falling leaves and the colder temperatures don’t evoke the pleasures that can be found in fall. For some it brings on depression. Sophie Lynne sees the world sliding into the autumn and she feels like this year we should seize the change and turn it positive by working to educate, agitate and make the world better for trans people.
After you’ve almost sunk to the bottom a couple of times the Dating Pool becomes less inviting. It can take some time to feel like you’re ready to dive in again. Amanda F. has been underwater in the Pool a few times and now she’s beginning to feel that she’s ready to at least dip her toes in. Does she see love lurking in the depths of the Pool? Or is that heartache doing the backstroke?
Is too much diversity a bad thing when the transgender community is fighting for rights? Does the umbrella of transgender confuse people when they find everyone one from Caitlyn Jenner to weekend crossdressers standing under it? Christine Burr is concerned that it could be the case that the non-trans public won’t be interested in helping us since they can’t figure our who “us” is, leaving her asking “What Next?”
(Philadelphia, PA) Over the course of his distinguished career, renowned transgender surgeon and founder of The Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery, Dr. Sherman Leis, observed that transgender people, both male and female, think and act in ways often blending thought and behavioral characteristics of non-transgender men and women. A recent study on brain structure, reported […]
During a chance encounter with a feminist lesbian on a train The Artist D learns that feminist lesbians, at least this one, believe that trans women have no right to call themselves women. In their world if it has a penis, or ever did, it just can’t be a woman. And The Artist D knows that is not true.
Christine Zee has embarked on her gender journey. She is moving toward living full time in her preferred gender and she is documenting the steps along the way in this blog. Today she moves closer to being Christine full-time. She completes disclosure of her intentions to her family, and gets closer to the all important reveal to her employer and associates. There are bumps in the road; her son does not want to see her, but her journey continues.
Dana Bevan has filed this report from the Transgender Word War. She feels that transgender people have been engaged in a war to find words to adequately express the phenomenon that we share. The war of words has proceeded along three fronts. In this post she outlines what those three fronts are and engages in a bit of hand to hand combat with the psychiatric establishment.
It happened by accident but we’re transitioning as a couple. My very first post publicly talking about the way I am experiencing Hannah’s transition was a bit overwhelming, as I revisit the last 7 months of our lives and discuss things with Hannah I realize that so much has happened and that to re-tell every […]
All the weddings Cate has attended have required her to wear a tuxedo and be the man. Now things are much different. She is living honestly as a woman. Cate has a single son who will one day most likely get married. Cate has been thinking how different it will be when she attends that wedding. Will the bride’s Great Aunt Fanny have a clue as to who she is? Cate imagines how it will be.
A couple of weeks ago, one of my dear friends, Amy, had her GRS done by Dr. Christine McGinn. Last weekend, I visited Amy at Gaia House, the recovery house for Dr. McGinn’s practice. Amy was in great spirits and enjoyed having visitors after her successful surgery. During the visit, another person staying at Gaia […]
Amanda F. has been on the transition road, living her gender journey and getting near the point when she will need to take the surgical step. Today she examines where she’s been, how far she has come, and muses on what she has learned along the way. But today, rather than seeing transition as a journey down a road she likens it to jumping into the rabbit hole from Alice in Wonderland. Tag along with Amanda today while she patiently makes her way down.
Despite it being possible to have any and all necessary surgery in the US or one of the European countries, many trans women opt to come to Thailand–but why? Christine Burr has a number of reasons why people make the trek to Thailand to complete their transition.
Chanelle Nirok, our young crossdresser, admits today that she is a poser. Oh! How could she? But who among the crossdressing community isn’t? And her admission is only so she can pass on some of her tips from how to work with the camera to get a photo you can be proud of years later. She has five suggestions she feels will make you look sexy and desirable as a female in your photos. See if you agree.
There has been a lot of bitching about Caitlyn Jenner and the way she is living her transition so publicly. Many in the trans community have this, that, or the other thing to say about how she has “come out” and how she is doing it as a celebrity with a reality TV show. The Artist D has a different take on Caitlyn’s life and she shares it with you today.
Almost every parent has heard from their inquisitive child the question: ‘Where do babies come from?’ It is almost a rite of passage as the growing child questions to learn more and more about herself and the world around her. With the increased attention being given to transgender issues how long before a child asks, ‘Mommy, where do crossdressers come from?’ Linda Jensen was sure she knew the answer to that but a conversation with a long-time friend has her thinking of alternate explanations. She invites you in on her experience and asks you to weigh in with your thoughts on the making of a CD.
Christine Zee is on her gender journey and she’s blogging about it here on TGF. Today she talks about her trip to About You hair removal in Chicago. In one long session, with pain blocking drugs in place, they remove all your facial and body hair. After that ordeal Christine talks about coming out to family and her church.
Dana Bevan was in the military for a long time. She served as a a stealth trans soldier and devoted much effort to keeping her gender status secret. Today she writes about what it was like to hide for all that time and how she did it. She then discusses what the changes will be with trans people serving openly.
Dawn is a mom of two boys and two girls. Both the boys exhibit gender fluid tendencies and one of them seems to be more than slightly interested in being a girl. But that’s not the whole story. While in the hospital for treatment of a collapsed lung Dawn met a guy she knew she had to know better. Now his name is Hannah and Hannah is a girl and Dawn is okay with that.
Cate was feeling the need for a spiritual dimension in her life. The “old time” religion just wouldn’t do since all attempts to engage with it resulted in no reply. She looked around a bit and investigated other faith communities. Learn what she found in today’s blog.
Sophie Lynne is drawn back to Gettysburg, the scene of one of the most important engagements on the Civil War. It’s a peaceful place now but over three days in 1863 thousands of men on both sides met their deaths on those fields. Sophie goes to remember and also to learn a lesson in the pervasiveness of life.
As Amanda nears the time when she will be ready to go for GRS she encounters articles by so-called experts who liken reassignment surgery to mutilation. While she realizes that the articles are from the conservative right and are coming from a viewpoint that denies trans people are sane and able to make decisions about their bodies the articles do give her pause.
Josy C had always felt more feminine than masculine. From early childhood she was more interested in feminine pursuits and a bout with polio made sure that she could not engage in the more manly sports. After her retirement she she and her spouse moved to Florida where she found a new beginning.
