Last month we began the story of a young man who likes pretty things, and feminine expression who was faced with a choice. An old crone’s potion may transform him into a woman. Is it really what he desires in his heart of hearts? New TGF contributor Raquel Swann has crafted a fantasy tale that starts with that choice. Today we bring you Chapter 2 of “Metamorphosis – A Transgender Odyssey.” The young man has made his choice. What will happen now?
Being forced to live in the wrong gender can make problems in a person’s life. Sometimes they don’t even realize that their problems are related to their gender issues. Sabrina Symington presents the story of one person who made a realization about their pre-transition behavior after they started to live as their true self.
Linda has a deal with her wife that allows her to take off for an entire week, go to some resort she finds interesting and spend the whole week en femme, 24 hours a day. She calls these times her “Wonderful Weeks.” After recently spending a week at a resort in Massachusetts’s famous Berkshire Mountains Linda looks back on the feeling of relaxed acceptance she experienced from the people encountered.
Slide into a booth at Dina’s Diner. Order a cup of coffee and settle in for some tasty treats from your hostess. Today Dina Amberle comments on the current movement toward “no makeup.” Oh the horror! Bare faces in public?! But Alicia Keys is one of those who is going without makeup and it’s stirred up quite a controversy. Then Dina comments on people who commented on photos of a teacher that had people saying she shouldn’t dress like that in class. Add in a dash of Disney princesses — all from one young man — and then round it all out with an observation about tattooed crossdressers. It’s all part of today’s special served up at Dina’s Diner.
Shawna Virago, the San Francisco based singer/songwriter, was last interviewed on TGForum when her Objectified album came out. Today Pamela DeGroff checks in with Ms. Virago and learns that she is now working on a new album. The interview covers touring, her work with a dance troupe, and her politics and musical influences. If you haven’t met her before give Perpetual Change a read and learn all about Shawna Virago. Then Pamela gives you a mini review of a new album from a group called Tritonal. Listen to one of their new tracks right here.
Today we begin a tale of metamorphosis — of transmogrification, if you will. A young man who likes pretty things, and feminine expression is faced with a choice. Will he choose to drink the old crone’s potion on the chance that it will transform him into a woman? Is it really what he desires in his heart of hearts? New TGF contributor Raquel Swann has crafted a fantasy tale that starts with that choice. Where will it lead? Start your journey to enlightenment as we present chapter one of “Metamorphosis – A Transgender Odyssey.”
Contributor Jamie Fenton attends a sex party in San Francisco that welcomes trans people and those who are “trans attracted.” Jamie is suitably attired for the evening’s activities in panties, a slip, and thigh hi stockings. The rest of the crowd is either also scantily clad or naked. What went on at the party? Jamie let’s you know in this post, and she gives you the information you need to find such a party in your area. Be advised that this post is about sex so if you are easily shocked it may be a post you should skip.
The Rev. Yolanda Mapes is a drag queen musical minister whose live show “Rev. Yolanda’s Old Time Gospel Show” mixes that old time religion with gospel music and eastern philosophy. Last month Pamela DeGroff interviewed Yolanda about her upcoming projects. Today she presents Part 2 of that interview along with some musical news concerning Cyndi Lauper and does a review of new music by female rocker Kaye. It’s all in our TGF music column, Perpetual Change.
Last month Linda Jensen told us about a chance encounter she had at a music festival up in Canada. She met Crystal and Mary who turned out to be old friends from at least ten to fifteen years previously. Crystal and Linda are both crossdressers. While Linda is a crossdresser who keeps her male and female lives quite separate Crystal pretty freely changes between the two genders and her friends and family know all about her dressing. How that came to be is quite an interesting story.
Is the world ready for a film in which a hitman is forced into sex change surgery? There’s one coming out soon and it has the trans community stirred up. Meanwhile, some in the community say “good riddance” to the cancelation of I Am Cait. Amanda F. has those stories along with info on another upcoming film that follows 6 trans people through their lives called More Than T, and she fills us in on a new show title Strut that will follow trans models as they compete to reach the top. There’s more coverage of the media, the arts and music all waiting in Trans Media Arts!
In the heat of August the last thing on your mind is a costume for Halloween. It’s hot and sticky outside and you can’t begin to think about corsetry, velvet and elaborate wigs and makeup. But, if you want to look great at the big Halloween party, and maybe even win a costume prize, you should start working on your Halloween costume idea right now. Fortunately there is an experienced seamstress and costume designer who can help you create a fabulous October 31st look. She’s or very own Lorraine Anderson, proprietor of seamstress service known as The Occasional Woman.
It’s summertime and the dining is lighter, or at least it’s supposed to be. So Dina Amberle has adjusted the Dina’s Diner menu to include some lighter fare that is still nutritious and pleasing to the palate. She starts of with a light seafood salad that features mermaids as the main ingrediant. Then she mixes in some crossdressers in swimwear, adds a dash of synchronized swimming and prepares a side dish of club kid culture, followed by a dessert that features tight Spandex® modern athletic garb that bares more than the Olympians of yore ever imagined. And she has photos to prove it. Check out this summer time menu at Dina’s Diner. Bon appetite!
The Rev. Yolanda Mapes is going to be celebrating her birthday soon and in honor of the occasion our trans music scene writer Pamela DeGroff has done an interview with the Rev. Yolanda. In case you don’t know about her drag queen gospel show you can learn a lot about it and how Yolanda came to be a minister and a drag queen who created Rev. Yolanda’s Old Time Gospel Hour by reading Part 1 of the TGF interview with Yolanda. Then Pam gives you some news about live appearances by several trans artists and reviews a new album from a band called St. Lucia. It’s all there waiting for you in the longest running column on TGF, Perpetual Change.
Captain Amanda invites you aboard her Trans Media Arts ship and promises to take you away from all the bad news to a land where trans characters and trans issues are front and center in television shows and films. Today she looks at a trans woman comic who is knockin’ ’em dead on “America’s Got Talent.” Then she points you to a story about a young drag queen who used a video about gender to get admitted to Harvard. She has news about Laura Jane Grace, Jazz Jennings and a young trans girl named Zay. There are videos you can view right inside her column. Keep up to date on trans people in the media with Trans Media Arts.
Our resident cartoonist Sabrina Bria Symington has another commentary on the trials and tribulations of being transgender. Today a young woman, a princess no less, wants to join a course on womyn’s studies. However the professor in charge, Dr. Terfburger, has some problems about allowing the woman to sign up for the class. Scroll down after you read the first two panels to learn just what her reservations are.
Linda has a day on her own at a blues festival in Ottawa. While she’s checking her makeup in the hotel ladies’ room she ducks into a stall when she hears someone entering. It’s two women but one of them has a voice that’s not quite right. So Linda flushes the toilet to make it seem she was actually using the stall and steps out into the room. That’ when this month’s Linda Jensen adventure get’s interesting.
Sabrina Bria Symington has another commentary on trans life in the form of a multi-panel cartoon. Don’t be your own worst critic and decide things won’t work for you. Go ahead and give them a try. If they don’t work that’s fine. At least you aren’t limiting your own options. Don’t let yourself fall a victim to the c-word. Find out what it is in today’s cartoon.
Dina Amberle is back at the grill down at Dina’s Diner and she’s cooked up a patriotic repast for today as we celebrate our red, white and blue American holiday. Dina has taken a bit of Mariah Carey, added some womanly hips, a pinch of Bill Cunningham memories, some high heel hacks and The NYT’s focus on drag for Pride month to create a delicious feast for the mind. Enjoy and bon appétit!
Tona Brown is a violinist and vocalist who performs across genres, from classical to jazz to R&B. Ms. Brown is a trans woman from Baltimore and she has been interviewed in this column before, back in 2009. Pamela DeGroff interviewed her again recently and brings you that interview today. Ms. Brown has been active in music and also as a presence on social media doing a live interview show. After the interview Pamela has some music news and a mini review of the new Ariana Grande album.
Trans Media Arts is our column dedicated to trans people and trans subjects portrayed in the art and media. Today Amanda has a look at trans topics as diverse as a new drag singing sensation in San Francisco; the new season of Orange is the New Black; a trans man athlete featured in a magazine in the nude; a drag mural; a trans super hero, and much more. Don’t miss Trans Media Arts!
Our resident cartoonist Sabrina Bria Symington has another commentary on this thing we call transgender. Today she points out that there are many, many different women in the world and they have many characteristics besides, as The Big Bopper sang, “That wiggle in the walk, and giggle in the talk.” They are all unique and some have characteristics that just might make us feel better about ourselves.
Our crossdresser cartoonist passed away in February of this year. Relive eleven of her cartoons from the past year in a TGForum slideshow. The slides will change every 10 seconds till they reach the eleventh cartoon.
It takes a master (or is that mistress?) chef to take such diverse ingredients as 17 year cicadas, YouTube star Gigi Gorgeous, office dress codes, the shift away from super femme presentation on RuPaul’s Drag Race and a sprinkling of Night Flowers, and whip it into a delightful treat for the discerning palate. If there’s one woman who can do it it would be our Dina Amberle. Step into Dina’s Diner today and see what’s cookin’!
Our music columnist interviews Jodi Jolt of the trans band Jodi Jolt and The Volt. They’re from Rhode Island and they gig throughout New England. The Volt performs in LGBT clubs and straight clubs. How do the crowds react when Jodi Jolt and The Volt hit the stage? Check out Pamela’s interview and learn a lot about the band. Then she has some music news from other trans performers.
For some time now Linda has been writing about the adventures of other t-girls, their adventures and relationships. Linda herself enjoys living vicariously through their stories and she hopes you do, too. This time Linda recounts an erotic adventure of her own. It is from some time ago, so long ago in fact it happened in the last century. She wrote the story back then but she has tweaked it a bit for a modern audience. Linda goes to a marathon to compete but she ends up doing another form of exercise as well.
