Category: Transgender Opinion

Sex Offender?

| Jul 29, 2013 | Reply

A news report about a FtM transgendered teen — or perhaps just a a teen with gender confusion — has prompted Dee Levy to write her contribution to TGF. The teen, born female, established and online male identity and courted a young girl. The teen went to visit the girl and they engaged in sexual activity without the girl knowing her boyfriend was not born with male parts. The boyfriend was arrested and is now a sex offender in the eyes of the law. And the “boyfriend” now identifies as female. See what Dee thinks of this complex affair.

Read More

Stealth is Soul-Destroying

| Jul 22, 2013 | Reply

Stealth is useful when you don’t want your spy planes to be noticed by the people you are spying on. It’s not as useful and may be actually harmful when you’re transgendered. The burden of having to pass all the time, having to watch yourself constantly to make sure you don’t betray your gender status and then the damage to your personal relationships and career from being outed make it an unhealthy way to live. Dallas Denny read an essay by another TG writer on the dangers of stealth and has been inspired to expand on the subject.

Read More

Review: My Transsexual Summer

| Jul 22, 2013 | Reply

In 2011 a British television program called My Transsexual Summer followed seven transgendered individuals around documenting what, for them, it is like to be transgendered. Now the program is available on YouTube and recently our columnist Linda Jensen got an email from her friend Janne Carbonneau about the program. Ms. Chabonneau wanted to let everyone know that the program did a good job of introducing TGs to the world in a non-exploitative way. Linda thought she should share Ms. Charbonneau’s review with the TGForum readers.

Read More

Games and Frontiers

| Jul 15, 2013 | Reply

Sophie Lynne was at one time, back in the ’80s, an avid gamer on Playstation and her favorite was Twisted Metal 2. The thing that appealed to her about video gaming was the levels of play. You could start out at Easy, then move on to Medium and after you mastered that change the setting to Hard and really test your skills. Today Sophie finds a parallel to the levels of gaming in the transgender world. Find out what Sophie feels defines each “level” in the Transgender Game and see if you agree.

Read More

Has Gay and Lesbian Transphobia Once Again Reared Its Ugly head?

| Jul 15, 2013 | Reply

For all of our gains in recognition and rights there we still often face transphobia. As Babs points out in this post some of the transphobia isn’t coming from the straight world. It’s coming from the gay, lesbian and bisexual parts of the community. Is there a resurgence of gay and lesbian transphobia menacing the T in GLBT? Babs looks a a few examples, like the firing of Allyson Robinson, after only 9 months on the job at Outserve-SLDN. And what about Janice Covington being told it would be better for her to join her state’s Democratic men’s auxiliary rather than the women’s. It’s enough to make you wonder. See what else Babs has to say about G&L transphobia.

Read More

Michael Dorsey would not kill off Toostie!

| Jul 15, 2013 | Reply

Recently an interview Dustin Hoffman did with the American Film Institute in 1998 surfaced on YouTube and went viral with the TG community. Hoffman talks about what the motivation for doing the film “Tootsie” was and how it affected his understanding of the relationship between the sexes. Much has been made of the fact that he broke down and wept when he realized that he had been judging women not by their character but by their looks. He reveals that he felt “brainwashed.” The AFI interview inspired our contributor Geogria TG to some commentary on the film and Hoffman’s epiphany. She thinks that Hoffman’s male character in the film would not have killed off Dorothy Michaels.

Read More

All we need is…?

| Jul 8, 2013 | Reply

Our correspondent in Thailand has filed another report on the ladyboys of that culture. Thailand is often thought of as a place where being transgendered is accepted but just like the rest of the world things are not that easy. And too often ladyboys are in trouble with the law. What do they need? Christine thinks she may know what it is.

Read More

Ready for Your Closeup?

| Jul 1, 2013 | Reply

The Artist D admits it. She just can’t quit Facebook. The social networking site is everywhere (soon you’ll be able to log into TGF with your FB account) and it has caused the old Internet style of searching to wane. The Artist D sees both sides of the social networking trend and hopes you’ll post a comment on this blog so she gets feedback.

Read More

Stand Up for Equal Rights for All

| Jul 1, 2013 | Reply

Dee’s dad, a heterosexual man, fought alongside gays and drag queens at Stonewall because he believed everyone should be treated equally. Dee learned that you can’t stand by while other’s rights are being infringed. Today she tells us about her stand against a religious cousin who is not so openminded.

Read More

A Rachel by Any Other Name?

| Jul 1, 2013 | Reply

What’s in a name? Is not a rose still a rose if we call it a daisy? Today RachelX talks about what it’s like to transition and have friends and family deal with remembering your new gender label and name. Learn how Rachel handles being called by her old name or with the wrong pronoun.

Read More

What is the Right Approach for You?

| Jun 24, 2013 | Reply

Recently Linda Jensen spent the day with Lisa, a t-girl who makes no attempt to blend in to the crowd. Lisa seems to flaunt her difference. ‘Vive la différénce,’ as they say in France. Should our goal be blending? Linda ponders — ‘what is the right approach?’

Read More

Laugh a Little!

| Jun 24, 2013 | Reply

Some transgendered people are always playing defense. It’s somewhat natural since they have had to deal with mistreatment at the hands of others for all of their lives. Today Dallas Denny reminds us that the best defense is a good sense of humor. She counsels “Laugh a Little!”

Read More

Ripples

| Jun 17, 2013 | Reply

Sophie Lynne believes we are all effected by actions and events that send out ripples in reality. She brings that theory to an essay on the passing of JoAnn Roberts, the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference and polluted pond and some lyrics from The Grateful Dead. Like that pond Sophie is deep and this one may make you cry.

Read More

A Christine-Jane Cartoon 6/13

| Jun 17, 2013 | Reply

Christine-Jane was inspired by the discussion started last week by TransJenn’s post on knowing what you’re talking about when you go out to educate about the TG community. Will Christine-Jane’s cartoon contribution today spark controversy? We’re not sure about that but we hope it sparks a chuckle.

Read More

Problems? What Problems?

| Jun 10, 2013 | Reply

Our British contributor, Graham Holmes, dresses but makes no attempt to pass as a female. He uses the men’s room, does his errands and his work dressed but eschews wigs and breast forms. Does he run into trouble from this lifestyle? Most often from other CDs. And some of the general public.

Read More

Let Down

| Jun 10, 2013 | Reply

Our correspondent in Thailand is feeling let down about the progress transgendered people in Asia are making. While she applauds the strides forward she feels there are two many jumps backward. Thailand’s ladyboys should be not just tolerated but given equal opportunity. Read and learn why Christine is feeling Let Down.

Read More

Human Pride

| Jun 3, 2013 | Reply

The world loves labels. LGBTQI is a label containing many other labels. Do we really have to choose which label applies to us? The Artist D feels that we’re all human beings and we should all be able to be who we are with no worries about what label fits. It’s Pride Month. Find out why The Artist D promotes pride for all.

Read More

Memorial Day and a Two Piece Bathing Suit — UGH!

| Jun 3, 2013 | Reply

Despite all the adventures RachelX has had there are times when she still feels vulnerable and exposed. One of those times was an old friend’s pool party. Friends who knew her for years as a man would now see her in a two piece bathing suit. Rachel shares how she felt and why she refused to wear a 1-piece.

Read More

TGs Take D.C. for Lobby Days

| Jun 3, 2013 | Reply

Babs Casbar Siperstein tells us TGs will descend on the capital this month to lobby members of congress for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Why is ENDA important? TGs have no protections at the federal level and can be fired, denied promotions and be harassed. Support Lobby Days!

Read More

“How can we save our marriage when I hate when my husband’s crossdressing?”

| Jun 3, 2013 | Reply

She loves her husband but hates his crossdressing. Can the marriage continue? That’s Dee Levy’s topic today. If she desires a masculine lover can her shaved and soft CD husband satisfy her?

Read More

Drab on Drab

| May 20, 2013 | Reply

Many transgendered people who live dual lives would never consider letting their TG friends glimpse their male side. Others, like Sophie Lynne, feel that letting them get to know the male personae is evidence of a great amount of trust. Today Sophie talks about several aspects of the dual life and its joy and pain.

Read More

Walking the Grooming Tightrope

| May 20, 2013

The 21st century is our time. Mens’ grooming in general is trending more to the use of traditionally feminine things like hair removal, skin lotions and makeup. That can only make things easier for the modern part time girl. Angela Gardner muses on the relaxing rules that make it easier to move between genders.

Read More

Military Conscription in Thailand

| May 13, 2013 | Reply

Christine Burr has filed another report from Thailand. She expands on the “guilty till proven innocent” attitude that the Thai press takes in regard to ladyboys involved in criminal activity noting that even stories of ladyboys reporting for Thailand’s compulsory military service seemed skewed against them.

Read More

How To Wear a Condom Dress

| May 13, 2013 | Reply

What’s tight and long and has to be rolled on to wear? A condom dress! Today Tasi Zuriak talks about condom dresses, both those that look like a condom since they’re a long, tight tube, and those that are made out of condoms. She also has some other fashion wisdom concerning legs and layering.

Read More

Safer Schools — My first experience in legislative advocacy

| May 13, 2013 | Reply

Babs Casbar Siperstein outlines how a small group of activists got the words “gender identity and expression” added to anti-bullying legislation in New Jersey. It took a lot of hard work and an understanding of the political process. Find out how they did it.

Read More

TG Activism in the Making

| May 13, 2013 | Reply

Her college tried to stop her from speaking to classes about transgender issues. First she brought in the Department of Justice to defend her right to be treated like any other woman on campus. Then she used wily tactics to talk about transgender issues when the college tried to stop her. She’s TransJenn.

Read More