Recent Transgender Articles
Transgender Stress: How Are You Coping?
You are undoubtedly stressed, how are you coping? It all mounts up. There are the 98 attacks on transgender people by the current administration as documented by GLAAD. Then there are the half dozen states that make us feel unwanted and endanger us if we travel there because we might be denied emergency healthcare or […]
Trans Media Arts: Trans in Entertainment!
Amanda F. Steele covers the transgender entertainment and media beat. Today she has news about Shangela performing as Beyoncé for Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z. Then she introduces us to a guitarist and band leader who dares to perform in Malaysia , an ultra-conservative Muslim controlled nation. She also has news about Andreja Pejic and how to honor International Transgender Visibility Day in the U.K. Alex would talk with the voice of a trans man. Get it all from Trans Media Arts.
A Sabrina Symington “Bria” Cartoon
Some burger joints have a lot of different marketing gimmicks. Some advertise grass fed beef. Others say their burger patties are never frozen. And the trend is to go organic with patties from cows that have no added hormones. When Bria goes out for a burger and fries she is always prepared.
Dreams Take Flight, Part 2
Patrick was a flight attendant with a major U.S. airline a few decades ago. He and his crew-mates were based in Denver but often had to stay overnight in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and San Diego. It is during one of those layovers that our story starts to unfold. Patrick is outed to his crew-mates and instead of rejection he is encouraged to present himself as Patty. In our last installment the female flight attendants had presented Patrick with a package. What could it be? Read on to find out.
Transmute, Episode 2.3 — Awakening
In a future which has gone wrong Zealots seek to purge the nation of trans people. Trans women who don’t “pass” turn to black market meds in order to fully transition and blend in with the population of cisgender women. Spying, paranoia and secrecy are the norms for trans women and being “outed” means more than just mockery and verbal abuse. Raquel Swann is back with a science fiction tale of a future world that could be all to real. Read Episode 2.3, Awakening.
The Week In Trans 3/25/19
The Week In Trans is here! What do we learn today? The 1982 film Tootsie has been turned into a Broadway play and it opens at the end of the month. The trans military ban is back on hold but don’t hold your breath. More court activity to come. The Canadian Armed Forces have issues new directives on how to treat trans troops. A trans activist from Honduras says a wall will not stop people from seeking refuge in the U.S. Republicans are reluctant to renew the Violence Against Women Act since it includes for the prisons to consider the safety of trans prisoners. A school district in Georgia has blocked a trans boy from running for prom king. Trans candidates are running in local Philadelphia elections. A study shows men who identify as cisgender but have sex with trans women have a higher-than-average HIV infection rate. And there’s lots of other news plus a few TWIT Awards. It’s all waiting for your click.
Amanda Reports on Keystone 2019
After living on the West Coast and missing six years of The Keystone Conference Amanda F. Steele is now a resident of Baltimore and when she realized many of her friend would be just and hour and and eighteen minutes away in Harrisburg she made a last minute trip the event. And of course we took advantage of that and told her to send us a report on what happened.
Fashion Alert! Here Comes Spring!
Pauline Estelle welcomes spring and with it her thoughts turn to dressing for the warmer weather. Today she offers tips on how to break away from the winter blahs and bring out the bright outfits you’ll wear for the next month or so and we get into summer heat. So put away the boots and heavy coats and wear colors and lighter fabrics with spring sweaters and light jackets.
Emily Chapter 3 — The Weekend
Robert, a boy who is shorter and slighter than other boys his age was caught trying on his sister’s clothes while investigating the things that made girl’s clothes so different. He was caught by his sister who didn’t recognize him and thought some other girl was in her room trying on her clothes. After she settled down she asked if he would like help with makeup and when Robert said yes she painted his face and fixed his hair in a feminine style. Then they were discovered by his mother who did not recognize him. When she did she asked if he would like to explore femininity more throughly. Then he was given the name Emily and his adventures really started.
Doing Your Face
This is a Retro Rerun from the TGForum Archives. Stacy B. Haven wrote an article for our Mirror Mirror feature on how to do your makeup. It appeared on our website in 1997. Good advice is timeless though and her thought’s from the 20th century are still applicable today for the crossdresser or trans woman who wants to look her best.
The Week In Trans 3/18/19
Time for The Week In Trans! What do we learn today? Brianna Titone the first trans person elected to Colorado’s legislature spoke at a university. The Pentagon has some loopholes in the trans military ban. Vermont becomes the latest state to allow an X for gender on licenses. Jazell Barbie Royale has won the Miss International Queen title. Johnson City, Tennessee is LGBT friendly in the middle of a red state. A trans man has formed a company to educate businesses on how to deal with trans employees. There’s a better chance you will have an eating disorder if you are transgender. Project Runway has its first transgender model. The University of Southern California has a trans specific scholarship. Gigi Gorgeous backed out of gender confirmation surgery at the last minute. There’s all that and much more news, along with a few well deserved TWIT Awards, waiting for you in TWIT!
Back to Ladyboys
Some call Thailand the Land of Smiles and say that in general, except for sudden changes of leadership orchestrated by the military, citizens and visitors can have an easy time living there. Our correspondent in Thailand has written in the past about the transgender women there, known as ladyboys, or the more derogatory name katoi, and how they are treated by the general public. Despite advances made in the area of civil rights for transgender Thais Christine Burr today reports that they are still second class citizens.
Death and Shamrocks
Sophie Lynne looks back at some people in her life who made a good impression on her but are no longer there. She has felt enriched by them as she feels sad that they have passed away. Today her blog is about raising a glass to the people who she has cherished in the past as she proceeds on her path into the future.
The Occasional Woman — Spring! Time to Shop!
it’s almost spring and that means it’s time to shop! Lorraine Anderson, the owner of The Occasional Woman custom clothing and alteration service urges you to take advantage of the sales at deep discounts on winter apparel and accessories so you are prepared for next winter. And there are bargains to be had that you can wear this spring. Get her fashion tips in today’s blog from The Occasional Woman.
Back to the Fray!
Lynda Martini has taken a big step and had breast augmentation and facial feminization surgery. She is out at work and has developed a renewed interest in meeting people who may become romantic partners. She is using a couple of online dating sites and is looking forward to going out on some dating encounters. If the dates don’t work out she’s thinking of getting a cuddly stuffed animal to hug. Today she puts forth her self-created 5 Point Plan for Dating Success.
All Just a Dream?
Amanda wasn’t fitting in in California. She had anxiety and depression almost every day. She missed the East Coast and her family. It was particularly hard during the holidays. At the urging of her online friends she decided to finally take another big step in her life and head back east. Now she is living in Baltimore, thinking about looking for a job and beginning to think that her life is just a dream. A bad dream, and she can’t wake up.
Princessas de la Noche – Miss Crossdresser
As Katherine Diaz has learned more and been tutored in the art of crossdressing she has been exposed to many of the great female impersonators and drag artists of her country. Today she goes back stage at a drag pageant to show what goes on when transformistas gather for a contest. Her blog is in English along with her original Spanish text.
The Week In Trans 3/11/19
What do we learn today in The Week In Trans? Chelsea Manning is back in the slammer for refusing to answer grand jury questions. The legal battles over the trans military ban continue. This week the House will take up the Equality Act. Trans people who ran for congress last year lost because they didn’t raise enough money. Danica Roem has raised more money after she was threatened with pickets from the Westboro Baptist Church. There’s a European drag river cruise set for this summer. Some trans people are not told that they may not be fertile after they begin hormone therapy. A 9-year-old trans kid is profiled on the BBC. Martina Navratilova has apologized for her comments on trans women athletes — sort of. An Egyptian trans woman was taken into custody and has not been heard from. There is a mistrial in the case of the D.C. men who robbed trans women and murdered one. There’s all that and much more waiting for you in TWIT!
Dina’s Diner March 11, 2019
What tasty tidbits will Dina Amberle tease you with in this edition of Dina’s Diner? So glad you asked. First she stirs up a batch of dish on the fashion designer who sent men down the runway at his menswear show in menswear converted into not very attractive dresses. Then she delivers a tribute to the women of the twenty first century with the story of the warrior woman Shannon Kent who was killed in the line of duty. Moving on to a sweeter dish Dina blends in some movie scenes that touched her crossdressing nerve and helped make her be the woman she is today. Then it’s a soufflé of body suits and leotards to round out today’s menu at Dina’s Diner. Be sure to stop on by.
Overthinking?
It’s been nine months since Claire Hall came out to the world as a woman. In that time she has learned a lot about her gender and about being a woman. Today she wonders if maybe her joy at the simple things like hairdos, makeup, clothes and all the other “feminine” accoutrements might seem shallow, and perhaps taking pleasure from compliments on those things might be a mistake. But then, maybe she’s just overthinking.
Review: Fictionmania
Sophie Lynne has been our Page Pundit since 2017. Her job as the Pundit has been to review books by trans writers and books about transgender subjects. When she took on this task she was employed at a bookstore so getting material was easy. She is no longer working there and Sophie has decided to doff her Page Pundit hat and return to delivering her personal blog every four weeks. She ends her run as the Pundit with a final post that reviews a website which publishes transgender fiction.
Retro Rerun: Honey Harlow on Luscious Lips
Honey Harlow is one of the great entertainers in our community and a recognized expert in makeup for both glamorous occasions and everyday wear. This article on creating luscious lips was published on TGForum in 1998. Today Honey Harlow has an online store selling the glamorous accessories every girl needs. My makeup tip for luscious lips […]
From the Archives: Halloween 1996 — NYC, SF
Back in 1996 TGForum ran a bi-coastal pictorial feature on Halloween in New York City and San Francisco. Editor Cindy Martin did the photo layout of pictures shot in NYC by photographer Dana B. and photos from San Francisco taken by Jamie Faye Fenton. We bring you those photos again so you can enjoy the costumes and the lovely ladies back in the day.
The Week In Trans 3/4/19
Time for The Week In Trans! What do we learn today? Out magazine has a trans woman editor. The trans military ban keeps making news. A group of drag queens protest against a border wall. Pakistan has its first drag queen insult comic. South Dakota has voted against a bill that would require trans student athletes to compete in their birth gender. Andreja Pejic is the new Bonds girl. The United Methodist Church hasn’t got a method to deal with LGBT+ members. A scientist claims that there’s no difference between male and female brains. Billy Porter talks to Vogue about why he wore that tuxedo gown. Ellen Page stands up for trans people. Trans patients in Britain have long wait times before they can see a doctor. There’s all that and one lone TWIT Award waiting for you in TWIT!
Dreams Take Flight
It was the 1970s, less than 50 years ago but it might as well have been centuries ago when it came to the transphobic and homophobic attitudes prevalent in society. What would happen when a gay, trans person was ‘outed’ to his colleagues? It wasn’t always good but for Patrick it was a life-changing experience.
Lavern Cummings, The Sophisticate of Song
Classic female impersonator Paul Lavern Cummings passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada in March of 2018 after being severely injured in an auto accident. Back in 1999 TGForum ran an interview with Cummings that was conducted by TGF contributor Ken Spaulding. Since it’s been almost a year since Cummings’ death we dip back into the TGForum Archives and bring you that 1999 interview.
