Linda’s friend Marie has told her that she is giving up her transgender life. Linda questions her about how, with transgender traits with her from birth or early childhood, she thinks she can do that. Her response brings in to question some of the role of nature and nurture in forming our transgender traits. See if Marie’s theories about the nature of crossdressing apply to you, or if you think they are off the mark.
It’s time for The Week In Trans! What do we learn today? A trans woman is running for congress in Uruguay. Danica Roem has been dissed as a male by her opponent in the race for the Virginia state legislature. Germany won’t let a trans man be a legal father. Pakistani trans people can use the name of their guru when registering for an ID card if their parents have disowned them. The highest ranking trans woman of the U.K. armed forces is engaged to a trans man. News of the Bushwig festival. Makeup being marketed to both men and women. Violence against trans kids, and much more, along with a few TWIT Awards, is waiting for you in TWIT!
Today’s topic in Lorraine Anderson’s The Occasional Woman column is fall fashion. It’s that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when sandals get put away, bare legs get covered by tights and over-the-knee socks, and bright floral prints take a rest until next spring. Out come the “moody” dark florals with cute jackets, scarves, and sweaters. What are the trends to watch? Lorraine has read Vogue from cover to cover and taken notes. She passes the knowledge gained, along with her own fashion wisdom, on to you.
Katherine Diaz, our correspondent from Bogota, Columbia is getting into drag performance. She is rehearsing a song to lip sync and working on her moves. When her act is ready Katherine promises she will write about her performing experience. As always Senorita Diaz presents her report from Bogota en Español. You can copy and paste her words into Google Translate to read it in other languages. And she has another video!
Today we dive deep into the TGF Archives to 1996 to pull out an article by founding editor Cindy Martin. Her topic was blusher. How to do it correctly so you don’t look like a painted doll. Keep in mind that this was written in the late 20th century and we’re getting on into the 21st, but the tips Cindy wrote back then can still be helpful. Keep in mind your blush should be subtle during daylight hours. At night it needs to be heavier but not war paint.
Have you seen the bold African print fashions that feature what’s known as Ankara? If you have and you’ve thought they might be fun to wear but you weren’t sure about how to successfully wear them, fear not! Our fashion maven Tasi Zuriack has advice on how to bring the Ankara prints into your wardrobe and make yourself look fabulous.
Linda meets up with a long-time friend who says she has some startling news for her. What could it be? Her friend was going to have gender confirmation surgery? But then she would still be the woman Linda liked, and, she had always identified as a crossdresser. Could it be something personal? Linda didn’t think there was anything wrong between them. Why would this be the last time they might see each other?
Every male who dresses up in feminine attire has individual needs to meet. Some want to blend in with the female population seamlessly. Others want to proudly put themselves out there in fashion forward looks that draw attention and have those nearby saying to their companions, “You mean that’s a man?” If your goal is to blend in, for whatever reason, then you won’t want to miss Lorraine Anderson’s Occasional Woman column today. She talks you through the biggest “tells” that make others suspect you are not what you appear to be. And we include a video on how to walk in high heels. What more could you want?
Today our correspondent in Columbia blogs about the wonder and joy of the transformation brought about by the artful use of cosmetics. The power of eye makeup to enhance the feminine and the use of foundation to hide masculine beard shadow, while taken for granted by girls who have been using it for years, can be amazing to those who first step into the world of feminine presentation. Remember that first look in the mirror when you saw “her”? Katherine Diaz takes you back. In español, of course.
The year was 1996. Cindy Martin was the editor of TGForum. From time to time Cindy would post makeup tips to help the readers beautify themselves. Since her advice was good in 1996 and when it comes to basic lipstick application it’s still good today, we present Lips: Beautiful, Never Beastly as today’s Retro Rerun. Cindy outlines the basics on how to manipulate the way your lips appear and she fills you in on techniques that could work for you. Of course today’s lip trends aren’t covered in an article from 1996 but much of the information remains relevant.
New Year’s Eve 1998 saw Linda Jensen in Los Angeles ready to go to the big party at the Queen Mary club. She had the dress, and she had a plan for the evening. She made special arrangements to be in the City of Angels for the New Year’s party and then she remembered she forgot to bring earrings to match the dress. Fortunately the Jim Bridges Boutique was on the way. Step back to the lat ‘90s and visit the now closed but fabled Queen Mary with Linda in this Retro Rerun.
Katherine Diaz writes to us from Bogota, Columbia. Being trans there is much the same as it is everywhere. Today her video contains some of her friends from around the world and in her blog she gives some tips on how to be successful as a woman.
It’s time to take a break and wander on down to Dina’s Diner to see what she has cooking. Today the specials include some tasty info on Amanda Lepore. There’s a filling piece on a woman who became a crossdressing warlord. Tidbits on the decline in the number of gay bars will cleanse your palette and prepare you for a main course of appreciating the Afro hairstyle. Dina offers a pleasing dessert on the the phenomena of unhooked garters in a film she saw recently. She asks “Why?” Partake of it all from the latest menu down at Dina’s Diner.
Linda Jensen is taking a well deserved summer vacation. To fill her spot on the TGF schedule this month we searched the TGF Archives and pulled out one of her columns from 1998. Back in the ’90s Linda had tried out for the game show Jeopardy! a couple of times as her male self and didn’t get picked as a contestant. She vowed that the next time she took their test she would do it as Linda. This is the tale of that day long ago in California when Linda, in her new floral print wrap dress took the Jeopardy! test along with 150 other hopefuls. How did it turn out? Read on!
Today’s Retro Rerun is an cartoon from Kyra Kelly. Kyra did cartooning for us for several years. This toon is from 2011 and features her constant heroine, Lexy Tranner, Weekend CD. See if you can relate to Lexy’s situation.
Here at TGForum we have always used the word “transgender” as a term that covers all “trans” activity from fetishistic crossdressers enjoying lingerie in the privacy of their own homes to trans women, fully transitioned and making their mark on the world. Between those two extremes is a broad spectrum of behaviors, identities, and gender expression. To help sort things out and provide some definitions to terms that have come into use over the years Dr. Dana Bevan has written an informative post on Transgender Definitions.
Fiber is not only good for you digestive system. In hot summer weather natural fiber clothing is more comfortable. Today Lorraine Anderson, head seamstress at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, discusses the benefits of all natural fibers. The choices available include linen, cotton, silk, and hemp, among others. Each offers different properties but all of them, when used to create a summer frock, will help to keep you cool and dressed well.
Linda continues her series on her meetings with the support group, Bracoholics Anonymous. This group is primarily composed of crossdressers but also contains a few men who only dress in lingerie under their male attire. The bracoholics focus mainly on the joy of wearing a pretty bra and like many of their members Linda was first attracted to that particular garment. In today’s post she reports on things she learned from other members of the group.
We all have our dress up routines. Some always “under dress” in lingerie and hose while they present a masculine image to the world. Other’s prefer to dress up all the way and go out for special femme days, or just stay home and take selfies to post on Facebook. While under dressing can give a crossdresser the connection to the world of femininity that they find pleasurable, there are dangers when your usual routine is suddenly interrupted. In Part 1 Porja told you how a medical emergency landed her in the ER while under dressing in lace panties and hose. Today the startling consequences.
Katherine Diaz’s travels through her city en femme have given her a different perspective. Perhaps she is more attuned to the presence of art in her city when she sees it from a feminine perspective. Whatever the reason today Katherine celebrates the murals that transform old buildings into works of art that brighten neighborhoods and have inspired muralists in other cities to create large scale art works. Of course there is a video to accompany Katherine’s blog. The blog is en español. Use Google translate to read it in English.
Dear Editor, All beings on this planet have an inalienable right to express their own individual personality as long as doing so is not harmful to other members of the community. The female gender have been crossdressing without hindrance from time immemorial and are still allowed to carry it on in public where it is […]
Time to head on over to Dina’s Diner for some tasty treats. Dina has cooked up some specials for today and she’s waiting for you to slide into a booth, order a cup of coffee and settle in. First item on the menu is the increase in trans surgeries. Dina tells us it has gone up 20% in two years. Then she has a light, fluffy item about a middle-aged trans woman who is a “Lolita.” The frillier the better for this girl. Then she turns to a tasty item about a mysterious Playboy centerfold whose breast defied physics. Dina wraps up the menu items with a segment on two piece bathings suits and people who sell lingerie and other clothing through Facebook. Don’t miss today’s edition of Dina’s Diner.
Today in Page Pundit Sophie Lynne interviews trans author and cosplay fan Jenny North. Ms. North has a new book, her first novel of TG fiction, titled “Identity Crisis,” and she talks about it, her many hobbies, her self discovery, her other short works of TG fiction, and trans characters in comic books. Read on to meet Jenny North.
Linda continues her story about her interaction with the group ‘Bracoholics Anonymous’ which, as the name suggests is a help group for men coming to terms with their attraction to brassieres. This time she shares a story of how the bracoholics are not be as invisible to others as they may think.
Marc Mitnick is a speech therapist who helps male to female trans people develop a feminine voice. Today Marc outlines in general what a speech therapist will do to help a client modify their voice and communication style to make the way the talk more feminine.
