Babs Casbar Siperstein, our political correspondent shares some thoughts on Chelsea Manning’s big to compete in the primary for Maryland’s senate seat. Then she updates you on the progress on trans issues being made in New Jersey now that their unpopular governor has left office and been replaced with a Democrat.
Cate O’Malley made a different kind of New Year’s Resolution to start 2018. Rather than resolve to stick to a diet or become a more responsible consumer, or cut back on imbibing alcohol or avoiding toxic people, Cate decided to resolve to stick to some fundamental principles to live by. Today she blogs about the three things she deems most important in living life. You may get a hint at what they are from her blog title.
Constant vigilance is necessary as the media are often not through in researching who they use as an “expert” in shows dealing with trans issues. Dana Bevan is always on the look out for the inclusion of discredited “experts” and she recently caught one on the TLC show I Am Jazz. The offender in question was Susan Bradley, formerly of the Clarke Institute which morphed into the now closed Canadian Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) center. Bradley is against allowing trans kids to be the gender they feel. Read on and find out what other misinformation the show allowed to air.
Today Kimberly offers advice on preparing to take that big step that takes you out of your closet and into the world. Before you jump into a dress and heels and walk out the door there are some things you need to check, and some questions you need to answer. Are you ready to go public? Have you practiced being feminine? Is your outfit attractive but bland enough to blend in with the other women you will be mingling with? I you bread cover working? Have you worked on a feminine voice if someone asks you a question? If you get “read” will you run home? If people point at you and laugh will you be upset?
This week Sophie Lynne is concerned that the current administration in charge in Washington, D.C. is actively moving to restrict our rights to fair treatment by promoting the idea that people can refuse to serve, provide housing, or medical treatment to LGBT people strictly because the idea goes against their religion. Sophie feels that a new department of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights establishment of a Conscience and Religious Freedom Division is a direct threat to us. Give her post a read and let us know what you think.
Katherine Diaz is our correspondent in Columbia. She is a resident of Bogotá and she enjoys dressing up and walking out through the city as a Princessa de la Noche. Today she writes about that experience, how she feels so sexy as she either wanders with no fixed destination or has a particular nightclub she plans to visit. And she provides an accompanying video. Her blog is en Español.
Our Page Pundit Sophie Lynne works in retail. That means she just got through the busiest most hectic time of the year for retail employees. So, that gave her little time to read an entire book, take a critical look at its contents and then craft a concise and hard hitting review to post for you, the TGF readers. What has she reviewed for her first Page Pundit of the new year? Give a click and find out.
Dina Amberle has stirred up a hearty stew down at Dina’s Diner. Some of the ingredients she tossed into the pot include: Scientists who have developed software that can produce the perfect woman. At least an image of one. Talk of the demise of high heels is premature. Memories of the hot ladies of drag racing. (Who could forget Jungle Pam?) Then an appreciation of the women who worked in films with Jerry Lewis, and some rumination on why there are so many body building ladies living in Dina’s town. It’s all spiced up and flavored with Dina’s special sauce. Don’t miss a good dose of Dina’s Diner!
The Artist D! has a New Year message for one and all. Is it hopeful? Is it bleak? Does she wish everyone a happy new year filled with family and friends or a solitary exploration of self? There is only one way to find out. Click here and step into The Artist D! Zone.
Today Sabrina Symington takes on the TERFs, that’s the Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists, who will not accept trans women as women. Which leads them to go out of their way to find reasons why transgender females are not women. Sabrina enters the fray with several verbal weapons. See how she defeats the TERF in today’s Sabrina Toon.
Often time fear will keep a trans person from going out in public. Fear of taunts or even violence can persuade you to stay in the safety of your home instead of mingling with the general public. In some areas where tolerance isn’t known maybe that’s a good idea, but if your goal is to blend in with other women and “pass” as female you won’t learn the skills you need sitting in your living room. Kimberly Hirschel makes today’s topic for Kim’s Adventure Time why you should be going out en femme. You might make mistakes and have people stare but you will learn from those mistakes and become more comfortable in public asa result.
Our seamstress with fashion tips, Lorraine Anderson, proprietor of The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, has some suggestions for how to dress to impress for holiday parties without buying a whole new wardrobe. Since this is Christmas Day and the majority of Christmas parties are over use the next week to prepare for your New Year’s Eve affair. You’re sure to turn heads and make an impression with Lorraine’s budget fashion tips.
When it comes to Christmas cheer Sophie Lynne has nothing to say but “Bah. Humbug!” It’s not that she’s a Scrooge. It’s just that for her Christmas was never a time for all the good cheer and joy that is commonly presented a product of the season. Far too often the season is just about moving product and making the bottom line bigger at the end of the year. Also, Sophie works in retail and at Christmas time that can be even more stressful than during the rest of the year. In this Christmas day blog Sophie gives you some more reasons she’s not a fan of the season and she provides some historical facts about the day.
Dina Amberle is always working in the Diner kitchen to whip up something tasty as a treat for TGF users. Today she has a mix of ingredients that will surely please the most discerning palette. First she stirs in some 10-year-old internet makeup whizzes who happen to be boys. Then she adds some trans history with Flawless Sabrina and Harlow. After that cools down for a few minutes she blends in some speculation on the existence of ladyboys in Vietnam back in the day, and then spices things up with “elevated” drag and an androgynous model from Holland. Oh! And a beautiful wedding gown. Take a seat at Dina’s Diner and get ready for another satisfying repast.
Today our spiritual advisor Beverly Anne Thomas (until recently know as Tommie/Tammie Smith) looks at how The Wizard of Oz delivers a message very similar to the message of all religious and spiritual conditions. She advises that you pay no attention to the man behind that curtain and if the ruby slippers fit then perhaps you should wear them.
When Cate O’Malley insist she’s not gay she does admit that since she’s married to a woman there may be some lesbian tendencies. What she means is, when she started to examine her gender one of her first thoughts was if she was a gay man. It’s easy to imagine that with all the publicity the gay community has gotten that one could equate their need to be feminine with being gay. But gender identity and sexual orientation are two different things. See why Cate knows she’s not gay in her blog today.
They say that clothes make the man. Since crossdressing is mostly centered around clothes it’s reasonable to say that clothes also make the woman. How much do different styles of attire affect us? Tasi Zuriack investigates just how clothes affect the way we feel and present ourselves to the world. She has conducted some research on which of the varied styles women have available to them that are most popular among the crossdressing community. Are you classical, everyday chic, or little girl?
With the cooler weather things are heating up down at Dina’s Diner. Dina always has some hot dish on the stove and you can always get a hot cup of coffee or some soothing tea. Today’s specials include an art exhibit titled “Trigger: Gender as a Tool and a Weapon.” Then Dina adds the story of ’60s trans soul singer Jackie Shane. She seasons with some spice about Cindy Sherman, the selfie goddess. Stirs in the story of trans contestants on Jeopardy! and rounds it all out with praise for ladies with zaftig figures. You can get a full helping of fun down at Dina’s Diner.
The Artist D! sees our society as one in which predators exist with submissive types. The predators keep moving like sharks and the submissives in their innocence wonder why they keep getting hurt. At times it seems that everyone has been a victim. The amount of surprise expressed over the number of people who responded to the “MeToo” campaign proves that bad behavior is more prevalent than people imagined. But should we equate having your butt grabbed by a drunk in a bar with a celebrity raping a 13-year-old? The Artist D! thinks we have to pick the battles that need to be fought. See if you agree.
Given the political atmosphere we find ourselves living in is it any wonder that trans people have grown fearful? The last administration worked on our behalf to make sure we were given our rights. The Justice Department went to bat for trans people who were discriminated against or attacked. The military was working on letting trans soldiers serve openly. Then with one election all protections and assistance from the federal level was snuffed out. Sophie Lynne is not optimistic that she will be able to survive the Trump administration. She does have an idea of what we all need to do. She discusses that in her blog today.
LGBT is an “initialism.” Of course LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender. But of late the initials have been added to as more identities have been recognized. At the moment we are up to “LGBTQQIAAP” which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual. That’s getting to be quite a mouth full and there are some in mental health and medical circles who want to chop the unwieldy initials back down to three to five letters. Dana Bevan doesn’t think that’s a good idea and today she explains why.
After waiting fifty-plus years to transition Cate O’Malley wanted to get her hands on a trans rule book. She wanted some kind of guide as she set out on her gender journey. What she found did not seem adequate. There was the WPATH Standards of Care and Ethical Guidelines but that seemed long and complex. Not what she was looking for. Somehow she found the right path to her goal and in the process ended up following most of the WPATH guidelines. How does she new feel about the idea of a Transgender Rule Book? Read on!
There are so many identities within the trans community that now and then some folks like to stop and do some self examination. Which set of initials do they feel best describes them? As Dr. Bevan’s post today illustrates there are more initials being added every week to what was LGBT. Kimberly takes some time in her post today to look over which identity best fits her.
Lorraine Anderson, the costumer behind The Occasional Woman, is all about costumes and Halloween fun. She has been making costumes and wearing costumes for as long as we’ve known her. In this pre-Halloween post she brings up the things you need to keep in mind as you prepare to dazzle the world in that Wonder Woman outfit or Emma Peele cat suit. Will you be able to relieve yourself and get back into your costume? Will those shoes allow you to walk normally all night or will you turn into a limping disgrace before midnight? Read on for Lorraine’s guide to a sensational, trouble-free Halloween.
Take a seat and order a cup of coffee down at Dina’s Diner. Today the items on the menu range from tasty observations on an admiral’s wife who caught Dina’s eye, to her take on the footwear young women are sporting, a delicious report on two drag performers who are legendary, and the way that tight, short shorts can be mesmerizing. So relax and read on for the latest specials from Dina’s Diner.
Sophie Lynne is our Book Pundit. Her beat is to review books with transgender themes, trans characters, or books written by trans authors. Today she tackles a book titled The Murder Room. It came out in 2010 and is a murder mystery of the True Crime genre. Some of the characters featured are trans women and that’s why Sophie is reviewing it today.
