Christy Lewis muses on the meanings of freedom and liberty. When she was young freedom would have been wearing a dress to prom. As she matured the nature of freedom changed. Today she shares her concept of freedom as it has evolved for her.
Dina’s Diner is always good for an eclectic menu of tasty items that are sure to please any appetite. Today’s Diner specials are made from the finest ingredients; like a nonbinary person who decides they don’t need to get rid of all feminine signifiers and that they enjoy being more fluid. Then Dina stirs in some vintage clothing fans who like the looks of decades past. Then, it’s time for a dessert that utilizes the Barbie Feet Pose for a sweet treat. Dina rounds it all out with a tale of a crossdressing teen caught online by a male friend who asks for a date. An old dish but still a crowd pleaser. Now get on down to Dina’s Diner.
Bria made some new year’s resolutions and even though we’re hardly into 2022 at all her friend finds her involved in a debate with a trans denier who insists she is a man. We thought she had resolved not to talk to that dude in 2022. What’s up? (Perceptive viewers will note that the cartoon says Bria had made her resolution for 2018. It’s still relevant so we’re running it again.)
It’s a tradition for many people to use the new year as a time to set goals they hope to achieve. Lose weight, give up some vice, do some regular exercise. In this post Eden Carlsen suggests that it takes more to realize your feminine goals for 2022 than just making a list of things to adopt in the new year.
Kandi shares a list of things she’s learned, about herself and other humans, since she started being Kandi part time. If you are only dressing in your home with the blinds shut tight and dream of being able to walk among others without fear pay attention to Kandi’s list.
Sophie Lynne is sick as a dog today, so she wrote, “I’m going to have a guest writer. I share this piece every year on Facialbook. It was written by my dear sister Lisa Empanada in 2012 — her last Christmas. It really shows who she was. She died in September 2013.”
Purge is a word with several meanings. Authoritarian dictators remove anyone who threatens their power in a purge. In the past few years the word became part of movie titles for films in which once a year any crime could be committed with no punishment. Have a beef with a neighbor? Wait for The Purge and get rid of him. But, the most common application of purge as used by trans women is getting rid of all their feminine clothes and accessories. Usually in the middle of the night in a dumpster far from their home. Christy Lewis writes about several meanings of the P word.
It’s holiday time and while Dina Amberle is cooking up the usual holiday fare she is also throwing in some recipes from other places and times. Today’s menu at Dina’s Diner offers a tasty haggis from Scotland in the form of a Scottish lord in the early 2oth century who was born female but inherited the lordship. Then there is a recipe from China that features computer coders who find crossdressing makes them better at their job. There are other treats waiting down at Dina’s Diner. Don’t miss tasting all that’s on offer!
If no one sees trans people out and about, participating in our culture, they won’t spend much time trying to guarantee that trans people will have all of their rights. That means that spotting a trans person in public, in a television show or film, or at a favorite dining spot should not be a rare occurrence. Claire Hall writes about representation.
The news if full of trans women being the victims of violence. Often fatal violence. All women have to remain vigilant when they are out in public. Night or day, there are bad people out there and many women take classes on self defense to avoid becoming a victim. What can trans women do to stop an attack against them? Michelle Rogers enumerates various tactics and weapons that can be employed to remain safe.
Christy Lewis writes about finding your comfort zone. While feminine fashions, at least for dress up occasions, aren’t the most physically comfortable attire, in Christy’s case, and that of many other trans people, those clothes put her in her comfort zone.
Are you ready for another gourmet experience? Dina’s Diner has specials sure to please. From down home comfort food for the mind, like the existence of indestructible pantyhose, to Sunday lunch with Robert Fripp and his wife, who wears various sexy costumes while Robert plays his guitar, to a recipe for creating fashion forward tops out of tights, and Nigeria’s James Brown, there’s something to please everyone at Dina’s Diner!
Claire Hall is happy for the attention trans people are getting for stepping up to run for public offices around the country. Transgender representation is important. Especially if it leads to a world where LGBTQ+ people serving in public offices is not something extraordinary but commonplace.
Today we mine the TGForum Archives for a post from 1996. At that time we had a peer advice column called Dear Rachael. TGF members would send their questions to the editor and she would pass them along to Rachael. In this post from August of ’96 Rachael offers advice to a crossdresser who wants to grow breasts. Then a trans woman who desperately wants to get out of the closet. Followed by a trans woman in the U.K. who wants to begin transition, and then she has an answer for a crossdresser who wants correspond with other girls. Keep in mind that the questions and Rachael’s replies were written in 1996.
Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs) often claim they don’t hate trans women and are just trying to protect those they see as Real Womyn. But that message often gets overshadowed by another agenda. See if you can spot it in this cartoon from Sabrina Symington.
Will we ever have a society that accepts everyone who is different? Kandi Robbins doesn’t think so. She feels that if you are looking for acceptance from the general public regarding your need to crossdress it’s not going to happen. Instead of seeking acceptance try doing what makes you feel good and don’t worry about what people think.
Sophie Lynne has written about how Halloween is the holiday that pushed her toward coming out as her true self. She has also written about how to have a fun femme time at various Halloween parties. Today she writes about what not to do on Halloween, particularly if you are not out to your friends and neighbors.
Guest contributor Michelle Rogers believes that transgender people need a national organization so that they have a the clout to deal with important issues that affect trans people. She envisions a membership based organization that could apply pressure where needed to change the general public’s attitudes toward us. But who would be able to join and how would the organization be led?
Who was that model walking three designers at Ohio Fashion Week’s Black Tie Gala? It’s none other than our own Kandi Robbins. Designer Victoria Henley wasn’t one of those Kande was supposed to walk for but Ms. Henley met Kandi and drafted her into her portion of the show on the spot. That night made quite an impression on Kandi and she hopes her being there helped transgender visibility in a good way.
Big doin’s down at Dina’s Diner! It’s pumpkin spice on everything time! Nah, just pullin’ yer leg. Ms. Dina Amberle always keeps the pumpkin spice where it belongs — in the pumpkin pies. But she does have some tasty treats on the menu today. First she’s offering a return look at kids who went to a summer camp 10 years ago where they could project the gender they wanted to. Dina tells us how they’re doing today. She stirs up things with an article about Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, and adds in some Bushwig drag queens. Then it’s time to look at trans homecoming queens back in the day and now, and musing on what you’re wearing for Halloween. Don’t miss this edition of Dina’s Diner.
Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists maintain that it is impossible for someone born with a male body to be a woman. They cite “socialization” as the reason no male could ever be truly feminine. To them males are socialized as male and that can never be changed. Claire Hall looks at their conclusion and has some comments based on personal experience.
Some comedians who don’t know anything about anything try to make jokes on subjects which they are not familiar with. When they do that they can cause problems. Today Sabrina Symington gives an example of just why somethings aren’t funny.
Guest contributor Anastasiia Newlin takes on a two part topic in this post. What Does It Mean to Be a Crossdresser? And How It Impacts Relationship?
Dr. Dana Bevan finds threats to transgender people from the radical right–and from the radical left. In this post she dips into “Premodern” philosophy and the origins and evolution of Modernism and Post Modernism. How does all this affect you in your everyday life? Read on.
She’s back! Who? Christy Lewis is back from working from home and is behind her desk in the office. Read on and learn how her co-workers react to her physical presence nine to five, five days a week.
