Many people in the transgender community view their lives as journeys on a road that leads to another life in a different gender. Others reach a mile marker that feels like home and there they stay. Some go so far but then head back to just a little farther along than where they started. Sophie Lynne is a long way down the road. In Metaphor Fair she tells you how she feels, in blank verse.
Dee Levy is the founder of CrossDressersWives.com, a website devoted to the the emotional support of the wives of crossdressers who have not been honest with their partners. The dishonesty causes a lot of pain and suffering and most of the CDWs end up at ex wives of crossdressers. Sometimes Dee’s advice can be a bit strident but her message may help you to no make the mistakes she and other CDWs find unforgivable.
Since no one has any idea of why transgendered people exist, other than we are born that way, there are theories that circulate. One of them is that while in the womb a fetus is subjected to “baths” of hormones and too much of one or too little of another gives the child masculine or feminine gender mapping in their brain. The hormone theory is based on research that you may find shocking, and Dr. Dana Bevan says it is just plain wrong.
A grandfather sets aside his crossdressing to spend time with a troubled grandson. The grandson has been depressed, can’t keep a job and recently broke up with his girlfriend. What was supposed to be a good motivational male bonding experience turns into something else in this tale related by Linda Jensen.
Many moons ago, I wrote a column about Labels in the TG Community. Crossdresser, Full time, post op, all the different divisions that comprise the wide TG tapestry. Back then, I railed against these artificial divisions. Back then, I said we should all be one community and not undermine each other. Back then, I didn’t […]
This month The Artist D kicks a bit at kick starter fundraising on the Internet. It seems that everyone in need of money for every imaginable reason is jumping on the Web to set up a crow funding campaign. Are they all just digital beggars? The Artist D is a proud cyber whore who gave her web cam viewers value for their largesse. Is it wrong that now people just ask for the cash? Find out what The Artist D thinks and read Transgender Telethon.
New years are seen as chances for new beginnings. We can stop the negative things we’ve been doing and make a change for the better. If you have been reading Dee Levy’s Crossdresser’s Wife posts you all ready know that what she counsels all CDs and TGs who are in relationships to do is come clean in the new year. Look your partner in the eye and give them the whole story. Read Truth and see if you can take that challenge.
Today Pamela DeGroff catches up with Philadelphia based transgendered musician and singer Jay Jay. in the midst of her transition Jay Jay manages to perform locally four to 12 times a month. For live appearances she relies heavily on cover tunes but this sexy singer is also a songwriter and is planning to release a CD of her original songs this year. Meet Jay Jay today and get some other TG music news in Perpetual Change.
Most crossdressers and many transgendered people remain in the closet for one reason — fear. They fear rejection by their family and friends so they keep quiet about their hidden nature. But the pressure to tell someone, sometime, becomes greater and greater every day. The hiding produces guilt and can lead to many negative physical and psychological problems. If a TG comes out to their spouse how should the spouse react? Find out in this post from T.R.U.S.T.
We all know that RachelX is into S&M and a little bit of pain (or a lot) doesn’t faze her. But her favorite facial hair removal method sounds like it could really hurt. Her torture instrument? Tweezers. But don’t take our word for it. Rachel compares Laser hair removal, electrolysis, and her favorite method — tweezing — and lets you know just how painful each one is and how effective they are for her. Your results may vary.
Did you know keeping secrets can have negative physical consequences? Sure, you’ve been keeping your crossdressing a secret because you fear negative physical consequences from your loved ones or associates. Fear of the negative reaction of friends, family and society in general is what makes a transgendered person keep their inclinations a secret. Dr. Dana Bevan tells us about the effects of keeping the real you a secret.
Many of us live in fear. Everything from fear of missing a bus to fear of being mugged; fear of paying too much for something or fear of being outed as a crossdresser or TG. All of these fears exist and sometimes, like the one about being outed, the fears can repress us and dominate us. They can keep us from being who we really are. Sophie Lynne has been facing her fears. Today she tells us about them and tells us a secret about fighting fear.
There’s more to getting a good photo of your femme self than standing in front of a camera. Wardrobe, hair, makeup and your pose are all essential in making the photo show your femme side. TGF member Leah Valdez has been doing amateur modeling as a female and she has some tips and tricks that will help you look your most feminine in photos whether you take them yourself or go to a professional photographer.
Our correspondent in Thailand had an opportunity to get together with old friends and talk about this, that and the other thing. The “other thing” that came up was how they were all living parallel lives, being successful males in one life and secretly (or mostly secretly) expressing their feminine sides. Meet Marc, Trevor and Roland and see if they sound like your long lost sisters.
The New Jersey Legislature has passed a bill that allows transgendered individuals to change the gender on their birth certificates with only a doctor’s statement that they have undergone treatment for gender transition. They no longer have to have reassignment surgery once the governor signs the bill. Babs Casbar Siperstein looks at this development and some other legal advances TGs have made recently.
The Artist D is never one to lack an opinion. Today she has an opinion about words. As The Bee Gees said before they went disco, “It’s only words….” Words can have power. Words can hurt. The Artist D feels that words only have the power to hurt you if you let them. Today her opinion is about the word “tranny” and whether those who use it are automatically doomed to the ranks of the transphobic.
ENDA has long been recognized as an important political bill for the LGBT community. Standing for “Employment Non-Descrimination Act,” the bill has sought to brought about sweeping reform in the workplace, ending by law any discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. In fact, when you consider this definition of ENDA, and our society’s […]
Don’t you find you have a tendency to see transgendered people everywhere? Look at that woman over there. Isn’t she a bit tall? That jawline is a bit heavy, don’t you think? Well, large hand. Do you suppose? It’s an easy practice to fall into and when we spot someone we think is TG we want to somehow let them know that we know and that it’s okay because we’re TG too. But it doesn’t always work out.
Did you enlist in the armed forces to escape your transgender tendencies? Did you get married believing that settling down in a committer relationship would “cure” you? Is that really what goes on with TGs who enlist or get married? Some studies say yes, enlisting in the armed forces is a flight to hyper masculinity. Having to be the “man” in a relationship may be seen as another “cure” for TG issues. But are these behaviors what they appear to be? Could there be another reason why TGs join the military or get married? Dr. Dana Bevan has another hypothesis.
by Stacey Carla, First Event Committee First Event, held every January, is the only major transgender conference in mid-winter — literally the first event each year. Attendance has been growing in recent years — being indoors when it is likely to be snowing out turns out to be good for a transgender conference! Such gatherings are […]
Those new to the transgender community may not have a grasp of what it was like for transgendered people before the advent of the Internet. Information about crossdressing, transsexualism, gender identity and all of the many issues and conditions under the transgender umbrella was hard to find. It was out there in pamphlets, books printed on mimeograph machines and office copiers. Some tomes were published by actual publishers with hard covers but copies could not be found at your local library. Much of what was printed by and about TGs from those days would be lost without the establishment of transgender archives. Dallas Denny tells of one such effort.
When Thailand’s katoi make the news they’re commonly called ladyboys and the story is either one of success in show business or the pageant world, or one of their involvement in some crime. There’s little in the Thai media that presents them as transgender women doing their best to be a part of society. Our Thailand correspondent has found a story that shows the katoi can do things that break the stereotypes. And it comes with pictures of ladyboys in bikinis.
Our Babs Casbar Siperstein who participated in the Transgender Day of Remembrance at the White House last year was called upon to speak at two recent TDOR events. The following post is made up or her remarks at both occasions. She talks about the progress that transgender people have made and progress that is still waiting to happen. How a society treats its transgendered people is a good measure of just how civilized it actually is.
Dee Levy has a new friend who experienced sexual abuse as a child. The system failed him when he was young and vulnerable and now he is the one who is trapped in guilt and self loathing. He is also a TG person. Dee’s post today tells his story and asks if any of our TGF readers who may have gone through the same things can offer advice, inspiration or other emotional support to this person.
There is a organization in central Pennsylvania called T.R.U.S.T. (Truth, Respect, Understanding and Support for Life’s Transitions) Their mission is to help spouses and significant others begin to understand that living with a crossdresser or transitioning spouse is complex and requires the components of the group’s name in order to navigate your life with that […]
TGs often find themselves sexually aroused when they first begin to experiment with dressing up. While some claim they were never aroused by their crossdressing others in the community seem to be turned on at the drop of a high heeled pump. What does the science behind sexual arousal say about the erotic pull of femme attire for MtFs? Doctor Dana Bevan tells us in today’s post.
