General Transgender Discussion

I find the loneliness of it all being the most difficult. I've looked for support groups within NJ, and I have found that most of them have disbanded, the rest seem to be purely political and don't seem to care anything for support, just combat.

There is a smart phone app "Where to pee". Lists known safe restrooms to use when out in the public sector. I have not tried the app yet. Seems like a useful app: http://lexiecannes.w...sgender-people/

First, I want to say, that I am so thankful to God for giving me this opportunity for the great relationship i am now having with my Dad. Wanted to write this for those that , right now, maybe parents are not being accepting. Things were'nt always this great. My Dad, for years, refused to accept me....of having anything to do with me at all. I had many therapists tell me to let my family go. But, that's just not me. Family is family. It took alot of hard times, alot of biting my tongue and being humble, and alot of perserverence. Not giving in or giving up. Tough to do, but I am finding the years of fighting are now worth it. I now have this great relationsh…

I have been sitting back and looking over the whole transgender aspect of my life and I have official gave it up for good. I have tried for many years to accomplish the goal that most of the girls are accomplishing and it can't be done. Why? Because no one cares nor wants to be there for me like they claim in the community. It is all lies and don't say it isn't because I know better than that. I have tried to make friends within the community to get help and to try to transition and all I ever get is the cold shoulder and the brush off. To the community I am less then nothing because I am poor, on SSI and don't drive so therefore no one wants to bother with me. I am so ti…

Hi everyone, So I went to a therapist and told them about my feelings and uncertainty about my gender and identity in general about 4 months. Since that time by myself mostly I have decided that I really think I want to transition to female. I have not always felt 100% about this possibility, but I feel quite strong about this right now. My next therapy session is in just over a week. How often should I be seeing a therapist concerning this in order to get this process moving along at a safe, comfortable, but not painful pace? Also, recent weeks of therapy have not felt like I gotten anywhere with my therapist, but my new found confidence in my decision is driving me t…

Hello! I was wondering if you guys remembered going out trying to pass as the "opposite gender" for the first time? What did you learn from that first time? What would you have done different if you could redo it, and would you recommend going with friends or alone at first? Thanks :)

On Sunday at church, a young couple discovered that I am transgender. They sat in the same pew as my wife and me. We know the couple. After service she shared with them tha t the woman standing next to her was her husband. They were quite shocked to say the least. Every week at least one person discover that I'm transgender. It's my way of educating the public. Later in the evening, my wife and I were having coffee at a local restaurant. While she was getting our coffee, a woman at the next table was staring at me. I was busy reading my email but sensed that her eyes were searching me trying to figure me out. Later, my wife stated such. It's happened to me before bu…

Courtney O'Donnell, 09/04/2012 4:51pm "With incorrect, offensive, or downright transphobic phrases like "man in a dress," "male-to-female transsexual," "he calls himself Brandi," or, likely the most offensive of them all, "he-she," mainstream media simply cannot get it right. Sometimes it's deliberate, especially in tabloids and other media that use exploitation to generate revenue. In other instances ignorance prevails in the media by those who ought to know better." Responding to Incorrect Transgender Pronoun and/or Gender Identity Usage in the Media

I tried this test quite a few years ago. It's a series of visual challenges and questions used by psychologists to define your Sex ID or Brain Sex. I don't think tests like these are an exact science, though I was quite relieved that my brain was ID'd as female. Sex ID

So I'm a straight guy but I've been wanting to try something different. I am very attracted to transgender girls and want to get in the dating scene but I am utterly confused as to how I should go about this. I just have no idea where to look. Any help?

Opinion - Not sure if this falls under news, gossip, rumour or information...but I found this after googling Warren Beaty's and Annette Benning's son looking for topics to bring to the forums. Stephen Ira is about as controversial and 'in-your-face' as a person can be. Makes me wonder what his motives are, and will any [possible] future children of his suffer for his radical actions. -Michael Dr. Jody Overland, 03 August 2012 "Warren Beatty and Annette Bening are going to be grandparents courtesy of their transgender son, Stephen Ira. Apparently Warren is not too pleased with idea. It seems that Warren has never been too keen on the whole Kathlyn Elizabeth beco…

Larry Young, Ph.D., Brian Alexander Posted 08/21/2012 1:25 pm "Science had clues to this as early as 1916. But it was in 1959 that Charles H. Phoenix and colleagues conducted the keystone experiment. They gave testosterone to pregnant guinea pigs and found that daughters were often born with what human doctors would call "ambiguous genitalia." Their bodies had beenmasculinized. "But Phoenix's animals didn't just look more like males, they acted more male-like, too. They mounted prospective sex partners about as often as males did. The prenatal male hormone had organized their brains in a male-typical pattern. "This gender-specific brain organization is vital. Afte…

Not sure if anyone else has dealt with this. I finally, after a very tough week, realized that i have been living my life for everyone else except for me. I always felt i was being selfish if I did'nt, in some way, conform. Take care of everyone but me. After a week from hell, I now know that, I need to be the man I am. And, if others don't like who I am, it's their problem, not mine. I will say, in this past week, dealing with loss, my dad's illness, and more, well I have never come so close to suicide. And i know it is all because i have been stifling who I am to please others. In looking to change my ways, I have been making a list of goals. Goals for my own …

I have been out in my neighborhood more and more. It's very refreshing to see that people see and treat me like anyone else. I've even received some compliments. It's really wonderful that I can be authentic self. I see that there will be some changes ahead. I don't know what they will be but I sense it. This is nothing new with me because whatever I did sense in the past came to fruition. I will have a clearer picture in the months ahead.

I have been out and about in my neighborhood. I get some compliments about my attire, all positive. I wear sandals during these months and I have received some positive compliments about my feet. A man took me just last night that I have beautiful feet. I always seem to get compliments about me that I don''t expect.

Neither Man Nor Woman: Meet the Agender New York Magazine The social network has become an unofficial home for the gender neutral. Though most group themselves with the transgender community, they reject the narrative of a person born into the wrong, oppositely-gendered body... I found this to be a very interesting article... Gender neutral folks who are alternately called agender or gender neutrois. ~ Lori

Hi all. My Dad suffered a mild stroke 2 weeks ago. He is now home and i went to see him today. It was a little rough seeing this strong man now needing so much help. At the same time, we had a great visit and I will be seeing him again on Monday to help him out. He kept trying to give me money and I told him, "Dad i am not here for your money. I am here because you are my Dad and i love you." Anyway, what felt really good is that, for the first time in many years, I am my dad's son again. You see until puberty hit, my Dad always treated me like his son. And, I loved every minute of it. It is sad that it took a health issue for him to finally see me again. I wi…

Godspeed, Sally Ride HRC When I was in middle school I kept a picture of Sally Ride pinned to the bulletin board above the desk where I did my homework... The author of this article is Allyson Robinson, a woman who graduated from West Point Military Academy. She is currently deputy director of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Workplace Project. ~ Lori

Ever since I came out at my place of worship, I have been treated and spoken to as a woman. It's even happened in other places that I go. Been hit on a number of times.It's really been amazing. Interacting with the public has helped, along with some pointers from my spouse.

Well My lovies , aint this a shot to the system , Yeah I know I am hardly around so when I do show up I hope I make it a good one , LOL Now lets get down to the nitty gritty of the whole "Transition Thing ", So your on the fence about wether or not to take the next step , ( that would be something only you will know ) , is there a first step well in a way there is : It would be Acceptance , not by others not by society but By You , if you dont accept the fact you have issues that need to be addressed and discovered why you may have any such issues then your not going to start to Transition in any aspect of Your life , being Trans any thing is not about being m…

Sunnivie Brydum, August 06 2012 4:00 AM ET "Olson believes that current research looking for a “gay gene” is searching in the wrong place. Rather, Olson contends, sexual orientation is determined by brain hemisphere dominance. Most men are left-brain dominant, whereas most women are right-brain dominant. Seizing on the implication that “most” necessarily excludes some people, Olson wondered what happened when brain dominance was reversed from the standard. "After reviewing a large collection of scientific literature, Olson hypothesized that when a man is right-brain dominant or a woman is left-brain dominant, that person will be gay or lesbian." -advocate.com New …

Or do they? Transpeople apparently weren't included in the study. Seems to me this study could potentially discredit anyone who identifies as trans. -dml ___________________________ Diane Anderson-Minshall, August 05 2012 2:27 PM ET "...a new study finds that pupil dilation is an accurate indicator of sexual orientation. When people look at erotic images and become aroused, their pupils open up in an unconscious reaction, which gave researchers a much easier way to to study orientation and arousal without traditionally invasive blood flow to the genital measurements. ""So if a man says he's straight, his eyes are dilating towards women," Savin-Williams told Liv…

Dan Bilefsky, July 25, 2012 "Twenty years ago, Serbian newspapers jeered that transsexuality was an act against God. "Today, people are coming from around the world to Serbia for sex-change operations, which are now subsidised for Serbs by national health insurance. ""It is surprising that a conservative, patriarchal country is becoming a centre for sex-change operations...," said Cristian, a transgender activist from Belgrade..." -smh.com.au Serbia becomes hub for sex-change surgery

On this date in 2005, I came out to myself as a cross dresser. All the tension and struggle and inner turmoil dissipated upon making that confession. I have progressed from a cross dresser to transgenderist to transgender woman. I've never been happier.

What it really means to go from man to woman NEWS.com.au As 65-year-old transsexual Josie Emery put it: "I'm not interested in being transgender, I'm interested in being a woman." This seems an obvious thing to those of us who will never know how it feels to be completely not at home in our bodies...