General Transgender Discussion

I know I find the term Genital Reconstuction Surgery the best one, because to me it is the most accurate. That's what the operation does, it reconstructs your genitals. I don't like the term "sex change operation" because I feel it's almost the transphobic title that it's been given and we're not changing our sex, we have always been girls, now we're just matching our body to our mind. Sex reassignment surgery I don't really have a problem with.

When our Forums went down last summer, many of the strings on the General TG board were lost, including this one. Having rediscovered it today in a hidden file, I thought I would post it for any newer members who may have missed it the first time around! (Gentlemen-- Although this is written partially with the ladies in mind I would ask that you consider that section from your own perspective) -----------------------ANNIE'S MANTRA------------------------ I offer here my four step process for self improvement. Each succeeding step is harder than the previous-- I won't kid you. I'm still working on #3 and #4 myself! My mantra is this: * BE yours…

Is it possible for a teenager to recieve confidential transgender testing? Possibly through the school system?

Well, I'm new here, I'm neither MtF or FtM. Just a regular guy. I have no purpose here, but if nothing else, I'd love to learn, get to know and even be support for people here if that is possible. Even though I know nothing, I'm open to learn new things. I hope I am welcome here even though... And ignore the Username, I've used it for awhile now. It means nothing...

Although gays have made some progress in society in recent decades, in general TGs haven't done as well. The perception of MtFs in particular is one of us being buffoons. For years, on countless TV shows and in film, we have often been portrayed as laughable clowns. Yes, some recent movies offer a more balanced portrait. Let's hope the trend continues. I believe the only real way to educate people about who we are is by example. The world must see that we are not sex-craven pigs or circus freaks who CHOOSE to transition as some sort of lark. Transsexuality is not an eccentricity, malady or mental disease. TS is however all too often pain, confusion and per…

At this point this point I've been on HRT for like a little more then 2 months and right now the only member of my family that knows I'm transgendered is my mom. It took her a while to get over the initial shock and everything. But she's dealing with it quite well, she doesn't like it but she doesn't try to get in my way or anything. I'm just worried about telling my other family members about me transitioning. My family is a bit on the religious conversative side I don't think the rest of them will take it that well though. :(

Hi. I have a question. I am very new to this. listen up. I have a friend who is a straight female she is dating a man for a year and they are deeply in love. her bf indicated to her that he has slept with transexual before close to 10 years ago and recently last year. he claims that he is completely straight - he only loves women. he said that the transexuals he did this with pass for women. if they looked a bit like men he would be turned off. he also said that he is completely comfortable with this masculinity. but he does not want to be in this life style. he feel as though he needs help. He said he would not have a serious relationship with these women.. ac…

I am 17, and as I become more comfortable with the fact that I am trans, and that I really am a girl I find myself more and more forgetting as of now that I'm a guy. Like today I was looking at a prom magazine that was in the house of the girl that I'm taking to prom, and I'm looking through the dresses actually thinking about which ones I would wanna buy and which dresses would like nice on me...then I remembered oh yeah, for now, for all intents and purposes I'm a guy...

I'm not sure where to start so please bear with me. Since I can remember I have never been totally comfortable with being male. Most of the time I'm glad that I'm a man but yet I want to look somewhere in between a man and a woman. When I was younger I could pass fairly well and dressing up always made me feel stimulated and relaxed all at the same time. I'm 50 now, very young looking and I am married. My wife knows to some degree of what I am but she seems disinterested in it and perhaps threatened. She knows that I'm not gay. However, she has never been supportive of what I think is a need. This is going to get convoluted so I will try to have it make sense. …

:D A page from my diary 12/13/2005 started medroxyprogesterone 01/13/2006 started spironolactone and estrodiol... Now i have been reading all the articles, read every message on this site, searched the web about HRT and yet I said to myself..here goes nothing, if it works terrific, if it doesn't..at least I feel good about my decision and process. Diary chest measurement 01/13 40 inches chest measurement 02/13 42 1/4 ....... WOW!!!!! Ladies, IT WORKS! Can't wait till 03/13 and 04/13 who knows even a few more inches and I'll be elated! So for all you just starting like me...you and I have a lot to look forward to. Womanhood..Here we come!

I've been thinking of taking up weight training or getting some type of exercise machine to help me tone up and lose some weight. My only fear is that I don't want to start looking like a bodybuilder or something. I remember reading that HRT assists Female to Male transgender people in getting the male physique that they want. So well logically I was thinking that HRT would help me get the female physique that I want. Does anybody know if this is true or not? T_T

It strikes me that if you added up all of the "Non Normal" people in the world - EI- Us, Gay's, Non mainstream religions, people under 4.5 feet and over 7 feet, hippie types, rockers, and on and on, and lumped us all toghther under one umbrella then that would most likely put the "Normal" people in the minority, would it not? :rolleyes:

I'm sure that many mtfs here can get quite jealous seeing other girls just so happy and carefree with their bodies. I definately do, and it can get so bad that I have to turn away. However even worse is watching a girl on a date, or pdaing with her boyfriend in public. The pangs of jealousy I get are akin to rage. It's like the frustration of knowing that I've never been in her position, and probably will not for years builds up, and then rubbed in my face. It's horrible. It used to simply create misogynist feelings in myself, but now it's gotta be just crazy jealousy. Sounds silly, I know, but does anyone else have similar feelings?

I been thinkin about this for a long time. Whether I should put it up there and get advice or not. Being that i'm not very trusting to really open up to people, I had to think hard. I decided to give it a try. You see. okay, lets start of with how much I do love my parents, grandparents, and so on. Anyway, I found out at an early age that they're not too good with change. Then when I realized I was transgendered, I debaited on telling anyone of them. Later I casually went to my mom and told her that I needed to see a therapist. When she asked why, I told her because I have issues I nee to sort out and deal with. She said you tryin to tell me you like women? I said …

It seems just when I feel comfortable that a FtM is who I am, I get extreme feelings of doubt. It's usually after I see women together, that I feel like I want to belong there, but I just don't. I like the lesbian community. I think the love between two women is beautiful. I feel I want to be a girl that loves a girl, not a boy that loves a girl. But I don't really fit in with the gay females. Especially the man-hating ones. Then other times, I'll feel happy with whatever I am and I'll want people to see me as a boy. The more I see or talk to FtM's, the more happier I get. And I feel a sense of belonging, but at the same time, I feel a bit distant from them, like that…

I live in northwest Pennsylvania, about 2 hours drive from Pittsburgh. Basically it’s not the best place for a transgendered person. There is, first of all no access to transgender friendly doctors or therapists nearby. It’s a completely conservative Christian dominant region. Put it this way, Democrat is a curse word around here. Plus there’s nothing for anyone to do except bowling or the “redneck bar & grill”. I will soon have the ability to relocate. In my profession, I can work near or within commuting distance to any major city. Where’s the best place to go? I love New York City but, hate the cold. San Francisco would be great but too expensive for me. Anyone g…

TG names are very personal choices that we (TG's) make to identify our selves to each other and often to the world at large. Many of the name choices have poignant, or happenstance or humorous beginnings. It would be fun to hear how you chose your name or how it was bestowed upon you. My "Manly Man" name is Leo (which I intensely dislike), my en'femme) name is Loe' (Lowee) Muir. Loe was a serendipitous accident. Our beloved telephone service provider transposed letters in my first name in the local telephone directory. Soon I began receiving bulk mail addressed to Loe'. I found the name to be fun and it fits well. I am a Californian and a long distance backp…

(edited 12/20/05) ~ TRANSITION ~ What does "transition" mean to you in the TG sense of the word? Does it ONLY mean the physical alteration of your body through surgery, from one gender to the other? Do you see transition as the opportunity for an evening, a day, a week or longer to swap your regular clothes for those of the opposite sex, and in the process adopting this other gender's behavior patterns? I think the word means both of these and more. There are many of us on these Forums who are right now in a state of transition. In my case, I've been living as Annie for over five years, have had some cosmetic procedures, but not the fina…

Hi, I have just recently found the Transgender Guide Message Board and find it and most of the tgguide insightful, intellectually provocative and occasionally very emotionally painful. In all likelihood my life would be quite different if this type of resource was available when I was a child of 5-6 wondering why I wanted to be a girl like mommy. This morning I read Annie's "GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER" article and my jaw dropped as I read the following; "Persons with this disorder know from an age of five or 6, that they are different from other individuals of the same physical sex. Early on, they learn to hide it from all others, even their parents and siblin…

how do you know you are trans? is it like... something you knew since you were five? or did it - smack - just hit you one day? or more like a slow realization?

I was wondering if maybe anyone had some tips in this area. I can't afford electrolysis just yet, going to start that as soon as I can, but in the meantime I'm trying to find a way to hide it. I have very dark hair, brown but so dark it's almost black, with facial hair to match. It grows fast, unfortunately (hoping when I go on hormones in a few months it'll help alleviate that), but the main problem is that even when when I shave thoroughly and my skin feels smooth, there's still that shadow on my face that gives away that facial hair was once there. I've looked around for methods of hiding it, and all I've seen so far is one article that suggested pancake makeup...w…

I was wondering how many others feel that their earliest years had a lot to do with being TG? I was the second child born in our family, and the second son. I know that my parents were hoping for a little girl. Well, I was pretty close: Had the Gerber baby platinum blonde hair look and all, and I think they may have treated me differently (gentler) than my older brother. I was definitely pampered those first few years and my Dad's nickname for me was Babs. When I was four, my sister was born and all that spoiling I got abruptly stopped. However, I never felt that I was anything other than the first-born daughter. Until I was renamed "Annie" by my many friends in cha…

I was planning on posting this question last night and noticed Christina 721 said what many of us thought and want. Question is to all M2f and F2M.If you could simply switch bodies with the oppisite sex and remain who you are would you without seeing the body you switch places with or remain just transitioning in the body your in. Dee

As people who are often considered WAY OUTSIDE normal society (whatever normal is), a lot of us find ourselves rejected by the places of worship in which we grew up. I personally was kicked out of 3 different churches. And yet, as spiritual beings having a human experience, we have an inherent need to connect with others, as well as our concept of a Higher Power, at a deeply spiritual level. Cut off from our original source, we have to find new ways to feed our souls. Personally, I have managed to become a part of new communities where I can get real, share, listen, laugh, cry and ultimately grow. Some of these spiritual circles focus on a particular spiritual path, ot…

We all know what gender we are,whether or not it fits into our particular bodies is a different matter..its a bit of a head game isnt it.But our sexual tastes can differ accordingly too.Which one of the following categories would you say you fit into best(the list is abbreviated before a median search can be defined). (a)totally heterosexual (b)hetero..but interested in bi sex ©hetero..definately bi (d)unconfirmed sexuality..probably bi (e)unconfirmed sexuality..probably gay (f)gay..but not out (g)gay..and out (h)trans..but not out (i)trans..and out I will publish the results here on this board after I have received your input. What do y…