A Thousand Feet, Ten Miles Apart

I suppose the thing with starting a new job is that I was in two minds on what I would wear. ‘Start as you mean to go on’ is what some say and I think starting wearing something that’s a little more for the feminine side is a whole lot easier than wearing some standard shirt, trousers and plain old masculine shoes office expectation and at a later date start wearing something that makes people question what’s going on.



For the most part, this is simply a blog post about Hanna's search for a comfortable pair of boots.  What makes it special and unique is Hannah's lovely writing.  Do take the time to read this one.

A (Brief) Visit to the Tunnel of Love, or My (Mis)Adventure in Stirrups

In true Cass fashion, the appointment was... well, unique. We did a full physical, including a gyno exam - which is where the "only Cassidy" part comes in.





I so love this girl!  I also love Cass' writing.  Her blogs are infrequent (not as infrequent as mine however), but never boring.  This one is an update on life in Cassidy Land.  Of note is Cass' gyno exam.  Yep, that exam....the one requiring  feet in the stirrups.  This one was not without incident.  What happened?  If you haven't read it already, go here for the rest of the story.   Thanks, Girl, for sharing this with us!

They can't take it away from me

........being female is something in which there is always more to learn. This is the thing that so many of those speed transitioners I mentioned earlier so often get wrong, they spend their 18 months collecting medical procedures like gold stars on a coffee shop reward card and then emerge at the other end without socialisation, it hasn't magically made them a woman in anything but if they are lucky, looks. They either fall flat on their faces and begin the socialisation process a bit wiser, or they retreat into that internalised transphobia and become embittered and afraid of their own shadows in case anyone inevitably figures out their pasts. It's no way to live.



What a nice post, from Jenny, and it says a lot. She's had her gender confirming surgery and she's bitter about how long it has taken to get through the UK medical system; nearly 10 years.  But, that's not the message.  That 10 years of waiting had a positive side to it.  Read, They can't take it away from me, for the details.

Putting On Female Clothes

My new dress from Aimee is amazing. It fits my body perfectly. But! And this isn't a bad "but," just a fact-of-life situation. 






And the but???  Read, Putting On Female Clothes, for the answer and several comments.

Betrayal - Only Myself To Blame

I suppose I only really have myself to blame for what's happened, I should never have told her given the fact that she was still only a child and that it was always going to end like this come the first big adolescent teen tantrum!

 

As they say, you live and learn. 

 

 

This is a sad story, from Charlotte.  She outed herself to one of her daughters and has lived to regret it.  Thanks to Charlotte for sharing and, remember.....time heals all.

Supergirl’s new transgender heroine makes a must hear speech

......Nia Nal tries to convince her editor, James Olsen, to write an editorial condemning the increasing racist violence, and she does so by explaining the similarities between xenophobia and transphobia.


I remember buying the Supergirl comic books when I was a kid.  I've always loved the character and looked up to her.  Supergirl has been a series on the American CW network for several years now and I'm still a fan.  This year, they introduced Nicole Maines as a transgender character who outed herself in the last episode.  She's so pretty and so cute and she is trans in real-life.  She transitioned at a young age and one would never know she was born a male.  So, why has she outed herself to the world and taken on this character?  Nicole is on a mission for trans-rights and, for that, I say she rocks!

Jack has included a clip of the scene in his post.

“They Look Normal” – The Case For Puberty Blockers

Faced with this difficult choice any parent might question the advice of the GIDS team. But if it was my child I would do some research.  I would check every footnote and ask who benefited from every intervention on offer. I would reject simple or emotive answers and would have no patience with euphemism or bland reassurance. I would think hard because the future happiness of my child was in my hands.



The title may be deceiving in that it actually questions the case for puberty blockers.  I wish to hell that puberty blockers were around when I was a child, because I would indeed look like a normal female now, but the author of this post has some well thought out points as to why it's not a simple yes when a doctor or therapist suggests a parent's child go on puberty blockers.  

White House Plan To Eradicate Transgender From Gender Definition

Individuals are going to feel empowered to discriminate and they will. 







Is it all a bad dream?  Comments, from Rhonda and Hannah.

Waiting Room

I shouldn’t be late for my surgical consultation. It’s the last step before gaining something I’ve desperately wanted since I was fourteen, maybe even younger. I should be early like I usually am for things that are important to me. Maybe I have an unconscious need to make this step hard to prove to myself I’m really trans. Internalized transphobia suck



I suspect that only someone who is trans can truly appreciate this post which is simply about the trip to and the wait in the surgeon's office.  So nicely written, by Heather.  

Our Different Journey

Those of you who've either followed this blog, or have had a poke around the site, may well have come across the Our Different Journey section of the site. To be honest, it's something I did in days gone by. Those answers are snippets in time from when they were written. While I think things may have changed for some of those writers, perhaps much will still be as is. I'm still thankful they took the time to answer my questions and share what they've learned about being trans.



In her current post, Lynn reminds us of a page on her blog site titled, Our Different Journey.  It's well done, so take a look. 
 

Dresses

Wearing a dress is a treat.  It allows you to make a statement about yourself.  A sundress, a cute and playful dress, a business-like dress, a midcalf dress, long sleeved, sleeveless, floral, striking, formal, an LBD, casual, on and on.  You can go so many ways and for me, it just defines femininity.









Just a few words, from Kandi, about dresses and being brave enough to wear them.

A Horse Of Many Colours

It’s been a really difficult year, not at all what I’d hoped for. But despite itself, it’s delivered me to a pretty good place. Mostly because it’s the first year I’ve felt I was starting to do Adult properly. That’s Capital A adult, not XXX adult, for the sake of clarity.






It's almost one-year of post-op for Chrissy.  In this post, she comments on the highs and lows, but ends up on a high,

farewell

Enjoy your respective retirements and don't let the door hit you on your way out.







Who is Joanna writing about?  It's not Joanna's farewell.  Find the answers here and celebrate with all of us.

Buying women’s clothes, as a man

-Those look nice. Are they for you?

-Yes. I was looking for a pair of warm Granny slippers, and was pleasantly surprised by these, I said. They are fluffy inside and out, ankle-boots, black with lots of tiny gold-coloured metal bits like stars in the night. I also got socks.


Clare relates a shopping experience she had while presenting in a more or less androgynous mode.

Bra Vignettes by Shay Hansen

No amount of personal acceptance or encouragement from family and friends changes how, at some point, these men will have to reveal they wear bras to a stranger. As much as I believe in the innate goodness of people, there will always be those who cannot or will not understand why a man would choose to wear what is typically defined as a woman’s garment.



I found this from the daily blog of a very TG friendly bra store. This is a guest post, written by a male with gynecomastia.  He relates some of his experiences when others realize he's wearing a bra.

Facelifts Three Types

These days, the word “facelift” is no longer a catchall term for a single surgery. In fact, there are many different types of facelifts, and some are targeted to certain areas of your face. Here, you will learn the differences between upper, mid, and lower facelifts so you can make the best decisions for your own unique needs.




When it comes down to fashion and looking good, Rhonda's Escape is a good blog to visit.  Facelifts are the feature in this guest post on Rhonda's blog.

Ok, just too spout out an opinion and my understanding of UMBRELLAS.

There often and lately seems to be a question of who is trans? Who is more trans? Who suffers more? Who has it harder? Who is an ally and who is part of the nation of trans people.




Caity's writing about THAT umbrella.

Getting over my Shopping Fears.

While browsing through the makeup aisle recently,  I thought about how long it has taken me to get to the point where I am comfortable enough on my own to head into the store and look at and buy whatever makeup or clothes I want. 



Crossdressing or transitioning, shopping fears need to be overcome.  Cynthia relates her experience and has some tips.

My Story

I awake on the couch. It is quiet, and the room is dark. The TV must be off.

He is leaning over the couch kissing me.

I black out.



This must have been very emotional for Daniella to write and share with us.  It's a story about a predator....an abuser....a teacher....a devastating experience for a young boy.

My Story, is very well written and very emotional, from Daniella.