Welcome Alisa! Glad you're here! When I found the courage to explore me & found this amazing forum one of the things suggested here was I find a gender therapist. I found it a super helpful advice. I hope you find the wonderful advice, support & acceptance here as I have.   Hugs! Delcina 

I was scared to death to go outside. The first night I was sure somebody would jump out of the bushes yelling "Ah ahhh! See you!" They didn't. At the suggestion of my therapist I went to a support group & we went out to eat after. I was still super scared & self-conscious, but having them with me was so comforting. Hope you find your way outside into this big beautiful world!   Hugs! Delcina 

The word ‘drag’ is supposedly an acronym for a stage direction coined by Shakespeare and his contemporaries meaning ‘Dressed Resembling A Girl’. YAAAS Shakespeare! The entire species of the Dwarf Chimpanzee are bisexual. In fact, homosexuality has been observed within 1,500 animal species globally. It has been highlighted that gay people are more likely to be left-handed much more than heterosexuals. Which handed are you? The word ‘lesbian’ derives from the Greek island Lesbos which was home of Greek poet Sappho who proclaimed her love for girls within her poetry. There are now approximately 1 million children within the US who are currently being raised by same-sex couples. And we bet they’re having great lives! 

Small overall, unless the subway is boycotted, but a bright light on the highway there.  

Simply pulling his license even as far down as hospital janitor would be appropriate to me.   Sounds like he was one of the leakers to Cass too.  

https://www.6sqft.com/christopher-street-subway-station-renamed-in-honor-of-stonewall/     Outstanding news!    Carolyn Marie

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/doj-indicts-whistleblowing-surgeon-for-exposing-transgender-procedures-at-texas-childrens-hospital/     I hope they throw the book at this unethical doctor.   Carolyn Marie

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/judge-denies-request-halt-enforcement-transgender-care-law     Carolyn Marie

Paula, Vicky's "Public vs. Picture" post has so much truth to it.  When I first went out in public I was convinced everybody was looking at me.  Now it drives me crazy when nobody looks at me.  People are just too wrapped in in their own lives to notice us.  I also thank cell phones because people are so glued to them they wouldn't notice a Tyrannosaurus if it walked by.  Point is, it's easy to be yourself out in the world.  I think most of us started out very slowly, but it gets easier the more you do it.  Act on your dream to make it reality.   

And this from a place that is supposed to be a "Blue Paradise...."    Changing votes, changing legislation, changing education....it doesn't really change people.  No matter where you live, it simply sux to be different, because people are tribal by nature. 

It’s funny how we can sort something “just isn’t right” in our dreams, where our consciousness pushes through the unconscious projections.   Thank you for sharing!

For years I felt it was only a dream too. For me it took living alone in a queer-friendly area (inner Sydney) far from my old friends and family. (Actually there was one old friend nearby, but he is queer and I confided in him.) I finally snapped on the night of Mardi Gras and just went out, and had one of the best nights of my life. Every single person I met was supportive. 

I forgot to mention the bit about gender in dreams. I dream as both man and woman. That said, if I dream myself as a man I generally realise something strange is going on and start to morph between genders, but if I dream as a woman I feel whole and do not question it.    Early in my transition I dreamt I was involved with a man who I realised was keeping his former girlfriend hostage. I helped the woman escape and we ran to the beach, where the man caught up and tried to drive us into the waves. There was something so powerful about this dream, not least that it was maybe the first dream I’d ever had in which I was unquestionably a woman.   Most confusing for me is that I dream in two sexualities, my former hetero-man self and my current hetero-woman self. But then my sexuality is the most confusing part of my life in general.

I am linking a post I made many years ago, that has some good mileage to it, but which will give you a hint of a direction to take on just getting out in public:    https://www.transgenderpulse.com/forums/index.php?/topic/43991-public-vs-picture/   Please consider what it says, because the longer I have been out, the more truth I see in it.

Welcome to TransPulseForums Alisa   I hope you find as much help as friendship as I have here. You’re in a safe space to be yourself.    Best wishes,    Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

Welcome to the forums, Alisa!! You'll find that each of us is unique yet we still have many commonalities. The forums are full of great links, ideas and advice and you won't find a more supportive, nicer group of people anywhere else.    Jump in where you feel comfortable!! We're glad you found us.

Makes sense; we transfemmes lose our male privilege once we transition, and it can be a shock. 

So very true.

You are so welcome!    It took me awhile to find the style that reflected how I saw myself and how I wanted to be seen. I also found, quickly, the difference in quality between the items that come out of China and other brand name manufacturers - not to mention the sizing difference.    For me, Talbot's and J. Jill items fill most of my closet. I shop a lot on eBay a lot where I find items deeply discounted...or I avoid buying them. Or, my wife and I wait until the deep discounts at end of season lower the price to 25% or lower of the original price.   Still, I've found some really nice pieces on Amazon, too.   Really, it just comes down to finding a style that makes you feel good about yourself.   When I could look in the mirror and see April no matter what I was wearing, that was a game changer in my ability to manage the dysphoria.   

Sounds like you're happy with it. That's awesome. And I take it you liked the new barber?