Kay, there is a problem having too many hosts as the license requires a log in with authentication with an emailed code. We need to control who is logged in and coordinate hosts. I suspect if zoom detects too may different logins from different ISP's they might restrict the account.    We will set April Marie up with the account Login and Gmail email login, so she will be able to set up and run meetings, and, like I did last Saturday, can start a meeting and hand over hosting to anyone at that meeting. Hosts need to primarily be involved with running the meetings, and contributing to discussions is secondary. We can also nominate Co Hosts who can admit people, and moderate.    So we need more people willing to take over Hosting at times, but need to limit people who can log into the account.   Hugs,   Allie

I am suffering i want to be elizabeth

Agree!  Very cool!  And another representation of those who Serve!  (families serve also)

Hi @slim  Welcome and Happy to meet you. There are other crossdressers here and you are welcome to stay with us.  For myself, and others here, crossdressing was the beginning of my transgender journey.  It just took me many years to figure that out.  It also caused problems with my spouse. That's not to say that all crossdressers are Trans, or vice versa.  But both situations can cause problems for relationships. At some point she might have felt threatened by your crossdressing or suspected you had plans to go further - but I have no way of knowing that.  Therapy (both individual and couple) is a good place to start.  It would be inappropriate to give you any personal advice ... I don't know you, and I am not a professional.  Wishing you all the best. Deep breaths ... One step at a time

Beautiful story but Yes, very sad.  But happy he did it his way.  His message is very powerful and important.   SERVICE is the heritage of the LGBTQ+ community.  It's unfortunate that many of those we serve don't understand that.   Thank you for sharing @Carolyn Marie!    

Thank you for volunteering to host @April Marie!  The day/time zone differences is the most difficult in particular if we want to keep the West Pacific & US/Canada members together -- If we can get more hosts it might be nice if we have 2 weekend options -- keep the current one, and maybe a Sunday early afternoon EST (that would be mostly for U.S./Canada members). But whatever you guys come up with I will always try to be there.

I was invited for Father's Day lunch with my son and his girlfriend.  It was lovely (and delicious Japanese/sushi restaurant).  I am still his father and he is my son, and I appreciate his affirmation of my identity but also our relationship. To me this is not about gender ... It's about Family   I have the same situation with my niece, @Ivy.  It's sad but it affects her Mom (my sister) more than me.  That's just one more reason to appreciate my own childrens' acceptance.  Hoping your daughter comes around eventually.

Trans, Asian, immigrant, married, military wife.. a whole bunch of "firsts" in this one.  Cool!

"Possibly Mace or hairspray."  What?  There's a huge difference between the two, and since most (if not all) police officers get exposed to OC/CS/CN agents during training, I can't imagine the authorities being unable to tell the two apart.    The lesson I get from this story is that crowds and large public events are risky places to be.  Its been that way for years, whether for Pride or anything else.  My husband calls it a "target-rich environment."  Anybody wanting to make trouble can't resist big events....like a June-bug to a porch light. 

Father's Day - a set of mixed feelings for me.  Today we honored my husband and his father, both excellent men who do so much for their family.  I enjoy that, and I got a laugh because working is so much a part of my husband's nature, he couldn't even sit down and let us take care of cooking and cleaning...he just can't rest if somebody is working.     Of course, today also carries with it the bitter memories of my own father, who never really wanted me.  I'm glad that my stepkids are getting something better. 

Katie, dysphoria punished me all my life, and trying to 'manage' it made me seriously sick in 2018, and led to a heart attack and 2 cardiac arrests in 2022. So I can say being trans almost killed me!  I have been criticised for saying I wish I was never trans by some who felt I was somehow demeaning them, but it is a very personal feeling, and I appreciate we all feel differently.   Hugs,   Allie

Allie, I concur with you. I would have been happier being one or the other instead of experiencing the hell of being transgender. I am fortunate with having more resources than the average bear, but if I had it to do all over again, I would not have went through any portion of transition. It has been painful and draining. I am physically and mentally exhausted by it all. 

I am shocked. In a good way.   We had a potential realtor for our home sale swing by and in conversation the realtor asked to clarify my name, she thought it was "Mauve" and I gave her my chosen name. Later my wife referred to me with MY CHOSEN NAME! She's been great, but the name thing has been a struggle. Even with the situational prompting it was nice to hear her say it.   Back to grilling dinner. Just needed to smile in words!

LOL  Not even the same day.

Likewise.  For me, the start time is 22:00 ADT, so it's a late night.  But I enjoy the meetings so much that I stay on for an hour.  Finding a time that works for everyone around the world (several of the "regulars" are in Australia) is tricky.

I get a picture here that many of the injuries were from physical violence, and not from the respiratory and eye irritant.   I cannot tell from what I am reading whether this was simple any large crowd or specific to Anti-LGBTQ H8, the problem is that there have been enough threats against LGBTQ people that something can accelerate in all the wrong ways and become a thing of terror.   I was supposed to be at a Trans Pride event yesterday, had tickets and food reservation in, but I could not find parking anywhere close enough to actually get in at the time I was due to be there.  I did not end up attending and simply had to drive home.  The folks I was to have met up with have since told me that the venue was super crowded but they had no problems other than crowd size. 

When I first came to TP I was using the name "Jandi."  It was a combination of my birth name (which I always hated) and the name most people knew me by.  It was kinda given to me accidentally by my ex, but there was a bit of negativity involved.  But it sounded kinda femme, and worked for me at the time. (I still get mail addressed as such) But the negativity was still there.  I decided to go with something else if I wanted a legal change.  I had been using "Ivy" for about a year in a private situation, kinda to try it out.  I actually had a tattoo of an ivy vine running up my leg.  I don't know if I thought of Ivy as the "real" me or what.  But I started to use it more openly, like on here, and it still felt right. When I changed it legally that's what I chose.  Ivy is not related to my deadname at all.  I also chose a new middle name, and even slightly changed the spelling of my last name.   My ID says "Ivy" (F) as does my birth certificate, and passport.  That guy doesn't live here anymore.  

I guess they don't really know if this was intentional, or mere stupidity.

https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/culture/things-to-do/baltimore-pride-parade-block-party-injuries-7WOMWL344VHS3FQHFYPM77PTSA/     I hope all of the injuries are not serious and everyone will be all right.   Carolyn Marie

What a journey you have with your name! It's pretty wonderful, the whole idea, dark and stormy and then there's light and beauty that breaks through!