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!

I'm actually retired so I'm free most of the time.  I don't usually stay up real late though.  The 21:00 EDT meeting is a bit later than I would prefer.  I'm not usually a night person. I understand how the different time zones can complicate things.

I watched this documentary on Fuse television last week.  It is the extraordinary love story between Asia's Next Top Model host and her transgender spouse.  It is truly "must see TV."   https://www.fuse.tv/v/our-transgender-love-story/001500d7f9ce8a73978c18a3f52d35be    

I'll answer to "Dad" but I prefer "Ivy" in public. I don't know what they say when I'm not around.  Most likely "Dad."   The one that doesn't let me around her kids texted me Happy Father's Day this morning.   (She doesn't want them (middle school) to be "confused."  Seems like not having me around anymore would be confusing on its own.)

@AllieJ In retrospect I can agree that life would have been so much simpler if this hadn't occurred.  But it has and I am very happy, and content. 

Wow, April.  There is such depth to the story behind your name.  Thanks for sharing.

Hi, everyone! I'll start this here because Susan's original offers a wonderful description of the purpose and process of the Zoom meetings. At some point, I'll probably start a new thread if this doesn't capture comments.   I've been asked to train as a host for ZOOM meetings. The intent is to offer an alternative to the current Saturday evening meetings in order to, hopefully, give other members here at TGP and opportunity to participate. I have family coming to visit for a few weeks so I anticipate training around mid-July and then beginning to host a weekly meeting sometime right after that.   I've been participating in the current meetings and have truly enjoyed the opportunity and interaction. They are low key, fun, filled with discussion of a wide range of topics that changes weekly and is based on what people want to discuss that evening. There's no set agenda; it's free-flowing and fun.   You can join or leave at any point so don't feel that you have to commit to the entire time that will be scheduled. The Saturday night meeting typically last for 3 hours or more but there's no set requirement for the meeting I'll be hosting.   My hope in starting a discussion here is to get some idea from our TGP members who might be interested and what time(s) would be most convenient/productive. Feel free to either post here or drop me a PM if you're more comfortable doing that.   I am really looking forward to getting the Zooms going and hopeful that many of you will opt to give it a try. I'd love to get to know you all!!!

Our son calls me his "Parent," and that suits me just fine.  We still celebrate Father's Day, but since my son fled the nest it isn't such a big deal.   As much as I wish I had transitioned early in life, I would not have experienced the joy and blessings of having a child, and the privilege of watching him grow to be a handsome, intelligent and talented young man.  For me, not getting what I wished for turned out to be the true gift.   Carolyn Marie

I originally chose my name to have a negative connotation. When I was deep into dysphoria, depression and full of guilt wondering what was wrong with me, I decided to give "that other person" who drove me to have these strange thoughts and desires a name. I chose April Rhaynes - April is my birth month and the Rhaynes (rains) was meant to evoke the dreariness that often comes with the heavy rains and flooding we get during that month. I hated that "other" person for what she was doing to me and how she filled me with fear and guilt.   Finally breaking down and entering therapy I came to understand "that woman" was really me and so I needed to rethink the name. In the end, I stayed with April but it came with a new meaning. April is the month where we typically see the beginning of Spring. Trees and flowers begin to bloom, a time of renewal and rebirth. It is also often the month in which Easter falls so the name offers hope and forgiveness - things I desperately needed.    And, so, I kept April as my name. The Rhaynes portion is still part of my Gmail address but I can also ascribe the same positive vibe to the rains of April.

Welcome Jay

I was thinking abut posting a thread on this. For those of us that are MtF, and have kids, How do you feel about it? As a woman of transgendered experience it seems a little strange sometimes. My kids are all grown now.  But I do have a daughter (late 20's) that stays here at my house.  She calls me "she" and all that.  But I guess I still am technically her "father."   I just got to thinking about it yesterday.  Is "Father" gendered?  Sounds like a weird question. Anyone else have thoughts?

thanks friends   currently mom wants me to telephone but not visit. no talk of the elephant in the room, my transness..   siblings texted that mom wanted calls n not their job to facilitate..so they sound like they want out, plus 1 said I'm not looking forward to seeing you in a dress either .. then you won't, ever..but that means you won't see me again.   oh well, happy Sunday hugs

Happy Dad day.  It can be odd for those of us who are trans but wonderful.  Funny to have gone from Grandad to Granndy.   A wonderful life finding self.   Hugs,   Charlize

Happy. Content, yet still moving forward.

You might also want to look for a Renaissance group.  They welcome folks at every point of the spectrum.   Hugs,   Charlize

I decided to see a therapist when the questioning became too much for me to handle on my own; when I was realizing I was doing things to be feminine and didn’t know what that meant—and why I felt so comfortable doing more and more.   You’re aware of my story in some part, I hadn’t experienced crippling anxiety and depression like many do (including my eldest) but my thoughts were in this place that was so different and I needed to talk to someone who could ask the probing questions. I couldn’t think to burden my wife with this and I felt like I needed to be able to give her some answers instead of a bag of “I don’t knows”.   I wouldn’t put my therapist down as an outright gender therapist, she is not a specialist, but I believe she has allowed me to process my thoughts and provoked much for me to chew on. I made the decisions for each step forward, including hormones, but she has given me the space to verbally spar with myself to come to my own resolutions.   At the end of the day, the work is all on us. A therapist of any kind is worth their salt when they can help guide your thoughts, not tell you what to think or who or what you are. And there should be nothing scary about seeing a therapist. You’re just there to talk.

Happy Father’s day  

Talking here has been therapy enough for me so far, but I have always thought that I might need some sort of professional help at some stage. It actually intrigues me a little bit how eeeeeasy it seems for most of you just do go right ahead, see a gender therapist, get on the hormone train, pass in public, arrange surgery etc. I'm too gutless to even see my normal doctor to ask for a referral!   My journey runs as slow as treacle. That's actually okay because I stay within my comfort zone, but it is still evolving. Just like until recently I had never considered adopting a femme name but now I am, at least to myself and one significant other. I am also thinking more and more about professional help. As mentioned I do not have the confidence to broach my gender issues with my family doctor, mainly because of a fear of rejection. Even seeking support from a local LGBTQIA+ group is problematic in that they primarily focus on youth. Just for something to do, today I did a search and found a clinic in my capital city which exclusively sees trans patients without a referral. However, it seems to cater for people seeking hormone therapy as their primary need, and nothing beyond that. It seems like a 'rubber stamp' facility.   My questions: What is the 'normal' path for y'all to seek professional help? If I went to the facility that I just mentioned, I would be using that doctor as a de-facto gender therapist who might then refer me to someone more specialized. Or should I just put my big girl's blouse on and go through my family doctor? Probably more importantly, at what point did y'all decide that you needed professional help?