September 29, 2009 3:20 PM BST
I think there is a lot of confusion about our profile pics and icons. The site has evolved a lot since we first started almost ten years back and I feel that there is no longer a need for two separate pics which are used in different places around the site. Even I don’t know exactly where each is used. So, I’m going to ask Eric to make them into one field in the database (when I can afford to). That should put an end to any confusion in that respect.
And yes, you are right Wendy. We know that many of our members are not out and proud and do not want to upload a photo of their face for fear of being recognised by someone they know. We have therefore, always said that a representative photo would suffice. Our moderator guidelines say that if a member upload a picture of a cat, that should be acceptable.
Another option would be to have yourself cartooned. There’s an option to do just that on our photo upload page here...
http://gendersociety.com/[...]oadform
What we don’t want and will not tolerate however, are any photos containing nudity or pics that are sexually suggestive in any way. Those would not be appropriate for a profile photo and would be very damaging to our community. We have tried to keep it squeaky clean since the PayPal disaster several years ago, but it only takes one nudie photo appearing on our front page to undo all that hard work and get us a tainted as porn site, which we’re not (more on this later). Remember, we’re talking about profile photos here (and also pics used in personal adverts).
Full members are allowed to upload pretty much whatever they like (but no children or animals) to their own galleries because these cannot be seen by anyone who is not also a Full Member. It’s pictures that can be seen by anyone and search engines that I am most worried about so we’ve got to keep it clean.
Hugs,
Katie x
September 29, 2009 11:19 PM BST
i have a real problem with this. The "mods" now have to approve "pics" and having read some of the mods postings on girls "who let the side down" i cannot begin to think why i would put a pic up to be "approved" by someone who cannot possibly know me, or "approve" of me there is no point! Cartoon characters and icons don't have to be approved....wtf should real pics have to be? "Those would not be appropriate for a profile photo and would be very damaging to our community."......that mean goth trannys?......people "who let the side down"......what a god awful place this has become!
September 30, 2009 7:24 AM BST
where has your goth tranny pix gone?
the message I'm getting off TW these days is that the old days of desperately trying to remain in-closet are now over thanks to the various E&D statutes on the books and by being out and proud we are letting 'the great unwashed' know that we aren't pervs/freaks etc but all have valid and perfectly legal reasons for what or how we present to the world.
The only pix to be disapproved would be nude or porn. i don't want to see porn and I'm sure there are a lot of bodies i would not want to see nude.
let's move on and leave the gutter to the press and media.
September 30, 2009 12:00 PM BST
Maryanne, I don't understand why you are so strongly against the picture approval thing. First off, mods have been approving pics for the last year and the only pics that don't get approved are the nudes and sexual in nature, period. I think it is pretty obvious all Katie is asking is for a respectable picture or characature to get rid of the gray blobs and brighten up the site. And YES, slutty nudes are denied on a regular basis and without approval those pics would be all over the front page of TW.
Hugs,
Marsha
September 30, 2009 2:03 PM BST
It really isn't a case of given it over to the mods to see whether it meets their approval. Their personal tastes have nothing whatsoever to do with it. As said before, it's to stop blatent sexual shots on the public areas only. You can do what you like in your own galleries. It is all to keep the site respectable, there are plenty of others that allow pretty much anything for those who prefer that.
Nikki
September 30, 2009 3:22 PM BST
M/A,
Actually, I miss my Goth gf and can not imagine anyone disapproving such a lovely lady's pic. You know as well as anyone what happened before when PayPal saw some inappropriate pic, posted by ONE individual, and nearly brought the site down with it's denial of access to further income. TW is more home to me than the house I live in. I, for one ,do not want to risk losing it and driving away good members who think they have come to the "wrong sort of place". We need good people to replace the special ones who have moved on for various reasons.
September 30, 2009 5:36 PM BST
The reason I immediately became a full member of TW (after finding it in a Google Search), after barely just looking around, was the restrictions on things: like prohibiting inappropriate photo posting, rules on flaming and against spam. It was apparent that TW wasn't a "She-Male" porn site, which I have no interest in.
My only problem with the mandatory profile pic is that I haven't had any photos in 20 years that I think are attractive...
Best,
Melody
September 30, 2009 7:04 PM BST
I think MA got the wrong end of the stick. She may be thinking of a certain other site we have already talked about on the phone, where MA's pic was not allowed because she's a goth. That has never happened here.
Marsha Ann said it perfectly though.
Our profile photos have already been moderated for around 18 months now so it's nothing new. Our only two objectives are firstly to prevent the upload of sexually inaproproriate and nudie pictures and secondly to encourage more peeps to upload something so we see fewer of those little grey icons.
That's all - it's not much to ask. And yes, goths are still allowed and indeed welcomed.
Hugs,
Katie x
September 30, 2009 7:19 PM BST
I forgot to mention "Katie's Guide To Creating A Great Profile", here...
http://gendersociety.com/[...]2836273
Hope you find it useful. It should work well for
personal ads too.
Hugs,
Katie x
September 30, 2009 10:24 PM BST
Melody, I'm sure Crissie Shye, Lucy Diamond, or Roni Johnson would lend you one until you get another pic! (smile) They are all adorable!
Traci
September 30, 2009 10:36 PM BST
Hi Traci,
Yes, they and others I could name are very attractive women.
You, Tammy Brianne, and Rose White might be a bit closer to my age and you all look great.
Unfortunately, some wine ages well and some turns to vinegar...
Best,
Melody
September 30, 2009 10:47 PM BST
katie is right to a certain extent....i had to fight to get my profile pic accepted elseswhere...i'm not prepared to get it accepted here. Maryanne goes clubbing and has a good time....but ALWAYS "lets the side down" cos shes just a tranny.
September 30, 2009 10:49 PM BST
Katie,
I know it would be really nice if everyone was happy to upload a profile picture, but I have serious concerns about not allowing people access to the site if they dont. I'm sure you are aware that there are many people struggling to get to terms with gender dsyphoria and it would be a very big shame if some of these were cut of from the TW resources simply because they didnt upload a picture. I believe, if new members were able to chose from a selection of anonymous icons or upload a picture that didnt reveal their face/identity then that should be sufficient to not scare people away. I'm sure whatever you decide will be the best choice for TW.
Penny
September 30, 2009 10:51 PM BST
oh, i forgot to add, no hideous goth tranny pics allowed! hehe - luv ya MA xxxx
September 30, 2009 11:34 PM BST
Hi Penny, I don't think you've read this whole thread. I did say that if people were to upload a picture of a cat, that would be okay. Even a bird or some other inanimate object because that would be better than the grey icon we see on those profiles that have no picture. Just take look at the birthday girls page to see what I mean!
It doesn't really matter what the picture is of as long as it's legal, decent and honest - no nudity and no porn.
Hugs,
Katie x
October 1, 2009 12:09 AM BST
Hi Katie,
"Full members are allowed to upload pretty much whatever they like (but no children or animals) to their own galleries"
I'm sure you were talking about inappropriate or even obscene images of "children or animals" but if you can have a cat as your profile pic, one hopes normal, innocent pictures of one's children or pets wouldn't be banned...
If I ever post a galley of pics, my Lab/Golden Retriever mix, Choca, would be very insulted if her pics were banned, LOL.
Best ,
Melody
October 1, 2009 12:14 AM BST
Yes, of course that's what I meant. The whole idea is simply to prevent us from looking like a porn site when the Google and PayPal snoops come to visit.
Huggies,
Katie x
October 1, 2009 12:58 AM BST
Awwww...it's all good! I was just playing around...looks, while it might seem important, really isn't that important at our age...we're all well past that (smile). None of us are going to be signed to replace Megan Fox in a movie...it just doesn't matter! Nice to meet you though and have fun in TW! Sooooo many beautiful women in here and we're all on the same page!
Traci
October 1, 2009 1:15 AM BST
...seems like too much ado about nothing. Y'all woke me for this?
We are what who we are. We're not nasty, icky, gross people who want your kid and your pets.
We just want to be the women we are.
**sighs**
I must have missed something, somewhere.
Upload a decent pic of something nice and be done with it, 'kay?
Little Miss Mercury's gonna get some dinner, crawl into her nightie, and call it a day 'cause she feels like cr@p. Y'all behave now.
Luv 'n hugs,
Mina
October 1, 2009 1:24 PM BST
MA, I don't think you ever let the side down, far from it, you were always active here and a breath of fresh air. As for 'just' a tranny, no one cares what you are, it's who you are that is important to us and you've demonstrated that in your commitment to the site over the years. I for one have missed you around here.
Nikki
October 1, 2009 8:21 PM BST
Hey M/A,
I'm not sure what the problem is here tbh. I recall you as witty and good for TW.
Asking for a simple profile pic OR any other decent picture is hardly the rule of the century. And what you've had to fight for elsewhere about your profile pic has never applied here!
Your colourfull personality always brightened the place and, as you know, who gives a flying flapjack here if you're a tranny or post-op??????
IMHO TW - as it is today - is so much better than I've ever known it over the last two years. Got to be said...
Rae xxx
October 2, 2009 1:15 AM BST
Mina,
Since you mention "your kid and and your pets" I have to assume this message was aimed at me since I directly quoted Katie's statement about galleries not including "children and animals."
If you'd read the complete thread, you'd hopefully realize it was largely about two TW members who (I don't know either of them so this is my impression) misinterpeted what Katie was saying about profile pictures.
Her, probably quick and unintentional, response included the above phrase.
My post was to clarify that was not her intent (which she immediately confirmed) was the case. I tried to do it with a bit of humor (OK, sarcasm - see my profile) with a bit of irony....
Sorry to have woke you.
Best,
Melody
October 2, 2009 2:04 AM BST
Hi Traci,
I know you were just funning....
Please excuse my dour sense of humor.
I do envy your pics....
Best,
Melody
ps, er .. who is Megen Fox?
October 2, 2009 8:11 PM BST
to stop wine turning into vinegar just add estrogen...the magic 'body-clocking' elixir...
October 5, 2009 7:48 AM BST
Ok well I added a couple of pics of myself. Hope no one has just eaten
LOL
Stephenie
October 5, 2009 7:49 AM BST
Seems that my picture is in my profile but does not show up here though. Oh well.
Stephenie
October 5, 2009 10:35 AM BST
Stephanie, you can upload 2 photos on the “Upload your photos” page, you will see 2 boxes:
Upload Your Own Icon
Upload Your Own Photo
Currently you have a photo but no icon so just go back to the photo upload page and add an icon, which will magically appear here in the forums.
xx
