Hmm. My first impressions with these forums is "...". How can I inject my own worldview into this mostly-apologetic and negative milieu?

I started dressing at about 13-14 years of age, got found out, smacked around, and lost interest. Inasmuch as I had an adolescence to wade through, I left my interests behind, preferring to have my lovers dress in stockings and lacy bits. At the start of this century I rediscovered this magnificent obsession, and with Milady's approval, step out enfemme regularly.

A word on my Reasons-For-Living: Milady and I have been at it for a quarter-century, unmarried and not playing house either. We've been sharing a good man as a lover for four of those years, are single individuals without progeny, and greatly appreciate the erotic side of things. Being held close and cherished is the same wonderful experience from either of my sweeties.

The most I can recommend to you all is not to let this sort of thing get you down, to revel in presenting as female (be stylish!), and to keep your productive life going. Buying into the psychobabble about "gender dysphoria" is the first step to convincing yourself you have a problem - and transgender issues are not dysfunctional, simply different. I embrace my transgender ways,  they're part of me to the very core - and treatment isn't necessary for gender euphoria!

Shae

www.tic.ab.ca/~shae

I agree that we should all be proud of who we are, as we are, but also acknowledge that gender dysphoria can be real too, and not easy.

I'm pretty sure I had gender dysphoria when I thought I was a man.  I don't now.