[Carol]

Thanks for the heads up Claire. It’s also repeating at 5.30pm today (Saturday) on ABC News 24.

[Carol]

I agree Claire. I’m just about to re-watch Dallas Buyers Club, another movie where a cis gendered male brilliantly portrays a transwoman. Thinking about “Transparent” previously where the lead is a male playing a transwoman but transwomen and a transman play supporting roles I decided it was horses for courses. If you want to cast the role of the early stages of transition, a woman or a transwoman just doesn’t fit. A male actor looks far more realistic struggling to build the new look. The transwomen actors really shone as the well transitioned (trans)women.

[Carol]

Interesting. My latest purchases from my friendly local Australian pharmacy with the benefit of a prescription were:
Finasteride (5mg)x 30 $34
Sandrena (1g)x28 $14

Adjusting for the larger finasteride pill I think that makes the local prescription purchase bang for buck about half the cost of the imported version. Another reason to talk to your GP.

[Carol]

Advice I received from a speech therapist a while back was very similar to Salleyj’s contribution. I’m saving up my pennies for voice training instead of surgery.

[Carol]

I’m with Glenda. I’m working on my other problems but lack of hair on my head has driven me to a wig that I would love to be able to do without.
Of course turning the clock back 40 or so years would solve that problem and make everything else so much simpler and so much more worthwhile.

[Carol]

Transpatience: Season 2 of Transparent starts filming in May and should be released later in 2015. In the meantime I’m stuck with rewatching episodes of Season 1.

[Carol]

Thanks Shana, I’ll look into it. All they offered so far was the chance to buy an extra month’s worth.

[Carol]

I’m in the sin bin. My binge on Transparent pushed me over my monthly download quota for Bigpond. They don’t charge me extra but punish me with a slower download speed. So loading TGR’s front page takes ages and I’ve given up on videos and big photos. Normal service will be restored on 7 Feb when my new month starts. Time to do some gardening I think.

[Carol]

Nine are trying to encourage use of their Nine/Fairfax STAN streaming service for people that can’t wait (me). Rumour has it that episodes 3-10 will be shown by Nine some time down the track.

[Carol]

That was “LITE-PORN” ie light-porn not Life Porn Claire. I’ve now watched 9 episodes and am about to start on the last from season 1. I don’t want to spoil it for others but am bursting to discuss issues. I will say that many scenarios that might have seemed funny to someone who is not TG or connected to the TG community were just a bit too close to my own reality for me to fall around laughing. If I hadn’t experienced them myself I could easily imagine myself in them. That said I’ve really enjoyed the series, in a “oh yes, how true, ouch” sense.

[Carol]

I agree about the lite-porn Brenda. I finally got STAN streaming to work so I’ve now watched episodes 1-4. I can definitely afford my 30 days free trial and at this rate will be able to watch the whole lot several times before I need to start paying $10 per month.

[Carol]

I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to stream Transparent via STAN. Either I’m dumb or my internet is weak.
BUT today I noticed in the TV guide that Channel Nine is showing the first 2 episodes starting at 10pm today (27 Jan). Woo Hoo!

[Carol]

I took Finasteride/Proscar on prescription for a couple of months in 2013. I might as well have taken sugar pills for all the impact they had. I switched to Androcur plus Estraderm and it was like chalk and cheese in terms of the impact on my body. I strongly recommend talking openly to your doctor rather than self-medicating with something that may be ineffective or even harmful.

[Carol]

Yes this was a very sad story. If only people who are hurting could call for help in another way.
I first saw the story on http://www.femulate.org and right next to it was a story about a young ftm person who had just received an award for advancing human rights for TG people. What struck me was the difference in parental attitudes. In the bad outcome case the parents were not supportive and talked about the loss of their “son”. In the good outcome case the parents had announced in their Xmas letter to all friends and relatives that they now had a second son.

[Carol]

I think this is a very sad thread. I’m a member of sites where I have to pay much more and do it again each year. Also of sites which charge nothing. In my view TgR is better value than any of them. I’ve promoted this site successfully to friends with that argument. $10 for life!! How good is that.
I still think you need exemptions though for people who are struggling.