[Elizabeth]

Peta wrote on the 31/1 that her father was bald on top, but her brothers were well endowed with hair (so far). A family trait? Hair retention genes are passed on down through mum, not dad, so forget dads balding hair line. I’m very lucky in many ways, I have all my hair with a little sparodic sprinkling of grey, I’m a real oldie but young at heart. Enjoy what you have and make the best of what you have.
Peta, I hope you have found some satisfaction on hair styles.

hugs,
Liz

[Elizabeth]

Weight loss and healthy eating.

I had a New Year resolution, it was like a prayer.

I wanted a thin body and a fat bank account; what I got was fat body and thin bank account, bugger!

Liz

[Elizabeth]

Perhaps long hair would indeed look good on Peta, we don’t know do we? In the end it’s what the wearer likes, not what others want or think. We’re here to offer support and guidance. Some people are flamboyant and couldn’t care less what others think, whilst others are reticent and feel obliged to follow the desires of those closest to them.

Liz

[Elizabeth]

Hi Peta,
Welcome to TgR.
Hair styles has been a bugbare of mine for a long time. Every time it grew, yes, I was told to ‘have a hair cut’. Wigs to me are a bloody nuisance and they never seem to sit properly on the head. My very supporting wife said that older women always have shortish hair styles, so get one. Like Amanda I have mine feathered and styled by a very understanding stylist. shampooed, blow dried and tweaked into a feminine style. Brushed at times into a male style (of sorts). The feminine style has just about taken over on a permanent basis. What others think of your hair is none of their business, have your hair how you want it not how other think it should be.

Liz

[Elizabeth]

I think most people have been on the weight loss kick at some time or another and I’m no exception. Being diabetic, sporting an unhealthy heart, I’ve being trying for a long, long time to eat a completely healthy diet, but to no avail. My wife rules my food intake with an iron fist but with no success. The problem, as I se it, cabbage ought to taste like Tim Tams, but doesn’t. The raw food diet, a wonderful concept guaranteed to make you healthy tastes bloody awful when we’re used to consuming cooked food. Jeorjette is right if you can do it. I reckon you’ll live forever. The trouble is I love my health destroying carbohydrates; its the only way I can feel satisfied. I do my best, but until some clever person out there can come up with an completely edible and nutritous diet, its a losing battle.
My eating style is eat less with more frequent meals, that way you are not hungry and the body copes better or so I’m told. I try to avoid rubbish food, but frequently fall by the wayside, it tastes far superior.
So come on you clever ladies, come up with a winning formula and I’ll be in it full time. I think we would all like to be walking stick insects that can drape ourselves in a size 10 but it’s difficult when you are a hulking, 100kg brick **** house. I eagerly await constructive responses.

Hugs
Liz

[Elizabeth]

I guess that some will do almost anything to achieve a more feminine body, and I can understand that only too well. But I wonder why it is I have this feeling that some people are perhaps juggling with tombstones. Take care!

Hugs
Liz

[Elizabeth]

I’m quite sure that everyone who has ventured out in public, like me was terrified. Terrified that someone who knows you in male mode would jump up and down in a crowd and start shouting I didn’t know you crossdressed. Most unlikely, like others have said, they would either not recognise you or, if they did would disctreetly walk by, eyes looking at the ground. I think the greatest challenge we face is the fear generated within ourselves over groundless premises. I’m not advocating that an inner fear is totally groundless, of course not; we all face that fear. Going out is far easier when, with a like and supportive person, or even a group. I’m no exception, it’s only a couple of weeks ago when I was out en femme with Clare et.al. We had dined, no problems, we were then going to a movie, still no problems until I realised that we were walking through a large shopping mall to access the cinema complex. Bugger! When I saw the crowd in the complex foyer I very nearly freaked out, oh! shit. It was only the apparent self composure of the others with me that kept me sane. As Clare said afterwards, ‘you get used to it.’ And I found that is exactly what happens , we get used to it. The more you venture out, the easier it becomes. Enjoy life to the full, it’s too short to overly worry.

Hugs,
Liz

[Elizabeth]

I’m much in agreement with Clare on this. I found no offence whatsoever, I thought the ad was funny, definately not transphobic. Sales of tampons must have skyrocketed with all the publicity.

Liz

[Elizabeth]

Alana’s unpleasant experience at the (hands) voices of ignorant yobos’ is to be pitied. If we could all look like women we would probably be women, but we are not. I’ve seen very few of our fellow sisters who would honestly pass, there’s always a dead giveaway. So just what do we do? Be yourself 100%, hold your head high, keep your back straight be a lady and ignore crap remarks. When we’ve done all that, the remarks still hurt and creates anger in us; we just want to crawl away and hide. You’ve guessed right, I’ve been there and its bloody awful. I would like to use my 180cm frame and stand up to idiots, but then at my wrinkley age, I chicken out. Don’t worry sisters we will be accepted in the fullness of time, I don’t know who’s time, but we will.

Hugs to all,
Liz

[Elizabeth]

Hi everyone,
I identify with just about everything that had been written on this subject, but I particulararly identify with, and agree with Erika. I was told by the guru of Australian transsexualism that I came in as ‘secondary’ which at the time seemed to me to have negated my feelings etc throughout my life to the point of seeing the guru. The only reason I had kept everything bottled up for all those years was to comply with what was expected and indeed demanded. I guess I was squashed down into compliancy; I hated it, I hated myself, I hated my life. The result of everything was prolonged bouts of depression, suicidal thoughts and a couple of suicidal actions. Only when I inwardly told myself to stuff what other folk thought, and accepted myself did life for me change, for the better, thank God! I am what I am and I have no intention of changing or complying for anyone. Does it matter if I’m primary or secondary or anything else? I’m me, at long last enjoying life, albeit a little late but I’m taking every opportunity available, being with friends, being LIz as close to full time as is possible.

Hugs to everyone
Liz

By the way, I hope everyone has a happy, wonderful and safe Christmas.

[Elizabeth]

Call me whatever you like as long as its not ‘Hey You’. I’ve other more important things to worry about, such as what cereal to eat in the morning.

[Elizabeth]

I have been retired for some years now and a big and positive plus for retirement is, ‘what the hell?’ One thing about being old and transgendered, it no longer matters. I no longer care who knows I’m transgendered, except when it reflects and impacts on my precious family. On a personal level, who cares? Being old allows me to be myself, after being terrified and hiding in a cupboard most of my life. No one can harm me anymore, at least not in the workplace; its irrelavent. I’m out and proud, nor am I going to grow even older gracefully. I’m naturally reticent, although I would love to be more naturally flamboyant. I’m in this life to enjoy myself to the full. Growing old gracefully? how dull!

[Elizabeth]

Everyone has, in the past frequently heard all those puritanical ravings by the hiararchy of religious groups before; yes they’re in Australia. I think it absolutely rich coming from sexually abusive Christian groups who cover up for their abusive Priests and brothers.
I apologise to my strongly Christian brothers and sisters but this sort of crap coming from Catholic, Anglican and other Christian denominations brings my blood to boiling point, and beyond. Reminds me of some Christian groups who profess to have the power to heal gender and sexual diverse people. Such claims have been thrust upon me in the past. Believe me it’s a load of old codswallop. There I’ve got that off my chest.

Liz

[Elizabeth]

Caty,
Damn whiper snapper, you’re a mere girl.

Assuming you have reasonable health why are you worrying about retirement/aged care facilities? That may well surface later on, much later on, but you are currently in your mid sixties, a youngster. Enjoy life right now as best you can. Forget what’s down the track, you probably can’t do much about it anyway.
Live in the moment, in the here and now, bugger tomorrow, you may be dead, then what, all that worrying for nothing.
By the way; Caty prancing down an aged care facility corridor wearing a flamboyant dress may be an absolute hoot. Give something for the oldies to talk about for years.

Hugs from one wrinkley to another wrinkley.

Liz

[Elizabeth]

Monique, you’re absolutely right. Labels are a hinderence anyway and usually not right. If someone told me I have a mental disorder (as my ex wife determined) I would tell them I have a document from a reputable psychiatrist that states I don’t have a mental disorder. It’s all part of the continuing struggle in educating the public about us, and not allowing them to put us down. We’re just being ourselves.

Liz