Great work getting to that first meeting! I did this recently too, piecing together a basic outfit, being so scared stiff that I said almost nothing for two hours. So very unlike the male me.

I've only been out a few other times dressed, but each seems easier than the first. Keep at it is the message I got from people there, so I'm passing it on to you now

Quote from: Eva Marie on December 04, 2014, 10:31:25 PM
Your medical community is woefully behind the times. In one of the revisions to the DSM-V transgender was reclassified to not be a mental disorder. GID (Gender Identity Disorder) became GD (Gender Dysphoria) as a result.

You might take a copy of the DSM-V to your medical community with the relevant parts highlighted to help educate them.

More information:

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/12/03/1271431/apa-revises-manual-being-transgender-is-no-longer-a-mental-disorder/

Thank you kindly Eva Marie.  After a little bit of searching i found a free pdf document specifying changes from version 4 to 5.
Am not sure if the medical community will take much notice of this unless our recent laws here are revised.
What i can do is send this to certain Parliament members i think might show and interest in it and of course to our small
transgender association here.  From there medical professionals can be advised to consider revising the medical term
to gender dysphoria and then hopefully a bill of law will be proposed.  At best this will take a couple of years, but is doable,
now that the information is here.  i need to check how the European medical associations are revising their strategies,
as doctors and lawmakers here look mainly in that direction.
Thanks again, this is helpful, gives us a starting point.

For anyone interested, here is the pdf file.
Changes concerning us being on page 14
http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/changes%20from%20dsm-iv-tr%20to%20dsm-5.pdf

Quote from: Alison AU on December 05, 2014, 12:26:21 AM
Great work getting to that first meeting! I did this recently too, piecing together a basic outfit, being so scared stiff that I said almost nothing for two hours. So very unlike the male me.

I've only been out a few other times dressed, but each seems easier than the first. Keep at it is the message I got from people there, so I'm passing it on to you now

Hi Alison.  Oh i did not go dressed to that meeting, just wore some nice fitting pants and what i thought looked ok.
Wow, that must have been so difficult for you to do for the first time, but a nice feeling afterwards i can imagine. Gives me courage.
i am going to be dressed at the Xmas party, but am freaking out that i don´t have anything really suitable, need to go shopping and that scares me too lol

Quote from: lindagrl on December 05, 2014, 02:34:24 AM

Quote from: Eva Marie on December 04, 2014, 10:31:25 PM
Your medical community is woefully behind the times. In one of the revisions to the DSM-V transgender was reclassified to not be a mental disorder. GID (Gender Identity Disorder) became GD (Gender Dysphoria) as a result.

You might take a copy of the DSM-V to your medical community with the relevant parts highlighted to help educate them.

More information:

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/12/03/1271431/apa-revises-manual-being-transgender-is-no-longer-a-mental-disorder/

Thank you kindly Eva Marie.  After a little bit of searching i found a free pdf document specifying changes from version 4 to 5.
Am not sure if the medical community will take much notice of this unless our recent laws here are revised.
What i can do is send this to certain Parliament members i think might show and interest in it and of course to our small
transgender association here.  From there medical professionals can be advised to consider revising the medical term
to gender dysphoria and then hopefully a bill of law will be proposed.  At best this will take a couple of years, but is doable,
now that the information is here.  i need to check how the European medical associations are revising their strategies,
as doctors and lawmakers here look mainly in that direction.
Thanks again, this is helpful, gives us a starting point.

For anyone interested, here is the pdf file.
Changes concerning us being on page 14
http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/changes%20from%20dsm-iv-tr%20to%20dsm-5.pdf

Google EPATH they are a very active medical provider group that is a sister group from WPATH. European medic providers are pretty active (read very!!) and lead the world in the research area of transgender.

Quote from: lindagrl on December 05, 2014, 02:41:24 AM
Hi Alison.  Oh i did not go dressed to that meeting, just wore some nice fitting pants and what i thought looked ok.

Sorry I misunderstood one of your earlier posts. But still I think for me stepping over the threshold of a group labelled trans* felt like an amazingly huge step to take, irrespective of the choice of dress. I just chose a double dose of courage, wow it was certainly confronting. But yes since then it has been more and more baby steps forward, each feeling better and easier to take than the last.

I'm sure you looked great - I actually felt over dressed there! I am more comfortable hiding behind makeup, but just keep doing what feels right for you.

Thanks for the info Cindy, i have found their home page. There will be a conference in Belgium in mid March,
would be great if someone in our local group could attend. i have much to tell the girls when we meet. 

Quote from: Alison AU on December 05, 2014, 03:54:00 AM
Sorry I misunderstood one of your earlier posts. But still I think for me stepping over the threshold of a group labelled trans* felt like an amazingly huge step to take, irrespective of the choice of dress. I just chose a double dose of courage, wow it was certainly confronting. But yes since then it has been more and more baby steps forward, each feeling better and easier to take than the last.

I'm sure you looked great - I actually felt over dressed there! I am more comfortable hiding behind makeup, but just keep doing what feels right for you.

That´s OK Alison, i am not always precise in my writing or speaking, being a drama queen and all.
Oh yes this was a huge step and in spite of the initial shock am very glad i went through with it,
so glad you did too and i think you showed great bravery to go dressed.
Am counting on it becoming a little easier now, been a bit too dramatic for my frail nerves.
Hugs
Linda

Ain't nothing scary about shopping. It is Christmas almost. People going around shopping everywhere buying everything. People will just think you are buying gifts unless you are overt about it at this time of year.

Quote from: Seras on December 05, 2014, 07:08:30 AM
Ain't nothing scary about shopping. It is Christmas almost. People going around shopping everywhere buying everything. People will just think you are buying gifts unless you are overt about it at this time of year.

Whatever i buy, i will have to try it on first, in a changing cubicle of course. 
But you are right, it´s no bid deal and since i was able to get through being displayed in front of non transgender folks at that meeting i can handle this.

Even then it is easy if you want to not be obvious. Walk around grab some gifts then head down to the rubbish section of rubbish boring clothes. Find something like a coat and some jeans carry that too and go find a cubicle. This is the sort of stuff I always used to do, I did things like this until I built up my confidence cause it used to make me really nervous. Nowadays I just brazenly walk in and buy whatever I want lol.

The main thing though is to just be confident. People won't care unless you are all shifty and weird about it. In my experience.

Linda, glad to hear that you survived.  Sounds like a bit of a crazy meeting - not like anything I've experienced before.  Stick with it, go to the next one, see if it gets better.

Are there any other groups in your area?

Quote from: Seras on December 05, 2014, 08:45:21 AM
Even then it is easy if you want to not be obvious. Walk around grab some gifts then head down to the rubbish section of rubbish boring clothes. Find something like a coat and some jeans carry that too and go find a cubicle. This is the sort of stuff I always used to do, I did things like this until I built up my confidence cause it used to make me really nervous. Nowadays I just brazenly walk in and buy whatever I want lol.

The main thing though is to just be confident. People won't care unless you are all shifty and weird about it. In my experience.

We just got home from a bit of shopping.  The weather is awful, sleet coming down sideways, but we had a great time.  Am so happy with myself today.
On a whim we went to a little lingerie store we have shopped at a couple of times, pretending we were buying panties for my wife, but this time it was different.
i wanted to practice being brave. i began by looking at some super soft fluffy socks for ladies and asked the saleslady if she had them in my size.  Her eyebrows
lifted for a moment and she reached for the correct ones for me, but to be sure of whom she was dealing with, she also showed me some men´s socks,
but i showed little interest.  No we love these i said, one pair for me and one for my wife and a couple more for gifts.  To make sure she got it, i added hmm
i remember you had a stand with some various really nice panties at a reasonable price last time we were here.  Oh, she replied and smiled, i will have those
after Xmas when my sale starts, but if you follow me there are some really nice ones over here and i followed her to a rack of panties.  These have a nice shape
to them she said. Oh yes and a little wider at the back than some.  That´s true she replied, the panty line won´t show much when you wear them and she gave
me a lovely smile.  A bit too expensive though i replied, perhaps you will have some left over in January.  i think so, you have a slender figure, i usually have
some in your size that don´t sell and another lovely smile was directed my way and of course i smiled my prettiest. 
Wowee i am so amazed at myself, am still all smiles.
Buying clothes for the Xmas party will be much easier now that i released my foot off the brake a little.
Happy happy happy 

Quote from: Brenda E on December 05, 2014, 09:47:15 AM
Linda, glad to hear that you survived.  Sounds like a bit of a crazy meeting - not like anything I've experienced before.  Stick with it, go to the next one, see if it gets better.

Are there any other groups in your area?

Yep it was crazy alright Brenda but perhaps just what i needed, to be pushed into the deep end.
No other groups in my area, but there are more girls in the group, many just don´t show up for the December meeting it seems.
Am so very happy to be in that group though, small as it is, no delighted is the word. 
To feel and know that i belong there is an awesome realization for me.

Linda,

Look at you, girl. You are positively trucking along. 

Quote from: Sincerely Tegan on December 05, 2014, 10:37:07 PM
Linda,

Look at you, girl. You are positively trucking along.

Thank you Tegan, i need to be told by my peers that i am doing good things.
You are kind and generous and i like how you write.

Linda, It sounds like group went well, congratulations. It is definitely a nerve racking experience.

I did not speak the first 3 meetings I went to and now I am at ease and share. So you did a lot better than me

I really like going to group and the interaction, knowledge gained and feeling of inclusion, just the way I am. The girls there know exactly what it is like to be TS.