Ok.. dress up all the time, alone at home, for smoke times. Every once in awhile to drive late at night... I shop, love to... but why can't I push myself to go to trans friendly joints? Am I just afraid? I wanna be more active.. needs support groups and friends in central ohio... ahhhh!!! Been doing this for 21 years! Help!!!

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The best I can suggest is Google "your town LGBT" and you will get a list of tolerant groups around you. If you have a LGBT center near you, they can suggest group that meets near you. Pick a date, dress up in your sunday best and make sure you show up on time. You will not regret it and I am sure you will have fun like you have never had it before. If we were nearer, I would get you out the door but we are a little to far away to make a day of it. 

Honest self exploration needed here.  Why do you want to be out and about and active?  What barrier stops you?  What are you afraid of happening while out and about dressed up?  I think answering these questions will help you.

Is getting out and about the goal?  Being seen while dressed and interacting with other people?  To just LGBT friendly places or else where?  Are you afraid of being hit on while out and about?  Gender, expression, and sexuality aren't the same thing so its perfectly ok to be out, get hit on by a guy and say "thanks, but no thanks".  You aren't a tease just because you are out being you.

Worried about friends and family spotting you?  By choosing friendly spaces to LGBT you are already lowering the risk of that happening.  If you happen to stumble across a wayward uncle, cousin, etc in a LGBT friendly space they are either supportive (yay, you gained an ally) or have some secrets themselves where again you gain an ally, 

Dressing at home is amazing, I love it.  For me its enough.  For you it may not be, and thats ok.  But you aren't going to get to explore the world as your fem self unless you overcome your fears and make it happen.  Things worth having are never easy... seems like this is worth having for you, but yeah... it won't be easy.  Keep us posted, lots of encouragement.  If you want to bounce ideas off of PM me.

Nowadays I can express fully my femininity. I teach in class while wearing heels, skirt and even a flower. I post my bikini photos in Facebook.



I started wearing skirt in 2003, and it took more than 10 years to reach here.
Yes. It has been not easy at all, and it is still going.

Recently I realized that Facebook is a nice place for coming out to your friends and colleagues.
When I first posted my bikini photos last year, a lot of fuss happened (e.g., The president of my university said to me indirectly through other professors to refrain from posting bikini photos). This summer, no such things happen. People are flexible to adapt to my new image. Yes. It takes some time, but people are far more flexible than I initially assumed.



Gradual changes are always better, and remember that it takes time for people to adapt to your new image.

barbie~~

Quote from: bree_davis01 on August 26, 2016, 11:32:55 PM
Ok.. dress up all the time, alone at home, for smoke times. Every once in awhile to drive late at night... I shop, love to... but why can't I push myself to go to trans friendly joints? Am I just afraid? I wanna be more active.. needs support groups and friends in central ohio... ahhhh!!! Been doing this for 21 years! Help!!!

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Interesting, that's exactly how I started. I'm not as confident as many here who are 24/7, but I'm inspired by what I have read here and feeling more confident everyday. The first time I went out everywhere dressed was a Halloween night, since that gave me some cover if I had any awkward moments. It felt fantastic! I felt like the real me!! Everything I do as a female literally makes me smile. Now, that's just my own positive self-talk. Support groups like you mention certainly can help and being with others helps reinforce our identity. The most powerful influence is you! I'm at the point, when I look in the mirror, I think this looks like "me"! Others, deal with it if I don't look perfect, because "me" makes me smile! I just got a new blue dress today delivered, and OMG it is fab! My mirror said, "damn, you go gurrrl!" Best wishes!