Purging – the Web Equivalent?

[Sapphire]

Most of us seem to agree that purging does not work. At least it has certainly been my experience – although I do not rule it out entirely as we are all different and have to make our own decisions in life.

Similar to the purging phenomenon in our community is the decision to eliminate your transgendered presence on the web (insofar as it is possible) by taking down your avatars, emptying your mailboxes etc. and ceasing to log on to a site such as this. Have you on occasion done this (as I have) only to find that you missed the support of other transgendered people and after an absence of months or years started logging back on again?

[STACY B]

Ill bet we all have done that ? Ya never know whats around the corner ,, So we may get a new job or move or just get involved in something else ,, Its not alway our fault ? Maybe some of us get pushed to go away from here . Here today an gone tommorow ,, If you can STOP all this its always better for EVERY BODY else . You suffer an deal with it in SILENCE ,, But SMILE ,,, What the MATTER with you they say ? YEP put your feelings an your desires on hold for other people . Like we asked for this ? But its OK for us to suffer . But dont let some one else have to ,,, Ohhhh NO ,, Thats what they have us for ,,PUNCHING BAG ,,, But SMILE ,, Oh Im HAPPY ?? YEP HAPPY ,,,Give me another DRINK ,,, HAPPY SEE ,,, ,,,Im deleting it look ,,,,,SEE,,,,HAPPY,,,,,,, Does that about sum it up ???

[suzy1]

“Ill bet we all have done that”
No Stacy, not all of us.

The Lady Suzy is here to stay.
What would you all do without me?

[katie_barns]

I don't believe that I have ever pulled myself off the web. Purges? Oh Yes!!! I wish I could count all the purges I have been through. I could kick myself for all the beautiful things I have given to GoodWill. Despite my purges I never totally cut myself off the web. I need release, if not from dressing, then from communication and support from sites like this. The longest I have gone without being online for support is maybe a month.

I do believe that my purging days are behind me since most of those I care about finding out, already know. Now days I sometimes get busy and don't pop on my regular sits like I use to; but it's not because I am doing a Web Purge.

[jillleanne]

Back when I was in the proverbial closet, if I got to a point in a relationship whereby I thought the real possibility of splittig up could happen shortly, I would purge my existence on the net to protect my lie. I did not however, miss anything or anyone except my files of pics that I thought could get lost forever and I did miss all the links I had saved in favorites. I have never looked for nor needed any support from anyone probably because I went through that struggle alone prior to the invention of the internet( no choice) , followed by leaving the closet and coming out to my current s/o, followed by anyone that cares to know.

[Babette]

Hi Sapphire! The only things I've ever purged are some old clothes in my closet because I needed room for new items. It's nice to see you back!

[kimdl93]

I've been a pretty steady visitor to this site since joining in 2010. I don't think I have experienced a virtual purge although travel has at times lead to a lull of a week or two fom time time.

[Heather Daniels]

Guilty as charged. I recently deleted all my pics from this site except for the one in my profile. I told myself that I wasn't going to visit here anymore. I've failed miserably at that. I'm feeling that it's futile to try and toss this part of you out with the trash. It's a life sentence.

[bridget thronton]

I shift between social media sources (forums, virtual worlds, facebook) - there is only so much time in the day

[Stephanie47]

Before Al Gore invented the Internet, I would say I was a wreck. You haven't seen angst in a person unless you are 'old.' Young cross dressers know from using the Internet they are not alone. Ban yourself from the Internet? Ban yourself from at a bare minimum of keyboarding to unknown cross dressers, men with similar issues? That's beyond my comprehension!

[Beverley Sims]

Purging on the internet.....
Most of my writings are still there stored on alternative or backup servers.
My philosophy has been if you put it on the net it is there forever. Somewhere.
Oh! I didn't know Al Gore invented the internet?

[Diane Smith]

I have dropped out of individual forums from time to time (and was "forcibly" ejected from one once when they changed the emphasis of the site and no longer wanted TGs posting), but have never completely "purged" my online presence. I've also tried a few different ones that didn't quite fit my style for one reason or another and decided to quit after giving them a decent chance. One nice thing about 'net forums is that you can come and go as you wish and participate at different levels at different times depending on how you're feeling.

But there's no money invested, and no physical presence of clothes or other items that take up space and constantly remind you of their existence, so erasing one's 'net presence doesn't really carry either the emotional or practical weight of a real-life purge, anyway. It's pretty easy to re-establish an online identity and carry on almost as if nothing had happened.

- Diane

[Lainie]

Well, sort of. I have dropped a lot of yahoo groups that I used to monitor. Almost never look at the few remaining. I used to keep 2 femme addresses & Flickr sites, but have dropped the one with lower self-esteem. Also spend much less time now with Fictionmania--after a couple of years hiatus--and have dropped caption & cartoon sites. Mostly it has to do with spending more time in the real world, paying more attention to being engaged with real people in real time.

[Eryn]

Don't worry, a record of everything you've ever done on the 'net is very likely sitting in Utah:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/201...nsadatacenter/

[Kaz]

Since I accepted Kaz as part of me and came on line I have deleted and purged nothing... I am not advertising myself, but will live with the consequences...

HAVING SAID THAT! hmmmm, yeah I do delete and erase things, but I think this is just part of my general approach... not Kaz specific, just good IT practice?

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Sapphire, I'm just the oposite my mailboxes get so full that I can't get any more till I clean out some.

[Babette]

Don't worry, a record of everything you've ever done on the 'net is very likely sitting in Utah:

That's great news Eryn!!!!!!!!! I had a major hard drive crash about 4 years ago and lost some of my best pictures. Maybe they could send me a copy.

[Eryn]

Sorry, Babette, but I think that it works a bit like a Roach Motel, your data checks in but it doesn't check out (unless, of course, Big Brother takes an interest in you).

[Barbara Dugan]

I tried purging from the forum, because sometimes like life in general there is too much drama around..I have other kind of interests and decided to join another forum totally unrelated to this one, I even used a male pseudonym and ooh surprise on my introductory thread one of the members that welcomed me was a recently banned member of this forum

[JeanneF]

I'll take breaks from the interwebs occasionally. Real life has a tendency to get in the way if you're doing it right.

Right now I'm spending a lot of time working on getting a new business venture off the ground, so I'm spending way more time at the computer than I would like. A natural result of that is that I'll wander over to CD.com or some of the more risque corners of the net to prevent myself from going crazy after hours of coding.