Support Groups

[noname]

Can any of you tell me of your experience with support groups? Have you found them to be any help? I found one locally but have been hesitant to go.

[Josephine 1941]

Hi noname, First take your name as I did Joe and make it Josephine. As I sit here dressed as a women and have read your blog. I think back. I was a closet queen for many years in 04 my ex had the divorce paper handed to me. Yes the cross dressing was part but she said to go to a support group. Well when I came back and said I liked it and was going to keep going she went nuts. we are now apart. If and I mean IF you find the right group it will open up your world and take a lot of guilt of your back. GOOD LUCK. Mine was in Connecticut COS and it was one of the best. I now live in Flordia with a women that love me as a women. JOSEPHINE

[Cheryl T]

I belong to a Tri-Ess chapter in NJ and love it. I've made many many new friends (and not just to do girl stuff) and it's helped my spouse understand me and my feminine side as she never would have otherwise.
At first she was reluctant, now we go out all the time together and have so much more fun. We've become closer than ever and I have been able to open up in ways I never thought I could to her. We talk about EVERYTHING now...no restrictions, no hiding and it's been great for us.
I would highly recommend investigating a support group. It's great for your self-confidence and self-esteem.

[Rachel Morley]

I'm on the board of a TG support group here in Northern California. Our group is called the River City Gems (http://www.rivercitygems.org/) and we are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

IMHO how they help a person is because by going to their meetings or socials you get to spend time dressed in a safe and affirming environment where you'll make new friends and get help by sharing stories and showing empathy toward one another.There's also peer to peer support on things like coming out to your wife or partner and it can be especially helpful in ridding yourself of any guilt feelings you may have. There is nothing wrong with dressing up in women's clothes and "celebrating your feminine expression".

The other thing about good TG groups is that they can offer you "hands on" advice and tips and tricks about improving your femme look. Our group even has a series of "Femme 101" workshops where we have professional wig or makeup artists hold classes and demonstrations on wig care and makeup application. We also have peer to peer workshops on figure shapping, padding, breastforms and cleavage creating ideas etc.

The biggest thing about TG supports groups IMO is that they give you somewhere to go out dressed and have fun! :)

[JenniferR771]

Oh sure. It is fun to go to the meetings. You can go drab the first time. And usually you can change on site if you bring a suitcase. Understanding friends. Girly advice. Good food. Privacy. And sometimes there is a clothing exchange--everbody brings their stuff they have outgrown or want to get rid of. Dresses, shoes, wigs, earrings...oh my!

Of course, one time my group met across the hall from the Young Republicans meeting. It was hard walking past the reception girls for their meeting. We got some big grins--but they were very polite and nice to us.

[Pauline Lauren]

I'm on the board of a TG support group here in Northern California. Our group is called the River City Gems (http://www.rivercitygems.org/) and we are a registered 301(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

IMHO how they help a person is because by going to their meetings or socials you get to spend time dressed in a safe and affirming environment where you'll make new friends and get help by sharing stories and showing empathy toward one another.There's also peer to peer support on things like coming out to your wife or partner and it can be especially helpful in ridding yourself of any guilt feelings you may have. There is nothing wrong with dressing up in women's clothes and "celebrating your feminine expression".

The other thing about good TG groups is that they can offer you "hands on" advice and tips and tricks about improving your femme look. Our group even has a series of "Femme 101" workshops where we have professional wig or makeup artists hold classes and demonstrations on wig care and makeup application. We also have peer to peer workshops on figure shapping, padding, breastforms and cleavage creating ideas etc.

The biggest thing about TG supports groups IMO is that they give you somewhere to go out dressed and have fun! :)
As a relatively new member of the River City Gems, I just wanted to second all that Rachel has said here regarding the value of belonging to a support group such as this. In my case, their support and acceptance provided has been invaluable both in helping me to accept myself as I am and not to feel ashamed or guilty about my need to dress. The advice I received from other members was very helpful in discussing my crossdressing with my SO in as non-threatening a manner as possible. I credit the advice I received from them for helping me to reach an understanding with her that both allows me the freedom to express myself without doing so in a manner that offends her. And most of all, belonging to a local group with similar interests has done a great deal to cure that feeling of being "all alone out there" which is something that I know is a scary place to be!

I have not yet been to one of the social events dressed, but I am looking forward to that as a next step, once I pull together the needed items to do so. I can't say enough good things about these wonderful people that have done so much already to make me feel accepted, comfortable and more at ease with myself than I have ever felt before.

>>>hugs<<<:hugs:
Pauline

[trannie T]

In my travels I have gone to meetings of several social and support groups. Each one has been good, all have made me feel welcome. They are a good excuse to get dressed and get out of the closet.

[Jennifer Marie P.]

Its great to go to support groups to meet others and talk.