i have been asked along to a LGBT forum as a trans rep one of the things they want to know is what do trans girls need or want to be able to come out and live there life . Dam good question any ideas please let me know as its the community that counts not my view .
This is a rare chance for the trans community to have some direct input into the lgbt world so all ideas welcome and i will do my best to promote any or all ideas .

Good question ; -- I believe the answer might involve something like widespread simple individual basic human respect . This whatever clothing we may elect to wear on the outside of our inner selves .
Personally , I think that Technology has helped towards this .
Knowledge tends to help avoid any instinctive genetic knee-jerk reactions towards the unfamiliar . ~When we suddenly feel challenged , or our habituality threatened ,such animalistic reactions are usualy negative , possibly sometines even aggresive . Such involentary negative expresion of reaction , of any percieved threat may often suprise the perpetrator just as much as the victim .
So ,, Knowledge I believe is the key ,to this situation , THat is why I personaly find
such sites like Trantastic are so vital , as they help lead Humanity , in all its natural diversity ,to a more accepting and harmonius life ,,,,,And whoever we are , we all only have one crack at that ! ,,,,,,,

Thank you for that very clear and well put view il add that to my thoughts and as it happens i do think education is key to all of this and from personal experience the more you educate the more people accept us for what we are not what they might have thought we were .

Yes Becky , - Thats what I find too .. Whenever venturing into any "straight" place , and sensing the inevitable reaction , I begin to have a little inkling of what must have crossed the minds of the diciples amidst the Romans , or the first missionarys landing in the dark depths of an uncharted continent ,, LOL
I too have come to realise that when entering such unmapped territory ,we do actually have a responsability to educate people when their more respectful natural curiosity is arroused .
I have suffered that initial typical knee-jerk syndrome , and shrugged it off like water off a duck`s back , unphased and unflinching .. Once the perpetrators have then had 5 mins to re-consider the situation , their attitude has often completely reversed towards me . Some have very politely then asked if I wouldnt mind chatting to them ..9 times out of 10 they will then ask me to try and explain THEIR own feelings , and help place them within the context of their own lives . Iv often ended up advising them on their deep personal issues , or even how to best to live with a loved one ; a brother , son , or even father within their family who has expressed similar tv/tg issues , and they had no idea how to act , or embrace such a situation ,,,,,
The overall term I tend to use to myself for such resulting new-found respect and acceptance is "Colonised "
Im happy to say that with the internett , and sites like Trantastic , helping more ppl to state who they are and how they feel , , the " Colonies " are ever growing ,, Thankfully for the older ones amongst us , and for the younger ones who (quite rightly so ) should never face the mass of intolerances of yesteryear tg/tv life , as we older ones may have experienced ..
Oh to be young again ,,lol

This post was edited by stephie stevens at June 15, 2012 1:43 PM BST

The majority of Transsexuals who have gone through it all don't want anything,rather they just disappear into the mix of society as the gender they have become.

Interesting question, Are your transgender when you've had the surgery? If not gender must be fluid.

I think we are getting of the topic , this is asking what help support or needs do trans people require to come out and be them self in this world we live

How we behave, as Stephie has so eloquently put it, has an impact on how trannys are perceived by the vast majority in "normal" society.

The internet has made a huge difference to TG people being accepted - lest we forget transgendered was not a term used before the 1980s, and the net has really only taken off this century.

Back to the real point of your question. I see several areas where trannys need or want help to enable them to come out and live their lives.

1. Education - thats mainly through the net, and sometimes leads to various local support groups. Sites like this are a great help, and do need publicizing. What other TG sites are helpful and educative for the TG community, i dont mean dating sites though they have their place.

2. Some cities like Manchester are pro-actively supporting the LBGT community...that's rare. So how can other cities/towns etc do the same? Having safe places to go to - to shop or eat out or go for a drink - is a right that other groups have.

3. There are often nowadays programmes on British television which - on the whole give a positive view of trannys and TG people - Coronation Street, and various documentaries. We can only publicize these...not make them.

4. The attitude of the police towards TG people and the LGBT community has improved, but maybe there still needs to be an educative role ( from us perhaps?)

5. Often the TG community is seen as a small part of the LGBT community. Gays have fought long and hard to get rights, which we have rode piggy back on.
How can we help in promoting joint events...like Gay Prides. As an example Manchester Concord had a float in last years Manchester Pride procession.

I am sure there are other things. If I think of them I will add to them. And lots of girls will have inputs I hope.

hugs

Pauline xxx

Thanks Pauline all valid points and i have noted them i have my first meeting this Wednesday so il give feed back to this forum after it . I do think its time we put more into this life we live and not rely on the gay movement to push us forward so il do my best for all the girls .

The MBE for April Ashley shows what can be done and how far we have moved. I often do things "behind the scenes" but some of us do need to sit on committees and be more pro-active.

Good luck Becky and thanks for all the work you do here.

hugs

Pauline xxx

Ladies, I am going through a lot of the same things that you all are... I am a psychologist, and if there is anything I can do to help anyone, I am here. I am not trying to advertise my services, I am just trying to offer support to those who need/want it... and I can empathise since I am dealing with a lot of the same issues. This site is great because it gives us all a feeling of universality... that we are not alone in how we feel... and that is so very important. April

Education has to begin early. If teachers are embarassed to talk about it then the children will pick up quickly. Most secondary teachers can talk about gays but I'm sure would be less happy talking about trannies. With much of the teaching profession being female and the governors having a lot of women involved, I don't see the education being very positive.
Safe places in all major towns would be a lovely ideal but this would have to be achieved very quietly otherwise the religious right will want their say in our sinful behaviour - NIMBY!
I'm not being negative. I have fought for educational diversity in my county and know that the best way is to do it quietly but persistently. Perhaps what we want is to be heard and we can get to be listened to later.