Is gender nothing more than a performance?

Over at Crossdream Life, ElleShock asks:

"One of the phrases I often hear is that gender is a “performance”; which is to a certain extent true. The expression of their-self is a performance through fashion, body language, and speech. However in the context of a trans person to whom these aspects of performance do not easily become expressed; I wonder how can one truly feel authentic in regards to gender identity?"

Follow the discussion on gender performance here!

On being non-binary and the fear of coming out to the family

JemimahB has written a guest post for the Crossdreamers blog called "On being non-binary and bigender and the fear of coming out to the family".

First they discuss what it means to be bigender, and how this term relates to the broader concept of non-binary.

Next they look into the risks associated with coming out to your family, and how you can deal with that risk.

You can discuss this over at CDL.

Crossdreamers on using herbal estrogen to improve mood and body

Recently we have seen doctors prescribe micro-dosages of hormones (estrogen or testosterone) to transgender and non-binary people who are not transitioning, to alleviate mild gender dysphoria and/or for them to achieve minor body modifications.

The fact is that MTF crossdreamers have done this on their own for many years now. Even if most of the herbs that are mimicking estrogen are so mild that they have little or no visible effects on the psyche or the body, there are others – like pueraria mirfica (Kwao Krua) and Black Cohosh – that can cause visible changes.

Follow the discussion over at Crossdream Life.

(Please talk to your doctor before taking medication that may affect your health!)

Does gender dysphoria require strong distress?

Crossdreamers sometimes worry about whether they are gender dysphoric, whether they are dysprhoric enough or too little, all in order to find out if they are "truly transgender".

There is a discussion over at Crossdream Life that may bring us to a better understanding of gender dysphoria in a crossdreamer and transgender context.

Question from a 60 year old crossdresser

A crossdreamer asked this over at tumblr:

"I am now in my 60's however for as long as I can remember I have always fantasize about crossdressing. I just began dressing in a few sexy items at home alone yet because of the generation I grew up in I have shame, fear of getting caught etc. How can I get over this?"

Discussion over at Crossdream Life.