Introductory

INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION

Updated 06/20/2007

Thank you for your interest in our group and welcome to a world we call "the gender community". No, you are not alone. Yes, you do have plenty of support, maybe more than you realize.

If you are a Transgendered person and this is your first experience contacting an organization such as ours, ....

Congratulations!!! 

You have taken a very important first step towards embracing your entire person. It is a step that we think will help you become more self-accepting of your "other" side, more self-assured of who you are, and better able to integrate your special nature into all aspects of your life. As you go along your journey, you will better understand.

This is a step that many have taken before you. Many have been successful in extinguishing feelings of guilt and shame, ridding themselves of confusion and becoming aware of themselves to engender a sense of dignity and confidence in their entire person.

Regardless how well adjusted and self-accepting you may or may not feel about your behavior, we all have room to grow or sense of innate comfort. Many have been dressing since puberty and going out in public for years. Many of us have been in the gender community for years and still find that we have periods of growth and change as we travel along out gender path.

Much of this growth we attribute to our association with our group and the close friendships we have developed with others.

You may be confused and struggling with yourself. You may feel exceptionally alone and emotionally stressed. You may have substantial fear in becoming involved in our group. All of these feelings were experienced by the hundreds who have come to our group before you. And like them, you will experience the support and acceptance you deserve.

If you are a friend. relative or partner of a Transgendered person, you also, may have made this step with a certain amount of trepidation. You may have many mixed feelings and many concerns about this whole gender issue. You, also are to be congratulated for reaching out and opening yourself to our community. The consideration and caring for the Transgendered person in your life reflect the value you place on your relationship.

Your needs may be different from theirs in your effort to understand and accept, but properly dealing with your needs and feelings is just as crucial to your own well-being as their needs and feelings are to them.

If all of this sounds fairly heavy, it can be. Some people come to us at the end of their rope, but many come to us well adjusted to their lifestyle and pleased they found others like themselves.

Although gender issues deal with some serious and important topics the overall tone of our group is very upbeat, high-key and fun. We are generally a very social organization whose best support mechanism is the casual and informal way we approach these issues. The most valuable tool we have in meeting our needs is the friendship and enjoyment of each others company.

The needs of some individuals are fairly simple and easily met. These members may just want to meet others like themselves, want some help with hair, clothes and makeup and want some place to go dressed.

Others may have more desperate or complex needs for self-acceptance or are experiencing difficulties with their relationships or a multitude of other things. You may think that no one has gone through what you are going through, but many of us have gone through the same difficulties.

Some may feel they are transsexual and need to know where they can turn for help in evaluating this aspect of their life.

Some may not know if they are transvestite or transsexual; straight, gay or bi. Within the membership of our group is the experience and desire to meet as many of these concerns as possible. We do need to know what your desires and expectations are, so please don't be shy.

Hopefully this is just the first of many steps you will take in our community. It can be a fascinating and empowering journey if you allow it. Aspects of your life that you may not be proud of now can be the very same aspects that you may respect, feel secure about and regard with dignity. And if nothing else, you can get all dressed up, and have someplace to go.

Again, welcome to our organization and please remember that if you ever have any questions or concerns, never hesitate to speak up.

Warmly and Sincerely,

Your friends at CrossPort

The following is some general information concerning our group. This will by no means answer all your questions regarding CrossPort or gender issues. That is why one becomes involved.

HISTORY

CrossPort (CROSSdressers supPORT) was formed by several individuals in the Cincinnati area in the summer of 1985. See About". Since that time, hundreds of individuals have become involved in our group. Members have come not only from the Cincinnati area but Dayton, Indianapolis, Louisville, Lexington, Columbus, Charleston and all points between. Several of these cities now have their own groups.

We are an autonomous non-profit organization though we are affiliated with the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE) near Boston. We also try to work With the other regional support groups and we are a rotating sponsor-producer of the Be All Weekend, a major national gender convention.

PURPOSE

From our Mission Statement you can see that we are open to any Transgendered individual and the people important to them. Our goal is to support one another in any manner necessary and to meet the needs of our membership as much as possible.

Over the years, most of our membership has been comprised of male cross dressers and male to female (MtF) transsexuals along with their partners. Our group is, of course, open to Transgendered females and female to male (FtM) transsexuals as well.

We also feel strongly about addressing the needs of those people related to our membership and helping them in their areas of difficulty.

We do this primarily by providing a meeting place for you to meet and talk with other people who share your special interests and accept you for who you are. We also provide information and education for our members depending on their various needs.

Additionally, our outreach programs aim to better educate the public, health organizations and helping professionals such as therapists and doctors who work with our community.

We also coordinate with other local organizations whose goals are to enlighten the public and provide political and legal fairness for societal minorities.

One purpose CrossPort does not have is providing a dating service. We are not a sex club.

SECURITY

We understand the need for confidentiality and security. The information you provide us is seen by a select few individuals. None of this information will be given to any other member except by you. We do not provide our membership list to any other organization or business. Also, due to the status of our group, no government agency has a right to our files.

We do need a proper mailing address where we may contact you discretely. If you are using a P.O. Box, you must use the name or initials of the person to whom the box is assigned. Many of our members open the box with their real name and add an alternative name as an additional box holder. Some mailings are returned to us because of improper addressee. If you do not hear back from us, please contact us again since this may be the cause. You may also simply provide an E-mail address. All correspondence, including the InnerView newsletter, can be sent to you electronically.

NEWSLETTER

Our monthly newsletter, the CrossPort Innerview, is the best way to stay in contact with the group.

Each issue runs an average of ten to twelve (new!) pages and includes a variety of articles by our membership and others interested in our community. News of topical interest, special events, group happenings and announcements are accompanied by accounts of members' excursions into society, first time in public stories, political and social updates, fiction, significant others' contributions and self-help articles.

Although you are not required to subscribe to the newsletter, we highly recommend that you do so. With your Innerview subscription comes all the benefits of full CrossPort membership. Timely information is often funneled through the newsletter, and we do not have the budget to send out specific mailings to all members.

Also, some of our closeted members who do not go out dressed and cannot attend meetings find the newsletter a good option for staying in touch with our community.

The yearly subscription rate is $30. We also mail out many newsletters as complimentary copies to other gender groups across the country, social and mental health agencies, helping professionals, educators and others interested in our group. Your Membership/newsletter fee assists us in continuing this important Outreach service.

You may also become an "E-subscriber" to the Innerview. Many of our members prefer the convenience (and security) of receiving our newsletter via E-mail. Please note your choice of Print or E version with your Membership/newsletter payment.

MEETINGS

Our general CrossPort Social Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. Meetings commence at 7:30, and are held in a downtown Cincinnati restaurant. Locations occasionally change depending on current events.

Details of each upcoming meeting can be found in the monthly newsletter, or please contact us by phone (513-919-4850) or via E-mail CrossPort.

Generally, we include a casual dinner as part of the meeting that is open to all members. New members are especially encouraged to attend as it provides a time for introductions and conversations with veteran members.

Social Meeting attendance varies between 25 and 45 members. Not all members "dress" for each and every meeting.

One misconception that some new people have about our group is that we are some "AA" type of organization. This is not the case. The casual style of support we offer fits well into our social agenda. You will find that our Social Meeting allows you much opportunity for interaction and informal discussion with other members. This is an ideal time for you to make friends with other people in our group. Many of our people exchange phone numbers or E-addresses in order to converse with others between meetings.

Keep in mind though, if you feel the need to sit down and talk seriously with others about some specific issue, we have caring and educated members who are more than willing to accommodate you. If this is the case please let us know. Our Wednesday Night CD Support Group Meeting serves these needs quite well.

Our Cross dresser's (CD/TV) Support Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month. The goal of this group is to address issues relating to the needs of the cross dressing members of CrossPort. We usually will have a presentation pertinent to some aspect of our groups' interest. Typical presentation topics include makeup how-to's, relationship issues, legal concerns when out dressed, etc. Every month we will offer all or part of the meeting for open discussion. Spouses and Significant Others (S.O.'s) are often invited, for programs that include couple's issues.

Support Group Meeting attendance varies between 10 and 20 members. Not all members "dress" for each and every meeting.

Occasionally, CrossPort or another organization may have a special event. These are announced in the newsletter. We have also implemented a new E-Mail Notification network, for timely announcements of events, meeting changes, etc. Please contact the CrossPort E-Address to be added to the list !

If this is your first meeting, you will find it to be a very new experience. You will have the same anxiety that each and every one of us had at our first meeting. We want you to be comfortable and enjoy yourself. For this reason we recommend that you come as your "everyday" self the first time unless you are very comfortable going out dressed.

The choice of attire is yours but we do insist that you are dressed appropriately for a public place.

In addition to proper attire, we also expect all those who attend to conduct themselves properly and treat others with respect and courtesy. Failure to do so will result in that person's dismissal.

During the meeting we take up a collection to help fund our general expenses, such as the vital Phone Line Support, and other Outreach activities. We recommend a $5.00 donation, but any amount you feel appropriate is welcomed and appreciated!

We welcome spouses and significant others (SO's) to our regular Social Meetings where they can converse amongst themselves or join the rest of the group. Usually, several wives and girlfriends can be found at each meeting.

We also have instituted a regular monthly Significant Others Support Group Meeting, which meets on the First Friday of the month. Please contact us for time and venue.

TRANSSEXUAL DISCUSSION GROUP

Additionally, we have a discussion group that primarily deals with issues pertinent to those who self-identify as transsexual. This meeting is open to all members but the focus is on TS issues.

Please see the discussion group section included in this website or contact Crossport for more information.

THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY

There are some 200 gender organizations in North America and dozens more world-wide. There are also several major national organizations. Once you have been introduced to this world you will find a wealth of information, resources and friends.

There are also dozens of gender conventions every year in every part of the U.S. They provide education, self-awareness and plenty of fun.

Below is a listing of some of the other regional gender support groups in our area. Some of our members attend their meetings also. A complete directory of organizations can be found in Transgender Tapestry Magazine published by IFGE.

IXE

PO Box 20710

Indianapolis, IN 46220

Crystal Club Columbus

PO Box 287

Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

Bluegrass Belles

PO Box 20173

Louisville, KY 40250

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

I.F.G.E.

PO Box 540229

Waltham, MA 02454

(Publishes Transgender Magazine)

PUBLICATIONS

There are hundreds of books and magazines dealing with all aspects of the gender community. If you would like a copy of the IFGE publications brochure one is available in Tapestry or you contact them directly at 781-899-2212 or email to info@ifge.org.

We know you have many questions and we have much more we would like to share with you. So please join us.

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