Oh, not really any madness. Just a new edition of TGForum for your entertainment and education. Let’s leap right in with Ronnie Rho’s This Week In Transgenderism. Ronnie has single handedly gone out there onto the Internet and dredged up a metric ton of stories with transgender elements. She had a tough job making it though the Internet traffic with all the people online Googling Michael Jackson for news about his death. With Farah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and the guy who sold Oxy Clean on TV also shuffling off this mortal coil in close proximity we’re lucky to have any TWIT bandwidth left. Ronnie has got stuff on the chewing gum company that was looking for a drag queen spokemodel to promote their brand in the Pride Parade, advice from RuPaul, TG heroes of Stonewall and a whole lot more. Don’t miss your TWIT!

Linda Jensen joins us with an essay on what it is that makes a “successful” transsexual. She has visited Professor Lynn Conway’s website where Conway lists scores of ladies who have transitioned and are making a life in their comfort gender. Linda asks about the many TSs who are not listed on Conway’s site. Have they been “successful” and just what is success? She ask you to read and comment with your thoughts. Make your comments after you’ve read What are the hallmarks of a ’successful TS’?

Lastly we bring you a short op-ed by your Editor on Michael Jackson. How many times have you thought about what it must have been like to be filthy rich like Michael and have overt feminine tendencies like Michael? Do you suppose he ever did dress up like Diana Ross? We’ll probably never know but I kick the question around a bit in Call me Miss Ross.

That’s our TGF for this week! Enjoy!

Lady Gaga, or Look-alike?

Wrapping up Pride month, with a special emphasis on the T. Dozens of crossdressers are arrested in one fell swoop in Saudi Arabia. A British TS is eating again, and will get her HRT paid for. A Catholic Priest moonlights as a drag queen. Another look at life for transsexuals in Iran. And is it better to be transgendered in Iran, or the Deep South? Southern Girl RuPaul’s still a sharp and smart as ever. And an obituary for someone you may not realize influenced you. And waaaaay too many TWITs of the Week.

All this and much, much more in this edition of TWIT Notes.

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What are the hallmarks of a ‘successful TS’? To put it another way, how would you score a person who has undergone gender reassignment as being successful? Is it because that person has achieved a convincing appearance in his or her new gender? Is it because he or she has achieved success and, presumably financial stability, in a career of choice while undertaking a new gender role?

I ask these questions because recently I came across a web site which is compiling a list of transsexual success stories, posting the photos of those who presumably have transitioned successfully. Many of the photos have links to web sites or further material about the person featured. (more…)