Kappa Beta Serving the transgendered community since 1988

One of the joys I’ve recently rediscovered is online chatting. One of my favorite chat rooms (TG Chat) had been down recently, and I thought it had completely disappeared. Just this week, it came back up, and I was back chatting with girlfriends I had not spoken to in ages. It was like being at a class reunion. Many had gone on to great things. Others had fallen on difficult times. Most were somewhere in between. 2005 had been a very eventful year so there was a lot to tell.

Going back online reminded me of when Stephanie Marie was truly born. Before I came out for real with the Kappa ladies in 1998, I came out in a different way on the Internet. I was searching for something, but I wasn’t quite sure what. I knew I enjoyed dressing particularly in prom dresses (some things don’t change), but I also knew most of what I was finding online was not my cup of tea. In 1996, I came across a chat room that seemed very friendly. Even the male admirers were respectful. It was a place I could talk about my feelings and desires. I had no pictures because I had never been out anywhere. Over time, I made some great friends. It took two years of this type of searching before I sent a letter to the Kappa Beta corresponding secretary, and the rest is history.

I think I surprised some chat friends when I finally posted a picture online. They were all very supportive. Over time, the need for chat lessened as I went out more. I even had the opportunity to “meet” some of my chat friends mostly at SCC. As work commitments grew for Stephanie’s ugly brother, the chat time went to almost none. I don’t expect I’ll ever return to typing on a keyboard at 2am nor would I necessarily recommend it for everyone. However, TG Chat holds a special place in my heart right there with Kappa Beta. Both are very much responsible for my stepping out into the world.