I identified more with the guys in the movies, like these 80s “hunks”, than the gals. I wanted to be “hunky” too!

My dad, whom you’ve come to know & I think, love... called me ‘Fred’ & I’ve never told anyone this, but it was because right around 4th grade I told him I wanted to be a boy. And he said ‘OK, Fred’ & punched my arm.

For the next few years I would teeter between Tara & Fred. Sometimes wearing dresses with spiked hair & sometimes dressing like Magnum f*cking PI & drawing on a moustache... the 80s were weird.

This was called a “phase” back then. I was labeled a “tomboy”. Trans was too hard, even for me at the time, I didn’t know that was a thing & without the luxury of technology, learning about gender was next to impossible.

Tomboy worked for me. My parents, as I’ve shared many times, supported whomever I was.

For me though, my tomboyishness morphed to teenage cheerleader, valedictorian, prom queen girly girl... who started dating women.

Trans wasn’t me, bi-sexual was a better descriptor. That fit.

I’ve never stopped embracing my masculinity & my femininity... I’m still Fred today & Tara.

What is gender, anyway? Well... Let's discuss. This episode features RobRoy Chalmers and his fashion line, RobRoySW.com. 

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