A mailing list is a cross between a newsgroup and private email. They share the ‘noticeboard’ format that makes Internet news so popular, but are carried via the email system. Basically, when you post an article to a mailing list, you are posting private email to a machine that copies your message and re-posts it to the group. Because the postings are not available for general perusal, like say that of your boss, mailing lists maintain confidentiality within the group much better than newsgroups.

In order to gain access to a mailing list, to be placed on the list of recipients, you must first subscribe to the list. This is usually done by sending an email message to the person who runs the list asking to be subscribed. For some of these lists, you have to satisfy the listowner that you have no ill intentions before your subscription will be accepted.

The advantage of this ‘select minority’ approach is that people are much more likely to talk more freely about sensitive issues. Therefore, the discussion that goes on on mailing lists tends to be of considerably higher quality than that on the newsgroups.

So, here are the main ones, of tranny interest:

TRANSGEN Mailing List

An international mailing list for transgendered people. Similar ethics to alt.transgendered and soc.support.transgendered, but the subjects tend to have more depth. Anyone can join, on the proviso that they agree to the mailing list charter (which basically says don't be nasty). If you don't abide by the rules, you'll be warned, then chucked out. There are a number of Australian trannies on the list. Be warned, though, traffic volume on this mailing list is fairly high. Expect upwards of 20 posts per day.

To join send mail to listserv@brownvm.brown.edu with the message body subscribe transgen your-name

The CD Forum Digest Mailing List

An international moderated mailing list for the discussion of gender issues, especially crossdressing and transsexuality. Posts to the list will be anonymised before the list is published, unless the poster specifically asks for them not to be. To subscribe, send mail to cd-request@therev.losalamos.nm.us with a quick blurb about why you'd like to join, who you are, how you identify, and how you heard about the list (from us, of course). The moderator is fairly strict, and won't allow 'personals' postings, ads, stories, etc., so don't bother, as they won't get through. Once you've joined, you have to submit a 'bio' article within a month, or else you'll get kicked out.

The Australian Transgender Law Mailing List

As many of us have found out, the laws in Australia, and more the bureaucrats who apply those laws, are fairly nasty to us trannies. I can't get a birth certificate that doesn't say I'm male, nor a drivers licence. This mailing list is for those of you that would like to keep up to date with law reforms, or just discuss the state of laws regarding transgendered people. The list is moderated. To subscribe, send mail to majordomo@queer.org.au with the following commands in the body:

subscribe atgl your@address
end

Substituting your email address for your@address.

TGFolk-OZ Mailing List

There has been a growing feeling of disquiet and annoyance by the Australian and New-Zealand Internet addicted trannies with Transgen. Basically, Transgen is very noisy. The ratio of useless to useful posts (in my opinion) runs around 10-1. When you do post something to Transgen, it all too often gets lost in the rubbish and ignored, while the (mostly American) list members debate trivial junk. In order to get some sort of ‘down under’ focus going, Kym Kovan (A Sydney TS who hosts the guide) started up this mailing list. It’s for discussing gender issues of relevence to us locals, and to provide a quick easy way to distribute news and gossip. To subscribe, send mail to TG-Lists@mbcomms.net.au, with the following in the body:

join TGFolk-Oz

The request will be passed on to The list owner to verify and she will add you to it.

GenderQueer

GenderQueer has been set up as an australian alternative to mainstream trans discussion on the net. Where people who id as genderqueer can discuss their issues in a polite and civilised manner. A space where people feel free to talk about their personal journeys and issues around gender and society.

The list is open equally to mtf, ftm & bi-gendered trans people and their supporters/partners. The list is sex-positive and s/m friendly.

http://www.webone.com.au/~kylie/genderqueer.html

TGTS-youth

A list for young tg/ts people to freely discuss their issues.

http://www.webone.com.au/~kylie/tgts-youth.html

NZGBLF

A New Zealand oriented GBLF list. For info, contact proffitt@nz.com. To subscribe, send 'subscribe NZGBLF' to proffitt@nz.com. To subscribe to the digest version send subscribe NZGBLF-digest to proffitt@nz.com.

Queer News Aotearoa (NZ)

Weekly news service of events, activities and other items of interest to the NZ queer community. For info, contact proffitt@nz.com. To subscribe, send subscribe QNA to proffitt@nz.com.