Transdentity

Yahoo’s dropping private chat rooms gotchya down and lonely? Dropping them was for the right reason (read article Yahoo Chatrooms go offline for why) but many in the transgendered community (as well as many other communities) rely on chat rooms for support, to make connections, and for simply companionship. When you can’t be with someone physically or on the phone with them, chat lines can form a key support.

A new on-line community might fill a void for you: Transdentity. Transdentity exists as a supportive community for the creative exploration of identity for all individuals. The site hosts a forum, chat line and bulletin board. The chat line can be found on the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) Undernet system. The channel is #transdentity. You can get to Transdentity’s chatroom by clicking on this link here.

When the log-in screen pops up type in your nickname (use the one you have at Yahoo if you’d like!), then type in #transdentity for you Favourite channel. If a pop up window appears with a Java Security Warning, asking you to accept or deny, click accept. The site is secure and shouldn’t pose a problem (or hasn’t for me anyway).

How do you use IRC and what is it? IRC is one of the original chat systems, predating Yahoo Chat. If you used Yahoo, you can easily use IRC. If you have an Internet connection, then it’s easy (and free) to get to IRC and Undernet. IRC is a simple chat system that won’t take you any time at all to learn about it if you’ve used Yahoo. You can use a java web client like the link in the previous paragraph allows or you can download a standalone IRC chat program (like you may have with Yahoo Chat, Skype or AIM). Download a chat client (for free) at MIRC (http://www.mirc.com). Of if you have the Firefox browser (getFirefox) you can download the Chatzilla plug-in to access IRC as well from this link here. You can learn about IRC here at this link: IRCInfo (dead link) or at this link here IRCHelp. You can learn about Undernet at this link here: Whatis Undernet

—————————————-
Update for 12-20-09:  Transdentity is off line and apparently permanently.   Transdentity’s goal of being a supportive community for the creative exploration of identity for all individuals was a great one and as necessary now as it was then. The site hosted a forum, chat line and bulletin board. The chat line used the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) Undernet system so anyone could access it.   So, if you miss being able to get on-line at Transdentity there are some great options out there today to fill that space.  Pink Essence is a relatively new community that boasts similar features to what Transdentity had.  U R Not Alone, or URNA, has been around strong for years and with 60K users they might be the biggest and strongest.  Finally there is TG Forum that is another long standing on-line group that has been helpful to many.

Update for 11-27-07:   Transdentity is back online.   See update from Glenda herself  in her comment below.

Update for 9-24-07: It appears that the Undernet IRC Channel #transdentity and web site has been taken down