When you are dealing with your gender identity and exploring the internet looking for answers, it is best to use caution when approaching various websites. I say this from experience because I had a person who had stolen my identity. He had stolen many of my pictures, my name and my background and proceeded to do things in my name.
The issue was solved but it took my a few months to make things right.
Here are some tips where you will never go through the nightmare I did.
1. Make sure you pick a reputable transgender website that has information rich in transgender support, fellowship and education.
2. Be wary of Websites that promote porn ads. Many sites that also looks like a good source of information may also be a good source of information from undesirables that came from the porn sites that was connected to the "innocent" site you found. I recently turned down a Moderator Position because I discovered in the interview process that the site was in a fellowship of over 175 pornography sites. From the outside the site looked safe and sensible but on the pornography side they displayed banners of the transgender website so that "you can hook up with a shemale." The interviewing moderator said they get paid to be connected to all these websites because they use it as an outreach program for admirers to teach them the proper way of being with a transgender woman. The argument did not convince me in the slightest.
3. Make sure the website is password protected! This is very important. Without a password protected website where registering is not necessary, this can become a haven for people who have other nefarious interests in mind. The most simple registration process can eliminate many people who has anything in mind but to "learn" about us. Which brings me to a similar point:
4. The more involving the registration process to become a member of the website, the better. For example, if you have to fill out a lengthy page and have to answer questions about yourself then don't grumble! This is actually a good thing. From my experience, these websites are the most successful.
Finally, when I was suffering from identity theft I was given a website. This website is a miracle come true and it really works. The site is a reverse image search engine. For example, if you upload a picture on this site it will search out and give a list of other sites who shares the same exact picture. This comes in handy when you want to periodically check to see if someone is using your pics. Since I have used this site, I have found my pics on flickr and a couple of other sites I do not wish to share where non transgender people had stolen my pics to fulfill a fantasy by showing others on the internet they are trans.
Also to note about tin eye: if your pics are behind password protected websites such as facebook, passworded transgender sites, etc., they will not show up. The program isn't perfect but it is certainly a step in the right direction.
The website is called Tin Eye and can be found here
Be safe out there!
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