Why are we...

Our role, mission and contribution:

Xpressions is a social and support organization dedicated to serving the larger transgender community. While founded by and for cross dressers, Xpressions is open to all members of the transgender community and their partners regardless of sex, gender, race, or sexual orientation. In addition to its open membership, the club seeks to aid and support the diverse groups within the gender community by assisting them in establishing their own organizations, educating the community with respect to the breadth of gender diversity, and involving itself in relevant political action.

Xpressions is dedicated to providing opportunities for gender diverse persons to meet, socialize, and go out into the larger community. By holding dinners for members, meetings open to the entire community, and arranging various annual events we aim to bring our sisters and brothers out of the closet by providing safe, fun, and interesting venues and events. Club publications, some of which form the public face of the club, are aimed at informing, educating and entertaining members and other interested readers.

Xpressions is committed to working with other gender organizations of all sorts in order to liberate our members from the confines of the closet and free them from society's restrictive ideology of gender. Xpressions is premised on the belief that freedom to exhibit diverse gender expression is vital in a free and open society. Moreover, Xpressions believes that the individual expression of gender diversity is a healthy and natural form of personal expression that should be encouraged and not condemned.

A little history:

Xpressions today is a combination of two other organizations; The Monarch Social Club, known at 'Monarch' and the original Xpressions organization, as it was founded. Debbie Pyke, of Fantasyland in Owen Sound, initially founded the Monarch organization around 1985. Fantasyland is a company similar to Wildside, who supply & support the cross-dressing community. Debbie Pyke's initial thoughts in starting the Monarch Social Club, was to provide her clients with a social environment, wherein they could meet others with a common interest & have fun together. In 1987, Wilamina started a Toronto Chapter of Monarch, which became a separate member's-driven club.

Like Fantasyland, 'Walk on the Wildside' also had started a supporting & social organization, which they called the 'Canadian Crossdressers Club'. In late 1994, Wildside decided to shutdown the 'Canadian Crossdressers Club', as it was not an additional means of revenue, as they had initially anticipated. It was from this base, that the original 'Xpressions' organization began in 1995, founded by Janet, Victoria, Yolanda, Laura & Cynthia.

In 1996, four individuals, Wilimina & Donna from Monarch & Pamela & Cynthia from the original Xpressions, worked diligently to negotiate the terms and conditions of merging the Monarch Social Club & the original Xpressions organization. The negotiations were successful & in August of 1996 & a new organization, which was initially called 'Monarch-Xpressions', was formed. This organization operated for about one year with the name 'Monarch-Xpressions', at which time the 'Board of Directors' voted to change the name to just 'Xpressions', as it is today. Through the years, the Xpressions of today, has become a full Transgendered social and support organization, which has North American recognition. Xpressions has become a major voice with the Ontario Human Rights organization & we are held in high esteem by I.F.G.E. and all other Transgendered clubs & groups, in both Canada and the United States.

As a member of Xpressions, 'BE PROUD!'