Okay, so that you know who the woman behind this blog is, here's the 411 on me. First of all, Mimi is my nickname and pseudonym, meaning, I'm keeping my privacy out of the Internet and my bio below is so that you know that you have a real person behind this blog.

I'm a forty-something New Yorker who has been out "In the Life" for almost 20 years. I became curious about women in my late teens and eventually came out into the girl-life back in 1987 when I first satisfied my curiosity and kissed one of the most desired women in my college dorm. She was straight and eventually broke my heart. My coming out experience was torturous and long. I thought it would be the end of my life. I'm glad to realize it was the beginning of my inner liberation.

I do not have a PhD in Psychology. I was English major though, with a writing concentration. I have a BA from Pace University and have been an avid student of life, of people and of "The Life" itself. I've always been fascinated by the coming out stories and first time experiences of hundreds of women I've met since then. While in college I did research the Kinsey studies and the topic of homosexuality and came across lots of good academic material that backed the fact that being gay is NOT a disease and that the only reason homosexuality is still listed in the Merck Manual of diseases today, is in order to teach doctors assist their patients become accepting of themselves.

But back to your hostess here: I've lived in cities other than NY but always end up returning to this great metropolis. So, I have experienced "The Life" outside of NYC. Yes, after men, I dated many women of all ages, and been in a few relationships. I was a volunteer in the NY Gay and Lesbian hotline in NY for a while and I was also teacher and advisor of senior high school students, outside of NYC.  On the professional end, I am in business for myself, and I have often been in front of audiences, either presenting my message or training groups. Many know me as a trainer and a teacher.

My desire behind creating this blog is to help others, especially in the aspect of coming out. AskTheNYCGirl was meant to become the place where every one can come to find answers to questions they wouldn't ask anyone else. For we all start off straight, and the idea of peering into a different lifestyle, especially one that's not condoned by society, can be scary. So I don't want it to be a long and torturous road for you the way it was for me. I would like to offer some guidance, and share with the many women who are out there looking for answers, what I learned during my coming out period, and afterwards, as I began to integrate myself into my new way of thinking.

I remember spending countless hours in the library, reading stories from the Ladder collection, academic books about  women's sexuality, reading Anais Nin, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, about women like Coco Chanel, who not only was a successful businesswoman but who also loved women. I wanted to know what it was like to come out, to be with a woman, to embrace that aspect of myself. Eventually I began to like who I had become, better than whom I had been as a straight woman. Of course this came after a few years of major struggle, pain, fear, major curiosity, major research and major therapy. Prior to that, the catholic background had been absolutely of no help.

So, I hope you understand the reason behind this blog, and my articles. I want to pass along what I've learned. So I hope it helps you as well, my dear reader, to find your inner path. Because if you are a woman curious about the experience of women, if you are desiring to be with a woman, you are at the beginning of a wonderful and thrilling path of exploration within yourself. There are some pitfalls, no doubt, and I'll try to warn you ahead of time, or help you along, but ultimately it is your own personal journey within self, however intense, joyful, painful, but lovely, that will take you to the place where you were meant to be a fulfilled and happy woman, no matter what you choose.

Feel free to check back on a weekly basis since I'll be writing and posting as often as possible, covering different topics of interest to you. Your feedback is always welcome.

If you need to reach me directly, you can e-mail me at: mimi@askthenycgirl.com. I will reply to all inquiries as soon as possible.