From India

"In a highly unusual move, a designer in the southern Indian state of Kerala has launched her new collection of saris, featuring two transgender models, writes the BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi.

Sharmila Nair's collection is called Mazhavil - or, the rainbow - and it's "dedicated to transgender people because globally they are represented by rainbow flags".

In India, where transgender people are looked down upon by the larger society and are considered as the in-between people who are to be ridiculed and shunned, Ms Nair's choice of models is attracting a lot of attention."

The models - Maya Menon and Gowri Savitri - have no previous experience in modelling and Ms Nair says she found them through Queerala, an organisation that works with the LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender) people in Kerala.

"I was thinking about how I was going to showcase this collection of handloom saris and I saw a Facebook post about the state government's new policy to better the lives of transgender people.

"I thought since the government was doing so much for the LGBT people, I should also do something," Ms Nair told the BBC on phone from Cochin."

Follow the link for more.

If You Bought a New Cadillac-Would You Drive It?

Years and years ago, I heard Oprah interview several transgender women and their spouses who decided to stay with them through transition. A couple all the way through SRS. 

She (Oprah) zeroed in on one of the transgender women and asked her about the surgical procedures she endured. Then, she pushed the envelope farther and asked the trans woman about her "sexual" future. In other words, if she had a chance to fall in love and be sexually attracted to a man now-would she "try out" her new "equipment?" After pausing and with her wife sitting there-the trans woman said "no."

I paraphrase here and quote Oprah's quick response as a non believing "if you bought a Cadillac, why wouldn't you drive it?" Which brings me to another point.

Katie and Arin Young, Trans and Looking for Love, BBC

Katie Glover editor and publisher of Frock Magazine recently wrote a thoughtful article for the Independent  about the BBC3 Documentary "If you're young, trans and looking for love" you may want to check out. Katie doesn't "skirt" the issue and gets quickly to the "meaty parts."-or the promise (failed or not) of SRS.


You may want to follow the link above to read it.

My only point to be made is Sex Realignment Surgery should never be presented as a be all end all to any transgender person. After all, sex is sex and gender is gender and many times the two don't have to meet for a trans person to live a meaningful life.

To each his own though, so if you do have a new Cadillac in the garage, don't you at the least have to "test" drive it to keep it usable if you need it?

We "Gotz" Mail!

Thanks as always to all of you who sent in your usual wonderful thoughtful comments to the high tech Cyrsti's Condo mail center!

Paula, along with Vicki is one of the girls from the UK who commented on the differing use of Tranny across the pond. She said she always thought first of a transistor radio. I could comment Paula of a kid doing his paper route with a transistor radio rocking the Beatles but that would age me!

Paula also commented on the "Beeb" (the BBC) being a more reliant news and information source due to no reliance on advertisers. Speaking of our own network with very little advertising (PBS), for some unknown reason my quirky mind has become addicted to their opening news sound.  It's aired at a pre butt crack of dawn hour of 6 am and is a shorter version of the "Beeb" channel I get on my satellite provider. My dog has not adjusted to me "beeping" along with the opening sound. I have not adjusted to being up that early for no real reason.

Leanne commented on my "Don't Hate me Post":

"Please do not dwell on those that do not understand you be they cis, trans, or in between (which is probably where I fall). For each person that doesn't want to understand you, there are ten of us that not only want to understand you but most also love you as a sister. As difficult as our journey is, we need to learn to accept the good and ignore the rest."  Thanks Leanne, I really don't dwell on them, that one though caught me by surprise!

On Passing Comments, Vicki for some reason I don't think that is her hair so we can both pull in our claws. I will have to go back and check a few of her other videos! If it is, I may have to find other ways to dislike her in my passive aggressive set of weapons! (Just kidding!)

Again and again thanks to all of you and Mark for your comments!

More from the UK's Paris Lees

We have posted articles in the past about Paris Lees and her Meta publication.  If you haven't heard,   ‘META’ is available online and features news, features and entertainment from a

feminist and transgender perspective.

Over the past two years, Paris has embarked on a campaign to raise awareness about transgender people, appearing everywhere from BBC Breakfast to primetime Channel 4. She says her message is simple: “I just want people to stop bullying people like me. I understand that difference can seem strange, but really we’re just people and should be judged on our actions — not what was between our legs when we were born. After all, who gets a choice in that?” She adds: “I used to feel ashamed of who I was, but then I realised I had nothing to apologise for. Despite the discrimination we face, trans people help run councils and manage the NHS – the prime minister even takes advice from people who are transgender.”

Here's your link for more!