It's LGBTQ Pride Month

Caitlyn Jenner...NOT the face of Pride

Once a year we pause to join the world with our Pride month. This year is ever more important that the transgender (or "T") of the LGBTQ alphabet is visible.

Why do we have to be more visible? Because of all the recent anti legislative bills which typically involve the perceived weakest link of all the LGBTQ facets in the public eye. The fact remains, most of the public does not know a trans person. Plus the trans umbrella still seems to be plagued by negative supposed role models like Caitlyn Jenner. Because of all of that and more it essential as much as possible we stand up for ourselves in a positive manner.

Now let's get down to Pride Celebrations themselves. In todays' ultra restrictive societies some react to the hypocrisy of certain big companies/corporations which sponsor Prides then do nothing the rest of the year to further the rights of individual transgender women or men. This year, the entire matter just seems to be overshadowed  by situations such as the beer "Bud Light" went through. 

Personally, the problem I had with major Pride celebrations was the influence of drag queens. It always seemed to me the transgender community was overshadowed by overly made up men in dresses. Again, this year is different because even the right to dress in drag has come under attack in some states. Of course I support the right of drag queens to do their thing and that means continuing their representation at Pride events. Just don't confuse it with me.

In fact, in the past, when I have attended larger Pride celebrations in Ohio, I felt I needed to separate myself from the drag queens. One year after we first met, my wife Liz even made me a shirt to wear which said "Transgender Veteran, I fought for your right to deny me mine,"   I wanted to show the world I was not a drag queen. 

Regardless of all of that, the biggest issue with LGBTQ Prides this year is everyone's personal safety. Even with the possible threat of violence hanging over everyone's head this year, more and more smaller communities around me at least are starting or continuing their own Pride celebrations. It is good to see. Since transgender people have been around since the beginning of time, we most certainly aren't going anywhere now.   

Hopefully attending the Cincinnati celebration Liz and I have attended in the past will be a possibility this year also. (It's coming up later in the month,) Since I have mobility problems and Liz has an upcoming medical procedure, we will just have to wait and see. In the meantime, enjoy your LGBTQ Pride Month. 

Jenner Strikes Again

  Unfortunately, one of my least favorite people is back in the news.  By now you have probably heard Jenner (I refuse to use her first name) is running for the California governorship as a Republican of course. 

As a quick refresher, Jenner initially supported Benedict Donald Trump, a fierce anti LGBT president. She eventually said she didn't vote for him in 2020 and skipped the election all together to play golf.

Now Jenner has come out totally against transgender youth and athletes everywhere  by saying competing as trans athletes would be unfair to their cis counterparts. By now, you would have thought Jenner could see past her privileged  wealthy past and attempt to do something good for the transgender community.

It's bad when the trans community has a well known person seemingly speaking for us. So many civilians don't understand the diversity within the transgender culture. 

Jenner is nothing more than a hypocrite and a traitor to us all and the worse part of all this is, I'm sure I will have the chance to see/hear more from her as her campaign for governor digresses. 

Say it "Ain't" So

 Recently I read the conservative case for one of my least favorite people, Caitlyn Jenner, (below) running for governor of California.

  Yes, the very person who at one time sold out the entire LGBTQ  community by supporting Don the Con Trumpt is supposedly thinking of considering running for public office.

Say it "ain't" so.

Can It Get any Weirder?

Just when I thought I had heard it all about politics, one of my least all time favorites Caitlyn Jenner has resurfaced and wants to be Kanye West's vice presidential candidate. This comes from LGBTQ Nation.com:  

"If you thought Kanye West’s quixotic attempt to be elected president couldn’t get any weirder, Caitlyn Jenner would like you to hold her beer.

In a quick conversation with a TMZ reporter, the transgender Olympian and reality TV star said she has texted Kanye to ask if she could be his running mate.

Jenner was supportive of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, even going as far as sporting a Trump MAGA hat after he was elected. She has has since soured on Trump – calling him “the worst” for transgender people – but hasn’t stopped being a Republican.

“Are you gonna vote for Kanye now that he’s running,” the reporter asked Jenner as she strolled out of an LA Starbucks.

“Well, I texted him and asked if I could be his VP,” she replied.

“Oh, that’s genius,” the reporter exclaimed.

“Yes, I know,” she replied. “What a combination.”

“Are you gonna do it?” he asked.

“We’ll see,” she said."

Maybe the hormones have gotten to Jenner!

More on Jenner

In response to a recent post here in Cyrsti's Condo concerning the influence over the years of Caitlyn Jenner on the over all transgender community, Connie submitted this comment:

"Jenner never impressed me, except as an athlete. Nevertheless, she provided me with the means for one of my best comeback lines, back when she was first coming out. While I was standing in line at the meat counter, I struck up a conversation with another woman. An older man in line ahead of us turned around to look at us, subsequently clocking me (probably from my voice). He interrupted our conversation by asking me, "Are you like that Bruce Jenner guy?" Without hesitation, I answered back, "Well, I don't really like to talk about my gold medal." I guess I could have said that I wasn't a Republican, but I think the gold medal line was my best choice. :-)"

What a great comeback! 

As most of you know, I have never been a big fan of Jenner either but supposedly she has now rejected her "love" affair with rump. I hope it is true. 

On another note, I discovered a post you may be interested in while checking in with one of the blogs I follow called "Mybookworld24". The post critiques five current transgender books. Go here to see it. 

Caitlyn Jenner's Transgender Influence?

To be certain, Ms. Jenner's polarizing influence on the trans community has been well documented. But, how has she fared outside of the LGBTQ world?

I found a fairly decent post on the subject to share with all of you. It's written by Patrick Miller, an associate professor of political science at the University of Kansas. Here is an excerpt:

"The Politics of Being 'Cait': Caitlyn Jenner, Transphobia, and Parasocial Contact Effects on Transgender-Related Political Attitudes" appears in the current issue of American Politics Research.

"The entire question of celebrities in politics is vastly understudied," Miller said.

"Politicians seek their endorsement. Brands obviously pay them a lot of money to endorse their products. We have the sense that they're important but—especially in political science—we have not appreciated enough just how important they can be."

That importance is reflected in the opinions of Americans who followed Jenner when she revealed her transgender identity in 2015. Examining how age, partisanship and transphobia impacted engagement with the Jenner story, Miller found it shaped attitudes toward transgender rights in unexpected ways.

Caitlyn Jenner

"What's interesting about the Jenner case is the people who she seemed to influence are the older, more conservative type—those who probably became vested in her back when she was Bruce Jenner competing in the Olympics and appearing on Wheaties boxes," said Miller, who co-authored the article with KU's Don Haider-Markel along with Andrew Flores, Daniel Lewis, Barry Tadlock and Jami Taylor.

Conducted in 2015 shortly after Jenner came out, Miller's survey reveals that among the respondents who followed her story, those who were both older and more transphobic were less likely to see it as reflecting negative social trends compared to younger people who were equally anti-transgender. And this same group was more likely to support pro-transgender policies if they interpreted Jenner's story less negatively.

"She didn't appear to have any effect on the younger people who might have been more attuned to "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." So, in that sense, her audience seemed rather durable, despite her rebranding over time," he said."

Find more on this post here.

The Binary Blues?

Recently I received a thought provoking comment concerning binary or non binary transgender women. A subject I don't think we have ever discussed in the long history of the Cyrsti's Condo blog. The question was brought up by Connie:

"I'm not so much confused about  Non-Binary individuals, or the portrayal of them, as I am feeling a little discounted for being a Binary Trans Woman. It's as though the media have highlighted enough of the transgender women , like Lavern Cox - or even Caitlyn Jenner - and now it's on to the trans du jour of non-binary. Just when I was feeling comfortable living my "authentic self," and knowing that there were enough people in the world who

Laverne Cox

had some degree of understanding and acceptance for me, the relatively new concept of "Non-Binary" changes the game. Most people still think along binary lines, and it is much easier, I think, for them to look at me and have some idea, at least, of how I may fit in. Of course, I try to leave as little ambiguity for my gender expression as possible. However, can I  expect that I won't even be mis-gendered, when there are those who are presenting and expressing one gender, while still demanding that they be referenced as another (or neither....or both)?

I don't know if I'm being pushed out of the transgender umbrella or crowded into the middle of it, these days." 

It's probably just me but I think most of the "non binary" emphasis is a more recent phenomenon brought up by the younger segment of the transgender community. It's just an easier way to say we don't fit. 

However, in my travels, I have encountered more and more individuals who didn't fit a gender binary. I find it encouraging the people I have known (even on a limited basis) have had the courage to live a life somewhere outside the lines of the traditional gender binaries. 

As for me, my authentic self is much like Connie's. I live as a binary woman. I do my best to present to the world as one and expect to be treated with respect as one. 

I also think we are not being pushed out from under the transgender umbrella, we just need a bigger umbrella.  

If You Care

I thought I would pass this along since I really don't have anything else to post about today. Caitlyn Jenner with her rumored partner trans woman Sophia Hutchins:

Big Increase

Ever since I changed my Facebook profile picture to add the hashtag " #Won'tBeErased", the number of transgender women requesting friend connects has gone up dramatically and still is. I'm not exactly sure what it means.

What I hope is behind it is an attempt at achieving some sort of transgender solidarity.  I have even read Caitlyn Jenner has even came out against resident rump, saying she made a mistake.

In the past, I have been very strict about who I add as Facebook friends, pretty much keeping guys out of it and adding only those in a certain geographic region.

We will see what happens!

Jenner

Transgender in Today's World?

Is it better, or worse being transgender in today's' world?

I think for the most part better, even with the current climate in Washington, which is decidedly anti-trans. I know too, much of being transgender revolves around where you live.

For instance, where I live in a relatively upscale suburb east of Cincinnati, Ohio and life is very good for me and my acceptance level. (Knock on wood.) I have an acquaintance though who lives in Port Huron, Michigan and always bemoans the fact she is stuck in an anti-trans environment. To make matters worse, she only has a bicycle to get around on.

Living where Stana from Femulate lives on the east coast, or where Connie lives in Seattle most likely are a couple of the most diverse locales to live but of course it's impossible for everyone who is transgender and stuck where they live to pick up and move.

In that case, each of everyone else who lives in  non accepting situations, has to carve out their own life and it's certainly not easy. Most are stuck with learning all aspects of looking feminine all alone or even relying on dating sites to try to get validation from men.

So all in all, I still think, for the most part, living is easier for a transgender person because of some of the positive publicity we have received recently. Caitlyn Jenner excluded.

Hope you all are experiencing an easier way to go as a trans person in today's world. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the work it takes to present as  the best woman you can be!

Sunday Special?

Rude Paul upside down, just because!

Another week has come and gone, all too fast it seems.

Personally, my week was pretty quiet. I did get my formal acceptance from the Trans Ohio Symposium for my workshop.

Coming up during the week, I will be working through some of my ideas on climbing transitional walls as transgender women.

Last week, a couple of my least favorite critters, "Rude Paul" and Jenner made news. Paul once again stirred up the trans pot by saying trans women had no place on his "Drag Race" show. Supposedly, he had to quickly back off and apologize for his comments, because now he is reaching a wider audience on a different network.

Two more of my least fave people.

Perhaps you have heard too, Caitlyn Jenner announced her "love affair" with t-Rump is over and he (45) has set back the transgender community 20 years. Well..."duh!"

Finally, Saturday turned out to be a very busy day for me. First, I went to Liz's karate class and then we went shopping for groceries. The only thing of note happened when I startled our 40 something bagger. She ended up looking me over from head to toe. It's been awhile since that has happened.

During the afternoon, it happened again with two male employee's in one of the huge big box home improvement stores. As it turned out, I more than doubled my projected walking steps, so I hope I furthered my weight loss gains.

So the week went all too fast! 

New Years' "Stuff"

It should be fairly quiet in the LGBT-transgender world early in the year, unless the Cheeto (IQ-45) decides to try to single the trans community out for no specific reason except to cover his own problems.

After all, his ban on transgender troops in the military was summarily dismissed in the courts. What a great way to end the year!

Other than that, Caitlyn Jenner is heard/read, released her book. As you Cyrsti's Condo regulars know, I'm not one of her fans and even after reading reviews of her book, I don't plan on jumping on the Jenner bandwagon anytime soon. Plus, not all have resolved Jenner from her alleged continue support of tRump, like:

Ashlee Marie Preston, who became the first trans magazine editor-in-chief earlier this year, ripped into Jenner for her allegedly ongoing backing of Trump despite his decision to ban trans people from the military.  Now  following the sudden resignation of California assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, Preston has said she will run for the District 54 seat.

Preston (left) and Jenner

I'm sure my views won't hurt her (Jenner's) feelings one way or another but I am not so sure how easy it is for a tiger to change her Republican stripes.






Personally, my goals for 2018 mainly revolve around exercise and eating healthier. Some of us aren't getting any younger :).

We Got Mail!

The post on Trump banning transgender troops from the U.S. military garnered many comments, and rightfully so. I am going to try my best to get to all of them soon in no particular order.

From Jeni:" You have it wrong. 
Your Congress and Senate BACKED Trump's ban. 
Recall their behavior towards EVERYTHING positive that President Obama proposed or tried to get done. Now look at their either active support, or silence on blocking, for what Trump is doing. 
So who is making this ban happen?"

Granted Jeni. we have a Republican dominated congress, but if you recall, even they voted down the strongly anti transgender  "Hartzler Amendment" recently. Remember also, Trump's ban was a tweet , not even an executive order, so as of yet (as with much of of Trump's activity) no one yet has stepped up to activate it because it could change next week.

From Michelle: " I saw her interview last night as well as several other women who served and did local news interviews. I doubt that Frump will backtrack on his ban and I'm just waiting to to who else he will go after. I wonder which other government agencies he will include in his ban."

There were so many interviews Michelle, I am not sure which one you are writing about, but I agree with your point.

From Pat: "I was sorry that Kristin Beck failed in her race for Congress against Stenny Hoyer. Beck would have been a much more honorable member of Congress than Hoyer.

I thought that Caitlyn Jenner had reasonable comments about Trump's tweets. Remember tweets are not rules or regulations. They are not even executive orders. They have no force of law. I suggest that the most reasoned explanation of the current situation of Transgenders in the military would be the comments of Senator McCain. I think that we need to wait for Secretary Mattis to complete his study."

Jeni, this may help to clear up some of the confusion on what Tramp actually did.

Michelle went on to write: " Unfortunately I think that he starts a controversial item to draw the public's attention away from other matters that effect millions. The ploy is one that he's used in the past when someone is looking into his past life dealings."

So true!!!!

And, from Connie: "Whether a ban on trans troops comes to fruition or not is not so important now as the states of mind of the troops who have learned their Commander-in-Chief has deemed them undesirable. Imagine being embedded, voluntarily, in a war zone, knowing that your highest ranking official has given you a vote of no confidence. At the very least, it would have a negative effect on your morale. I just can't understand how this dufus can be so uncaring, yet I'm still more confused by the number of Americans who voted him into office. Maybe this will be the stupid move that finally changes their minds. I can only hope."

Thank you all for your insight! It means a lot.

JJ's Sunday Edition

Ker Plunk! Listen closely, another Sunday Edition is hitting your virtual front porch! First, the weather. It's sunny and chilly here in Southwestern Ohio with highs barely getting into the 60's today. Excellent day for a hot cup o joe (coffee) or Chai Tea. Let's get started.

Page One: the Week that Was or Wasn't: On the entertainment scene, transgender woman Laverne Cox just made trans history again with her new series Doubt.  Cox will play a series regular character in the upcoming CBS legal drama Doubt, making her the first transgender actor to portray a transgender main character on a broadcast series.
Of course on the national scene, the sweeping revisions and backing by the Federal Government has led to a firestorm of protest-and support. There are lawyers everywhere sharpening their pencils waiting to make a great paycheck on upcoming litigation-thanks to the morons in North Carolina and Mississippi. Although approximately 28 other states have similar bills proposed by legislators opposed to tackling real problems.
Page Two: Yesterday's Coffee - Opinion. Perhaps you have noticed several "archived" posts from 2013. I personally think they had more interest than my current efforts for a couple of reasons. First of all, the world was "bright,shiny and new" as I was basically really feeling the results of HRT for the first time. Plus, I was just beginning to feel the warmth from a new circle of friends Liz and I were part of. As I found out later, a couple of them have transgender family. Being around them has made life so much richer and I have become so much closer to stealth than anytime in my life. In fact, I believe my next mini series of posts will be about stealth and the misconceptions surrounding it, from my angle.
 Page Three: Oh No She Did-unt!: As it turned out, the stories of Caillyn Jenner de-transitioning were fake according to her friend Jennifer Finney Boylan: "There it was, big as hell, CBS News reporting that Caitlyn Jenner was de-transtioning.  And there was I, as I often am while poised at my computer, clutching at my forehead muttering, “Jesus H. Christ in a chicken basket.” And: "The source for the story, 

interestingly, was a fellow writing an unauthorized biography of the Kardashians. He had not spoken to Jenner personally.  And yet CBS — the House of Murrow! — figured, what the hey.  No one from the network called Jenner for a comment.  By mid day, after a statement from her publicist, CBS changed its online headline to “Caitlyn Jenner’s Rep Responds to De-Transitioning Report.”  The whole sad baloney sandwich was tossed on the internet compost heap by day’s end, and with it, I suppose, my interest should have waned.
You can go here to the "Advocate"for more.
Page Four: The Back Page: Time to head out and walk the dogs kids! You and yours have a wonderful week!
Luv ya!!!!
JJ

Kristin Beck Part II

We received several comments concerning Kristin Beck's run for office in Maryland. One is from our resident Cyrsti's  Condo MODERATE Republican Pat who wrote: "Regardless of your reason for supporting Kristin Beck keep in mind that her positions of the major issues are rock solid and supportable. Also keep in mind that Steny Hoyer has had a strangle hold on that seat for over 3 decades and all he has done is spend and push a socialist agenda. Lets support Kristin and lets hope she can beat Hoyer and finally bring some sense of freedom to the long suffering people of that district.
Pat

And: (from Mandy Sherman) : Unfortunately I can't vote for her because I don't live in her Congressional District. But I certainly wish her all the best and hope that she succeeds beyond her wildest dreams! We need some good Congressional representation...

Go Kristin!
Hugs,
Mandy

Kristin Beck

Thanks to both of you and obviously I don't live close enough to Kristin's district to help (except sending a few shekels her way.) Hopefully you can too!  https://www.gofundme.com/beck4congress

Pat, you will be happy to know that for once we agree! Politicians (all of them) should have term limits. For all the blather we hear out of Washington, none of them can seem to work together to get anything done.

Finally, I have two thoughts. I know you are thinking only two??

Who would you rather have speaking at all for the rest of the transgender world, goof ball Jenner or Kristin? (Rumors are already swirling of a possible cancellation of "I am Cait," 

And at what point does Kristin get tired (probably already is) of having the trans and Navy Seal tags slapped on her? 

Of course I can't say. I only know it's comforting to have her (Kristin) as an example rather than you know who.

Busted in North Carolina?

From the "EdgeMediaNetwork" in Boston: "It didn't take long for the folks at Funny or Die to skewer North Carolina's new anti-LGBT law. On Thursday, less than 24 hours after Republican Governor Pat McCrory signed the sweeping homophobic legislation into law, the comedy website published a faux commercial from North Carolina's tourism board that reminds potential travelers of "all the fun straight things you can do in their beautiful, intolerant state."


"Now you can experience the beautiful outdoors, cityscapes and incredible ignorance by hang-gliding backwards in time, racing to the wrong side of history in a kayak, teaching your children to judge others while frolicking in the waves and enjoying our waterfalls without fear of gay people falling on you," says a voice over the requisite video montage of the Tar Heel state's natural landscapes.

The video is on You Tube only. It's  been interesting to Liz and I since we WERE considering a possible trip to North Carolina this summer. I won't go where I am not wanted.

The North Carolina peeps should close their borders before Caitlyn Jenner's Black Bus gets there.

Cyrsti's Condo Easter Sunday Edition

Ker Plunk! Another Sunday Edition is hitting your virtual front porch. Here in Southwestern Ohio it's a bright shining Easter Sunday morning. Let's grab a "cup o joe" and get started!

Page One: Easter: Most of you know my views on religion and I am sick and tired of the religious right trying to usurp my rights under the guise of religion. Paula(who is from the UK) sent in this comment which says it all:

"As a Christian I would be profoundly saddened if any of my Church family felt that faith was something they only did on Sunday mornings and that they could leave it in the Church. We need to be outside the church displaying the love of God, ministering to the hurt, the sick, and the sad. There is no discrimination in Christianity, "There is no Greek, and no Jew, no master and no slave, no man and no woman." we are all equal in God's love and as God's children we should show that love to all.

As a European as well as a Christian I totally fail to understand what so many people in the USA as frightened of, and why they are so keen to go back into the sectarian politics of the last two centuries"

Thanks Paula and I think all of this religious paranoia is tied in with in the "Donald Trump" phenomena, gun violence "NRA" etc...as LGBTQ folk we have just been caught in the crossfire (no pun intended). For the first time ever, we are developing a real voice at the same time others consider us a real menace. To make a long story short Paula, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself and we have a ton of it!

Page Two: Yesterdays'  Coffee- Down Under:  Perth musician Jaime Page, who recently came out as transgender. Picture: Don Benson Photography.]

"PERTH rock guitarist Jaime Page is Perth’s answer to Caitlyn Jenner.

The married father-of-four, formerly Jamie, has shocked friends by recently announcing he is transgender.

Ms Page, who works at music store Kosmic Sound in Osborne Park by day, said she told her colleagues just before revealing her lifelong secret on Facebook last month.

“That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she said."

Let's hope Jaime does not have the same ideas about being transgender as Caitlyn Jenner!

Page Three: History : From the  Toronto Star, Canada

"The woman who was trans before her time

Dianna Boileau was one of the first Canadians to have gender-confirming surgery, in 1970. She caused a sensation, then married and retreated from public life.

By: Katie Daubs, Feature Writer, Published on Sun Mar 27 2016


[Photo: Dianna Boileau, in an image from her book Behold, I Am a Woman, published in 1972. Born in Winnipeg, she later moved to Toronto, where she led a quiet life until a car accident on the 401 thrust her into the spotlight. She was tormented by the press and lost her job.]"

I would imagine Bobbie who is from that neck of the woods remembers this story!

Page Four: The Back Page: I guess we pretty much followed a good portion of the British Empire in this edition. Stopping in Australia, Canada, the U.S. and Great Britain itself. 

It's time for us to go and take advantage of a beautiful day and thanks as always for stopping by Cyrsti's Condo.

Cyrsti's 's Condo Sunday Edition

Ker Plunk! Listen up! Another virtual edition of the "Condo" is hitting your front porch! The weather here in Cincinnati is a "balmy" 70 something with a light rain. A great day so far just to curl up in your jammies' with a cup o joe and enjoy the start to your Sunday!
Page One-The Week that Was - or Wasn't: Last week Caitlyn Jenner rejoined the fray where she left it, behind the eight ball. Very simply she stuck her chin out and stubbornly explained why she still insisted on supporting political candidates dead set against LGBTQ rights. On the local scene, I found out I needed to be scheduled for another colonoscopy. Regardless of the indignity of the procedure, the possible options are worse (colon cancer.) Plus, I look at it this way, this is the beginning of my "pretty,pretty princess" phase going full circle. "The Princess" is what my deceased wife called me when she was telling me I wasn't man enough to be a woman. It took a while to prove her wrong.
Page Two

 Yesterday's Coffee-Opinion-See How Easy that Was? Last night, Liz and I met a relatively new friend for a late lite dinner. Along the way the conversation changed from on line dating sites (Liz and I met on one four plus years ago) to pictures for it to my second book. Liz has access to some of my older "photo shopped" pix and showed one to our friend, who kind of gasped. (Positively I hope :)) I did jump in quickly to explain to her how I managed a picture like that years ago. First of all, the hair was a wig and the picture was taken at an angle in a mirror on my cell phone. Finally, I blurred it a bit more before going public with it. So there you go, I'm clean and what you see now is what anyone gets.

Page Three-Hormonal Update: Yesterday was a big day of sorts in that my estrogen patches were actually "re-upped" and I received my next three month supply through the mail. Since I have been back on them, my precious hair is coming back as well as other bodily changes such as sore breasts. Also "coming back" is my gray hair in time for spring/summer coloring. I am truly dangerous since I can do it myself! I'm thinking about going back to a lighter shade of red to reflect the "Celtic" past some say I have.

Page Four-The Back Page: Time to go! The dogs feel like they need a walk and together they are a "force!" Thanks for taking time to stop by Cyrsti's Condo, Love you All!!!

Caitlyn STOP! Please

I operate on a couple levels of existence, my own which includes loved ones of course, and another which includes reading/discussing the current happenings/future of the transgender family.

The only change I can hope to help with is on Cyrsti's Condo.

 Now, let's face it, most people are having more and more problems with a real ugly election campaign. I'm so disgusted after the Chicago violence recently I don't know what to write to those of you who read the blog outside the United States.  I really didn't think I would see what was really a civilian race riot in my life-but I did.

Then let's toss good old Caitlyn Jenner into the political fray supporting candidates that hate the LGBT community..REALLY????

I've ranted on and on about Jenner enough that I am just too emotional (damn HRT) so I'm going to pass along a link from the Huffington Post which says it better!

What You See is Not What you Get?

I have read people determine gender on others very quickly. Thus,most think it is/was incumbent for us as crossdressers/transgender women to look the part of our non birth gender-to the point of obsession with some.

For some reason, Connie's friend who claims to be a crossdresser on HRT fits into this post. First of all, let me point out-most assuredly Connie's CD friend is not the first to follow the hormonal route to look more feminine. In fact, I had an acquaintance years ago whom I am a firm believer followed the narcissistic feminine route all the way to the SRS table. 

Again, not a problem.To each her own. 

These days (and in this post!) I am even going to give the much maligned (by me) Caitlin Jenner some props. What she does for me is when I am out in the world and get read as a transgender woman, all of a sudden that is not such an evil thing. Not that Jenner deserves all the credit.

I have my personal theory of how people perceive me breaks down something like this: The greatest majority of no perception at all. Like most people, I could just as well be in another dimension. Then, there are those who see me as feminine, but at a different level. Which is where the fun starts -sometimes. Truthfully, these days, most are positively fascinated or entranced. I love eye contact these days!

They know they are getting what they see. A transgender woman. Plus they still think we are pretty rare. 

Finally, also very cool are the times I get to meet the same persons more than once-even if it is just to say hello. They begin to see me less as some sort of hologram and more of a person. It's all good until I open my mouth and jabber something crazy.

Having written all of that, my next post of course will center in on my selfish holiday wish gift list!