Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! Wham! Bam! Here comes another Sunday Edition of Cyrsti's Condo.

Page one.- Rollin in the "Nati"!  My trip with three friends to the Cincinnati Roller Girls this weekend was certainly different and fun.  I went with Liz and two other genetic women who all happen to be lesbian. Pointing out  their sexuality is only important to the story.  I guess the interesting part I internalized my feelings for quite a few in shape 20 something athletic women in very tight, short team uniforms.  My life has taught me I want to be one of these women as much as I may oogle them sexually-not the case with my friends who did pick out their "favorites."

The night started innocently enough with a dollar beer "Happy Hour" event, when the girls and I attempted to sip as much Hudepohl Beer as inhumanly possible.  Obviously this sort of camaraderie was missing from my life before and I love it now.  The event itself was interesting. As my partner Liz said "I've never seen so many lesbians in one place."  The action on the floor was at times, fast and physical.  Once I learned the rules it was all fun and skates!

Page two.- Week in Review.  We had it all this week.  A group was pushing a Change.Org petition to label the Southern Poverty Law Center as a "hate group."  The center is a known "nest" for noted transgender women haters. Members of our community have been targeted by trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs). Personal information such as former names, current legal names, and photographs have been compiled and displayed on the website “Name the Problem”. Several of the entries are self-attributed to “Pegasus” ("PegasusBug" is a pseudonym of Cathy Brennan, the head of Gender Identity Watch). This information was presented alongside reports describing rapists and batterers of women. If you haven't checked any of their propaganda-hate is a accurate term. On the other hand we spotlighted several very positive moves in the TGLB community.

Page three.- We Got Mail. We received several comments here in theCondo and in my email concerning the "Eyes of the Beholder" post. One was from Pat:

 I(Pat) was out of town for three nights and dressed and went out each evening. I encountered a few folks in the hotel elevator or lobby but no "odd looks". Sunday night I had on a black skirt and blakc lace top under my black blazer, beige hose and 3" block heels. (I wore the same brown sued block heels with the black blazer all three outings because it was cold and the streets, lots and sidewalks were covered with snow or ice and I did not think it worth risking stilettos. I also had some black flats for some walking.) That night I was at a friendly LGBT bar having some beers watching the Oscars with the rest of the patrons. The next night I went out to another LGBT friendly bar for some pizza and beer and again no one treated as anything other that what I appeared. I had on a brown denim skirt, beige hose and the same blazer and heels.

As always a good point Pat, of how in the right place at the right time, jumping in the "blender" and seamlessly navigating as a woman is easier.  Interestingly, I chatted with a trans person somewhere (she never would tell me) who was writing of her success in the world.  I told her, most of us in the world don't have the option of dressing fiercely as a woman and challenging a drunk red neck guy's ego. Before you say Cyrsti, just don't go there. Some of us live in places where that just isn't possible.  You go out your door and you are there. Finally, paraphrasing Paula, a "simple and honest" burst of laughter will make you rethink what you are doing...especially when a drunk redneck man or woman is doing it.

The Back Page.- Where ever you happen to be in the world, I hope your universe is a little brighter this week. You are always welcome here in theCondo! Hope you visit again soon!

Skate Day

I'm happy to say I'm finally going to have a chance to write a post not concerning winter.  This afternoon, a group of friends and I are going to see the Cincinnati Roller Girls.  So yes I'm talking roller skating.  In my youth (yes I do remember it) , I remember watching mainly men roller skate on a banked wooden oval basically creating mayhem.  Hey, it beat wrestling! But when I caught a glimpse of the roller girls, I was fascinated!  For the most part they were faster and meaner than the guys.

As I was looking forward to this afternoon, I thought how great it was that several years ago, the sport broke the binary gender lines (along with body parts) by accepting a transgender woman skater.  In the beginning, Kayley Whalen, who signed up for roller derby in May 2008, and had to lie about who she was. Later though,she was required to sign a code of conduct that stated, ‘transsexual women are allowed to join if it has been at least two years since surgery, per International Olympic Committee rules’. At that point, Whalen, who skated under the name Lenore Gore, was drafted onto the DC Rollergirls team Scare Force One.  Kayley was a “jammer,” scoring points while speeding past the other team’s players while blockers with names like Dyke Diggler, Velocity Raptor and Marion Barrycuda toss opponents aside to clear the way. It’s sisterhood through bruising- which gives you an idea of the sport.

So, this afternoon will be fun in that I know one of the participants just could be transgender and the three genetic women I'm would even know-or care.