More Growth

As a few of you may know, I share the Cyrsti's Condo blog content over several different social media or blogging platforms. I have decided to share this well thought out and wonderful comment from Jen concerning the "There is no Growth without Change" post from one of the other platforms:

"What a hard time it had to be when you had these earlier experiences of your journey. I’m glad you had the courage and took the chances of making those first purchases. If not, by letting that fear hold you down, you probably would have struggled by not getting to live your life to its fullest and be who you are today. Also, that question probably would have always haunted you, “What if..”

Now days, I know its not completely 100% accepted by society to dress and live as we wish. However, this generation has help along the way with things such as support groups, internet tutorials, television and with the lifestyle starting to be more common. (though we still have a long road ahead) What I’m saying is the gratitude for you, my beautiful friend and others that have taken on the hard part to pave the road to our future generations. I know for a fact that suicide can be a factor in the torment that one suffers just to live as who they are. I lost a dear friend to this. My friend was humiliated and publicly found out of his lifestyle. It affected his job and when his mother found out, he couldnt take the pain of the disappointment that he felt he put on her. My heart still to this day breaks. It shouldn’t have been that way. He wasn’t hurting anyone yet the stones were cast until it finally took his life.

I am so very grateful for the road that is being paved for the generations to come. So hopefully people will not have to live secretly having the fear of rejection, cruelty, guilt and disappointment of this world come at them, trying and tear them down. This road is being paved by you and others that have opened up and share their stories that I hope will reach the one feeling alone and feeling as though they have no choice and have to live a miserable life in hiding or even implicating suicide. Thank you. By discussing these things and others being open minded, it may save the one who’s suffering by this world being able to accept and not discriminate.
That very person may come across this blog and find the support and encouragement they need to live and not only to live, but to live the life they want and know that they are not alone. Thank you for sharing. "

Thanks to you for commenting!

"Passing" Comments

After watching the last video on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen on "passing" , I'm sure I share an initial thought with many of you, "sure it's easy to say all that if you are a natural and essentially don't have to worry about "passing".

With the naivety of youth and the blessing of appearance, she had a tough time "talking" around the points of no we shouldn't have to resort to thousands of dollars worth of pain and countless hours of suffering to have a chance to live as the gender we choose. But the fact remains we have to.

She was also right that if you can get your gender presentation to a point which could be described as "entry level" then your attitude should take over and life should become noticeably easier. Or to put the idea in the format we are writing about, if you are driving a five speed transmission car, when you shift down into fourth gear to pass, fifth gear is when all the fun starts.

Her discussion was a good one though and we all have the problem of "over thinking" this transgender life we are in.  She was simply seeing the bright side without having to experience part of the dark.  Good for her, at least she is thinking the right way.  She just happens to be driving a new Porsche and I have an old Kia. Our gears are different!

Do You Have to Pay the Dues?

I do spend moments of wonderment about the changes I have experienced in my personal transgender transition.  Often it's easy to try to out think the process.

Bottom line is I have read of or know no one who has undertaken their gender reallignment without first suffering before and during the process.

All too often I see the joy in pictures of a transgender person who is completing the process and then is tragically murdered. To be sure I don't write about them much here in Cyrsti's Condo because of the tragic anger the news evokes.

Every so often though, a post appears which captures the elation of being a transgender woman or transgender man and how we are indeed special. Here is one called "What are the top 3 things you like about being trans?" from The Transadvocate.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

"Being able to see the truth of things so many cannot see Being free to express myself as me and in doing so help liberate others Having the opportunity to fight one of the noblest and most righteous battles in the fight for equality for all."

And:

"3) Being part of an exciting and vital group of people who are exploring new conceptions of gender and sexuality; as well as coming to fresh understandings of how we fit into the older models. 2) Living an authentic life. As an artist, Truth is important to me. It is the center of everything I do. 1) My new body! I LOVE my body!!!"

Enjoy them all here.