Carmen Carrera

From last year, transgender activist and beauty Carmen Carrera. During the Glaad media awards.

Hunter Schafer

From Rachel Paige:

"You’ve probably heard the name Hunter Schafer before, and if you haven’t you should definitely learn it. She’s only 20 years old and already a star on the rise in the worlds of modeling, acting, and maybe most important especially in this day in age, LGBTQ rights.

Schafer is a trans woman who stars as Jules in HBO’s brand new series Euphoria where she’s also playing a trans teenager who’s just transferred to a new school. Much like everyone else on Euphoria, Jules gets into some rather difficult to watch scenes that are sure to have audiences talking — but maybe for the right reasons. Even in 2019, it’s rare to see trans characters on screen, and even rarer for them to actually be played by transgender actors (GLAAD's survey of 2017 and 2018 media found only 17 trans characters in all of television — a measly five percent)."

For more, follow the link above.

Moving Forward or Getting Even?

Following the landmark Supreme Court decision upholding nationwide same sex marriage, many have taken the opportunity to perhaps over celebrate or over react in the opposite. Recently, here in Cyrsti's Condo, we ran a post which essentially quoted verbatim a response from a photographer who chose to donate a wedding picture deposit to GLAAD rather than back to the person who paid it.  

And then, bless the persons who think not returning it was wrong-even though it said in the contract the deposit was not refundable. The reason for many was the whole affair was a chance to extend an olive branch of sorts to the couple of (faith?) who wanted their money back.

To an extent, Connie is one of them and you can read her comments why after the post. I am not,and I think the photographer did exactly the right thing. Perhaps? It's because Connie lives in a much more LGBT accepting part of the country? I am fairly certain entire olive trees have been torn down and extended to those "of the faith" around here who refuse to accept anyone else's faith. In an extreme sense, I'm sure to "some of the faithful" we LGBT women and men are as big of a threat to the fabric of society as the terrorists are in the Middle East. 

Enough said. Over the years I have been vilified, trolled and threatened with stoning surprising little on any of my social media.(  Maybe it was because I was stoned so much in my past?)

What does make me sad is how difficult it is for me to even consider the right wing bible thumpers will ever accept me.

Finally, as a point of reference- I want to say I am a capitalist to the point of supporting a small business owner's right to not serve someone on religious grounds. BUT when I take it a step further, owners could then begin to not serve others because of their race. So, in a sports reference-we won baby!!! Now get over it.

I know some of you are thinking too, what exactly does the SCOTUS decision mean to the transgender community, since most of us really didn't have a "horse in the race." More in a future post.

A Classic!!!!!

Often I wish I could write with the simple force blended with eloquence I read from so many.
This was sent to a prospective client by Florida photographer Clinton Brentwood Lee: 

"After affirming his support for same-sex marriage, Mr Lee was sent a message by a woman who had booked him to photograph her wedding.

She said: “My fiancé and and I support traditional marriage between a man and a woman and don’t want our money going to a place that supports otherwise. I would like to inquire how we can get our retainer [deposit] back from you.”

Mr Lee, of Brentwood Photography, responded: “I would say this disappoints me, but I actually find this to be a good thing because our company would now not like to work with you as well.

“It’s not because you have a different view from us, but it’s because, since you don’t like and support gay marriage, no one else should be able to have it.

“That’s like me not liking broccoli, and demanding that everyone else in the world should not have broccoli either!”

He went on: “At Brentwood Photography we see love in all forms. Now as far as your retainer goes, I hope you’ll read the first article in the contract you signed stating that this is nonrefundable.

“But don’t worry I’m not going to keep it!

“I have decided to donate your $1500 to GLAAD, a group created to help and support gay rights."

Go here for a link!

Why Does Indiana Hate Me?

This afternoon, Liz and I started our Indiana boycott. She lives about 10 miles or so North of the Ohio River on the Eastern side of Cincinnati.  It was a sunny but chilly day but nice enough to see what the recent moderate flooding had done to the small towns along the river. We took the opportunity to choose going East towards Ripley or West into Indiana.  Guess which one we chose?

Unfortunately, now I have to deal on assumptions. I can assume many of the places in Ohio will be hospitable AND now I have to assume many of the Indiana places won't be. #BoycotIndiana-check the picture from GLAAD. Doesn't Eric Miller look like a throw back Hitler Nazi supporter?
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Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Morning Edition"

Ker Plunk! Another Sunday edition has hit your virtual porch and it's time to get started.

Page One.- The Week in Review.  Last week we covered the fact the transgender community has an unemployment number twice the national average. Now though, it is possible the light at the end of the tunnel is not the train and certain groups are trying to help the situation. In fact there were actually TGLBQ job fairs recently in San Franscisco and Salt Lake City which sort of tied in with our mention of transphobia in rural America.  Shelle was kind of enough to detail her experiences concerning the lack of resources many TGLBQ women and men have in smaller less populated areas-including job fairs.

Slime Paul

Allyson Robinson

Of course my favorite slime ball Rude Paul was back in the news with his show's use of the She Male term. Supposedly  Glaad backed down the producers of the show and they made some sort of half apology. Similar to the vague tripe GM's top person is rolling out. Perhaps you all have heard,  the slime slick is heading UK's way. A version of Rude's show is coming.

Page Two.- Positives!  In much more pleasant news, an upcoming documentary which includes transgender military personnel from the US and the UK is in the works.  Just the fact transgender vet Allyson Robinson's name is attached, gives the project much more respect.

Also, transgender model Geena Rocera's "Gender Proud" video was a resounding success with over a half a million hits in the first couple of days.

Last but not least,  we mentioned "Auckland's" Amy Brosnahan who decided to enter a beauty contest down under because she wanted to spread the word for young transgender women.

Page Three.- Accepted!  I don't believe, during this week of chasing my tail, I have passed along the fact I have been accepted for the second year in a row to be a workshop presenter at this year's Trans Ohio Symposium.  I figure I must not have embarrassed myself too much if I got invited back!!!

Page Four.- We Got Mail.   In a post called "If it Walks like a Duck, Looks like a Duck and talks like a Duck...is it a duck? , we briefly jumped into the murky waters of what made a trans woman feel secure as a woman.  And we received this comment from Marian:



I've found that gender is as much of a social construct as it is a physical body construct. We, as a species, are cued into "gender" based on certain obvious and not so obvious signals. But when the signals are not presented strongly in one direction or another, confusion will result. For example, Julia Sweeney developed an androgynous character, Pat, whose gender id couldn't be determined - and the associated skits had fun with the miscues... Take that character and strengthen the cues slightly towards one gender or the other, and androgyny would be taken away - yet, the person could still be gender queer and presenting in a gender opposite from what she/he was born into....

Thanks Marian! and I agree. In fact I'm growing to the point where I am sure gender is a total social construct. Also, I like the reference to "Pat". Shown at the left.

Well kids, time to finish my Sunday morning "Cop O Joe" and get the dog out for her walk.

You are all my "fave's" for stopping by the Condo!!!! Thanks to all!!!

Transphobic Make Over?

According to the LA Times Opinion:

“Mike and Molly” has gotten a makeover, and it’s not pretty. Billed as the “new Mike and Molly,” the show is now trying to capitalize on its star Melissa McCarthy’s breakout bawdy movie persona. The problem is that recent episodes of the show have been much in the style of “Two and a Half Men,” another of producer and writer Chuck Lorre’s shows. That is, it has amped up its derogatory jokes for laughs.

As Sue Kerr, founder and editor of the Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, points out, the show’s transition into lewd humor has come at the expense of the LGBT community. For instance, in the second episode of the season, Mike takes Molly on a ride-along to help her get ideas to write a crime novel. On the ride-along, the two meet Lousette, a trans woman the characters repeatedly misgender and question about her genitals — as if that’s at all necessary to the story. We saw a hint of this so-called humor last season when the show landed in hot water with transgender advocates for using the term “shemale,” a term blogger Trish Mifflin describes as “exclusively associated with pornographic depictions of trans women.” To be called that is dehumanizing for someone who wants to be seen as a person, not a sex object.

After the incident, Kerr claims that GLAAD worked with CBS to make “Mike and Molly” more inclusive of LGBT people, or at least not overtly mock them. That clearly didn’t work out.

Helen and Betty

Perhaps if you are a regular here in Cyrsti's Condo, you have heard me mention Helen Boyd and blog         en Gender. Her most recent post certainly struck a personal chord with me as I am nearly in the same situation.  Here's an excerpt:

"It’s been a while since I’ve griped about the petty bullshit involved in being the partner of a trans person, hasn’t it? I recently posted a photo of me and my wife at the GLAAD awards, and many, many people have said lovely things about how we both look, which we’ve both appreciated. But I did notice – how could I not? – a pretty common refrain that goes something like this: “Your wife looks amazing and of course you do too” or, alternately, “your wife looks great and it goes without saying that you do too.” And you know what? Actually, it doesn’t. I understand the need for people to validate a trans woman’s attractiveness. I really do. But when (1) you married a man who is no longer a man, and/or (2) you’re in your 40s, and/or (3) you’re not a size 4, and/or (4) people consistently think that trans bodies are somehow publicly owned and so can and should be regularly commented on, it gets a little tiring to hear how remarkably gorgeous my wife is. I mean, I know that. I live with her and see her every day. I’m the one she shares makeup with, and hair products, and pajamas, so yes, I’m aware she’s a hottie, and a gender normative hottie at that."

And another:

Helen and Betty

"I mean, again, I get it. I’m the one who married her, right? I’m pretty clear that I married someone who was a hottie in one gender presentation who is now a hottie in another. I have no problem with anyone telling her that she’s attractive – none whatsoever. I married an actor, after all, and so have always been used to people finding my spouse attractive. What I don’t understand is why people tell ME she’s attractive, and she doesn’t understand it either. To be honest, it feels a little like “my best friend’s gay” or “I have a black friend” – as in, it sometimes comes off as a knee-jerk liberal reaction, laced with “isn’t it amazing your wife who was born a man is attractive as a woman?” And you know what? It’s not. So many beautiful women I’ve met are trans. In a crankier mood, I might even call this kind of compliment a micro aggression, because it others her, calls out her transness, and reminds me, too, that my partner is trans."

As you can tell Helen is a very outspoken, visible and intelligent spokesperson for a certain layer of the transgender community.  Go here to read more.

Just an Idea

Really?

A new campaign has been announced for a line of ‘Pride’ tees and tanks made in partnership with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), features ANTM alum Isis King, who happens to be transgender (and anorexic) This is the first time ever that American Apparel has featured an openly transgender model in a campaign. Proceeds from the tees, which are screen-printed with “Legalize Gay” and “GAY OK,” will partially benefit GLAAD and its work in the upcoming Pride marches across the country.

The idea is that the skeletal King sit down with the "Cake Boss". He has to model a T-shirt and King has to eat some cake and not run to the nearest bathroom.