A Big Night Tonight

Plenty of action on the the American "Tube" tonight. (Wednesday EST) Do they call televisions a tube anymore or has the term gone the route of calling transvestites "TV's"? 

From ABC News:

"Like many teenage girls her age, Jazz Jennings spent time at the beach this summer and loves playing soccer with her friends, but she’s about to face a new challenge when she starts high school in the fall.

“I’m a little bit worried because I’m not sure if people are going to be fully accepting,” she said. “I’ve noticed that boys are less accepting than girls.”

Jazz is transgender, and at just 14 years old, she is staving off puberty and medically transitioning her body to female, the gender she identifies as, by taking estrogen and puberty blockers. All the while, like her peers, Jazz is trying to navigate typical teenage issues.

“It's hard for me to talk about boys with my friends sometimes,” Jazz said. “All they have to do is stuck their butt out and then a boy's like, ‘Text me.’ For me, it's not like that.”

AND! NASA has announced more and more of the historic pictures of the (planet??) tonight. Pluto tonight. And, all along I thought Pluto was a cartoon dog!!!

Transgender Learning on TLC?

I recoil for the most part anytime I think of "TLC" (The Learning Channel) being a source of any positive television programming at all. After all, one of their greatest programming debacles was"Nineteen and Counting"  -recently exposed for covering allegations of inner family child abuse. If you remember, TLC also featured "Honey Boo Boo."

However last night, I caught an episode?documentary called simply Transgender Kids on TLC and next Wednesday TLC will begin a series featuring transgender girl Jazz Jennings.

Here is a link to the promo-just ignore the rest of the side show. 

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk!!! Another edition of Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition" is hitting your front porch! "Momma Nature" is still teasing us around here in Ohio with a day of spring followed by two days of winter, so a hot "cup-o-joe" is my beverage of choice this morning. Sure, it's great to see you, but where the hell is the coffee???  Lets get started!

Page 1.-  The Week That Was or Wasn't: I'm not sure it surprised me totally but, on the other hand, it didn't make it any easier when the state of Indiana joined a number of states stepping backward and using religion to discriminate. Under the "Right of Religious Freedom Act" (as I understand it) an owner of a business can decide who to serve or not in their business. So, very simply, this opens the door for we LGBT peeps having to use the backdoor at many businesses-if the door isn't locked. So Liz and I could be kicked out of a religious freak's business in Indiana if he or she thinks I am trans? Really? We don't like your kind in here. If there is a bright side, a rather sizable social media and public protest is coming along. The Twitter hashtag is #BoycottIndiana and the mayor of Cincinnati,(which partially neighbors Indiana) has volunteered to "take" all of Indiana's business. At press time, Indiana is going to propose another law which defines the first sometime this week. (Shelle and others in Indiana-Good luck!!!)

Page 2.- Building the Future? Yesterday was a busy day. Liz went with me back up to Springfield (a hour and a half trip one way) to ship and sell a couple of my sister in laws vintage items. As some of you know, I make a couple of extra "sheckles"selling on line vintage items. Yesterday was some sort of a milestone of sorts. I have been slowly changing my gender markers on the sites but never have had the opportunity to sell and meet someone with the piece not in male drag. (Most of my items are shipped.) As it turned out, similar to the whole day yesterday, the buyer didn't even give me a second look. Which, basically is how the whole day went - except a young boy who had been brought into a woman's room by Mom at a store where we were shopping.  As both of us looked at each other as we waited for his Mom to pee, I wondered what he thought. Remembering the days of "if you can pass young kids and teens, you can pass anyone" I halfway worried about him screaming "Mom there is a man in here!" He didn't and I wondered if he thought if I wondered what he was doing in there. Later I thought if the experience would would make him more diverse in his thinking as he got older.

Page 3.- All that Jazz and "Mo"! All of a sudden we transgender women and trans men are finding a home on "Reality TV." Before the trans community itself begins to slice and dice all the activity, Jazz Jennings (left) and Laverne Cox are leading the charge once again to the chagrin of those in our community who think they have "too much passing privilege". However, a couple of the other shows show a representation of the rest of us who may not be so passable.
The April 3 issue of Entertainment Magazine has examples in an article of page 16 called "Trans Stories Find a Home on Reality TV." Before you come down too hard on Jazz for looking too good-find her recent interview with Meredith Vieria, She said among many other things, she could be arrested for using the woman's room in her home state of Florida and without her parents assistance with transitioning, she most likely wouldn't be alive at all.


Page 4.- The Back Page: As always, thanks soooooo much for stopping by Cyrsti's Condo! No one appreciates you all more than me!!!

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Kerplunk! A sunny spring edition of our Sunday Edition has hit your virtual front porch. Let's get our "cup o joe" and get started.
Page One.- The Week that was-or Wasn't:  Here in the Condo, I tried to put together a couple of the main surprises I am realizing currently during my Mtf gender transition. Cutting to the chase for this edition , my biggest surprise is I am so alive, at this age and doing this at all. I never have been really shy about not being quiet when I am right and I was so completely right about all of this. Also this week, I received a call from a dear friend who reminded me none of us have anything without our health. She is entering a very serious but treatable health condition.  Bobbie, may you live longer and prosper more than in all your dreams!
Page Two.- The Jazz Goes ON:  It was announced the 14 year old transgender teen Jazz Jennings will be one of the new faces of Clean & Clear's "See The Real Me" ad campaign, which features a social media push that asks people to use the #See the Real Me hashtag to pass along their stories. Jazz had a big week as in addition to the launch of her Clean & Clear campaign, it was also revealed that she will star in an 11 part TLC series.  Follow this link for the entire story from the Huffington Post. 
As wonderful as it has been to watch a young transgender girl grow into a teen in front of our eyes, can't wait for the day to come when talent over trans equals success!
Page Three.- Some of My Best Friends are Trans?  Just when you read and feel so good about the success of a transgender person such as Jazz Jennings, then come all the stories of bigotry and hate. Of course, on occasion I write about them too. As I transition these days, with my ever expanding presence in the world, I do wonder about a person here and there who may be nice to me to my face. (Even to the point of patronizing me.) Then wonder if those are the very generics who would protest my use of the women's restroom that same night?  Don't know and it could be years of paranoia working on me. At this point in time though, it still seems to me that unless you possess the right amount of "passing privilege" or born into the right family as a trans youth, a long road is still ahead. 
Page Four.- St Patty In Boston.- Finally, we go back to Boston for this story (again) from the Huffington Post:    Boston Pride, an LGBT rights group, said this week organizers had accepted its application to participate in this year's march through the Irish bastion of South Boston.

The rights group will join OutVets, representing gay veterans (and trans vets), in bringing an end to two decades of debate over the issue. Organizers had insisted that homosexuality conflicted with Catholic doctrine, but the ban ran counter to the liberal mores that prevail in Massachusetts, the first state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.  Another one bites the dust! And, speaking of "dust", it's time to go outside where we have discovered dirt, dust and other less desirableness as all our snow is gone!  You all have a great week!!! 

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

"Ker Plunk!" It's time for another Sunday Edtion here in the Condo hitting your virtual front porch.  It's yet another beautiful fall morning here in Ohio

Page 1.- The Week That Was-or Wasn't. As I have written, for all intents and purposes, my Halloween for this year has come and gone.  While there are a few "activities" all next week, I'm not so sure if I could survive attending!  As promised there are a few "glimpses" into my escort "Ziggy" and I's attire at the Columbus, Ohio "Highball" Halloween bash Friday night: Including this very "ghostly one!

Page 2.- Another Way to Come Out?  Don sent this story in from "Yahoo Parenting" and the Tampa Bay Times:  Mass emails and robocalls to parents are usually about school closings or conferences, but on Thursday, J.W. Mitchell High School principal Jim Michaels had a different sort of announcement: Robert Konrad, a social studies teacher at the Pasco County, Florida, school, was beginning a gender transition. “Mr. Konrad has begun the process of gender transition and is anticipating presenting as a female no later than August of 2015,” he wrote in an email, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “As you can imagine, this is a very private decision, but Mr. Konrad has indicated that he will respond to appropriate questions you may have about the transition process.” Definately not old school!

Page 3.- Time Marches On.  Last week we briefly touched on the subject of 14 year old transgender teen Jazz Jennings being named  to the "Time Magazine" list of the top 25 most influential teens.  On the other end of the time spectrum, I read a story recently I didn't know at all, or forgot. (maybe?) From the Own Network: 

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Even today, there are a lot of theories surrounding Teddy Pendergrass’ car accident. All we really know was that the singer was riding with a transgender woman and was subsequently paralyzed from the accident. The people at OWN, tracked down Tenika Watson (left) , the woman who was riding with Pendergrass the day his life changed forever, told OWN’s cameras, “I never really got a chance to tell my side of things and it was important to me. Very important to me.” -

Follow the link for more!

The Back Page!  I have finished my first cup of "Joe" and it's time to get "Ziggy" (Liz) and crew moving to get out and enjoy this day!  Wherever you may be, I hope you can too!

The "Golden Age" of Transitioning?

As sometimes happens, it seems Momma Karma throws a glob of spaghetti up on the wall of the Cyrsti's Condo kitchen here, just to see it if will stick.  This time the "glob" was made up of different ideas about transitioning later in life. Of course there was the latest post about 14 year old trans woman Jazz Jennings who I know some "purists" would consider to be "true transsexual" - because she was in the right place, at the right time,  with the right family and transitioned.

On the other side are the trans folks like me and on occasion, I get tons of feedback on my lot in life as a transgender woman. In fact,  Pat wrote me a very complimentary email concerning my Frock Magazine articles called "Frock of Ages", they deal only with the trials and tribulations of a later in life MtF gender transition. Thanks Pat! Of course, here in the Condo, you all get a taste of my noggin which is constantly throwing all kinds of gobs of spaghetti against what ever wall it can find. Including but not exclusively discussing, jumping the gender fence while you still can. (Before the Grim Reaper catches me!)

I almost called this post Deja Vu (which come to think of it would make quite the eclectic name!) Basically, it means having the sensation you have experienced your present, in your past. Isn't Deja Vu even stronger for transgender women and men because we have experienced so much-from the other side of the gender fence. Surely, most are rather mundane, but an example of one which isn't could be going to a football game, or a music concert or even to the mechanic to get your car fixed?

I also keep going back to Paula Goodwin's comments (and I paraphrase) at our age, less and less is new. She is right of course until you view the world from the polar opposite gender.  As my partner Liz says "how many humans have a second chance to build a new person?"

There is no simple answer to the pointless questions about "true transsexuals" of course. Just because Jazz Jennings can build her life from the ground up is a testament to her family and many who came before her. Remember how not so long ago, gender dysphoria was officially treated as a mental illness?

At any rate, I am not going to sit here and write about any golden age of transition-except in your noggin.  I finished one of my Frock articles by writing (and I'm sure you all who have transitioned more than me will agree) if you choose to go down this path-you will know if you are right.  The true test comes when the newness wears off quicker than the makeup you are putting on every morning! Genetic or not, "more mature" women need more "upkeep!"

When you get to the point of "Deja Vu" being one of your feminine experiences.  You know your male self has finally left the building.  Just tell him to "leave the gold!"

All That Jazz!

Life has been moving so fast for me again, I have neglected to pass along the latest transgender person to venture out into the world, stay in the world and make a difference.  Her name is Jazz Jennings and she probably is not a stranger to you. If you didn't know though,  (from Yahoo News and Katie Couric)Now, at 14, Jazz has co-authored an illustrated memoir aimed at children called "I Am Jazz." The book chronicles the early years of Jazz's life, from her diagnosis to her struggles at school, and it's not just for kids in the LGBTQ community but for anyone who feels like they don't fit in. All of this comes just weeks after being named one of Time magazine's "25 Most Influential Teens of 2014."

Looking back, I can try hard and remember when I was 14 (maybe) and  how I would  have had no way to imagine now how wonderful and exciting it would be to get up, turn my computer on (huh? couldn't do that -they were as big as my room) and see one of Time Magazine's 25 top teens was transgender?

We will attempt to discuss the "golden age" of gender transition in a future post in Cyrsti's Condo!