What Is Courage?

Going back to my last post on the KKK in Alabama, it's worth noting how far the word courage has come and the potential it has to move forward past the hate and ignorance in any form. Sometimes though you have to look at the big picture.

An example is my Grandma who passed away in her 90's -in the 1970's- used to tell us stories about going to Klan meetings in horse drawn wagons. My Dad was the youngest of three brothers and one sister and even though he talked a good bigotry game, was one of the first bankers in the area to loan money to black businessmen.

Then there is my brother and I. As you regulars know, we had a blow out during the holidays last year, when he didn't have the guts to stand up for me to his wife's Southern Baptist family.

My daughter represents the total direct opposite in that she, her kids, husband and his family support me completely.

So as you can see, times do change, even if we transgender women and trans men have to step back and look and on occasion need less courage than we think to make it happen.

Freedom?

As much as we don't want to talk (or write) about it, last year from the Fourth of July to this year saw an increase in transgender awareness and how we are treated as we go forward.

Of course the Executive Order on restrooms from the President was huge as was the ruling on same sex marriage. Then there was the long awaited Pentagon's decision to allow open service from transgender members.

KKK Hate From Central Alabama

I knew for sure this morning how far we have come following the announcement from the KKK that they were boycotting transgender women and men. I look good in sheets?

 Then there were Jazz Jennings, Caitlin Jenner and Laverne Cox opening trans doors even further.

Fortunately, I know I have missed so many others just as involved, or as we have written here so often-those of you who help the cause by just going out and being yourself. Which at times is so difficult.

Hopefully by next year being transgender will be so blase I won't have to write about it at all. We will be free to finally join society as full citizens.