Rose Montoya

 Rosalynne Montoya — who goes by Rose — is an Arizona-based, Hispanic, bisexual, non-binary transgender woman. 

Say What?

 Somewhere in the past I remember hearing that any publicity is good publicity. Most certainly the idea is not true when it comes to the transgender community. I was going to add the entire LGBT community into the idea but decided not to. After all most of them decide to ignore the trans part of the gay, lesbian and bisexual communities until they suddenly need us for something. In fact, I don't know how we began to be included in the first place. It probably came from the days when cross dressers and transgender women went to gay bars for "safety."

Then again, there are the lingering affects of the Jerry Springer type shows which did damage to an already fragile transgender image.

This quote which comes from "The Age" in Australia sums up to a differing degree what trans folks are facing now with the seemingly flood of new transgender stories:

"  We trans people are endlessly spoken about, as though we were children or animals rather than fully-fledged humans expert on our own lives. The ‘trans issue’ is reduced to what cisgender people feel about transness, leaving little room for trans knowledge and experience. This is similar to the centering of white people – at the expense of Indigenous and Black voices – that too often characterizes conversations about race. Again and again, discourse about marginalized communities remains dominated by the instigators of that marginality.

It’s not that cis people can’t be useful trans allies; cis folks can and do use their platforms to advocate for trans rights. This is valuable work. The problem comes when cis voices become a deafening chorus that drown out trans perspectives."

Ironically, other problems can occur when a transgender person becomes too comfortable and decides to for all intents and purposes goes stealth. Every voice in the chorus is needed to present the trans perspective.

After all, we worked so very hard to arrive at the place we are. 

Positive Results

Regardless of all the anti LGBTQ hatred being spewed from the White House, there were positive results in elections this week.  In Kentucky, the home of such notables as Moscow Mitch McConnell, the Democratic nominee for governor managed to narrowly defeat the solidly trumper Republican incumbent. Which hopefully bodes well for the upcoming presidential election.

Around the country, After a string of successful general and special elections, the number of LGBTQ elected officials in the U.S. today stands at 698 — the highest number ever, and an increase of nearly 25 percent over last year, according to the Victory Institute, which tracks openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer elected officials.

While in Virginia:

From the New York Post:" Danica Roem, the first openly transgender person to be elected and serve in a state legislature, was reelected to her Virginia seat on Tuesday.

Roem, a Democrat, bested her Republican opponent Kelly McGinn by a 57-43 margin.

When she was elected in 2017, Roem beat a longtime GOP delegate who led efforts to restrict bathrooms to transgender people.

Her opponent that year, Robert Marshall, sponsored a “Physical Privacy Act,” which was modeled after controversial bathroom legislation passed in North Carolina in 2016.

“Danica inspired trans people across the nation to run for office,” Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund said in a statement."

Reasons being given for the increase are more people are running, more are getting elected and more are coming out of the closet who are already serving. 

Now all we need is a solid front from the "L,G and B's" to help the "T's" in our struggles.

I'll Take the Rocket

One of the blogs I follow is "Emily's virtual rocket". The blog is a little different in that it revolves around transgender news issues. Why don't I let Emily explain herself:

Emily ShoretteAugust 1, 2018 at 8:30 PM

"Cyrsti:

I am writing to you to let you know about Emily’s Virtual Rocket. It is a news blog to keep people informed regarding transgender issues. In addition, gay, lesbian, and/or bisexual issues are also covered. Here goes:

Emilysvirtualrocket.blogspot.com

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

Emily Shorette"

Thanks Emily!  And, all of you can follow her blog on my list of blogs to the right hand side of the page.

Bye Bye

No, I am not going anywhere today. Yesterday though, at my transgender veteran LGBT support group, there was a bisexual woman in her 50's. Struggling to come out.

The nice thing was, she asked plenty of questions of the rest of us. Concerning how it was for us to come out. She even asked about how it was to use the rest room.

Then she said how she had been attracted to other women her whole life, so I wondered (to myself) if she was really more lesbian than bisexual. By this time, our therapist/moderator had put up on the white board the sexuality contiuum. Which has totally heterosexual humans on one end and totally homosexuals on the other. I pointed out, as I have read, no matter what most people (mostly men) say, there are very few totally heterosexual guys.

She went on to say, she was looking diligently for groups in the area which were made up of bi-sexual people, and couldn't find any.

I told her, I thought it would be difficult. Out of the main LGBT grouping, now the "B's" (or bisexual) group are now the most silent of the group. Replacing the "T's" or transgender.

So, the session was interesting from a number of different ways. Mainly, I had never met a self avowed bisexual person!

"Sort of Settled?"

From the Washington Blade: Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has invoked the ire an LGBT think-tank for saying the implementation of openly transgender military service is “complicated.” The Pentagon chief made the remarks last week at the Air Force Academy in Colorado when questioned by a cadet on the best way to help people adjust to the idea of transgender people in the armed forces. “This is a complicated issue, and I think it has a lot of ramifications that are very practical ones,” Carter said. Months after a launching a review of the ban prohibiting trans people from serving in the armed forces, Carter said the principle of enabling trans military service is “sort of settled.”

“What matters is people’s ability to contribute to our military,” Carter said. “That’s what matters. The only barriers we should ever erect to the principle are ones in which there are practical issues that we can’t work through.”

Expressing confidence the issues would be resolved, Carter concluded, “It’s the quality and readiness of the force that matters. That’s the goal. We keep that in front of us.”

The repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” enabled openly lesbian, gay and bisexual people to serve in the U.S. armed forces, but transgender people are still barred from open service as a result of medical regulation instituted in the 1980s.

- See more here.

As predicted, none of this was unexpected from the Pentagon. Washington after all is known for it's incompetent bureaucrats (Carter) who collect a paycheck and move on. 

I have screamed it before and I will again the greatest hypocrisy in this country is with  holding basic freedoms from the transgender military members who are on the front lines fighting for them. 

A Beacon in a Dark LGBTQ Night

More encouraging news from "The Nati" (Cincinnati,Ohio). 

Perhaps it is true! Some are more concerned about the welfare of our LGBTQ youth more than what panty hose they have on!  This comes from the WKRC Channel 12 story:

"CINCINNATI (Angela Ingram) - A high-tech tool for your smartphone is aimed at helping homeless teens who often do not have much support.

The UPZ app helps lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth stay safe by getting them off the streets. It's one of the fastest ways to get a teen's attention an app on a smartphone. This app helps lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teens who are homeless. Melissa Meyer is the Safe & Supported director at Lighthouse Youth Services. She helped create the app.

"It's important to know that the primary reason that LGBT youth become homeless is because of family rejection," Meyer said."

Also, the Cincinnati Police Department has a LGBTQ Liaison Officer, Angela Vance and she sees a need for the app: 

"Officer Vance said, "Once they come out to their parents, a lot of them, the 40% of them, become homeless. With that comes no money, no food, under bridges. They end up coach surfing. They end up homeless. Like I said, we find them in the in the woods."

Leelah Alcorn

Vance also says there is a high rate of suicide for LGBT youth. Officer Vance spoke at a vigil honoring Leelah Alcorn. The transgender teen killed herself in 2014.

 The UPZ app has features to help prevent another tragedy. The app will also connect them to emergency hotlines by phone or text, such as suicide hotlines, self-harm hotlines, and other community services.

People who work with LGBT youth know there is still a lot of work to be done, but but this is a high-tech step in the direction of helping teens who often face a lot of struggles. It may seem that homeless teens would not have access to cell phones, but people who work with them say often times they do have a way to stay connected.

Right now, the app is available at the Android store. Lighthouse is trying to get a grant to get the app on iOS systems as well."

Follow the link for more!

It looks as if I am going to have to stock up on a little extra tissues for my Grandson's Bar Mitzfah  this coming Saturday night.

If you are like me, perhaps you don't/didn't know much about the Jewish 'coming of age" tradition. My grand daughter had her "Bah Mitzfah" not long ago. So I had a chance to learn a little bit more.

For no particular reason except for info - I'm not Jewish and my kid converted-so that is why I didn't know much.

I chose a couple to pass along to you ( paragraphs), including these which I will be reading Saturday.

Be Generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with what you need yourself.
Be wise enough to know you do not know everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.

And the best (and final) paragraph:

Be loving to those that love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change.
Above all...BE YOURSELF!

Plus, if you didn't know, the U.S. Reform Jews last November -Temples and synagogues affiliated with the nation's largest Jewish movement In a resounding voice vote, Reform Judaism embraced some of the most far-reaching policies for transgender people seen among any of the nation's mainstream religious organizations, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT advocates said.)

I can't say how proud I am of my daughter. Some say the apple didn't fall far from the tree.  

I think in my case, the apples fell and rolled and she went and picked them up!

Nikki's Long Journey

Connie passed along this story of a transgender veteran's life of being terribly discriminated against following a decision by the U.S Military- which began in 1967.

Few remember the pressure the military could bring on your life back then if you didn't "do your duty" - stay firmly in your closet and earn an honorable discharge. For the greatest majority of the transgender troops (still basically unknown) in those days- we could and were dumped into the "gay" category and discharged-at the best with a general discharge. Let's get back to the present and Nikki's story:

"Nikki never dreamed that she would be buying a house in Salem, Oregon with a loan from the VA: “At 72, I didn’t think I would ever see the day that I received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force. In 1967, I was outed as gay and given a ‘general discharge under less than honorable conditions.’ It took them 48 years to recognize the contributions of this bisexual, bigender veteran.”

Nikki had been the internal information officer who was in charge of the Air Force base’s weekly newspaper and coordinating the commanding general’s monthly “Commanders’ Call” bulletins and speeches. She* received accolades from the Pentagon for this monthly work.

One night in 1967, she was pulled into a dark hallway by two members of the Air Force Office of Special Investigation. They threatened Nikki, telling her they knew she was gay and trying to pressure her to admit it. These psychological games continued, and Nikki was terrified of what would happen to her.

When it came to a head, her commanding general gave her the choice of being officially charged with being gay, facing a court martial, and having that be on her permanent record, or signing a paper that resigned her commission “for the good of the service.”

Nikki signed.

Take a look at the rest of her story here: written by Katie Carter.

Just another example of how the US military system just may have kicked their best fighters out of the system

Pounding Square Pegs into Round Holes

I'm sure you remember the tragic story of young transgender girl Leelah Alcorn. It turns out White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said President Barack Obama was moved by her story of and has called for the end of conversion therapies — the type of therapy that triggered the suicide of Leelah.

In a statement posted along side a 120,000-signature petition to end conversion- on a White House website, Jarrett wrote:

“We share your concern about its potentially devastating effects on the lives of transgender as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual and queer youth. As part of our dedication to protecting America’s youth, this administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors.”

In addition, when you visit the White House now, there will be a transgender friendly bathroom for you too. At least until the next Prez takes over.  

By the way:  Conversion” or “reparative” therapy lacks solid scientific backing, but is the therapy of choice by conservative leaders. (brain washing)

You can read more on this story here and as Momma Karma would have it, yesterday was another day when another person showed their support for the Leelah Alcorn "Fix Society" bumper sticker on my car.

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! Heads up kids, another Sunday Edition of the Condo has hit your front porch!  It's our pre-Christmas edition!

Page 1-The Week that Was-or Wasn't.  Last week, we discussed the effect of good or bad publicity on the transgender world.  Very simply, there can't be enough of good P.R. - until we don't need the "pub" at all.  Essentially,  a time when our whole community goes stealth. A time when we don't commit suicide at a higher rate, people don't harm us at a higher rate and we enjoy the same rights as any other American.

Page 2.- The CIA Comes Out? I'm just a geek and when I am directed to (Andee) LGBT news releases I had no knowledge of.- I get interested. Especially  if the news comes from one of the most unlikely places I can consider-the CIA. The much maligned agency is actually making strides in establishing a diverse culture.  From CIA Deputy Director Avril Haines:

Haines also highlighted the tremendous strides that CIA has made in reaching out to members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community across the country and in fostering an inclusive workforce, an initiative that was showcased this summer in interviews with seven LGBT Agency officers with the nation’s leading LGBT magazine, The Advocate. As one officer highlighted, “We are to the point…where there is simply no need to hide who you are, to be in the closet, to worry about what other people think about you, or what the potential career impact would be if you were an openly gay person.”

My point is, unlike most other major corporations, the CIA has recognized the worth of a person's skills-not their gender or sexual orientation.

Page 3.-Holiday's 2014 In just a couple more days, Christmas will have come and gone and 2015 will be right around the door.  Every year it is a time to stop and reflect what the year past meant to us and what the year coming up could mean to us.  On the other hand, it's a time to step out in our holiday finest, or being envious of the generics around you who do. May all of you get a chance to express yourself!!!

Page 4.- The Back Page.  Coming up, I'm going to be passing along Liz and I's New Year's Eve plans and yes, a very limited round of New Year's resolutions! Thanks to all for stopping by the "Condo" ...Peace!

Thanks Andee

After I finally got this link to download on my ancient computer (passed along by Andee) - she said I may be surprised and I was after I read it.

I have to tell you my first surprise was the official letterhead/banner of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (Please! No cheap shots about a contradiction in terms!) The second was the title:

Remarks as prepared for delivery
by The Honorable James R. Clapper Director of National Intelligence
Intelligence Community (IC) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Allies (LGBTA) Summit  

The link I was reading, to my knowledge, was a very enlightening speech by James Clapper highlighting the struggle for acceptance of the LGBT community within the intelligence establishment. Here is a very brief excerpt:


"I understand you’ll be hearing from Kristin Beck, the transgender retired Navy SEAL. I saw Kristin’s Twitter page, and was especially taken by the tweet from a fan who heard her speak a few days ago at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin. It read: “I'm so floored by the Navy SEALs in the … audience with me, supporting Kristin Beck ...”(left)
It’s a real coup to have her speak to you at this summit. With her courage, integrity, and energy, she’s breaking down attitude barriers like she used to break down doors as a SEAL. I understand she’ll be at West Point at the end of the month. I’m sure she’ll win over hearts and minds up there as well.

In this regard, I’d like to recognize an effort that was born out of the first summit, and that’s the Transgender Working Group. I understand that over the past year, with members from across the IC, they’ve been behind the idea of educating colleagues and managers of the transgender workforce, and more specifically, transitioning employees on how to interact with those employees before, during, and after gender transition.

I’m told that the group has produced a resource tool to help users understand transgender issues for use in our community. I just wanted to commend you for this effort. That type of grassroots, cross-IC effort embodies what intelligence integration is all about. I believe we should approach all of our community challenges as an integrated community, learning from each other, and applying our best resources from around the IC. That’s the real spirit behind today’s gathering. And I have great expectations for what you will all do with the energy that’s been generated here this morning, and that I’m sure will continue to be generated, long after the summit is over."

As I said, my excerpt is a very small part of an enlightening presentation.  Go here for more and be patient - it's a government website and loaded slowly for me. 

Thanks again Andee!!!

That's a LOT of Beer!

From the LGBTQNation: and the Oregonian:

 A Portland bar owner has been ordered to pay about $400,000 to a group of transgender patrons he banned from his establishment last year. The Bureau of Labor and Industries civil rights division imposed the penalty against Chris Penner, owner of the Twilight Room Annex.

The Twilight Room Annex, formerly branded as the P Club. Eleven people will share in the penalty, with amounts ranging from $20,000 to $50,000. It’s the first penalty imposed under the 2007 Oregon Equality Act, which protects the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender Oregonians in employment, housing and public places. Some other complaints ended in settlements.

 The bureau’s civil rights division began investigating the bar formerly known as The P Club last year after owner Chris Penner left a voice message for one of the T-Girls, a social group for transgender people that went to the bar on Friday nights. According to the complaint filed with the bureau, the message said: “People think that a.) We’re a tranny bar, or b.) We’re a gay bar. We are neither. People are not coming in because they just don’t want to be here on a Friday night now.”

Lesson learned?

Another Transgender Hard Fought Victory

From the Los Angeles Times:


" Kaprice Williams (right) has been waiting four years for a new birth certificate. Williams, 50, transitioned from male to female when she was 15, but some essential legal documents still do not recognize her as a woman. That had not been an issue until a job interview went sour when her paperwork revealed she is transgender. Efforts to change her birth certificate had stalled because Williams, a native of Washington, has not had sexual reassignment surgery and cannot afford thousands of dollars in lawyer's fees. Those obstacles are about to become history: Last month, the District of Columbia Council passed the country's most liberal policy for updating birth certificates, one that transgender activists hope will become a nationwide model. The mayor is expected to sign it Tuesday. Activists say the tremendous boost to gay marriage provided by the Supreme Court's rulings in June ultimately will benefit everyone in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. This, they say, is the time to focus on the needs of transgender people, who are seen as the most vulnerable of the four groups."



Go here for more.

Look Fast! We Are Invisible

I was going to title this post "Bastards" but decided to mellow myself out.

This story comes from BuzzFeed, and takes into consideration the Pentagon (due largely to the efforts of Autumn Sandeen) now does recognize the fact that transgender women and men have served- DUH!  The move is huge. Now veteran transgender retiree's can change their gender marker in the Defense Eligibility Reporting System.

In the meantime though, the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” ended the ban on out gay, lesbian or bisexual service members, the military continues to consider a service member being transgender grounds for a discharge from the military.

This year the Pentagon stepped up to the plate with a totally hypocritical statement:

"The Pentagon will be celebrating LGBT Pride Month again this year, but the memorandum announcing the designation has caused a stir with an organization that supports LGBT service members and veterans and their families. “We recognize gay, lesbian and bisexual service members and LGBT civilians for their dedicated service to our country,” Clarence Johnson, the director of the Pentagon’s Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity, wrote in a memorandum announce the designation of June as LGBT Pride Month."

Very simply, don't insult transgender military service members past and present by adding the "T" in LGBT.

Bastards.

We Are In The Comics

From Underwired:


Once banned from the world of mainstream comic books by the infamous Comics Code Authority, LGBT characters now have a stronger presence in the world of superhero comics than ever before, with gay and lesbian heroes like Batwoman, Northstar and Green Lantern Alan Scott openly declaring who they are — and even getting married. Today, DC Comics told Wired that it will continue to expand the LGBT diversity of its superhero universe by introducing the first openly transgender character in a mainstream superhero comic. In Batgirl #19, on sale today in both print and digital formats, the character Alysia Yeoh will reveal that she is a transwoman in a conversation with her roommate, Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl). Taking care to distinguish Yeoh’s sexual orientation from her gender identity, Batgirl writer Gail Simone noted that the character is also bisexual.

Trans Feminism

This one of those topics which is certain to raise discussions to an emotional rather than a rational level. I'm sure the rad fem haters and their transgender opponents have been battling about this subject for years.  When you refuse to recognize a transgender or transsexual woman as any sort of a female, feminism is a mute point to many.
Fortunately there are a few younger generation people discussing this. Including this article from the Marshall University student publication:
 "Trans-feminism provides type of feminism specific to transgender individuals".

Here's an excerpt:

"Just like any feminists, trans-women connect with whichever branch of feminism coincides with their lifestyle and personal views. Feminists can be radical or conservative. They can identify as men, women, trans, or anything in between. They can be gay, lesbian, bisexual. A branch of feminism exists for everyone. Therefore, the concept of trans-feminism does not suggest that trans-women cannot be part of regular feminism. It all just depends on which equality ideal most closely reflects their goals, personalized views and lifestyle choices. From what I understand, it is a much more difficult transition from male to female, socially because of societal norms of acceptability. Men dressing, acting or identifying as feminine are often judged more harshly than women doing the opposite. This added difficulty of transition could be one reason behind the need for a different type of feminism. By the same logic, anyone could also identify as trans-feminist regardless of their own gender identity if their motives correspond with those of the trans-feminist community more closely than with any other type of feminism. Many people who do not struggle with gender identity concern themselves with transgender rights and issues because they feel their importance and urgency. Perhaps trans-feminism could be perceived the same way. You don’t have to be transgender to get involved in the fight for their rights as human beings. Trans-feminism defines a branch of feminism that has been much needed in society. Despite feminism’s push for total gender equality, a whole other set of issues entangled transgender individuals. In some cases, they need something more than mainstream feminism can offer."

I have a tendency to agree. In some places trans women are still struggling for voting rights because of ID issues and I shouldn't even have to mention the shameful employment discrimination we all face.  Genetic women may be fighting for equal pay but we are fighting to be hired at all.

This is an interesting look at our world from a concerned outsider. Read it all here.

By The Numbers

From the LA Times:


A new study tracking the percentage of gay and lesbian adults in America has established a first-ever demographic atlas of the group, finding that state populations range from a low of 1.7% of in North Dakota to a high of 10% in the District of Columbia. The study, conducted by Gallup Poll Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport and UCLA scholar Gary J. Gates is the largest population-based survey to include a state-by-state measurement of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender identification. “This is simply new ground -- these are not just new statistics, they are the only estimates we have of these people at the state level,” Gates, a demographer at the Williams Institute at UCLA, which studies sexual orientation, told the Los Angeles Times. “There is no other data out there to verify these numbers, which constitute a significant advancement in our understanding of the LGBT population.” In all, more than 206,000 adult Americans were surveyed for the expansive study, with 41 of the 50 states including polling samples that exceeded 1,000, researchers said. Participants responded to the question, "Do you, personally, identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender?" in surveys conducted between June 1 and Dec. 30, 2012. Only eight states had less than 1,000 completed interviews, including the lowest sample size of 613 in Alaska. Analyzing the state-by-state breakdown, researchers found that while LGBT communities are clearly present nationwide, their visibility is generally higher in states with greater levels of social acceptance and supportive LGBT legal climates.


Of  course there is more and you can go here to read it.

Thanks Bobbie!