Cyrsti's Condo

Here in the USA Heartland commonly called the Mid West we are commonly thought of as one big "gob" of territory and peeps who "happen " to exist between the elitist "right and left" coasts of the country.  When I lived around NYC years ago, many I worked with could only equate where I lived to how close it was to Texas...really? We are used to it of course and yes live real lives with computers, electricity and indoor plumbing out here on the frontier. To break it down for you in Ohio (where every presidential candidate seems to camp out anymore) we have the three "C's", Cincinnati , Columbus and Cleveland. As major metro areas.  Over the past decade Columbus became the most diverse in the GLBTQ arena, spurred on in no small part by The Ohio State University with it's 45,000+ students. But now, the other "two C's" are beginning to catch up. In August, Cleveland hosted the " Gay Games " and now, the "thir

I received this comment back from Grant, an   Equality Ohio   organizer: (Cyrsti) My first visit here to your condo, and all I've got to say is: yes yes yes. It's easy to get jaded since we've been working for YEARS on a nondiscrimination bill. Marriage isn't the end-all-be-all, especially for trans rights. I like the letter you sent Boehner. I feel like we have the strongest shot our community has ever had this year. We're organized - and organizing - so smartly lately. Thanks for linking to EO too :) Thanks to you Grant and EO! AND! Thanks for mentioning Trans Rights! I think we transgender women and men face several obstacles when we summon up the courage to face the light of day in society at all and then attempt to have our voices heard against injustice.  At meetings such as the Equality Ohio affair, at the least I feel the need to offer some explanation of how I live.  It's become a good life for me but I don't labor under any ridiculous idea

We seem to embrace an inordinate amount of "T" words.  Transgender, transsexual, transvestite and of course "tr__ny."  On the Femulate blog yesterday, Stana, wrote a post backing the word "tr__ny.   I left a comment there but (being me) I felt the need to follow up on it here in Cyrsti's Condo. First of all, I need to be very careful how I respond as I get very passionate about this subject. (I know you regulars are laughing now and Liz is saying-Damn Cyrsti and those HRT hormones!) So, my disclaimer is I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings. If I had to guess, and of course I will-. I would speculate those who have no problem with the word are older cross dressers from the transvestite days we all grew up in.  Also, girls in other countries, primarily Paula in the UK have said the Tr__ny word has a different social connotation there.I can't speak to that. What I can speak to is this:  is how I am perceived when I go to TGLBQ meetings.  Reme