Mina Caputo a Year Later

From Loudwire:

Against Me! singer Tom Gabel has been in the headlines this year as he undergoes the transition from male to female to become Laura Jane Grace. But if she needs someone to talk with about being a rocker undergoing such a change, she might want to reach out to Life of Agony‘s Mina Caputo.
Last July, the longtime metal vocalist known as Keith Caputo revealed that he was making the transition from male to female and would be known as Mina Caputo. The musician tells Noisecreep.com, “I got a lot of grief for it, but it was nothing compared to the years of pain I went through not being open about the way I felt inside.

Over and over again I can't express how positive all of this is for the transgender community. Every baby step we can take becomes larger when a public figure comes out and tells the world he or she is transgender or transsexual. 
When the trans person involved is a younger public person, then the impact is even larger. 

Strong Transgender Message

The incredible coming out story of Tom Gabel is set to move to another public level. Please be aware I don't think the story itself is incredible but the platform is. Anytime a highly public person "outs" her or his transgender situation in a real life positive manner- the rest of us benefit. Check this video:

Get More: Music News

Here's more from Spin On June 19, MTV News will post the first on-camera interview with Grace since she came out, including a Q&A with the full band, and SPIN is premiering a few clips online. The video snippets from this latest courageous and revealing interview show Grace looking glam-rock elegant, with dark eye makeup, shoulder-length hair, and dangling earrings, but most importantly, she exudes a sense of confidence and, especially, freedom. Grace tells MTV about how she has long seen herself in Madonna — not only as a musician but also as a woman — and how she gradually discovered she wasn't going to grow out of this feeling. "Saying to someone, 'I'm a transsexual,' is the most empowering thing I've ever felt in my whole life," she explains at one point. In a touching moment, this 31-year-old married rocker thanks wife Heather ("my biggest advocate") and expresses concern about how other children might treat their two-year-old daughter.

Such A Day!

It almost seemed Wednesday was information overload day around here.
Of course the biggest news was President Obama's support of same sex marriage. Many suspected he would go that direction, but of course not until after the election. It's easy to put a lot into this proclamation. Of course it's huge when a US President comes out in support of gay marriage but that doesn't mean the gay population of America will be able to go out and get legally married anywhere this weekend. Plus (being selfish) what does it mean for the transgender community? Again a lot. If a trans woman or a trans man wants to marry a same gendered person, then the possibilities should become easier.
I am not going to get into politics or the future here. I'm not worthy! At the least I would think even the strongest naysayers in our world would not down play the President's statement.

On we go to the music world. Yesterday the story exploded (Rolling Stone) about "Against Me's" lead singer "Tom Gabel" coming out as transgender or transsexual. Not being the current music critic, I did a little more reading and found "Against Me's" music  is very aggressive and Gabel's voice was so deep and raw and all things associated with masculinty. . (Not a huge surprise to many of us who went through the same phase). Seemingly, most of their fans are angry teenage boys. Maybe that's why they are angry?

Then (lost in the shuffle) was "Sarah McBride".

"Sarah McBride"

Here's the headline from "The Eagle": After years of struggling with gender identity, AU student president
comes out as transgender to supportive campus.
It's important to note Sarah is also the outgoing student government president at "American University" who started her term as "Tim".
Of more importance is "Mara Keising's" description of Sarah:
 Keisling,  is the executive director
of the D.C.-based National Center for Transgender Equality
<http://transequality.org/>  (NCTE) and said "Sarah is remarkable,'' says Keisling. ''She already has quite an
amazing political résumé. She's just going to be a really important,
amazing, significant and visible trans person, I'm convinced. She's
smart, amazing and committed to public service. I think that's why
she's been willing to be visibly out."

Wow! Such a day!!!!

Rolling Stone Gathers Transsexual Mass

One of my "bestest" contributors, Bobbie alerted to me to this upcoming "Rolling Stone" article about "Tom Gabel":
"Against Me! singer Tom Gabel reveals plans to begin living as a woman in the new issue of Rolling Stone. Gabel, who has dealt privately with gender dysphoria for years, will soon begin the process of transition, by taking hormones and undergoing electrolysis treatments.

"Tom Gabel"

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tom-gabel-of-against-me-comes-out-as-transgender-20120508#ixzz1uNuQhduj