Talking Shop

Ideally, the core reason for attending the Trans Ohio Symposium for Liz and I was the hour set aside for my workshop on the transgender senior citizen.  What really happened (again) is I learned as much (or more) than I brought to the Symposium.  Plus, I got to meet a few very fascinating peeps.

My workshop this year was interesting in it's demographics which not unsurprisingly fit the whole group. Fully half of my group were allies but adding in a dash of spice was a person  who had transitioned years ago on the job, worked as a drag queen and contracted HIV. We also had a person who by her own admission, did the life balancing act living as a man, father and husband - and a woman when she could.



The allies? They were there because they had a niece who is trans and a brother who has written a book on having a transgender child.(Who attended.)

As promised, my agenda for the group was a blank piece of paper and I only ended up talking about myself for 15 minutes and let them fill the rest. Only jumping in to "facilitate" the discussion to those most qualified to talk on the subject.

This year at least I was pleased about the outcome and extra pleased from the ally input which was to be a theme throughout the weekend. Not one I expected.

So, there you go. The pic above shows The Ohio State Union building behind me and is from day one when Liz and I volunteered to help check everyone in. As I wrote earlier here in Cyrsti's Condo-the side stories from the weekend were classic!

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day"

A New "A" Word?

Well maybe this term is a little newer to me. In some senses it works into the post I wrote about being patronized as a transgender woman.
The word is Ally.  To split hairs, to be a transgender ally is great- if you do it right.  I can almost compare the idea to the much maligned trans admirers- without the sexual content.

However, since I did bring it up and I feel somewhat conflicted about handing someone a rule book on how to like me- I'm passing along a post from "The Thang Blog" called "How To Be a Better Ally to Trans Folks in Four Steps". Actually it's very well written and contains four very basic easy to understand ideas- including knowledge, becoming an activist, being an apostle for our trans culture and more.  (The apostle is my term not theirs and  I use it to describe a person who speaks up and carries a positive message to others.)

As I read the blog, even I quickly came to the realization "the four steps" do and don't apply to the patronizers I have encountered. For the most part these peeps are casual acquaintances who I wouldn't expect to care that much one way or another. I would however not hesitate to use the basic" four steps" at any meeting I went to with a majority of gay/lesbian members and "sympathizers".

I know deep down all these written rules and regulations are good in theory but I am of the opinion the main factor in building Ally's is my personal behavior.  Maybe I should  add a list of trans do's and don'ts similar to "Quotations from Chairman Mao"  to the contents of my purse everywhere I go. But then again, I have a hard enough time finding my keys in the "bottomless pits" anyhow. (I added a link for all you youngsters to Chairman Mao.)

Perhaps if I'm really good, I could actually add in a chapter or two on how admirers should admire. Explaining concepts such as the true meaning of what it means when a cross dresser says no men!!!  We could call the chapter "Cyrsti gets snarky. 

Seriously I do feel all of this discussion is good because it represents dedicated folk determined to spread the trans word in a constructive and positive nature. No matter how you cut it- a wonderful alternative to all of those who went into their stealth closets and did nothing.