Huh?

"This creation of an illness is not a trans centric concept.  It
postulates, fundamentally, a variance that is undesired in the greater
population, and, in this case, this variance is considered harmful in
and of itself. In my seeking to work and promote a trans centric
understanding of things, this fell under my sights that long ago time
and I did my usual thing of sitting on a rock like stool and assuming
a famous pose of an elbow on a leg, head resting on a fist, and
peering forward into the vagaries of that which lies behind my eyes.

In other words, I sat and thought about it.  Thunk on it, in the vernacular."

Afterwords, I sat and thought about it and thunk on it and said Huh?
Just to prove I didn't make this up...go here.
All this time I was kicking myself for not making it through the sixth grade without new crayons.

Have You Seen Her?

I'm fortunate to have restablished a tie with a person I met years ago in my formative cross dressing years.
As I look back on the experiences with him and the others in the small group of individuals we used to "hang out" with "back in the day", it is truly amazing the diversity in the small numbers.
I would say this little social group numbered at the most 8 or ten people. Included were two who went on to complete the change, so we numbered a couple true transsexuals.  Another two or three would probably be called transgender today. Of course there were a couple cross dressers, a couple spouses and even an admirer thrown in.
Looking back the 30 plus years or so and I compare the learning experience with going to a diverse public school instead of a private school with all the same kids.
At any rate, as I have started to share some of my recent experiences with him, his most basic comment is Wow, what happened to the person I (him) used to know?
Of course I don't hold the comment against him, but that person so many years ago is gone. Our paths went separate directions and he stayed firmly in the closet (his choice-it's all good) and of course you see where I have ended up. (No cheap shots!)
He now is wondering (and asked) when I am embarking down the final path to SRS.
Well, I'm not I told him. I explained I am very comfortable where I am in life right now and more importantly the people I love and love me are comfortable with me too.
I guess that very thought pattern was foreign to him and maybe more sustainable in  today's society than in the past?
With all the information available these days, it's almost as if we are going through a knowledge bonanza that us (older) trans folks haven't seen since the internet started to boom.
All of the sudden I'm finding others like me and life choices I didn't know existed. Sort of like when I was so alone as a youth thinking I was the only one in the world who thought about gender like I did.
It has been a special experience contacting with him though! The whole process has given me yet another chance to step back in time and evaluate where I have come from. In the end, it's the best way to predict the future!

From Pretty Boy to Beautiful Girl

Here's a video I thought you all may enjoy. One of the benefits the boy in the video starts with is a "female ready" body!

Trans Discovery

During my endless surfing in the transgender galaxy I come across people and places which stand out.
I compare the feeling with having access to the "Hubble" Telescope and discovering a new planet or star.
For every transsexual, transgender or crossdressing story I discover there are probably hundreds of others still waiting to be discovered.
Here is my latest which is actually a rediscovery of Annika.

Before and After!

From what she wrote, she doesn't update the blog much but it's a site with really nice videos and pix of her life.
Check it out here.

When is There a "T" in Crossdresser?

Recently, I have had the chance to explain to others my own transition from crossdresser to transgender person.
I understand each of our cases is different but I wanted to write about mine in the hopes I can understand the process more. Hopefully parts of it will ring true to you!
I've always believe the true transsexual kids have it better if there is such a thing in our culture. They start with a clear knowledge of their true gender.The rest of struggle with a huge why?
For the rest of us our transgendered existence starts off with a fetish attraction to clothes of the opposite gender.
I'm not an expert, but I'm thinking this is more prevalent in males more than females.  Hose, bras, girdles and "borrowed" feminine clothes are irrestible attractions.
Now, if the clothes stay more of a fetish to a person and become the end result for "dressing up" chances are you are the classic cross dresser. Let me point out, I am not making any value judgements-so don't attack me.
Where the "T" starts to become part of the cross dresser may start in the mirror.
Certainly any of us live in our mirrors.  The reflection serves as a validation of our chosen gender. How the validation works is the important part.
Do you see yourself looking the part of your chosen gender or do you see yourself as who you really are?
Here are the steps I took in my journey.
Yes, in the earliest days, the bras, hose and other female clothes were sexually stimulating to me-but not for long. Something was missing.
The missing "T" in my being took a long time to understand. Gender validation became less and less in how I looked and more and more on how I felt.
I'm not a huge fan of long drawn posts on subjects, so I will write more on this later including why many of us are obsessed with less than flattering photography of ourselves.

Weekly "Horror Scope"

Well here it is friends! From the Frisky.
Libra (September 23- October 22)
If you want to listen to sad songs and feel the romance of tragedy, go for it. After all, we all need to hit a bit of rock bottom to propel back into full working order. So, go ahead, play the baby, and throw yourself a glorious pity party, because by the time you’re done, you’ll probably want to turn up the music and dance!

Maybe it is referring to my new hormone induced emotional changes? Turn up that damn music!!!!!

Blog-A-Rama!

Every once in a while life seems to move at "warped" speed (my term-not Spock on Star Trek)
First of all, let's get the fun "stuff" out of the way!
Yesterday I was featured on "Jessica Who's" site! Jessica has one of the most entertaining and informative sites on the web (and she is gorgeous!). I'm flattered to have been a part!
I'm always also flattered to have "Sherri Lynn" read and comment on my prisoner care blog post. Her comment seems to mirror most of the feedback I have received that hormonal treatment should be as far as prisons should go!
While I'm mentioning Sherri check out her latest blog post on driver license gender markers in Virginia here.
It's a very positive move which I hope my home state of Ohio follows since my license comes up for renewal this year!
Looking ahead a bit, the month of May looks as if I will have the chance to participate in a couple of study programs seeking information about the transgender, transsexual culture and all the many layers in between.
I always welcome the opportunity to pass along any of my experiences in the world if it can help anyone to understand where we come from.
Let's see, this post puts me over the 1000 mark here on "Cyrsti's Condo"! Wow! Who would have "thunk" it!
None of it would have been possible without all of YOU! -Trans women, trans-men, cross dressers, transvestites and all!
Thanks! Can't wait for the next 1000 if the force is with me!!!!!!!

France's Transgender Pictures from the 1960's

From ABC News comes a story called: 
 
Les Amies de Place Blanche: Transvestites of 1960′s Paris Christer Strömholm (1918-2002) is considered one of the great photographers of the 20th century, though he is little known outside of his native Sweden.
Arriving in Paris in the late 1950′s, Strömholm settled in the Place Blanche, home to the Moulin Rouge, in the heart of the city’s red-light district.  There he befriended the “ladies of the night,” transgendered males who were struggling to live as women and raising money for sex-change operations.

"Gina"

At the time in President Charles de Gaulle’s ultra-conservative France, transvestites were outlawed and regularly harassed and arrested by the gendarmes for being “men dressed as women outside the period of carnival.”
Strömholm photographed his subjects, whom he called his “les amies de Place Blanche (girlfriends of Place Blanche) in their hotel rooms, in bars and on the streets of Paris.
There are several photos. I will post one here now and then later move a couple to "The Gallery" here and "Trannsnation.Com".

Kind of Says It All?

Thanks Bobbie!!!

TS Words to Live By.

Actually I should have used "Tina Phillips" initials in the title instead of the well known transsexual abbreviation.
More importantly, her Facebook post I'm featuring here I believe applies to the great majority of the people stopping by Cyrsti's Condo. If you identify as a crossdresser (transvestite), transsexual, transgender or gender queer female, read the 12 steps to womanhood.

Step 01. NEVER, EVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE.

Step 02. NEVER, EVER let anyone tell you, you will not make a decent woman.

Step 03. NEVER, EVER be someone you're not.

Step 04. NEVER, EVER let others judge you, cause you can't be judged unless you let them.

Step 05. NEVER, EVER let words make you. Instead you make the words.

Step 06. NEVER, EVER be ashamed of who you are.

Step 07. NEVER, EVER let public opinion sway you into thinking what you are doing is wrong.

Step 08. NEVER, EVER think you have failed. You can only fail if you stop trying.

Step 09. NEVER, EVER give into your fears. They will kill your dreams and keep you from your happiness.

Step 10. NEVER, EVER rush into a life changing situation, unless you are sure that is what you want to do.

Step 11. NEVER, EVER be a man because people expect that of you. Always be the woman you are and always have been.

Step 12. NEVER, EVER be embarrassed by emotions - They are a woman's soul and a woman's strength.

Alex's Story-Clair's Journey and More

By "Alison Walsh" of National Geographic Channels.
Male or female? Boy or girl? Most of us can answer that question without a second thought, but for some people, the answer isn’t so simple. American Transgender takes us firsthand into the daily lives of three individuals—Clair, Jim, and Eli—who each identify with a different gender from the one in which they were born and raised. We witness their struggles and triumphs, and experience their hopes and fears. How do they manage at work, build careers, maintain friendships, and nurture lasting, intimate partnerships? Each of the characters in the film tells their story in their own words as we follow them through life’s daily battles and victories, both large and small.


Go here for more!

Let's Be Careful Out There!

No matter how some of the public news is becoming a little more positive about the transgendered community, hate crime is still a HUGE problem for us as evidenced in this video from San Francisco:
Maybe that little container of pepper spray I've been thinking of adding to my purse isn't such a bad idea!

Transgender Life in My Little World

As I approach 4 full months on hormones, the major changes I seem to be feeling now are internal with moods and hot flashes.
As I have passed along before, I have cried more in the past month than in my last 50 some years of life.Now, I don't want to portray these tears as a major sign of depression. They were more of a reflection of life and memories I was having.
I suppose you could call this a "liberation" of sorts or ideally I should have been this way my entire life and not let "male conditioning" get in my way.
It doesn't matter. I just know it is happening. Very simply, a couple genetic women I talk to have said "welcome to their world".
So, as I sit here file my nails and think about this post - I guess I am getting what I asked for and yes it does feel natural and good. I was seeking a slow and steady feminization of my body without any major surgery and it's happening.  A whole summer of new fun is almost upon me with more hair on my head and less on my body.
The only frustration I have are those who want to take me to task for how I got here, where I am going and what label I attach to the process.
For the rest of you on (and off) this blog-thanks sooooo much for being along!

Oh No They Didn't!

Not long ago Mia Macy, an Army veteran and former police detective, initially applied for the position as a man and was told that she was qualified for the job as a ballistics technician. Then she informed the contractor that she was changing her gender. After that, she was told funding for the job was cut. She later learned someone else was hired for the position.
Macy filed a complaint with the ATF, which told her that federal job discrimination laws did not apply to transgender people. The Transgender Law Center, a legal rights advocacy group in San Francisco, took up her case.

Mia Macy (left) with her wife Trish

As you have been possibly reading, her case was brought up to the EEOC and resulted in a landmark ruling that in part said:  the unanimous ruling from the five-member agency does not create a new cause of action. It clarifies that charges of gender stereotyping are considered claims of sex discrimination under existing law.
Until now, Pizer said, it was common for transgender workers to have their complaints rejected by EEOC regional offices and state civil rights agencies due to confusion about the state of the law.
“This is a confirmation that the courts are correct, so public and private employers coast to coast now have the benefit of the EEOC making this clear,”according to EEOC spokeswoman Justine Lisser.
In case you haven't seen her, I'm putting a brave face to the story!

Branching Out!

Well, it's Spring around here (more or less) and as the plants and trees start to grow I am growing just a bit too! (Not the hormones this time!)
I'm starting a column on"Brianna Austin's  TG Life.com."
I will have more for you later!

What Will They Think of Next???

It's heresy! The next thing you know people will be thinking of letting transgendered people vote!
Read this from Singapore (More reaction to Jennifer Talackova's acceptance in Miss Universe)

Engineer Leslie Wong, 29, said the rule change was unlikely to alienate fans of the competition. “If you're in a beauty pageant, you probably look like a beautiful woman,” he said. “I'm not sure I would even be able to tell who is transgendered.”
That's all good but here is the radical part:
Trans student Marla Bendini, 26, said transgender contestants could lead to a more positive representation of the community in society. Bendini said society should also make room for pre-operative transsexuals, but the rule change was a good first step. “It's a beauty pageant, not a glorification of genitals,” she said.

For just a second the floor under my feet was getting colder and I thought hell was freezing over!

Video Choice-Name Choice

I came across this article in the "New York Times" Opinion Page. It's a touching and sensitive look at our culture and the many variations. The same variations which on occasion lead us down such an destructive internal path.
 Here's the intro by Sharon Shattuck published: April 18, 2012:
"  I’ve heard much debate in the past year about what constitutes a “healthy family.” Some politicians argue that the best environment for a child is one with a mother and a father — and the underlying context here is that a “normal” family should be helped by a “normal” heterosexual couple.

For me, “normal” is something entirely different.  Yes, I grew up with a happily married mother and father in a small, conservative Midwestern town. But my father is transgender, and he’s a cross-dresser. He has never tried to hide these facts from anyone.

As you can imagine, my family stuck out like a sore thumb in our small town, though I didn’t quite realize to what extent until my dad legally changed his name from Michael to Trisha. And yes, I sometimes still get tripped up about whether to refer to my dad as “he” or “she.” Growing up with Trisha caused me some grief, mostly because I worried about what other people thought of my family and me.  But Trisha just went about her business, painting prolifically in oil on canvas, playing the banjo — and winning people over by simply being a good friend, neighbor and parent.  You can’t choose your parents. Now I know that I wouldn’t want my dad any other way.

What I’m trying to do now, with this short piece and with a feature-length documentary I’m working on, is to put myself in Dad’s shoes, and in the shoes of other LGBT families across the country.  There are a lot of us out there, and I hope that one day we will see “healthy family” redefined to include us, too.

Sharon Shattuck is an animator and filmmaker who lives in Brooklyn.  Her award-winning animation “Whale Fall” had its premiere on Radiolab."

And here is the video:

Asian Transgender News

From "AsiaOne News": 
A beautiful transgender has caused a stir by registering as an election candidate for the Nan Provincial Administration Organisation.
"I'm confident that my experience and ability will be useful in the development of Nan," Yonlada "Kirkkong" Suanyos, 30, said yesterday.

This is the first time a transgender has run for a political post at the provincial level.
Although she is a new face in politics, she is famous as president of the Trans Female Association of Thailand.
For many years, she has campaigned for the rights of trans-females.
The PhD candidate owns a jewellery business and runs a satellite television station.
Last year, she was named by a media organisation as one of the most influential women in Thai society.

Down Under Comment

"Jamiegottagun" commented on the casting of the Austrailian transgender icon "Carlotta" by a genetic female actress:
"Particularly small-thinking when they could have had Shane Jarek (Courtney Act) instead.
How much you want to be they never even considered casting anyone besides a female actress?"

I don't think they probably ever considered  casting a transgendered actress or even a male playing the role.
For those of you who haven't heard or seen "Courtney Act" - here she is!

A Plethora of Classic Videos!

I posted a couple of interesting classic videos over on "Trannsnation"
Also I just put a classic "Christopher Morley" doing Marilyn Monroe here in the Condo's Entertainment Center.
Enjoy!