When We were Against the Law

 

Phil Donohue on left with singer (male) 
Grae Phillips.

I am old enough to remember the days in Dayton, Ohio when transvestites and or cross dressing men were loaded into police vehicles and arrested. 

Since I was just discovering my attraction to feminine clothes, of course the whole process scared me. I did not want the police to come in and arrest me. Then, the Stonewall Riots happened in New York City in 1969 and all of a sudden there was a glimmer of hope for me again. The outside world was changing, or so I thought as I watched and learned from my home in faraway Ohio. I was in my second year of college and the world was changing for me also. As the world on occasion seemed to tip in our favor when movies such as "Tootsie" were released in 1982. 

Then there were the flood of talk shows from "Phil Donohue" to" Jerry Springer" who focused on the the so called married cross dresser and wives. Many were trash and did the transgender or cross dressing community any good.  Donohue ran from 1970 until 1996. Sadly we were left with being items of ridicule on "Springer. " We were not against the law but close. 

Now of  course we face the most difficult times a transgender woman can face. If the orange menace and his cronies find their way into power, we in the entire LGBTQ community face a real threat to our very existence. I live in Ohio and the anti-transgender political ads against Democratic Senator Brown have been ridiculous. In fact they out and out lie. What amazes me most is when I encounter a pro-tRumpt transgender person. I have had them tell me they believe him when he says he had nothing to do with Project 2025 and they are safe with him in office.

I stand with all women and support their right to control their own body. I also stand with the candidate which does not threaten our future existence as transgender women and trans men. I think you know who I am referring to. 

I know nothing I can say can influence your vote. In fact, you may have already done it. I just hope enough see through the barrage of lies and vote in our first woman president.  

Just Thinking

 This morning, as I looked over my email feeds, I wondered aloud to Liz about how many cis women and cross dressers still support a certain person in Washington and more importantly who he has nominated to fill Justice Ginsberg's spot on the Supreme Court. 

You know the two I am writing about. One is trying to erase all transgender women and men totally, while the other in the future could vote to change everything for women from abortion rights to same sex marriage. 

I can understand why most cross dressers don't care. You see them all the time commenting on Facebook. They can stay in their closets, live as privileged men and not care anything concerning the overall transgender community. 

Cis women, I have a harder time understanding. They must have short memories and/or no knowledge of history. It wasn't so long ago they couldn't even vote or had to fight for any control of their own bodies. 

Maybe it because transgender women have had to go through a major struggle to even arrive where we are, it makes sense we should care more. 

Perhaps now you are thinking what have I done to further the cause. I don't have the financial resources to do much but I have managed to donate small amounts of money to Amy McGrath in Kentucky who is running against Moscow Mitch McConnell and Jamie Harrison who is running against tRump supporter Lindsey Graham. I also have been involved with Equality Ohio trying to convince the republican legislature in Ohio to vote a fairness bill which would cover all of the LGBTQ community including transgender people. I called the new Ohio Speaker of the House last night to express my support.

Most importantly, my vote has been sent in. 

At the least, I want to tell my Grandkids I tried!