Parts is Parts?

"Would a transgender woman who agreed with Lisa be an Artificial TERF, then? 

The reasoning used by TERFs is the same as that used by those who are opposed to trans people using the bathroom of their self-identified gender. I do believe, by the way, that trans men have been allowed to participate at the MWMF all along, simply because they have the "correct" body parts and have had to experience -at least in their youth- the oppression of men over women (or womyn, which is a different sex, I guess). Male privilege is derived from the penis, I suppose. Lisa. So, one man's privilege is another woman's woe?"

This comment is not mine but another Connie sent in. 

Actually, I believe there are "Trans Exclusionary Trans Women" too who actually believe they should have their "woman" card punched primarily because they went out and bought a vagina. (Artificial Terf?) The only difference seems to me is when you happened to acquire your vagina. 

To be sure, men have oppressed women over the centuries and each other. The oppression crosses race and religious lines (especially as we are seeing today.) The only thing I have never understood about the gay and lesbian community is how long it took them to get up to speed about what the transgender community is really all about. They are now. In fact push back from major lesbian organizations was a major factor in Lisa packing her tent and heading home.

Let's face it, there will always be a segment of the world who will never understand the concept of gender versus sexuality. Part of human nature dictates the need to be part of a tribe too. Lisa Vogel is not alone in her tribe. Just the tip of the ice berg.

If I had the chance to sit down face to face with her, I would love to explain why I was - or wasn't crashing her party. Simply-I would have to try because she told me I couldn't. But, I sure would have wanted to because the festival would have given me another chance to learn about the feminine world I missed and yearned for so much. I was too far away. No more and no less. 

Lisa does not have to like me. Don't care. I can tell you in all my research my family never owned any slaves, fought in every war (back to the revolution) AND I never oppressed a girl/woman in my life. Put them up on pedestals yes. Oppressed no. 

That's why indeed I would have enjoyed going to Lisa's festival. You all know me enough to figure I would enjoy wondering around with Liz enjoying an adult beverage and listening to the music. Forget how much "passing privilege" I have or androgynous I look and to hell with the semantics of what a trans woman versus woymn is. Life is too short. 

Put all this energy into making sure our daughters (transgender or not) are empowered and have a better life. One of inclusion-not exclusion.

A Pleasant Surprise!

As my partner Liz and I were looking for possible earth based spiritual places and events to possibly sample later this fall,  this one came to our attention, not too far away from us in Indiana.

The Women's Goddess Retreat was created for all women who want to pause and honor the Goddess in their lives and in themselves. 

While I know the word goddess is open to many different translations and feelings, I look at my inner goddess as my core being who I have seen the world from my entire life- no matter how poorly she "synced up" with my exterior being.  As I read the first several paragraphs though, I began to worry if I would be welcome at all and would run into any resistance from the rest of the group.  I was wary of the weekend being similar to the "terfs" run "get together" such as "Michfest." Before I could voice my concerns to Liz though, I read this: 

This retreat is open to anyone who lives their daily life as a woman. This year's theme is The Norse Goddesses
Learn more at our website: http://www.asteriabooks.com/retreat

Seems as if the group may have welcomed a transgender woman or two into their circle in the past!

Trans Terf's in the Girl's Sandbox.

I read with interest today a blog post from whom I consider a "Trans-Terf" (Terf is a trans exclusionary radical feminist.) The person writing the post was transgender and right off the bat she excluded me (I hadn't transitioned long enough)? As I read on, then I understood why I was not worthy.  She said and I paraphrase- almost no one had the gender experiences she lived through (Really? Me thinks what she didn't lose in her transition was her male ego.)

Well OK! Now I understood!  First the woymn born woymn crowd excluded me because I wasn't born with the proper equipment between my legs.  First,  I lived my life for years as one of those evil male privileged humans who beat and slandered every genetic woman I could find. And now, here I was, trying to sneak into the hen house through the back door.

Shame on me!

Then, there was this person excluding me in almost the same way as the woymn born woymn crowd she purported to be against..Dammit! It seems I didn't have a store bought vagina to be admitted there either. Or even owned it long enough.

Seriously, in some what the same vein,  the one of my biggest fears around here in Cyrsti's Condo has always been climbing up on a slippery pedestal with the Trans Terfs and then proclaiming I'm better than any of the rest of you.  I'm not.

It doesn't matter to me if you are on HRT or not, or are even out of the closet or not!   I remember all too well the hell of being in the closet for at least 30 years and trying to play both sides of the gender street.  Plus, if the truth is known,  if the cards didn't fall the way they turned out-I may still be in the closet. Also, I went through at least another five years of non gender related hell to land on my feet...so I could come out.

It still doesn't make me a better person than any of you,  it just makes me a very determined survivor.

I have always thought though, that a lot of the bitter trans women who take me to task for my length of time as a transgender woman in the world, are jealous. They are jealous because the sun, the moon and stars aligned for me and now I'm having the time of my life. (I guess I wasn't supposed to?)

So if you ever notice I may be trying to climb up to that pedestal where the blessed Trans Terf's" live - just slap me the hell down!

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Morning Edition"

Hello, all! Hope the "Joe" is brewing and you have a bit of time to sit down and enjoy our "Sunday Edition."

Page 1.-  "Terf Balls"  The never ending battle between the radical feminists or woymn and the radical transgender seemed to come full circle and out again this week.  Perhaps, it all coincided with the time of the year "Michfest" happens in Michigan. It's the festival famously known for it's exclusion of trans women by woymn born woymn.  If you read the never ending war of words between both sides, the discussion ranges from the ridiculous to the pathetic - sadly.  In my simplistic ways of thought, the woymn can stay in their little corner of the girls sandbox and use some sort of "original equipment" genitalia requirement to be there.  Flip the coin, it's the same idea as the males who think they are men because of how many kids they have with how many different women.  The females Terf's have just come up with a fancier name for their little clique in the sandbox.

Page 2.- "Feminism and the Trans Girl."  Ironically this subject "bounced back" to me here in the states, Canada, from a Janie Black post, and from the U.K and Paula.  To me, feminism can be defined as human rights-pure and simple.  To exclude transgender women from the battles other women have been fighting for years is totally ludicrous to me.  First of all, we trans girls bring a unique aspect to the fight which is needed and we bring numbers.  Perhaps it goes back to the basic gender theory that women form cliques and men form teams.  All that really matters is, from the Hobby Lobby supreme court case to the upcoming same sex marriage case (in the supreme court) - the big court is seemingly listening to the public will.  Which, unfortunately is tied into who will scream loudest.  Also, what is swept under the carpet around the country is the amount of violence against domestic women.  Somehow you would think the Terf's and Trans Nazi's alike would get their minds off of original equipment genitalia and help scream in unison.

Page 3.- "Top 5 Things Trans Girls Wish Guys Knew"  We did a fun post recently which was a spin off from a college woman's site.  To which Michellewhois commented:  I loved this! You hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head.  If you haven't read it, just follow the link above-back to it.

"Kelly"

Page 4.- "Coming Out-Everywhere."  From Paula's Place :"The big breaking news here in the UK this morning is the transition of Boxing Promoter Frank Maloney, now known as Kelly."  Should I say "News from the World Wide Transgender News Network? Thanks Paula!!! News like this brings up an ancient Cyrsti Proverb (sorry Confucius!) "If you can't beat us, understand us or join us, we certainly aren't going away!"