Oldies but Goodies!

With all the recent buzz about the new transgender models, it's interesting to learn of some of the pioneers on the runways  Here are just a couple from the 60's!

In the early to mid 60's , April Ashley was not only a glamorous model, but  became a socialite as well, spending time with royalty throughout Europe. 

 In 1965  "Amnda Lear" began to model for the likes of Paco Rabanne and Yves St Laurent, and then became a muse for Salvador Dali.  She appeared on the cover of Brian Ferry's album "For Your Pleasure" in the early 1970s and then later started dating (and lived with) David Bowie. 

 

I

Transgender Kids and The Future?

Lets for a second say there is a transgender  scale. Where are you on the trransgender scale? A three or a four or even a ten?
Rewind the years of your life. You just celebrated your 6th, 8th or even 10th birthday. Your inner being screamed "transgendered!!!!".
In those days probably you were doomed to to stay in the transgendered closet. In the pre internet days, you were certain you were alone in your transgender desires.
Fortunately that world is beginning to fade.
" Inside Out"  is an article from the Netherlands that focuses on the lives of several transgendered children.

One of the featured children is pictured to the right.
One of several arguments against permitting transgendered youths to transition before puberty is do they really know what they want?
Just as crucial is the knowledge that an early transition is normally a more effective one. Obviously, the primary gender characteristics have not had a chance to develop.
As you check the young lady's photo you see that she is beautiful. Much of  her true beauty lies in the fact she had a chance to transition at all. She is not one of the "statistics" we read about from the transgendered community.
The whole story should give us all a little extra enthusiasm for advancing the transgendered cause.  Every little bit we do privately or publicly  makes the face above a little more possible!

Another Look!

For a very  interesting and enlightening look into what our "trans-brothers" face head to "http://tranifesto.com/".
A reader writes: “How could one change the current climate for gay trans men in the gay male community?”

My answer: One mind at a time.

This is a continuation of last week’s Ask Matt Monday, which dealt with trans men and lesbian communities. And this is a tough one, because I think there is a different dynamic in gay male communities.

When I first started my transition, I identified as a gay man, which did not go over well with one population – gay men. The gay men who heard me speak complained that I was appropriating their identity, that I didn’t share the “gay male experience” that had shaped the lives of gay men, and that I couldn’t compare my experience to theirs.

Being opinionated, impetuous, and newly testosterone-fueled, I was slow to catch on. But I eventually realized that they were right – at least in my case. I do know some gay trans men who have been gay men since they were old enough to formulate an identity, regardless of their body configuration, but the neighborhood Barbra Streisand fan club that I started at eleven and my childhood obsession with The Wizard of Oz really don’t qualify me

It seems our tran gendered brethren face the same problems with the Male Gay community as we do!
While it's true we do not share the male gay experience per se, we do share the many of the same slights. Hopefully we will never share much of the gay male popuations' lack of compassion.