Allie in Stuttgart

Stuttgart, Arkansas-not Germany to be exact. Allie is one of two transgender teens profiled in a new film project:

"She’s a regular teenager in many ways — worried about what other kids in school think of her and excited about college. But she’s also transgender, and that’s made her life more difficult and challenging than most of us could imagine. Allie realized she was meant to be a girl when she was  three years old, she explained, but had to keep her identity hidden to avoid bullying and abuse. The project called a "friend film" still needs funding, and if you’re inclined you can support it through Indie-Go-Go.

I have never thought words such as courage and bravery were appropriate for me so I hesitate to use them for Allie either.  In reality she is just like the rest of us-just trying to be ourselves. Don't we all deserve a chance?

Check out the video:

Sophia Abella

Sophia Abella, transgender model

Playing by the Numbers.

Without getting too political, one of the presidential candidates recently referred to a certain 47% of the population he wasn't concerned about. Unfortunately, I fall into his "47". I'm on Social Security and I receive Veterans Administration health benefits.
Then I read this huge Gallop Poll tossing me into the three percent or so of Americans who are LGBT. I really don't know what all of that means to me or that I should care.
I was curious about the 3 percenters this morning when I stopped by a thrift store on the way back from my daughter's.
The reason I was curious is this store is huge but was almost empty. I estimate there were only ten or so shoppers in the whole place and three of them were men shopping exclusively in the women's clothes. Hmmmm- Now I will give you the fact that a guy could be shopping for an outfit in one of the large women's retail stores but not so much in a thrift store. Here honey "happy birthday" -check out this deep discount used sweater! Now there are great clothes and values to be found in these stores and I shop them a lot. I do not think a man just happened in to shop for women's clothes there.
Also this morning, one guy was going through the dress rack in earnest and even stopped a clerk to inquire about a size. The other guy had a whole arm load of clothing-was wearing shorts with hairless legs. I know it's just Halloween?
My only point is from my own personal survey this morning, maybe Gallop missed a large segment of the population who identify as cross dressers and normally are very deeply closeted.
If they added a "C" to the LGBT count, maybe all my numbers would total up to over 50 percent!
Oh wow! I'm finally validated!!!! Yay!