Sunday, February 15, 2015

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Kerplunk! Another Sunday edition from the Condo is hitting your virtual front porch.  This week around here at least, warm jammies and hot cocoa are in fashion- it's a brisk six degrees...but no snow.  Let's get started.
Page One.-The Week that WAS or Wasn't:  Overall, it seemed the new "it" community (transgender) took a week to pause and look at what happened, what it all meant and what it will mean.  I know to some of you, most of it means nothing.  An example is a person I have seen on Facebook asking if she was the only trans person in Ripley, Ohio?  If you know anything about Ripley and the area around it, it's safe to say in this little Ohio River town in a less than liberal area-she may be-but in reality she lives only a little more than 40 minutes from where I do in Cincinnati. Still others who I chat with on Google+ point to their "passing privilege still being a major problem.  I'm fairly sure both still will be in the near future. The difference is when someone looks at you and thinks you may be "one of them", it's not a bad or evil thing.
Page Two.-Transition Time Lines?  My oft quoted (or off quoted) Connie brought up the fact I was entering another of my "time lines" as I wrote about all the "groups" Liz has signed us up for.  FYI, if you live in or near to a population center of any size, Google "Meet Up's", at least in Cincinnati there are tons of them.  The utilitarian use is you can find one deeply into your interests and as you attend, being transgender just goes away-quickly.  As I have written many times, people don't readily know I am deeply shy and reticent about meeting new peeps. Regardless of being transgender or not. I will however go with Liz and yes, the experiences have taken me to new levels of negotiating the world.

Page Three.-Getting Social -Media? For the most part, my social media excursions into Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are very unremarkable-just regular folks like me.  On occasion though, I hit the jackpot and hookup with those who are really making a difference!  For example, this morning on Twitter, I received a request for a follow from a University of Cincinnati gender studies person and an acceptance of my LinkedIn request from another very visible transgender woman activist here in Cinci. 
Page Four.-We Got Mail!  Maria HardingFebruary 15, 2015 at 2:01 AM Thank you for the information listed here. I never really stopped and thought about how many people are actually included in trans* numbers until more people began coming forward. I appreciated your insights and courage as you continue on your journey. We have come a long way.
FABULOUSCONNIEDEEFebruary 15, 2015 at 3:27 AM Now I'm starting to get a little worried about overkill?  Is that a possibility I wonder?
Thanks to both to you!  I think those of us "in the community" knew how many of us were deeply stuck in the closet. On my part though, I thought the "outing" would come completely from the "bottom/up" starting with the younger generation.  Now though we are seeing more and more from different ages. Yes Connie, I too view the overkill as a reason to head stealth but there is still too much to do with too many people to do it. 

Page Five: The Back Page:  See ya, thank ya!!!!

Saturday, February 14, 2015

We HAVE Come a Long Way!

All of this news comes from the "Hollywood Reporter" site!  When I think of the dark days of growing up in my closet feeling so alone, I sometimes can't believe all of this:

Glee continued to put the spotlight on the underdog Friday when the Fox musical featured a 200-member transgender choir.
The singers, which were put together following a nationwide search with the assistance of LGBT-watchdog group GLAAD, were introduced as part of the dramedy's transgender storyline featuring three-time Emmy-nominee Dot Marie Jones.
Read more 'Dot Marie Jones' on 'Glee's' Groundbreaking Transgender Storyline
As was first introduced during the Jan. 16 episode, Jones' Coach Shannon Beiste revealed that she was transitioning from a woman to a man. The football coach made her triumphant return during Friday's appropriately titled "Transitioning" episode as Sheldon Beiste and found immediate support from former New Directions transgender student Wade "Unique" Adams (Alex Newell).
The choir backs Newell's performance of "I Know Where I've Been," from the musical Hairspray.

Glee Transitioning Still - H 2015

Tear Down the Walls?

This story was one of the leads last night on Channel 12 TV in Cincinnati:

" SHARONVILLE, Ohio (Angenette Levy) -- The pastor of Leelah Alcorn's church has written a blog discussing the need to "tear down walls" in reference to transgender issues.

Pastor Tim Tripp works at the Northeast Church of Christ. He posted on his blog February 11. The post "Can Tragedy Bring Us Together?" details Tripp's thoughts on Alcorn's suicide and the transgender issue.

Tripp wrote, "I can't help but wonder what would happen if people on both sides of the wall would stop thinking of ways to vent their anger on both sides of the wall would stop thinking of ways to vent their anger toward the other side but instead just reach over the wall and grab a hand on the other side."

Alcorn's suicide sparked outrage and sadness around the world. She wrote a suicide note in which she discussed the need for gender issues to be taught in school. She also said her death needed to mean something.

Lindsey Deaton, who identifies as a transgender woman, was overjoyed by the blog post.

"How amazing. How wonderful. He has reached out. He has written. There is something, I mean this is a really big gesture," Deaton said.  "This is a huge gesture so number one I'm really thankful and grateful and I am a believer. I'm Roman Catholic so my first thought was wow, God is good all the time, God is good all of the time. That's my reaction."

Go here for this promising story.  In addition, Channel 12 I believe is doing a follow up story on Lindsey Deaton.  Go here for more.

Running Against the Tide

Sarah McBride is running for the United States House of Representatives from the state of Delaware. Sarah grew up in Wilmington, and current...