Nationwide!!!!!

http://socialwork.simmons.edu/socialworksimmons-celebrates-pride/

***Follow the link above for more!

It's Pride Season!

Around here at least, starting last weekend, you could/can attend a LGBTQ Pride Celebration every weekend through July. "Pride" of course can mean so many different things to so many different people. Simply put, the Pride days are to show the world who we are and we aren't going away. (No matter what the bigots hope for.-Alex.)

Trans Pride Flag

Personally, Pride has represented a deeper transition for me. Over the past five years, I was able to distance myself from the Queens on the floats (and some of the more flamboyant cross dressers I saw)-until last year I was able to completely let my "Trans Flag Fly." No I wasn't a gay man or a lesbian woman, I was me dammit. Quite liberating to say the least - but still easier said than done.

This year, I think the Pride I will be attending is Cincinnati's. Last year I went to Columbus and Yellow Springs, Ohio. I will be very interested in seeing any new/out transgender participation. Plus on the selfish side, I feel as if the less I am noticed the better(stealth?)

Finally, in my next post I am going to be sending along a graphic from the SocialWork@Simmons blog

I will point out ahead of time, it is a partial list!!!

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Kerplunk! Another edition of our Sunday edition is hitting your virtual front porch. Here in Ohio we are going through another couple rather chilly days. Yesterday was only 69 (Fahrenheit) here where I am. During my pre HRT days I would relished this kind of weather but not so much now as I reach for my nearest long sleeve shirt. So, the "Joe" (coffee) is of the hot style this morning-let's get started.

Page 1.- The Week that Was -or Wasn't: On the heels of the Trans Ohio Symposium and the Caitlin Jenner reveal we basically had a week to step back and reflect on what had happened. In a sense, Jenner to me was a "be careful of what you hope for moment." For years I have struggled to educate any and all of the public I encountered. Then BOOM - they got educated all right or in some senses all wrong. But you know, I am not complaining. I just think it is diligent to remind "civilians" Caitlin Jenner has been blessed with transgender privilege most of us could ever dream of. Bottom line is though-no sour grapes here. I will take Caitlin's splash of  public relations and run with it. Not far though. I am not a jogger/runner and I am sure it won't take long for her epic publicity machine to crank out more publicity. Rumor has it, if you want to book Caitlin in for a speaking engagement, you can for a "mere" 100 grand. (100,000 dollars)

Page 2.- Transgender Ally's Are Alive and Well. At least they were-in force-at the Trans Ohio Symposium this year. It was cool, they wanted to know what made us tick in some ways and wanted to reach out to us in others. After all, we were their closeted next door neighbors for years and sadly often the ones who tried and succeeded at suicide. Just as sad to me were the nearly total lack of trans women who were willing to give back. Then again, our trans hope lies in our future and there were several very visible examples of the different types of our youth. If you remember the overall surprise when Facebook came out with their new gender choices, at Trans Ohio you saw why. They use them. Binary's were out for the weekend.

Page 3.- Trans*forming the Dialogue: Recently Simmons College announced an initiative to open yet another line of communication for the transgender world: (In their own words)

 "Trans*forming the Dialogue is a blog carnival and social campaign aimed at raising the voices of those within the transgender community. We are asking bloggers and social advocates alike to offer their perspective on how we can foster a more progressive and productive dialogue about trans*lives."

I encourage all of you to check it out and participate! To take a look, go here.

Page 4.- The Back Page: Thanks so much for taking your precious time to stop by Cyrsti's Condo. It has always meant the world to me. Have a great week and if the Goddess is willing, we will do it again next week!!!