Hostility Too

Recently, I had the rare distinction of being bluntly mis-pronouned twice in one day.

The first was at one of my Veterans Administration appointments when the nurse called me "Mr." I simply told her to "can the Mr. and we would be OK" and she profusely apologized.

The second was not so easy.

For the first time recently I attended a transgender/crossdresser support group here in Cincinnati. Most of the group was attended by younger delightful transgender couples with a trans man mixed in and a couple cross dressers-one with his wife.

She was trying hard to be understanding and supportive but as a self professed ultra conservative person she was struggling. First of all, she was what I call a "sandpaper person", or a person who just rubs on people the wrong way. (Me at least.)

At one point, she made a point of going around the table telling everyone she knew their birth gender. I was good and didn't say I wasn't sure about her's. Which I wasn't at the beginning.

Then later, cross dresser "hubby" called me "him" and I about went ballistic. You would have thought HE would have been the last person in the room to call me him. Perhaps he won't from now on.

I suppose I should have more patience, but I just don't and normally give someone the benefit of the doubt unless HE is wearing a little black dress 4 inch heels and full makeup to a weekday meeting at a church.

Hell, I am calm...can't you tell? :)

Hostility

I am normally a fairly easy going person, until recently it seems. As a matter of fact, since the election. What really fires me up is a self professed transgender woman, trans man or ally who voted for "45" (Trumper) in the election.  I for one, wasn't one to vote away my hard earned LGBT rights.

For those who thought they wouldn't get taken away, it is already happening under Trumps appointee to the Attorney General position. That's right-already. If you are in the latter category and don't care what's happening, that's your business, but if you do, there are places to resist and protest all this craziness. (Don't think the Russians weren't the smart ones in directing the election towards "45"?)

I hope there is more than one spot to register your resistance, but this is the one I just received in my email.

"I just signed this petition telling Congress to push back against the First Amendment Defense Act, legislation to codify discrimination against LGBTQ people into federal law. I think you should too. Will you sign too? https://act.credoaction.com/sign/FADA?referring_akid=a257598056.5201849.mWNnNI&source=conf_email Thanks."

Act NOW!

 

Much Needed Vocal Advice!

From Connie:

Although I really despise the sound of a woman who speaks with a vocal fry, I'm hearing it more and more - even among radio professionals. These women often include a toned-down valley girl kind of phrasing, especially at the end of a phrase or sentence. I have been experimenting with using just a tiny bit of the vocal fry, as it has little to do with the vocal chords' ability to create pitch or tone. It sure does force one to soften the voice because it hurts at a higher volume - unless you want to sound like the late actress, Selma Diamond, who was a chain smoker. 

As a singer, I have always tried to open up and project, even when being gravelly (the trick is to create the gravel in the sinus cavity and not in the throat). By cutting back on the projection, and using a touch of the gravel (or fry) for certain words, I am slowly improving my feminine voice. My pitch will never be high enough to be that of the average woman, but there are cis women who speak in a pitch similar enough to mine. I'm really a baritone who had tried to be a tenor for many years (popular music has few baritones), and my three-octave range moves more toward the low end than the high. Working on a little fry has helped, in that I don't have to think at all about vocal range to use it.

Thanks!!!