Let the Sun Shine In!

Just as I was down today, I received a txt message from an old friend who hadn't seen me since I started to transition. And, I knew accepted it 100%.

She was coming to Cincinnati today and wanted to know if I had time for a quick cup of coffee. About two hours later we were able to meet up at a coffee shop with her daughter and two grand daughters which sort of made the afternoon a girls day out.

After she commented on my head of dark auburn hair, we got down to chatting about people we knew in the past. A pleasant time I think, was had by all as the "tweener" grand daughters of course were busy on their cell phones.

Once again, I paused to reflect on my Mtf transgender transition and how fortunate I am to be accepted by loads of people. All except my only brother's red neck Southern Baptist in laws which he doesn't have enough backbone to stand up to.

Her trip today was way too short for very many of my inane stories. I was able to pass along how bad it was for me to have to stop on the Alabama/Mississippi line to pee on the bus tour to Mardi Gras we were on.

I am going to have to save a good one for every time she comes I guess so I don't bore her. I think the night I helped blow dry a fellow bitch's hair who wouldn't move from in front of the only hand dryer in the woman's room would be a good one! She was short and very neatly fit almost under the dryer. Plus she had it coming.

The problem becomes I have accumulated too many experiences over the years not to bore civilians with my exploits.

She did have one profound thought. In years past when she thought I was being bitchy. How right she was!  

Is It Easier to gain Transgender Acceptance from Men or Women?

Without question for me, cis-women have been the easiest to gain acceptance from. Followed by cis-men and lesbian women. Ironically though, a cis woman lesbian has been my partner for five years now.

For some reason, I think cis women have less to lose knowing a transgender woman, unless one of us used to be her boy friend or spouse. At that point we are playing in their sandbox and open to their life's lessons. We can exchange makeup and fashion tips quite easily. Having been down the same path and I think many cis-women are pleasantly surprised. Plus, it has always been great fun for me!

Men on the other hand are so sexually insecure, it is difficult to find one or any who will truly accept a trans woman. Although I know it happens because as a group transgender women provide an unique, even exotic look into sexuality for some cis-men. Those are the "admirers" who wouldn't want to bring you home for Thanksgiving dinner.

I my past, I have been alternately blistered or more often ignored by cis women lesbians. One of my worst gender slurs ever came at the hands of a butch lesbian at a big party. It was one of the few times I have let anyone get to me.

So, there you go. My personal look at public acceptance of transgender women. Especially important these days as we try to separate ourselves from the LGBT umbrella, be public and tell our story.

I'm Just Sad

There is no other way to put it this beautiful morning in Ohio, I'm just sad.

I have a few alt right contacts on FB and one is a dear friend whom I respect her right to feel the way she does because I think it comes from a good place. A couple of the others, I feel their views come from a racist background..."Make America White Again."

I suppose my thoughts come from growing up in the 60's and 70's when the Vietnam War and Nixon were tearing the country apart. Somehow I thought my generation would do a better job going forward.

But, here we are again. And, I am not ashamed to admit it, I too vote for my special interest...LGBT causes. I just hate to see our hard earned gains swept away so fast in the first 100 or so days of the new administration.

For once, I am not going to rant on 45 (Trump) but go straight to his appointee's Steve Bannion and Attorney General racist Jeff Sessions. Sessions' record speaks for itself coming out of Alabama. He is just waiting for any LGBT issue coming his way to block us, I get the feeling.

The main problem is, being transgender, we are the most visible part of the gay,lesbian and bi community. As I heard once, it's easy to hide gay, not trans. Plus, I am really paranoid about violence this year at one or more of the LGBT Pride celebrations.

So where does our country go from here? I don't know but I am not sure what I am going to tell my grandkids.

Hopefully, I am just over reacting and shouldn't be so sad.