Giving Transgender a Voice

Well, another Transgender Day of Visibility as come and gone. As I have written about here in Cyrsti's Condo, my partner Liz and I helped "person" a table at our local event.

The whole day went well (except for an exceedingly long walk to get to the venue) and one person who commandeered the stage to tell us all, the transgender movement was a four letter word which rhymes with "duck".

Other than the sour bitch, the rest of the speakers were basically centered around the younger transgender and/or questioning  crowd. Of which, there were plenty, which numbered around two hundred and of course was very enthusiastic.

There were also eight to ten other tables (besides ours) who were giving out information. Almost immediately, one in particular caught my attention. It was a table full of information concerning voice therapy from the University of Cincinnati Health Center. I stopped and asked tentatively for some of the information. The person at the table asked what I was interested in and I said, anything I could find on voice therapy through the Veterans Administration.

I was fully expecting a blank look, instead she lit up like a light bulb and asked which VA I went to. Even more important, when I said Dayton, Ohio (not Cincinnati), she said they were starting a pilot program very soon in Dayton. Plus, they were very interested in working with transgender patients. I couldn't believe my good fortune as I have all the contact information.

Very quickly I knew the day couldn't get much better! As soon as I can press Liz into posting it, there may be a picture for the blog.

It's Easter!

Admittedly, I am more of a spiritual person, than a religious one. I remember vividly as a youth the pain of wearing a restrictive tie with boring jacket and being made to go to church.  I think my Dad felt the same way, as he went to sleep during almost every sermon, but was just giving into Mom's demands.

Looking back though, my fascination with what the girls were wearing was one of the earliest indications of my gender dysphoria. I literally ached inside to be able to be able to have any of the pretty fashion choices the girls had.

As with everything else, time moved on and it was years later I was able to understand what was going on.

For those of you transgender women and or cross dressers who celebrate Easter for the Christian holiday it is, I hope you enjoy your day for what it is.

For those of you who happen to be out and proud, maybe you can enjoy a cute new outfit too1

Another First

From Summit County, Colorado:

"In January, the Summit County Sheriff's Office operations commander and SWAT team coordinator, Lesley Mumford, was called into Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons' office for a sit-down. Undersheriff Joel Cochran was there, too, and it seemed like this was no ordinary meeting.

"I was quickly trying to recall anything that I might have done to get me in trouble," Mumford said. "I was at a loss, but it seemed like a very serious conversation was about to take place."

The pall was quickly lifted when FitzSimons told Mumford she had been accepted into the FBI National Academy, an elite, 10-week training course for law enforcement in Quantico, Virginia.

Mumford is one of roughly 200 law enforcement agents from across the country selected for the academy, a rigorous blend of classroom work and physical training at the storied FBI campus and the bank of the Potomac. Candidates are chosen every year through an extremely selective nomination and invitation process.

Mumford's selection isn't just an honor for her, though. It's also a groundbreaking moment for the FBI and law enforcement generally, as she will be the first transgender woman to ever attend the academy in its 83-year history.

"I think it's a pretty amazing thing, a historical thing," Mumford said. "It makes me feel that society is changing, it makes me feel that as individuals we do have the ability to change and influence the world around us."

For more, go here.