Transgender Racer

During our lives, most of us are busy trying to out run our own gender disorders. Charlie Martin is literally trying to do the same thing. From CNN:

"Standing amid the fevered atmosphere of the Le Mans 24 Hour race, Charlie Martin had an epiphany.

One day he wanted to race at the iconic French cathedral of motorsport -- home to the world's oldest endurance race that takes place again this weekend -- instead of watching rain-soaked from the sidelines.

But this dream was secondary to another, more urgent desire that beat inside his body like a pulse.

If he raced it would be as a woman.

Charlie Martin 

"Back then I wasn't even racing," Martin explained to CNN Sport. "But if you could have granted me any wish -- apart from changing my gender which was always the default answer -- it would have been to race at Le Mans.

"It is such a festival for petrol-heads and I came away spellbound; it was everything, the feat of endurance, what the cars go through, the scale of it in front of 300,000 fans."

For more, follow the links above.

Meeting the Enemy?

Today we sat up in a local park's farmer's market to try and sell fresh baked goods and other articles in an attempt to raise money for our Witches Ball Halloween Party coming up in October.

We didn't do too bad considering the day was overcast with occasional showers.

As we were beginning to close up for the day, two squeaky clean young white girls who were showing just a little too much attention to what we were doing stopped by...without offering to buy anything of course.

Finally it came out when they offered to exchange cards and yes they were Mormons. They didn't pay me much attention and I was getting too mad at the rude woman nearby smoking a cigarette. Which I can't stand.

At any rate, I turned my attention back to the Mormon girls who by this time were singing the praises of going to Utah. Quickly I realized I didn't really know much about how the Mormon faith approaches being transgender. I always assumed Mormons didn't accept us. So when I got home, naturally I Googled it.

Here is a small look at what I found from the "Human Rights Campaign" , as well as a few other issues which might relate:

"The LDS Church follows strict rules of sexual conduct, including commandments against pre-marital sex. The Church distinguishes between same-sex attraction and behavior. As stated on its website, "The experience of same-sex attraction is a complex reality for many people. The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is." The LDS Church previously taught that same-sex attraction is a curable condition, but now states that "individuals do not choose to have such attractions" and that therapy focusing on "a change in sexual orientation" is "unethical."

Those who do not act on their sexual identity, “enjoy full fellowship in the church, which includes holding the priesthood, carrying out callings, and attending the temple.” The Church considers Mormons who act on feelings of same-sex attraction to have disobeyed church teachings on morality and thus are subject to ecclesiastical discipline. They may be (1) placed on probation (for those desiring to change their behavior), (2) "disfellowshipped" (excluded from participating in the sacraments for a finite period of time while they correct their behavior), or (3) excommunicated.  Members who face a disciplinary council and refuse to repent—or insist that their feelings are integral to who they are—almost always are excommunicated. They lose their membership and cannot participate in any way other than attend meetings. They also lose the eternal ties that bind them to their families and their church.

The LDS Church has no official policy regarding transgender individuals."

Now I wonder since I acted on my gender issues and transitioned does it make it wrong in the eyes of the Mormon's?  Or, more precisely should I care? 

The easy answer is I don't really care and maybe I was wrong. The Mormon girls were just doing their thing and really didn't consider me an "enemy." Or better yet, I enjoyed passing privilege  and they never even knew.

"Mo" Trans History

Just when I thought my old noggin remembered vividly almost all the transgender influences of my past, along comes two reminders from Cyrsti Condo readers jogging my memory on others. The first post is from Calie:

1. "The woman who really hit me hard was Canary Conn. This had to be around 1978 and I saw her on a television talk show promoting her book. She was a pop singer, formerly known as Danny O'Connor. I did buy the book and read it twice. I was about the same age as her at the time. I knew what I was prior to that but Canary Conn made a profound impact on my life. I knew then that I had to transition but, for many reasons, never did. More info on Canary Conn here:
   http://queermusicheritage-theblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/danny-oconnor-became-canary-conn.html"

   

   And, from:
2. 
   ConnieJune 12, 2019 at 1:47 AM

   "In 1963, I was a twelve-year-old, going it alone. I honestly don't remember learning about anything having to do with transvestism; nothing that really affected what I was feeling about myself and my gender identity. I think that I was actually a transphobe back then, but I was already adept at applying makeup while behind the locked bathroom door. I was, alternately, prideful at the young woman I saw in the mirror, and disgusted with myself for "giving in" to something for which I seemed unable to control. I really didn't want to know of others who were like me, because I never could see myself being like anyone else. In retrospect, I knew, even then, that I was not a cross dresser. What I wanted to be was a woman, but not just during those times when I could sneak into the bathroom to look like one. Aside from Christine Jorgensen, I hadn't heard of anyone who was even close to the way I felt about myself.
   
   It almost didn't matter what, or who, I knew about when I turned seventeen. It was then that I embarked on a successful suppression that lasted for another seventeen years. When I broke the mold, I was still going it alone. I went back to hiding behind locked doors, but with a family and a job, there was so much more to be hiding from. My thought was, why would I seek out a role model who would abandon their established life for the selfish endeavor of being who she was? Well, now that I'm another 17 plus 17 years older (68), I'm pretty lucky to still have my family while being the not-so-selfish woman I am. It was not by any prominent figure that got me here, but I did get here with a little help from my friends - you included, girlfriend!"
3. Thanks sooo much!