The First Domino Fell!

As I wrote of before here in Cyrsti's Condo, today was endocrinologist day at my Veteran's Hospital. To say the day went relatively well is an understatement! 

First of all, my initial blood labs came back well enough that the Doc is prepared to let me back on estrogen if one more test on my blood comes back positive. Then, I didn't have to even give a pint today to hematology because my iron readings are back to the normal range.

So, all of a sudden Liz and I had extra time to seek out the office of the VA Privacy Officer who (as you may remember) holds the key to getting my gender markers changed within the VA-so I don't have be called "Mr.Hart" anymore.

I have tried and my psychologist has tried to tie this guy down as to what was going on with my case. Today (which is nearly unheard of) we found the building-we found his office and we found him!

He jumped right to it and started wondering to himself what the hell was going on and pulled my change request up on his computer screen. As we read it my heart sunk when it still had my male name on it but soared when the gender read-Female! 

Literally, as he tried to figure out why the gender was changed and not the name-my life flashed in front of my eyes. It was a true surreal experience. I'm sure what was only a couple of minutes seemed so much longer.

What we finally came up with on the formal name change was when I get the formal court name change on the 23rd- bring it straight to him.

At that point, what I call gender marker "dominoes" really begin to fall. More on that later!

A Tribute to Leelah Alcorn?

Most certainly one of the main ideas Leelah Alcorn wanted to pass along before the young transgender teen girl committed suicide almost exactly a year ago close to Cincinnati, Ohio was- to have her death mean something.

If you don't remember, Leelah's parents were devout conservative Christians and subjected their daughter to conversion therapy. Now it seems, Leelah's message is coming through-here in Cincinnati at least:



"The Nati" again stands to become a national leader in LGBT rights as debate isscheduled Monday on a measure that would ban preoperative or conversion therapy for LGBT youth

City Council Member Chris Seelbach said Thursday that at Monday’s meeting of the council’s law and public safety committee, he will propose an ordinance that would impose a $200-a-day fine on a therapist or counselor practicing the therapy that aims to “change” lesbians, gay men, bisexuals or transgender people from their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Passage apparently would make Cincinnati the first major U.S. city to ban reparative or conversion therapy. The Movement Advancement Project, an LGBT organization in Denver that tracks legislation nationwide on reparative therapy, has no record of a city passing an ordinance that would ban the practice.

Cincinnati has pioneered other official moves to embrace LGBT citizens, including offering health benefits to transgender city employees and setting aside a City Hall bathroom as gender-neutral.

As promising as it this all is, the problem of Evangelical Christians doing their own "therapy." Still under the radar and in the same room with the snakes.

Plus, in Leelah's case, her church I believe was across the Ohio River-out of reach from those "pesky" regulations forbidding brainwashing your LGBTQ child. 

But the resolution is a great start!!!!

R.I.P. Holly Woodlawn

At my age one of the moments of knowing I wasn't alone in the closet with my gender dysphoria was when Lou Reed crooned "Take a Walk on the Wild Side." It started like this:

Holly came from Miami F-L-A,

Hitchhiked her way across the U.S.A.,

Plucked her eyebrows on the way,

Shaved her legs and then he was a she.

Very soon, Ms. Woodlawn took her place in the Warhol pantheon alongside two other freshly minted stars, the transgender actresses Jackie Curtis and Candy Darling. Together, they brought a daffy, deadpan style to Mr. Morrissey’s next film, “Women in Revolt,” also produced by Warhol, a satire on the women’s liberation movement, with Ms. Woodlawn playing a nymphomaniac fashion model who detests men and joins the militant organization P.I.G. (Politically Involved Girls).

Thanks Holly! Rest in Peace.

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! Another Sunday Edition is hitting your virtual front porch! We are having computer malfunctions around here and it is 5 AM - the only time I could get some time to write a quick post. Liz works from home and uses this computer too and is on call this week end. So let's get started!

Page One-The Week that Was or Wasn't: Time marched onward and now we are in the most difficult time of the year for many in the TGLBQ community. It's the time we keenly miss our former families who for whatever reason refuse to accept us. Many just don't ever seem to understand our lives are not just something we do because we want to - we live them because we have to. It's the time of year we all need to use social media or local LGBTQ centers to reach out and help each other!

Page Two- Busy-Busy-Busy: This week will be run, run, run. Monday essentially is an off day but then Tuesday kicks back in with Doctor's appointments, blood tests and hopefully the go ahead to begin my estrogen again. Plus Tuesday night is Liz's office Christmas Party. Even though the party is very casual,it brings back memories of parties of Christmas past when dressing up was a must! (Another blog post!)
Wednesday is another regular meeting with Love Must Win Inc.. The group's goal is to provide safe haven for any in the LGBTQ community who need it. Crucial for this time of year. Then on Thursday Liz and I will be going to their "Quarter Auction" which is actually the groups first fund raiser:





Page Three-Social Butterfly? As I said, Liz had to work Saturday so I was left unattended to go a breakfast meetup of a eclectic group here in Cincinnati called "Creatives." From writers to artists to any number of fascinating people, I always plan on meeting someone with ideas or a background I had very little knowledge about before I went. Yesterday I was fortunate enough to find a seat beside Jen who is working on a project I will pass along later. In the meantime, thanks Jen!

Page Four-the Back Page: Before I get kicked off of here. Best wishes to Shelle in her time of need. And let me leave the rest of you with this: (Thanks Ryan&Jonathan!)

You Know Your Are Old When?

Without a doubt I have visited more Doc's of different persuasions in the past six months than in the past 20 years. I'm just lucky to have my VA coverage to help me.

Last week was a down time with just my mammogram and a trip to my psychologist. Next week though, I visit my endocrinologist (to see if I can restart my estrogen). Plus I have what I call "vampire day" when they take a pint of my blood and I give another couple of vials for them to check for results.

But you know, before you feel the need to pass the cheese to me to go with my "whine", I can't believe all the others I have ran into lately with problems I can't even imagine. And my heart goes out to all of them.

Last night for example, Liz and I went to one of our small meet up groups. Out of ten or so women in the room, I was the only one transgender and born male. After three fourths of the experiences of violence and drug abuse from current or ex husband/boyfriends-I was ashamed to have ever walked in my guy shoes. 

As I have always wrote in Cyrsti's Condo, males are not born men-just as females are not born women. Both are socialized.

And, speaking of gender socialization, Dr. Phil recently had a show about an intersex child who was being raised as a boy by Mom and a girl by Dad (divorced). http://www.drphil.com/#Show2484



As you all know, I rarely recommend Dr. Phil, but this is a quality show.