Inspiration to Move Forward

 The Cyrsti's Condo Quote of the Day:

She Made it...Then Came Out

 Laura Jane Grace is known as the singer, guitarist, and songwriter for punk band Against Me!, which she founded in the late 1990s. In 2012, she came out as transgender, becoming a rock-music trailblazer in the process. In a 2012 Rolling Stone profile that served as her public coming out, she admitted she was nervous. "Even now, there's a part of me that's not convinced I know what the f**k I'm doing," she said, adding, "But there's another part of me that's completely, 100 percent sure." 

Ohio Inches Forward

 FINALLY the court case designed to allow transgender Ohioans (like me) to change the gender on their birth certificates has been approved in court. This is from "Equality Ohio"

"Until today, Ohio was one of only two states that had a blanket ban against transgender people changing the gender listed on their birth certificate. Today, a Federal District Court struck down that policy—transgender Ohioans will now be able to correct the gender marker on their birth certificate!

Accurate identity documents, including birth certificates, are crucial for trans people to fully participate in society. The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found that almost one-third of trans people who showed an identity document with a name or gender marker that conflicted with their perceived gender were harassed, denied benefits or services, discriminated against, or assaulted.

This is wonderful news for trans people who were born in Ohio and, until today, have not had the ability to update the gender marker on their birth certificate—even if all of their other documents were updated. 

The next step is for the Ohio Department of Health to update its procedures for correcting birth certificate gender markers. We’ll be in touch as soon as we have more news about this! In the meantime, please contact the Equality Ohio Legal Clinic through our virtual legal intake if you have other legal needs."

Of course Ohio does have sixty days to appeal this case but is not expected to do so.

Personally I am excited by the fact, I am one of those transgender persons who has gone as far as I could changing my legal gender markers. Even though I have never been asked to produce my birth certificate to establish my gender, it would be nice to have. 

Supposedly, it will take at least sixty days for the Department of Health to catch up to this much needed change. 

Now, if Ohio can pass the anti LGBT discrimination bill currently in the legislature, we may be able to move into the 2020's as a better place to live for transgender people. 

And the Answer Is...

 Transgender woman Kate Freeman sported a trans pride pin as she became the first out transgender woman to win on the "Jeopardy" television quiz show.

She is a financial analyst from Lake Orion, Michigan. Jeopardy has been on the air since 1964 with more than 8,000 episodes.  At least one other contestant has transitioned in the past after winning the game but Kate is the first out transgender person to do it.

Is it Time?

  The vaccine has arrived here in Cincinnati, Ohio and they are administering the first doses to front line health care workers and first responders. While I know it still is predicted to be well into the New Year of 2021 before any substantial changes to our lives will return, I can dream of being on the other side.

My dream includes having a few nights out next summer with my partner Liz. In fact, I stare longingly at my wardrobe. Imagining what I would/could wear on a night out. 

At this point in time, I am thinking of actually getting a pedicure for the first time in my life so I can wear sandals again. 

Also I am thinking of having my extremely long hair trimmed back by the time it is relatively safe to go out again.

In the meantime, we are really hunkered down until vaccines are deemed safe and available. I am sure at my age and my breathing issues, I would show up on some sort of a priority list. 

Just thinking about the future seems to help my thought processes.

It is not time yet but perhaps the light at the end of the tunnel is not the train.