Transgender "Gold Standard"

November 4th Thailand once again hosts arguably the finest transgender beauty pageant in the world.

This picture pretty much tells it all!
You can vote this year!  Vote this year for your favorites online at
RipleysThailand.com. The finals will be broadcast on Channel 9 and in
more than 30 countries around the world.

Transgender Heaven and Hell!

Heaven!
Yet another victory for another very young transgender child. Bascically this is what happened.
In Colorado, the Girl Scouts initially rejected a 7 year old boy's request to join. Then:

The Girl Scouts issued a statement saying a
worker unfamiliar with the group's policies gave the family wrong
information.
The group says requests for support of transgender kids have grown,
and Girl Scouts of Colorado is working to support the children, their
families and the volunteers who serve them.

Hell!
Of course the young transgendered girl is facing bullying at school and the other problems we face identifying with another gender...Such as this flyer from the Mormon Church.
Note the final sentence.

Then again I can't believe the Mormons allow Halloween at all!

Hopefully, the 7 year transgender child will be able to enjoy and grow in the Girl Scouts.
There is hope for all of us!

Transgendered Halloween 2010

I was looking over some of my posts last year before Halloween. Here is one:
Or is it really you in your Halloween costume?
Well girl, it is almost Halloween. The time of year for transgender and real sisters alike to strut their stuff.
It's our Christmas, New Year and Thanksgiving all rolled up into one glorious weekend. At the least, you can hit more than one party!
It's the party where the women are jealous of your legs, hair and makeup, and by the way, where did you learn to walk in those heels? Who did do your makeup?
It's the party where your guy friends either shy away from you or to you after a few adult beverages. How innocent is it when they run a hand up your nylon covered leg?
That's you isn't it? The witch in the low cut dress. Hanging with Count Dracula your golfing buddy? Will he ever look at you quite the same again after a few beers in the clubhouse?
The fun part is, you have so many ways to attend a Halloween party. You can wear a fun, sexy comfortable female costume or slut it up and go as a hooker. Remember girlfriends, those heels are very unforgiving after awhile and that short skirt becomes very difficult to be ladylike in all evening. Especially if you happen to get buzzed.(Yes, I've tried it)
OR learn from Le Anne's example (she is a follower here) She dazzled a party by attending as a Hollywood starlet. Everyone was amazed by her look and how she presented as a woman.  To LeAnne however she wasn't dressed in a costume. She was just dressed up! I paraphrased much of her comment but she makes an excellent point.
Your big party night can be a coming out bash for the girl in you.
Beware though, once you let her out and the compliments start rolling in-you may never be able to shut her in again.
Finally, be careful of thinking you are one heavenly creature and go to WalMart the next day in the same clothes.No one will be impressed with you in the heels and the mini trying to look like "Lady Gaga"!
Instead, take the compliments and build your confidence. Remember though,  many of them are saying you make a great looking woman...for a guy.
But that's OK! That's when the fun starts.

Everyone Is In Transistion?

According to North America's only transsexual comedian yes everyone is in transisiton. American Alison Grillo is performing in Ottowa, Canada and talked about her transition and act. She said  "A lot of comedy comes out personal pain and struggle. Grillo says human sexuality is a big topic for many people, one that can be difficult for people to understand.

Often humour can be a great way to break down barriers and tension.

“Most of my shows are for straight people. It doesn’t take me long to convince them that I’m just like them in many ways, and that we have a lot in common,” said Grillo.

While she said transgender people are often the butt of jokes in comedy she brings an entirely different perspective.

“I’m not some straight guy observing things. I’m actually living the transition. I can tell it like it is,” she said.

I would really like to see her act if she ever comes in my direction! I added her as a Facebook friend. We will see if she responds!

Transgender Ego?

If you are familiar with "Pink Essence" you know it is arguably the "gold standard" of transgendered social sites. The driving force behind Pink Essence is "Chloe Prince". The transition from "Ted" to Chloe" was documented several years ago by ABC's Primetime.
I am a member of "The Pink" and wonder on occasion how it would be to publicly air such a personal family issue?
What if some media entity stumbled on my little part of the web and contacted me?
As public as the Internet could be it obviously doesn't come close to the intense media glare of a hungry reporter or producer looking for a television story.
So, I don't know. I've always thought that going stealth did no one in our community any good. Then again, going out and screaming I am a transsexual woman wouldn't either.
I know in Chloe's and so many other transgendered women's lives, family has to be factored in.
When "Dad" is featured changing to another female figure in the family on national television, does that make her a "celebrity" of sorts? Does that help the kids whose friends probably knew something anyhow? How about the rest of us?
Did Chloe help me last night when the new bartender at one of my favorite hang outs was falling all over herself to meet the transgender regular?
Indirectly, I'm sure she did and how do I pay that forward? So if the media did come knocking at this transgendered girl's door, it would be immensely satisfying to say yes tell my story if it's done in a positive way.
On the other hand you "stealth" girls are OK too. Who needs the hassle?
Let's not confuse "stealth" with the closet. How many more transgendered girls are taking tentative steps out from their closet's because of the Chloe's of the world.
I'm sure she and the rest of us will never know.
One fact is certain, she was so very brave to do it. I wonder if I could.

Finally!

I had a chance to slow down a little and look around at my life this week.
I have a couple weeks until my first doctors visit plus I have yet another therapist visit in approximately a week. Early next week I even have a couple days off in a row to catch up with all my writings and regular life (shopping!)
As much as I would love to tell you I have an exotic, exciting Halloween coming up, it's just not true.
That's OK, my love affair with Halloween I'm afraid has come and gone.
Gay clubs and Halloween parties are nearly impossible to present as a female for me. Sure the compliments I sometimes get are nice but being called an attractive man in a dress just doesn't make it for me anymore.
Now, having said that, I have flat out had great Halloween experiences including my recent date at the Witches Ball!
I also understand the holiday (of sorts) is a wonderful time to (sort of) come out to friends and family. At Christmas you can give a gift at Halloween all can see your gift as a new woman.
Whatever you decide to do, have fun and be safe doing it! I'll be thinking of you!!!!

‘Sorry, I Gendered You.’ ”

Check this amazing story from "America's Heartland"
"Male, female, transgender, no gender, gay, lesbian, straight. Labels don’t matter at Grinnell College. Students can share a dormitory room, bathroom, shower room or locker room with any of the above, if they choose."
The idea was driven by transgender students, those who don’t identify themselves as either male or female, and students transitioning from one gender to the other. Gender-neutral grew from one percent of the school’s on-campus housing in 2008-09 to 18 percent this fall, and officials discontinued asking students to divulge gender or orientation. The rooms include straight males and females living together, although those who self-identify as transgender are given priority, which includes five this fall."

The most impressive part of the story could be this excerpt:
"More students today don’t identify with the binary. That is a more recent shift,” said Astrid Henry, associate professor of gender, women’s and sexuality studies at Grinnell.Some students don’t want to be referred to in male or female pronouns because they carry societal labels, preferring the pronoun “ze” (for she) or “hir” (for he), Henry said. “Even in class as the chair of gender studies I get told, ‘I don’t want to be called she,’ ze said."
Further more, parents who visit their children on gender-neutral floors now will encounter these signs: “Queer Safe Space” and “Be an ally to gay and lesbians.
!8 year old "Austin Mckinney" ( a ftm transgendered student) said he has found plenty of allies and he feels
 comfortable here. "It’s a welcome breath of fresh air after high school,” he said. “People here even say to you, ‘Sorry, I gendered you.’ ”
Wow!

Heavy Metal Transgender Chick!

I really like this story! It comes from a site called "Gun Shy Assassin"
I have to tell you I'm not the biggest "metal music" fan although I did lose some hearing to "Black Sabbath" when Ozzie Ozborne was lead singer.
"Gun Shy Assassin" actually picked the story up from The Advocate who interviewed transgendered singer Mina Caputo, who  used to be known as Keith Caputo. The article centered about her new life in a band like Life of Agony.
As I read on, the article began to bring up a few very familiar themes. Mina said: “I was very boxed in that metal thing. The first album I’ve ever done was released and then it pretty much exploded in Europe and I kind of had no choice but to leave school. I didn’t want to sing in a band. That wasn’t really what I set out to do. I wanted to go to Julliard. I wanted to play the classics, get good grades…and I pictured myself living more of a feminine life then at 19 when this whole alpha male world just pretty much took over,” she said.
“I was in hell for years…It was more of a sense of responsibility and not getting labels down… the management, the band, and the fans. And I mean, we were a really, really really, really big band. We were doing concerts in Europe where 60 to 100 thousand people were showing up.”

Sound familar? Sure! Perhaps you like me tried to play the "alpha male" game.
The real impact of "Mina's" story to me is yet another visible person in our society has stepped forward to educate others on a positive level.
From women such as "Stana" at "Femulate" speaking to college students to entertainers such as "Mina" and "Chaz Bono"  telling their stories: the world will be eager to listen and learn!
                                                             

Another Big Date Set!

I'm sooo excited my first appointment has been set with the doctor who will actually supervise my hormone therapy in approximately two weeks! Yay!