The Other Side Of Transgender Thai

We all see and enjoy the beautiful Thai transgender women in beauty pageants and other public events but what about the "everyday" transsexual Thai woman. The woman who goes to work everyday and just lives her life.

From the "Phuket News" comes a story about the "other side" of the Katoey culture in Thailand.
"Katoey are born, raised and registered in the Kingdom of Thailand. They are, and have been, an integral part of Thai society dating back to at least the Rattanakosin period in the 18th century. However, in the mainstream psyche, katoey are placed on the the fringes of the Thai social fabric.

Loud, aggressive and violent are all stereotypes associated with the transgender community, especially in Patong – a classic case of "one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel".

However, there are "good apples" that have chosen a different path, but not without adversity.
Toedsak "Gai" Kaipraiwan, 30, (pictured on the left) earned a bachelor’s degree from a university in Sakon Nakhon, her home province in Northeastern Thailand (Isarn). "Gai faced many job related obstacles before working as a transgender consultant in a clinic.

"Um at work"

Not all transgenders have struggled with finding the right job.

"Tintinarn "Um" Homroskla is a 23-year-old Phuketian with a degree in business administration from a local vocational college.

"I started working as a cashier at a store in Phuket International Airport as soon as I graduated. I was 18 years old," Um said.

"I had no problem getting the job and I got along fine with my colleagues. Even though there was nothing exciting about my job, it was my plan to start from something small and work my way up.

Um moved from cashier to sales agent at a housing estate to receptionist at a spa and now is the manager of Andaman Power Organization, a local non-governmental organization working directly with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual (LGBT) community in Phuket."
 
Two great examples of two of many transgendered women in Thailand who have established themselves in lives they were destined to live.
Follow the link above for the full story.

An Interesting Transsexual "Before"

Italian movie star Giuseppe Schisano to change sex and be called 'Vittoria' .

This will be one transition that will be interesting to watch! I'm thinking her eyes and lips will be sexy!

 

"Wass Up? Update

Following a brief break, I plan to turn up the heat again before we make it to the first of the year.
My reschedule with the actual doctor who can prescribe hormones (and is well respected) is next Monday.
Then I've figured out the two people I can contact to see if the VA will at least pay for the hormones themselves.
I have until the middle of December before I see the psychologist again. By that time I will know for sure if I will need Plans B thru X.
Shortly after that changing employment to begin transition is planned and possible.
Of course any plan is just that...a plan and we all know there will be many surprises ahead!
Stay tuned!

A Time For Thanks?

In a day or so it is Thanksgiving in my world.  I say that because I know a percentage of our community here on the blog doesn't live in the United States. As the "old school" girl I am, I'm flattered, humbled and dazzled by the world wide web.
It's a time of the year when families get together to eat too much turkey and watch more football.
Unfortunately it is also the time of the year when many of our transgendered sisters and brothers are ostracized by critical families.
My two fave girls and I have talked about this being my last appearance as the "patriarch" of my immediate family  Over the past five years or so our family has become bottom heavy with grandkids and yes I became the oldest person in the family.
While I could never picture myself as a "matriarch", obviously I will be quite different in a year.
How will this work?
I have written before of my brothers probable knowledge of my gender situation and my daughter preparing her family but there is a whole other level of family on my brother's side.
My decision is to not jump off any bridges before it's time and to give thanks for what I have.
Even though some of you may not be in an area that celebrates Thanksgiving, hopefully you will be able to stop for a second to give thanks for the gifts you do have. No manner how minor.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I am NOT a Crossdresser!

Don't get upset. A while ago I wrote a post on Hub Pages and shared it here on why I'm not a crossdresser.
Here it is again:

Maybe you aren't either.

I don't spend 100% of my life yet as a female, but when I do does that qualify me as a crossdresser? When I'm working as a guy...maybe I'm a crossdresser then?
Where is the mystical line? If you take the word in it's most basic form I am a crossdresser because I don't wear the clothes of my birth gender. Then again, who says what my birth gender really was?
What "clicks" in my brain when I'm a girl? I shop and eat and do girl stuff. I simply love the hair, clothes and makeup! The word cross dresser has no meaning. If I'm not a female, I'm certainly not a guy just dressed in ladies clothes trying to fool the world.
Are you a crossdresser? Even if you are walking through the mall in sky high heels, big hair and a short skirt you may not be. You could be going through your teen girl years. It happens to all of them. They grow up and so will you.
Don't get me wrong here. I know I will never be a genetic female. No amount of surgery or hormones has perfected that miracle of science yet. I am a mix of both genders and something I'm becoming very comfortable with. The crossdresser in you will disappear as you feel more comfortable and your female side establishes what she wants to be.
So,when someone refers to you as a crossdresser, maybe you are not. Think of it this way. I'm a guy out of convenience and a girl out of desire!

Over the months I've had several comments but the one I'm going to share is beyond wonderful!

jeanine commented:

I am a two spirited individual... and could be and can fall into all of the categories... trans anything, to me is just the diversity within our tribe... I do not like what the medical community has done for and to us as a tribe... sense the beginning of time we have been advisers to Kings, Queens and leaders all over the world... we were revered because of our knowledge of both genders... consider Holy men to most native tribes around the world and until the European version Christianity came on the scene we were known as the keepers of the secrets of God... I cannot understand why our tribe has embraced the binary system... since the medical community has been helping us we have been relegated to the Jerry Springer show... I'm having trouble with the medical community telling me I will be more if they make me less... I am not one or the other I am both... transsexuals to me are just the new Eunuchs and they are so beautiful to me... what the world does know but I'm sure you do is we all hear that women are going to be elevated to rule the world completely, so some of us change to get to go to the head of the line... some change because we can and yet others change to get away from the angst that this society has placed upon us... I know there is a day coming when we will be restored to our rightful place of honor... I am not one or the other... I am both... it is the gift from God that we have received... enjoyed the read...

I have written here on occasion on how most of the ancient cultures did revere our knowledge we gain from both sides of the gender divide. I have just not been able to express my feelings on the subject as well as Jeanine!

The Best Womanless Beauty Pageant?

Just a couple pix from the recent "Miss International Queen Pageant" pageant in Thailand!
More pix on the Picture Gallery Page!

Transgender Cup Half Full Or Empty?

As we pause to remember our transgendered sisters and brothers who have died for whatever reason, it is time to consider our past and future.
Here on the blog I try to present the positive and minimize the violence which does plague the transgender culture.
Why?
I try to be a positive person and perceive my cup as half full. Rehashing transgendered violence would make me no better than the 11 local television news. The news motto is "the bloodier, the better."
Having said that, the overwhelming sadness when someone is physically harmed just because of gender differences is just crazy.
Add the torment of emotional abuse from family and peer groups and this is a time to remember the ones who have suffered the ultimate penalty. It is also a time to not forget.
Transgender violence stories should serve as a constant reminder to all of us to be aware of our surroundings at all times. Maybe you should add that Mace pepper spray you have been thinking of buying and keep it in your purse. It's all part of being a woman.
Transgender violence should also remind us to always stand up and be counted when we can when transgender issues arise. 
We can never forget that every little bit helps and together we can move the world.
It's a shame when violence has to motivate us.

Fun Stuff!

Enough already!
Let's get back to real life.
Friday was a great day with my two fave girls.
In a previous post, i mentioned the conversation my daughter and I had concerning the girl scouts.
As we finished breakfast I took the opportunity to give her a little history of how this gender journey of mine unfolded.  As it turned out, the conversation was more comfortable and less awkward than I expected.
If I put myself in her shoes I suppose I would wonder how all of this happened right before her eyes with three people all hiding it from her. The three peeps were myself of course. My first wife (her Mom) and my second wife (Step Mother).
I would wonder how my beer drinking, sports loving sometimes bearded father is crossing gender lines.
Much of the conversation centered on the attributes of both women she called Mom.
I spoke of the time her Mom  really didn't know which gender of me would be picking her up at the airport when she got out of the Army and was coming to live with me.
I told the time her Step Mom told me "I wasn't man enough to be a woman."
Once I started the easier it became to explain who I was really becoming and how long the process took.
All too soon our time was up and the best part was yet to come when she said she wanted to take me shopping! I was just amazed, proud and simply blown away with the experience.  I'm not sure how I got to this point with her or deserve it, but it sure is nice!
Part two of the day was a date with my fave Wiccan girl. She invited me to meet her group and sit in on a psychic reading. Other than enjoying her company, our dates are a total feminine experience for me. We are two women, nothing more, nothing less. Interestingly, we were the best dressed in the room and only one of two obvious couples.
Oh! I almost forgot to tell you the psychic didn't look at me and say "I see BIG changes in your future!"
At the end of the day I was desperately trying to determine what amount of Karma I have saved up to deserve this treatment from those two girls.
I just hope I have more in my savings!

REALLY?

A transgender woman in South Florida faces charges of practicing cosmetic surgery without a license, after police say she injected an unwitting patient’s buttocks with a handful of unsafe substances, including tire mender Fix-A-Flat, NBC reported.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/transgender-woman-arrested-injecting-fix-a-flat-patient-rear-article-1.980273#ixzz1eIhWE4AX