Thursday, December 1, 2011

Teen Transsexuals

Should young transsexuals be allowed to change sex at such an early age? Certainly, it's a question sure to raise many opinions!
Here is another story from the UK about a 16 year old transsexual. "Jack to Jackie's" story comes from the "Yorkshire Evening Post".

Of course I'm biased-even envious to a degree of a young transsexual who has the courage and the support to follow her or his convictions How much easier would have my life been if I totally knew and accepted what was going on with me at a younger age!. BUT, I do understand the concept of a person so young making such a huge decision.is very scary.
In many cases, the choice of changing genders comes down to a "life or death" decision. Either the young person changes genders or wants to die.
The fortunate ones like "Jackie" (shown above) are supported by their families. The unfortunate transgender youth disappear to the streets or worse yet try to commit suicide.
In that case, change is for the better!


The Prettiest Boy In The World

Model sensation Andrej Pejic may indeed be the prettiest boy in the world and is the model of gender contradictions.
A recent example is when he went to meet the Queen of England in a skirt. Pejic described his outfit that night to  "British Vogue":
"I'm wearing a Paul Smith blazer, because I wanted to wear at least one British designer, with a vintage Versace pencil skirt and just some heels," Pejic told us as he got ready for the event. "I wanted to just be myself - androgynous - and play with the masculine blazer and pencil skirt. It's also a bit Nineties, which I love."
Whilst not transgender, Pejic is comfortable to dress in women's
clothes if the shoot or show demands it but, far from being the blank
canvas he hoped, this has seen him pigeonholed as part of the new
gender "trend" - a phenomenon which also includes Brazilian
transsexual model Lea T.

Pejic has commented that both models are placed in the same
 category, but our look is very different.  He said  "Lea has been extremely brave in being very honest about her journey - but I don't
 really see myself as being here to challenge transgender stereotypes. I'm just myself. It's taken a while to be
taken seriously,  but I hope to prove that I'm very versatile and that
I'll still be here after the phenomenon has passed."
Or when he gets the sex change he said he would get to land a "Victoria's Secret" contract?

Another Step Down My Transgender Path

I took another step yesterday in  my quest to finally fill the hormone prescriptions with my local VA.
In  a previous post I mentioned my medical doctor wrote the "scripts" and wanted blood work  I was scheduled to have done anyway at the VA.
He gave me the proper paperwork to have the extra tests done and to send them to him.
I had a day off yesterday and went in guy drag to my local clinic and gave the nurse the extra paperwork/instructions. First of all she said she couldn't do any extra tests without the permission of my VA doc.- until she read the reason for the extra tests. The reason was listed as hormone tests as I was a male to female transsexual. The words seemed to take on a life of their own and jumped off the paper.
In the meantime, the nurse said hold on a minute. 
She went to get the lead nurse and they studied the paperwork for a second (seemed like hours) and said just take a extra portion of blood.
Then the most amazing thing happened.  The nurse's whole demeanor towards me changed.  She became softer and even started to explain her daughter's shopping bonanza after Thanksgiving.
She was so nice even to the point of doing the little female touch as she talked to me about the tests.
Yet another difficult situation of coming out to a total stranger came and went with positive results. I am very fortunate!
I went ahead and made an appointment with my VA doc before Christmas.  What a gift it would be if he sends me straight to the pharmacy to get my prescriptions filled!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A Picture Is Worth A Thousnad Words!

I find this striking picture of an illegal Mexican transgender woman to be almost haunting in it's portrayal of her. I see a powerful yet painful femininity enhanced with the kids in the photo.
The photo credit comes from the AP and Isabel Castro.
"Castro" is working on a documentary that will share the tale of three transgender women from Mexico who fled to Los Angeles. “Crossing Over” focuses on Francis Murillo, Brenda Gonzalez and Abigail Madariaga. All three come from rural areas of Mexico and suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of family, friends and police because they are transgender.
The story comes from "The Stamford Connecticut Main Street Connect".
I was so overpowered by the picture, reading much of the article was almost anticlimactic.
 

Finally!

The day finally arrived and I made it unharmed and on time to my doctors appointment.
I had to calm myself down and make sure I would be able to ask all the questions I wanted to. If you are new to the blog, the "Doc" I'm referring to is the medical doctor who is advising and prescribing  my female hormones.
My basic questions concerned how fast changes would occur and how much control would I have over it.
As it turned out, I really didn't have to ask very many questions at all. I had heard this doctor was very experienced with transgendered hormone therapy and it showed!
First of all he asked me a couple basic questions. How long and how much had I lived a female existence and how far did I want to go?
I told him I was still living a dual gendered existence but not for long. Within a month I would be severing my last ties to living as a man when I quit my job.
Ultimately, I don't see major sex reassignment surgery in my future but do feel the need to further feminize my body and emotions with hormones.
At this point he told me what the process would and could be if I chose to follow it.  He would prescribe me estrogen and a testosterone reducer. He recommended a slow and steady dose of both to let me "grow" into the changes. At the same time,  he told me how much of a dosage would quicken the process and how much of a dosage would be "toxic" to me if I abuse it.
The slower process appeals to me. After all I have spent many years getting to this point, so why push it now.
Of course I wondered how long the slower process would take to produce what sort of results.
This is what he said. The best breast development he had ever seen was a full "B" cup. (Genetics play a factor I hear and my Mom was well endowed.) Of course my body hair will thin as will my beard. Conversly the thick head of hair I'm already blessed with should get thicker. Finally, over the space of a year I should begin to experience the fat deposits which will give me more feminine hips, skin tone and a lessening of my muscle mass.
Having said all of this, your results may vary!
A whole other story is how all this fits in with the VA. More on that later as it is still unfolding.
Those closest to me have asked how I feel? The answer is it is a surreal feeling to have made it to this point. Perhaps the toughest part is staying grounded as I let the process play out.

Monday, November 28, 2011

New Transgender Documentary on the Way

There is a brand new documentary is in the works which could be another plus for the transgender community. From the web site here's the promo. This is my first attempt to upload a video to the blog and it should load for you below. It takes longer to load  than I would like but is worth the wait!
"TRANS is an extraordinary documentary feature about men and women, and all the variations in between. It is about the Transgender Community, perhaps the most misunderstood and mistreated minority in America and around the world.

Inspired by the incredible story of Dr. Christine McGinn and her work as a transgender surgeon, TRANS provides an up-close and very personal vision into the lives, loves, and challenges of a remarkable cast of characters of all ages and from all walks of life.

Stories of confusion and courage, excitement and emotion that have never been told, until now.

To anyone who has ever looked in a mirror and wondered, 'who they really are?'

TRANS ask another question, 'are you brave enough to find out?'"
Trans (Demo Reel) from The Film Collaborative on Vimeo.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

A Good Woman

A good transgendered woman is one that pays forward.
From "The San Francisco Chronicle" comes the story of a transgendered survivor helping others.
"Despite being a star student, Mia Tu Mutch is amazed she survived high school.
Facing bullying from her classmates, constant thoughts of suicide, rejection from her Southern Baptist parents, and the very real prospect of ending up permanently homeless, she clung to any reason to keep living.
"Every day I would say, 'I'm not going to kill myself today. I have a test tomorrow,' " Mia says.
Mia is transgender. She became homeless at a young age, but unlike most teens in her position, she was able to pull herself out of it.

Check the link above to read more of her amazing and courageous story. 

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Must See Transgender Television

From "The Advocate":



Oprah's TV network, OWN, is premiering two new documentary specials on Sunday: Being Chaz (the follow up to Chaz Bono's award winning, Becoming Chaz, from last year) and I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition. The latter, stars Jazz, an 11-year-old transgender girl, her three siblings, friends and parents, as they navigate the world with a gender-variant kid and grapple with the possibility of hormone blocking therapy as she reaches puberty. Director Jen Stocks' doc is an engaging, heartwarming, and moving look at a trans kid. With her parent's support, Jazz has been living as a girl since she was a toddler.

Highlights from a Quiet Week.

Thanksgiving came and went as so many in the past  I'm very fortunate my family has always gotten along well. As I sat and visited with crowd I thought about this could very well be my last Thanksgiving with them as a guy. I didn't pause long or give it too much thought because next year is such a long way off.  To jump off the Thanksgiving bridge now makes no sense. I have many other bridges to jump off of!!!!
Unfortunately I was under the weather most of the week so my life was very quiet until the weekend when I got a text from my daughter at her first drag show.
What a awkward yet wonderful moment. The best part is she wants to go with me to her next one.
Tomorrow morning is the long awaited, once put off visit to the hormone doc. The appointment I couldn't get to a couple weeks ago, seems like months!
As always, I will keep you all updated!

What Would Mom Say

Image from Jenna Norman on UnSplash This week my question to answer on the year long bio I am writing for my daughter and family as well as ...