Another "Not So Average" American Girl

This is another story I discovered from the "San Fransisco Bay Guardian".
"Christine Beatty" pictured on your left is "a transsexual activist, author, and good-time girl, Beatty just published her memoir, Not Your Average American Girl on her newly christened Glamazon Press (available at Modern Times bookstore in the Mission, www.mtbs.com). In it, she tells her story of growing up and discovering her inner self during a very turbulent time in Northern California, through the stoner 1970s to the economically rocky '80s to our own time, when trans people have gained an unprecedented visibility yet still find themselves the targets of discrimination from both conservative quarters and other LGBTs."

Here's a small idea of where the book came from and how it came to be:
"It's a wonder that Not Your Average American Girl exists at all. It meticulously recreates scenes from Beatty's experiences using entries from the journals that she's kept all her life. And really, if your mortal coil encompassed typical suburban mama's boy, stoner hippie, macho soldier, undercover married cross-dresser (or "frilly werewolf"), Tenderloin call girl, recovering heroin addict, pioneering rock musician, and author-publisher, how legible would your diary be?
"When I went to write the book, I looked at these old journals and I was filled with gratitude," Beatty said. "I was so scared, hopeless, resentful in parts. But I see how far I've come and I'm still alive. And I must have known I was going to survive — otherwise why the hell would I write all this down?"

Sounds great!

Equal Time!

On occasion I enjoy passing along news and or pictures of female to male transsexuals.
These days there are lists of everything and a site posted their top ten hottest ftm transmen.

"Diesel" pictured to the right made an "honorable mention".
Over the years, I have mentioned my fascination with transmen.  Why in the world would they want to not be female? The answer of course is simple. They didn't feel like girls-ever.
Over the past couple years I have been fortunate to meet a couple of guys who walk the thin line between ftm transmen and "super butches". I now have a real understanding of how similar we are as we walk opposite sides of the gender fence. So different yet so alike in trying to understand why we are the way we are?
On occasion they will talk of how they have no understanding of the female psyche.
The genders really are on different levels. Not bad, not good- just different.
I passed along "Diesel's" picture as a "blue collar" transman but you can see the entire Top 10 here.
I do follow one transman's blog here, Matt Kailey's "Tranifesto".
A question I'm thinking of passing along is "It seems many more transwomen are interested in lesbian relationships with women than transmen are in relationships with gay guys? Any ideas?"

Trans Teacher Lessons

Once again, Thailand makes transgendered news. This time though NOT through some crazy "lady boy" story or the ancient over blown transsexual stewardess story.

From "The Nation" comes the story of "Inthukorn Sitthiwong":
"Unfortunately, she's being asked not to teach - at least not in any way that she could maintain her honesty and dignity.
In her third year at Chiang Mai University's Faculty of Education, Inthukorn was "advised" to start getting used to the idea of wearing a male uniform for her final year of training as a teacher - despite the fact that she's been a woman all her life.
Yes, she's one of many transgender women across the country who aspire to become teachers. The difference is that, while everyone before her obeyed the dictates of the regulations and bowed to social pressure and the threat of being flunked, she's not going to pretend to be someone else.
Fifteen years ago, Rajabhat teachers' institutes announced they would reject "sexual deviants". The resulting public uproar forced them to back down, but it's an open secret that many applicants fail interviews or are steered to other fields because of their gender identity.
Inthukorn's case has brought back to the surface the debate over whether LGBT people should be allowed to teach.
The basis of the opposition is the fear that children will "copy" their transgender teachers. Science is beginning to understand the roots of gender identity, and there is so far no evidence that this fear has any basis.

The U.S. was given a little praise in the article.

"
Even in the US, a society far less familiar with transgender people than Thailand, there has been growing acceptance of transgender teachers. In addition to serving as role models for students who wonder if they too are in the wrong gender category or have already decided, it affords all students a lesson in tolerating diversity.
"The world is full of people and beliefs that not all of us agree on," one Thai parent was recently quoted as saying. "You can't just tell your kids that if they don't like it, they should leave. You need to teach them that they don't have to agree with another person's beliefs, but they must respect those beliefs."

In another life in another year far far away, I was lucky to experience Thailand for a year during my military service. "Chiang Mai" was rumored to have the most beautiful women in the country.

"Inthukorn Sitthiwong": is certainly one of them!

Vote for England's First Miss England Trans Woman

You have probably heard by now (or read it here) about 18 year old transsexual Jackie Green competing in the "Miss England Pageant". She is leading so far in the first competition which is an on line photo contest. She is leading by a wide margin so far over "Kim" pictured below.

Kim

Now you can vote for her in a portion of the competition. If your phone carrier doesn't charge you a bunch of money to do it. Mine tried to.

Jackie

For more info here is the site.

Swimming With the Transgender Current!

Much of the time, I have referred to my journey into trans womanhood as a "path". Not fitting neatly into the crossdresser or transsexual mode has  provided a unique perceptive look at the world.
Maybe the path wasn't concrete at all. Maybe I can compare it to a river.  I threw my transgendered self into the current -to sink or swim.
Every once in a while a bit of news comes along which makes me think I'm not headed towards "Niagara Falls" in a barrel.
From "The San Fransisco Chronicle" comes the story of perhaps the first transgendered mainstream romance novel:

Chances at Romance announces the publication of perhaps the first mainstream romance novel with a transgendered heroine. "Two Spirit Ranch" explores when love is challenged by a rugged sheriff's preconceived notion about gender and the heroine's fear of not being loved for the woman she is.
After a year of unprecedented publicity regarding transgender issues in the entertainment and political worlds, the book, written by Jaime Stryker, hopes to give an unconventional twist to a conventional tale. Stryker, who is a longtime fan of the genre, says, "Popular art reflects culture, and the past year brought transgender issues to the forefront. It was simply time for a romance novel that also touched upon gender issues."
The title delves into the fact that some Native American tribe members could assume the identity of the opposite gender and still be accepted and respected by their community. "Many of the native peoples believed a spectrum of gender identities was part of nature's diversity." Stryker goes on to say, "When European colonization started to dominate the region rigid gender roles became the norm."

Here is information on the book if you are interested:
Two Spirit Ranch: A Romance
Author: Jaime Stryker
ISBN: 978-0615593302
Retail: Available from most online book retailers, including Amazon, e-bookstores, or on order from your local bookstore.
Wholesale: CreateSpace Direct


Maybe I won't have to be such a good swimmer after all!
On another level, a novel such as this touches on relationships with men and transwomen we have discussed more than a couple times.(Damn Transvestite Home Wreckers!) 
around the condo.

Overthinking Again!

My doctor's appointment today started the same as any other.
Worry what to wear, hurry to get there-to wait.
Wait I did. Long enough to actually attempt to read a couple "People's" magazines cover to cover.
Finally the Doctor showed up in his bright white coat.
Quick and to the point he asked about my progress and I told him. He then asked if I expereinced any "side effects" and I said no negative ones and I simply "loved the process" so far.
He said wonderful. Let's double your estrogen! Maybe he read my last post?
So I'm the proud possessor of 6 months worth of estrogen and spiro to block that nasty testosterone plus a six month reprieve from the doc!
Life is good!

Trans Fantasy?

It is time for a check up with my hormone doctor today. My primary doc at the Veteran Administration has and will honor the prescriptions the hormone doctor writes. Not a perfect world, but one that works so far.
Here's my fantasy, what if the doc today asks me if I want to up the dosage? What if I ask him for permission?
"Changes" I have felt so far have centered around emotions and breasts.
If you follow my "tweets" here, last night was the first time in my life I almost started to cry from an external source not close to me!
I also am experiencing growth in my breasts under the arms and have started to notice more of a gentle slope from my upper body to the nipple.
I won't lie and say I don't really love all of this. I do and have waited so long.
I also can't lie and say if the process was accelerated I wouldn't be disappointed.
My dilemma is I have rather enjoyed the progress in a very short period of time. (less than a month). So do I mess with a good thing or attempt to make it better?
The appointment is in two hours and I can truthfully say I don't know how to answer the question- so I will play it by ear and listen to what the doc says.
At least in this case, a "no decision" won't be a bad one so I should walking into a "win-win" situation.

Damn Transvestite Homewreckers!

From "Asiaone News"
"Transvestites have become a new threat to the marriage institution, with sex-change surgeries becoming more affordable to men who want to look like beautiful, alluring women, Metro Ahad reported.
Former Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) family, social and community assistant director Zawiyah Hassan told the daily an increasing number of mak nyah are flirting with married men without fear of society's backlash.
Zawiyah said it was not surprising to hear of straight men leaving their wives or girlfriends to have affairs with these transvestites, who are said to be more tender, loving and caring in their ways than normal women.
The daily said it now costs RM70,000 for a whole package deal while it used to cost about RM100,000 for either just a sex operation or a breast implant."
 I'm biased but could it be the "the more tender, loving and caring in their ways than normal women" had any impact on these men?
I've always said being female does not make you a woman!

Mak Nyah Sial

Transgenderism: Disorder or Destiny

Some feel if you don't feel totally sure you are not living your life in your chosen gender at an very early age, somehow you are a transgendered impostor.
Some feel your feminist is measured somehow by the number of operations or the amount of hormones you have taken.
Only you know for sure what gender you identify with or the one you think you identify with.
In my case I thought I knew I wanted to be a girl but I didn't dare wish it was possible. Being part of a family with WWII /depression age parents didn't make life any easier. My situation was so completely different from some of the family stories I read about today, I can't even imagine it
So I guess you can say my slow transition in life was destiny. In a sense, the process wasn't so much "the farther I went-the more I needed". It was "the more I loved it".
As I write this I can say this is the first night I have experienced some soreness in my breasts and it is the first time in my life I have liked soreness!
The best part of destiny is a greater appreciation of the changes I'm going through.
So I guess I'm guilty of not being sure I wanted to be female at the age of 6. I'm also guilty of not assuming my genitalia determines my gender.  Even if I ever go for sex change surgery (or not) an operation will not determine my inner gender.
Gender disorder or destiny does not really matter if we become at peace with ourselves and others!