Why We Owe Black America a Ton of Credit.

Recently the local PBS (Public Broadcasting System) channel in my area ran a documentary about the black civil rights struggles in the deep south in the early 1960's. The marches, protests and boycotts by the black community led to the Civil Right's Act of 1964. (from Wikipedia)
"The landmark legislation was a piece of legislation in the United States  that outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation. It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general public ("public accommodations")."

What is happening now is that transgendered and transsexual groups are using the legislation to argue we are one of the remaining groups in our country still being denied rights as Americans under the law.

"The bill was called for by President John F. Kennedy in his civil rights speech of June 11, 1963, in which he asked for legislation "giving all Americans the right to be served in facilities which are open to the public—hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores, and similar establishments," as well as "greater protection for the right to vote." Kennedy delivered this speech following a series of protests from the African-American community, the most concurrent being the Birmingham campaign which concluded in May 1963."

In 1964, I was in my early teens and of course followed all of this. Little did I know how it would affect me later!

Lend a Hand!

Change.org has began circulating a petition to help the disqualified transsexual trans woman who was rejected from the "Miss Canada" pageant.
You can to "Change.org" to lend your support to "Jenna Talackova"!

"Weakly Horrorscope"

Here we go friends another "horrorscope" from the Frisky!

Who cares how things get done this week, as long as you haul ass and get all your ducks in a row. As it goes, you need to be on point with your plans now and know what you want. No more putting up with excuses or thinking, “Why me?” as the world can’t wait for your genius for one more day. Bring it or back out.

Sure it's weak but true!!!!!!

Quote of the Day!

"As my momma would put it.  Lips, hips, tits, and ass don't come for free nor are they covered by medical insurance." Christina Cracraft, transsexual teacher and burlesque dancer in Sante Fe, New Mexico.
Unfortunately (per norm) she is facing suspension from her teaching job. Read the story and see the news video here.

Just an aside. I saw a real live burlesque show on New Years Eve last December by a touring NYC group and it was tremendous!
If you really are looking for lessons on the sensuality of being a woman, I highly recommend burlesque or belly dancing!

Waaaasupp?

It is so easy to get caught up in the life and death- give and take around here in the "Condo" It's hard to slow down.
Who did who, how hard they did it  and what did they looked like when they did it rules us sometimes. I am one of those.
First of all, I missed a couple milestones to thank you about.
Somewhere along the way recently, the fact that we zoomed past 215,000 hits on the blog and shot past over 900 posts was totally lost on me.
Slowly and sometimes unsurely, I'm still putting together as much time and effort as I can into my "Trannsnation.com" website is varyingly levels of success. My patience level on occasion collides with my lack of expertise and causes a huge amount of frustration.
One thing is certain, time keeps marching on. Thanks so much for being along for the journey!

Now I Understand you "Stealth" Folks!

I have read and even conversed with transgendered or transsexual women who have gone "stealth". OK, let me clarify some had transitioned with the operation and some had not had the operation but lived in society as females. They made no secret of the fact they wanted nothing to do with the "crazies" in our culture.
I took that as a sign of weakness. How could they not want to help in making life easier for the transgendered generations to come????
Well, the last couple of months on this blog have given me a real insight to where they are coming from and I apologize for my ignorance.
What changed? To be blunt about it, yet again recently I was told I was less of a person and shouldn't be allowed to live my life in my chosen gender. Get back in my closet and quit embarrassing the chosen ones who were willing and able to go the distance to Thailand.
Was this coming from some right wing, bible quoting bigot? Hell no, it was coming from right wing bible thumping transsexual Nazi's! Really!
Now I know why the lady down the street goes about her life quietly without ever having the mystical operation to take her to the official promised land. Wow I was thick!!!
Why would she want any part of this circus?
Why do I? Because I need to be committed! (I know there is a rubber room reservation waiting for me!) Seriously, I'm committed to helping anyone who can learn from my story. My failures and successes are out here to benefit others that's it. I won't do it any other way because it's my life and the positive karma I've enjoyed lately dictates I do it this way.
So here is my apology to all you stealth transgendered men and women. I understand where you are coming from now.
Ironically,  probably like you I have had more vicious attacks on my lifestyle from within rather from outside our culture.

Yet Another "Here We Go Again!"

Anne sent in another thought provoking comment. I started to respond directly to it but then decided I needed to do a little more.
Here's the comment:

"I am wondering how you feel about the distinction between being trans-gender, ie "presenting" as the gender opposite to that matching the sexual characteristics with which you were born....and,

being trans-sexual, ie going through that extremely difficult process of changing those physical characteristics to match the brain sex with which you were born.

You see if you do see the distinction and can accept that HUGE difference then perhaps you can see why organizations like MUC must exclude the transgendered from those contests designed for women.

If you cannot make that distinction or simply refuse to accept it, then you contribute to the push back against that preposterous claim that "presenting" female actually makes one female and will continue to cause problems for young women like Jenna."

First of all, I believe sex and gender are different. Let's make that distinction. I don't feel the transsexual elitists are any better than the narrow minded red neck sitting at the end of the bar in their thought patterns. Let's use the quote of the day I just posted and change it to "You aren't a woman. You are an operation." I don't care what equipment you carry. I'm a libertarian. Spend your life on this planet the best way you know how. That includes gender.

Secondly, I know a few vocal transsexual elitists feel their "extremely difficult" process was somehow more difficult than any other of us mere transgendered folks or cross dressers. I agree their process was more painful and expensive but that is it. I see it as an effort to transfer the "male privilege" they experienced to a "transsexual privilege" they think they deserve.

I do not think MUC should be forced to take Jenna but I do believe in her right to force the issue. It seems to me you are contradicting yourself at this point.  MUC is most certainly is pushing back at our entire culture no matter how we identify. How can you begin to say this is the fault of the transgendered culture? You didn't say a word about how wrong it was for Jenna to be rejected. Really?

Finally, let me use your push back phrase.
As I started to live my life in my chosen gender, the biggest push back I experienced was from the transsexual elitists I have encountered on line.
Dare I say some have bordered on the jealous and bitter side? For the life of me, I don't know why Anne? I'm just another human trying to live life the best I can. Does it make it wrong that I am accepted in the places I go as a trans person? Some trans-nazi's seem to think it is.
Let's use you as an example. If you are in a restaurant near me and you are an attractive transsexual operated woman, you have a couple choices. If indeed you notice me at all, you could stay stealth and say nothing or whisper to the people you are with (throwing me under the bus for your own perceived superiority) or try to say something to me.
Let me follow this point up with another. Compare appearance with all the expensive operations in the world.  I  have certainly seen more than a couple transsexual women who just don't make the female grade. At that point do they keep their female privilege card to use the restroom because of all the money they spent? What about the female to male transgendered folks? Do they contribute to the push back too?

I will say it again and again Anne.  I do my best to "push forward" in my life and in anyway possible help others who may be on the same path.  I do not believe you can spend your way into becoming a woman and I'm sure Jenna feels the same way although I can't speak for her.
I believe it would be Jenna who would use the "preposterous" word to think transgendered women hurt her chances to be accepted in the pageant.

Oh, by the way. I'm only presenting as me. Until science evolves to a point a trans woman can birth a child we are all the same.  As a friend once told me "Beware, all the operations and hormones in the world do not often make a man a woman."

***I'm sure some of you may want to comment on this pro or con. If the blog system would let you in, you can send a comment to my email cyrstih@yahoo.com and I will transfer it here.

Quote of the Day

"You are not a woman. You are a career."
From the 195s film "The Star". Spoken to Bette Davis by Sterling Hayden.

Transgendered Stars Shine Brite!

As Glaad wrapped up their recent media awards show, I almost blew up my computer downloading pix of transgendered stars.
I'm going to try to spread them out here, the Gallery page in the Condo and the rest on "Trannsnation".
Here are just a couple!
 Dr. Marcy Bowers of course is the renowned transsexual surgeon (transgendered herself).
"Manila and Sahara" are from RuPaul's "Drag Race".

Finally I added an appropriate  photo of Ru himself (looking like some sort of an 1950's Havana reject)

"Manila Luzon & Sahara Davenport"

 

"Marcy Bowers"