Let's Be Careful Out There!

No matter how some of the public news is becoming a little more positive about the transgendered community, hate crime is still a HUGE problem for us as evidenced in this video from San Francisco:
Maybe that little container of pepper spray I've been thinking of adding to my purse isn't such a bad idea!

Transgender Life in My Little World

As I approach 4 full months on hormones, the major changes I seem to be feeling now are internal with moods and hot flashes.
As I have passed along before, I have cried more in the past month than in my last 50 some years of life.Now, I don't want to portray these tears as a major sign of depression. They were more of a reflection of life and memories I was having.
I suppose you could call this a "liberation" of sorts or ideally I should have been this way my entire life and not let "male conditioning" get in my way.
It doesn't matter. I just know it is happening. Very simply, a couple genetic women I talk to have said "welcome to their world".
So, as I sit here file my nails and think about this post - I guess I am getting what I asked for and yes it does feel natural and good. I was seeking a slow and steady feminization of my body without any major surgery and it's happening.  A whole summer of new fun is almost upon me with more hair on my head and less on my body.
The only frustration I have are those who want to take me to task for how I got here, where I am going and what label I attach to the process.
For the rest of you on (and off) this blog-thanks sooooo much for being along!

Oh No They Didn't!

Not long ago Mia Macy, an Army veteran and former police detective, initially applied for the position as a man and was told that she was qualified for the job as a ballistics technician. Then she informed the contractor that she was changing her gender. After that, she was told funding for the job was cut. She later learned someone else was hired for the position.
Macy filed a complaint with the ATF, which told her that federal job discrimination laws did not apply to transgender people. The Transgender Law Center, a legal rights advocacy group in San Francisco, took up her case.

Mia Macy (left) with her wife Trish

As you have been possibly reading, her case was brought up to the EEOC and resulted in a landmark ruling that in part said:  the unanimous ruling from the five-member agency does not create a new cause of action. It clarifies that charges of gender stereotyping are considered claims of sex discrimination under existing law.
Until now, Pizer said, it was common for transgender workers to have their complaints rejected by EEOC regional offices and state civil rights agencies due to confusion about the state of the law.
“This is a confirmation that the courts are correct, so public and private employers coast to coast now have the benefit of the EEOC making this clear,”according to EEOC spokeswoman Justine Lisser.
In case you haven't seen her, I'm putting a brave face to the story!

Branching Out!

Well, it's Spring around here (more or less) and as the plants and trees start to grow I am growing just a bit too! (Not the hormones this time!)
I'm starting a column on"Brianna Austin's  TG Life.com."
I will have more for you later!

What Will They Think of Next???

It's heresy! The next thing you know people will be thinking of letting transgendered people vote!
Read this from Singapore (More reaction to Jennifer Talackova's acceptance in Miss Universe)

Engineer Leslie Wong, 29, said the rule change was unlikely to alienate fans of the competition. “If you're in a beauty pageant, you probably look like a beautiful woman,” he said. “I'm not sure I would even be able to tell who is transgendered.”
That's all good but here is the radical part:
Trans student Marla Bendini, 26, said transgender contestants could lead to a more positive representation of the community in society. Bendini said society should also make room for pre-operative transsexuals, but the rule change was a good first step. “It's a beauty pageant, not a glorification of genitals,” she said.

For just a second the floor under my feet was getting colder and I thought hell was freezing over!

Video Choice-Name Choice

I came across this article in the "New York Times" Opinion Page. It's a touching and sensitive look at our culture and the many variations. The same variations which on occasion lead us down such an destructive internal path.
 Here's the intro by Sharon Shattuck published: April 18, 2012:
"  I’ve heard much debate in the past year about what constitutes a “healthy family.” Some politicians argue that the best environment for a child is one with a mother and a father — and the underlying context here is that a “normal” family should be helped by a “normal” heterosexual couple.

For me, “normal” is something entirely different.  Yes, I grew up with a happily married mother and father in a small, conservative Midwestern town. But my father is transgender, and he’s a cross-dresser. He has never tried to hide these facts from anyone.

As you can imagine, my family stuck out like a sore thumb in our small town, though I didn’t quite realize to what extent until my dad legally changed his name from Michael to Trisha. And yes, I sometimes still get tripped up about whether to refer to my dad as “he” or “she.” Growing up with Trisha caused me some grief, mostly because I worried about what other people thought of my family and me.  But Trisha just went about her business, painting prolifically in oil on canvas, playing the banjo — and winning people over by simply being a good friend, neighbor and parent.  You can’t choose your parents. Now I know that I wouldn’t want my dad any other way.

What I’m trying to do now, with this short piece and with a feature-length documentary I’m working on, is to put myself in Dad’s shoes, and in the shoes of other LGBT families across the country.  There are a lot of us out there, and I hope that one day we will see “healthy family” redefined to include us, too.

Sharon Shattuck is an animator and filmmaker who lives in Brooklyn.  Her award-winning animation “Whale Fall” had its premiere on Radiolab."

And here is the video:

Asian Transgender News

From "AsiaOne News": 
A beautiful transgender has caused a stir by registering as an election candidate for the Nan Provincial Administration Organisation.
"I'm confident that my experience and ability will be useful in the development of Nan," Yonlada "Kirkkong" Suanyos, 30, said yesterday.

This is the first time a transgender has run for a political post at the provincial level.
Although she is a new face in politics, she is famous as president of the Trans Female Association of Thailand.
For many years, she has campaigned for the rights of trans-females.
The PhD candidate owns a jewellery business and runs a satellite television station.
Last year, she was named by a media organisation as one of the most influential women in Thai society.

Down Under Comment

"Jamiegottagun" commented on the casting of the Austrailian transgender icon "Carlotta" by a genetic female actress:
"Particularly small-thinking when they could have had Shane Jarek (Courtney Act) instead.
How much you want to be they never even considered casting anyone besides a female actress?"

I don't think they probably ever considered  casting a transgendered actress or even a male playing the role.
For those of you who haven't heard or seen "Courtney Act" - here she is!

A Plethora of Classic Videos!

I posted a couple of interesting classic videos over on "Trannsnation"
Also I just put a classic "Christopher Morley" doing Marilyn Monroe here in the Condo's Entertainment Center.
Enjoy!