Writing on the Condo's Wall

I received a quick comment from "Reality Check" on my recent post concerning "Jackie Green".
The comment:
"So is she transgendered or transsexual? Which is it?
You wanna have both ways?"
Truthfully, I have always coveted "having it both ways".
Growing up I was always hammered by my parents for wanting money without working for it. As I embarked down my own transition my wife always told me I wanted to be a pretty girl for the benefits and not experience the reality of womanhood-then jump back to my male side. Both were true but not feasible.
As far as transgendered versus transsexual goes, I agree they are different even though some definitions say they are not.
I also think the word play/semantics debate about the two terms is quite tiring.
Having said that, perhaps you regular readers here have seen that I have added both terms more and more when I write. Rather than being more attractive to search engines, for the most part I do try to keep peace in the family.
I am a firm believer you all should not be subjected to the petty stories of discrimination and  venom I have been subjected to over the years by those in our culture/community/umbrella. (Yes those words are potential problems too!) I never have wanted this blog to go down that path.
BUT!
Yes I do want to have it both ways "Reality Check" yours and mine!

Dragging Out The "Tupperware"

Apparently selling "Tupperware" is and isn't a drag for "Dixie Longate":
Drag artist Dixie Longate has been selling Tupperware for more than 10 years – most recently through a stage show that doubles as a party – apparently becoming one of the biggest sellers in the US.
She says that, on two occasions now, she has shifted more "fine-quality plastic crap" than anyone else in a year, and been invited to the Tupperware sales conference to collect her tiara. Known as jubilees, these conferences are "fantastic, like a cult without the animal sacrifice ... When I was No 1 last time I had sold $219,000 of Tupperware in a year. Ain't that crazy?"

Dixie Longate

It is.
A party takes place globally every 1.7 seconds, with sales of $2.3b in 2010.
You better "drag" out all the old Tupperware in your cupboards!

Another Transsexual Beauty Queen?

With all the "hoop-la" over the success of Jenna Tackalova winning her bid to compete in the "Miss Universe" pageant, it's easy to forget young transsexual woman "Jackie Green" competing in the "Miss England" pageant.

Jackie (pictured above on the right) is now 18 and has secured her place in the
semi- final of the national beauty pageant.
She won the public vote in a heat, impressed a panel of judges
and became the first transgender teenager to go through to the Miss
England semi-final.

The event will take place on May 30.

Weekly "Horror Scope"

Already a week has blown by and it's time for another "horror scope" from "theFrisky"!

"You aren’t one to judge, but when you hear all the tales another tells you this week, you’ll be wondering if they aren’t pathological. As it goes, what you’ll find out isn’t exactly the most normal news, so for that, don’t be shy to ask for proof. After all, you deserve the full show, as it’s only real talent that will satisfy a lady like you."

Well, I have never identified with "normal", not really shy and I love the show!

More Explanation from a Smarter Person!

The EEO transgendered inclusive policy decision has been publicized and kicked around now for the last week or so.
Here is another view from "Sherri Lynn" and she takes it a step further:

" This (ruling) is the first major milestone in affording us equal rights and could be what is needed to compel Congress to pass ENDA. It is important to understand that it was the Democrat party that obstructed the passage of ENDA. It was passed in committee, and sent for final markup. The Democrat chair of the committee, did not move the bill forward and it expired in his possession. Not that I believe it would have moved forward under Republican leadership either. We simply must be aware that one's political allegiance is no guarantee of advancing our rights, though it is the Democrat party that has helped us the most. Still we do have allies in the Republican camp and it does not serve us well to blindly endorse one party or the other. We need to learn about each member of the House and the Senate and determine who will help us advance our quest for civil rights"
Read more here


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Being Transgender and Religious

Admittedly I'm more spiritual than religious but I watch with interest of course those transsexual and transgender  folks that are.
Of course I could go on a righteous rant about those who use what organized religion they chose to fabricate reasons to beat us down. When I see us get rejected and trashed from the pulpit (or wherever) it just reinforces my thoughts of hypocrisy concerning most organized religions.
I just have never believed a higher being really cares how I feel about my gender. I do believe the higher force does believe how I treat the world is important!
So, when I see transgender or transsexual people stepping up to protest and attempt to affect change in their religions- I have more than a passing amount of respect!
Here's a story featured on the "Institute of Religion and Democracy" site about two of those people!
Read more here.
While I'm editorializing, I do fear a right wing religious backlash on our hard earned gains!

United Methodist Layperson Giselle Lawn and Pastor David Weekley spoke Wednesday about their experience as transsexual persons. (Photo credit: Institute on Religion and Democracy)

 

 

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Huh?

"This creation of an illness is not a trans centric concept.  It
postulates, fundamentally, a variance that is undesired in the greater
population, and, in this case, this variance is considered harmful in
and of itself. In my seeking to work and promote a trans centric
understanding of things, this fell under my sights that long ago time
and I did my usual thing of sitting on a rock like stool and assuming
a famous pose of an elbow on a leg, head resting on a fist, and
peering forward into the vagaries of that which lies behind my eyes.

In other words, I sat and thought about it.  Thunk on it, in the vernacular."

Afterwords, I sat and thought about it and thunk on it and said Huh?
Just to prove I didn't make this up...go here.
All this time I was kicking myself for not making it through the sixth grade without new crayons.

Have You Seen Her?

I'm fortunate to have restablished a tie with a person I met years ago in my formative cross dressing years.
As I look back on the experiences with him and the others in the small group of individuals we used to "hang out" with "back in the day", it is truly amazing the diversity in the small numbers.
I would say this little social group numbered at the most 8 or ten people. Included were two who went on to complete the change, so we numbered a couple true transsexuals.  Another two or three would probably be called transgender today. Of course there were a couple cross dressers, a couple spouses and even an admirer thrown in.
Looking back the 30 plus years or so and I compare the learning experience with going to a diverse public school instead of a private school with all the same kids.
At any rate, as I have started to share some of my recent experiences with him, his most basic comment is Wow, what happened to the person I (him) used to know?
Of course I don't hold the comment against him, but that person so many years ago is gone. Our paths went separate directions and he stayed firmly in the closet (his choice-it's all good) and of course you see where I have ended up. (No cheap shots!)
He now is wondering (and asked) when I am embarking down the final path to SRS.
Well, I'm not I told him. I explained I am very comfortable where I am in life right now and more importantly the people I love and love me are comfortable with me too.
I guess that very thought pattern was foreign to him and maybe more sustainable in  today's society than in the past?
With all the information available these days, it's almost as if we are going through a knowledge bonanza that us (older) trans folks haven't seen since the internet started to boom.
All of the sudden I'm finding others like me and life choices I didn't know existed. Sort of like when I was so alone as a youth thinking I was the only one in the world who thought about gender like I did.
It has been a special experience contacting with him though! The whole process has given me yet another chance to step back in time and evaluate where I have come from. In the end, it's the best way to predict the future!