"3 Step Program"

You all know I relish over simplifying things and people that can do it!
I am not saying I can- but here's an attempt.
Step #1,- The person moves from a fetish attraction to the clothes of the opposite sex and becomes a cross dresser.
Step #2.- The person moves from the mirror to an inner feeling of identifying with the opposite gender and becomes transgender.
Step #3.- The person moves to align inner feelings with physical body modifications and becomes a transsexual.
Step #4.-A whole bunch of peeps want to trash me for this over simplification!
 

Harisu Comeback

The transsexual pop star Harisu will return to K-Pop after five years! A representative of her agency stated on July 4, “Harisu will release a new single on July 9. For this comeback she has been preparing for a long time.”

And...from China:

Wang Maoli says she doesn't regret the sex reassignment surgery she underwent 21 years ago.
But that doesn't mean life has been easy, she says.
She has spent the past two decades in the media spotlight as the first person known to have undergone the surgery in Chongqing municipality and the second in the country. She's also perhaps the country's first person to change the gender on her ID card.
"I might not have survived if I hadn't done the surgery," she says.
While hardships have persisted, the Sichuan Opera performer says the procedure lifted her life's greatest burden.
"I'm living a pure and moral life," she says. "My status is legally recognized by authorities. I make people happy with my shows. I don't see why I should be ashamed."

"Passing" This Along

From Matt Kailey (ftm trans man) comes a moving look at his 30 year high school reunion:
I'll simply say it's worth the effort to go here to check it out!

"Gender Blender"

"The bravest thing to do is to be yourself

Let us explore an extraordinary journey of self. A self that has been suppressed for many, and by many, for ages. Together, we can experience the rare beauty of being Third Gender.
GENDER BLENDER  is a documentary featuring a human who never fit any mold. The film intimately explores the world of Lauren, a transgender female transitioning to become her ultimate expression: gender neutral."
Check out the trailer: In many ways over the years I have felt a certain attraction to the "third gender" idea. Like tonight when I had an invasion by two young raccoons in my house. I shifted to male mode quickly! Here's the movie's web site link.

Pejic in Paris

More Andrej Pejic from a recent Paris show!

Transgender Prom Queen Out and Up!

The night of her high school prom, Connor Ferguson anxiously pulled on a floor-length leopard print dress and slipped her feet inside six-inch high heels covered in glitter.

Connor Ferguson, 18.

Despite loving the outfit she’d chosen, the 18-year-old transwoman from Trenton, Ont., considered not going to the prom at all, worried her peers might say something nasty or rude. She never expected they would name her prom queen.
“It was absolutely unreal. I’ll definitely remember that moment forever,” said Ferguson, who was crowned queen at Trenton High School on June 22.

From the National Post!

More "OutServe" Transgender Advice

Recently I ran a post featuring "OutServe" Magazine. I am certainly interested in the publication since I am a transgender vet. If you are a vet or not "Brynn Tannehill" writes about transition planning and begins with this:

"Like everyone in the military, at some point I had to leave. Transitioning from military life to civilian is hard enough. Transitioning genders at the same time adds a degree of difficulty that even Greg Louganis would cringe at. I left active duty in 2008 after 10 years in the service. I left the reserves in 2010 as Lt. Cmdr. Bryan Tannehill. Less than two years later I was Brynn Tannehill, civilian defense contractor.  Somehow, despite all the horror stories within the trans community, I managed to stay continuously employed, stay married, and maintain most of the relationships that mattered most to me."

Read it all here!

"A" is for?

Androgyny is the "A" word for this post. Lets toss out all the buzz words: transgender, transsexual and cross dresser.
I wasn't ever sure if I would ever get to-or past this part of the alphabet.
Depending on how you view it, I was never blessed or cursed with being androgynous.
These days I'm staring the first letter square in the face.
You all know how much I have been whining about this hot & humid summer in my part of the world. I guess I could call it "Hormones meet Heat"!
On the positive side is the feminine skin upgrade I'm experiencing. I have never been particuarly angular so the skin changes are an even bigger appearance positive.
On the negative side is wearing a wig in this weather just torches me.
Today was cookout day with a friend who has seen me both ways but embraces my feminine side. So hormones+heat+wig=melt and extreme discomfort. The high temp was 97 and I don't even want to know what the heat index was. I had two choices be a guy and more comfortable or do my total normal makeover and be miserable under the wig and makeup. What was I to do? What choice did I have?
Well, one thing is certain with me. When and if I get banged around enough, sooner or later I do wake up.
My solution was the simple one I had been running from as fast as my slow self could: Androgyny.
I set all my crutches aside and went for it.
I shaved, tied my hair back into a pony tail and stuck it through the hole in the back of my ball hat. I threw on a pair of female jeans a sleeveless top and flats. Makeup? Just some eyeshadow and lip liner.
I was ready to to check the almighty mirror goddess.
Actually (if the truth be known) the person looking back at me answered a huge question. This was the new me in the not so distant future. Like any woman of course I would have a chance to dress up but this was me dressed down and it worked.
The bottom line is the experience fueled my enthusiasm even more for the future!

Happy Fourth!

Another birthday for our great country!
Yes, plenty of problems yet still reasons to be optimistic.
Great is a big term like never or always.  Then again, maybe not. After all the Cincinnati Reds "Big Red Machine" team in the 70's was great. Didn't win them all but finished on top.
Bottom line is that if we as a country are still in the game we have a chance of winning it all!
The problem is along with all the fireworks, heat and picnics most people have a vastly different idea of what "winning it all" is all about.
Not as easy as the Red's and the Red Sox in the world series!
Here's hoping you can enjoy and burger and a beverage with friends today!