Quote of the Day

I'm not spoiled...it's a lifestyle...
My Dog

Transgender Yin and Yang

Certainly transgender women and men have never "cornered" the market on suicide thoughts and attempts but sometimes I think we dominate it. Here's another story:
"Jay Ladin took out a two-year life insurance policy in 2006, intending to kill himself and leave everything to his three children.
After he discovered insurers would refuse to pay out on the policy in the event of a suicide, Ladin took out another life insurance policy of sorts: becoming Joy Ladin".
 (pictured on right)
I will argue with anyone that until you walk in our transgender shoes, (heels or wingtips) you have no idea how easy it is to not being able to find a solution.
As facts and figures are starting to be collected it seems at least one out of four young trans youth have considered or tried suicide.
Very recently I have had the chance to interact closely with four transgender friends who are wonderful examples of the yin and yang.
I need to point out that all four of these folks identify transgender and not transsexual at this point in their lives. 
For the sake of clarification in this post, I'm using the transsexual term for a person who desires a full genital change and the transgender term for a person whose desire to live a life dictated more from a mental basis.
Between the four I was able to ride the Yin and Yang trans roller coaster at it's finest and most varied.
My spirits soared with a friend who is going through a successful coming out party with the world and one who is on the verge.
My heart went out to the other two in various stages of figuring how to live a life they desperately need to exist in this world.
Regardless of current circumstance, the four of them and I have all most likely visited the dark side.
One has for sure as I heard the story of an all too handy pistol. Mine was a bottle of pills which I thought had a very good chance of doing the job but fortunately didn't. I can't speak for the other three.
More than likely, most have you have visited that totally dark room.  You can't find a door or a window or even a sliver of light to guide you out.
Truthfully I don't know what to call the moment when you find that light "Yin or Yang" and it doesn't matter.
All that really matters is reality.  If you have passed on- certainly most will remember your gender legacy-the wrong one.
That little flicker of light that appears in your dark room just may be more light than you will see when Yang closes your coffin lid.
I'm selfish, I want you all to experience the joy of self acceptance with "Yin" and mention how proud and happy I am for my one friend!






Read more of Joy's story here.

New Form of HRT?

For nine months, William McKee took the generic version of Propecia, the pills that promise to halt hair loss.
But the drug had radical side effects: Instead of becoming a better-looking man, he started becoming a woman, he claims.
“My rock-hard chest from the gym began to soften . . . reaching the point where I had noticeable ‘breasts’ even under my clothing,” he says.
Among other changes, the 38-year-old software engineer claims, “my shoulders were literally falling into a more feminine position, and my hips were loosening and becoming wider, as on a woman’s body.”’

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/bald_cure_made_me_woman_9whwIzBiccvWIMacwRlkqO#ixzz21MueN9Z5

 

 

"Mandy" before and after generic "Propecia"

What Kind of Daughter Did Your Mom Want?

 (I posted this question Oct. 7th, 2010 on Cyrsti's Condo.)
Yes girlfriends, I'm talking about us.
Some Mom's really wanted a daughter and dressed some of us as girls. Some Mom's may have found it interesting to relate to us on some level as a girl and let us in on a little makeup or clothes. Other Mom's may have shut us out all together.
All of the mother/son interaction intrigues me because of a couple of reasons.
The first would be the simple question of why me? Did my Mom set me up for all of this? (My brother believes she did).
The second would be is how much I look like her.
How many of you believe your Mom knowingly  or even unknowingly opened your door into a female world?
I remember vividly the way my Mom blotted her lipstick and made sure the rest of her outfit was together before she went out.  I would bet you my brother doesn't!
The age old question-environment or genetics? Was I predisposed to be trans? Most likely it's a question I will never know. (Update! Perhaps the DES drug my Mom very well could have taken during her pregnancy could been the answer.)
Maybe the whole "daughter" question explains my total lack of respect for women who do not take care of themselves. This girl was raised believing that appearance was part of the female gender.
My Mom passed away years ago and I believe in two sure facts.
She would like the fact I try to keep up a good appearance.
She would hate the fact I'm a lot like some of the girls I brought home she didn't like!!!!!!

Another Transgender Candidate!

Gina Duncan could make history on Aug. 14 by becoming the first transgender person in Orange County to be elected to a County Commission seat.
According to FOX 35 of Orlando, Gina was born Gregory Pingston. A senior management in banking for 30 years, she decided to transition in 2007 at 50 years old, and after having a long marriage and two children.


The candidate said she hopes the campaign centers around the issues at hand, and not her gender.
“I hope some day, and maybe not in my lifetime, but some day being transgender means no more than being right or left-handed; and I hope that happens soon,"

With people such as Gina the future could be here sooner than expected!

A Special Camp for Transgender Kids!

 How great is this!
Camp Aranu'tiq is a weeklong, overnight summer camp for transgender and gender-variant youth ages 8 through 15.
It's a place where life experiences are shared and lifelong friendships are made.

Camp Aranu'tiq (a-ra-NOO-tick) is based on a traditional model of summer camps.
Activities for our New England location include: arts & crafts, drama, canoeing, swimming, creative writing, music, teamwork-building "challenge" activities, and a host of land sports such as soccer, kickball, basketball, volleyball, and more. For our California location, activities include: arts & crafts, drama, canoeing, swimming, creative writing, teamwork-building "challenge" activities, "gaga" (a type of dodgeball), volleyball, rock climbing, and archery. The week also includes campfires (with s'mores!), a talent show, and other special activities. There will be a few professional therapists at camp for campers who may want to talk, but the main focus of the week is on having fun.
Campers will go to different activities on a rotating basis with assigned age-appropriate groups. Groups will always be accompanied by adult volunteers. Campers will sleep in bunks divided by age group. All bunks will be under the direct care of adult volunteers at all times. For more information on living quarters, please contact us.
We also believe that parent/guardian peer support is very important. We will make every effort to provide parents with an opportunity to meet one another and keep in contact.

Of course there is more info here.

More Derrick!

Derrick Barry.
If you read Angel's comments here in Cyrsti's Condo about her chance encounter with female impersonator extrordinare Derrick Barry-she had no idea she wasn't looking at a real woman.
No real surprise I guess after seeing a few pix!

Round Peg in a Square Hole and a Transsexual Life

Perseverance and success. Take a look at a 12 year journey!

It's NOT Dressing Up!

I'm not a "gurl" or a "girrl" and I'm NOT dressing up...DAMMIT!

I feel better now, thanks for letting me vent.
Actually this is a "warm and fuzzy" post.
My life is truthfully is in a nice little holding pattern.
I can describe it as climbing a mountain . You work and work to make it to a certain level. Hope you maintain it and move upward.
Or maybe life now is similar to being in the eye of a hurricane.
For the briefest moment I am satisfied to watch the world swirl around me-not unlike a merry go round.
As I watch, I see all the components of the world which have some sort of bearing on me.
The so called straight world and the gay one. The transsexuals and the cross dressers  all ride by on their carnival horses and let's not forget the demands of everyday life. It all becomes a blur. Right now though, I don't care.
I know this little respite won't last long but it's a welcome mental vacation.
Maybe it's like a little mental "stealth". If I can get away from the world for just a second, I would never tell and be a better person for it!