BB Gandanghari

From the Philippines:
BB Gandanghari (shown right)  the transgender transsexual star has landed a highly unique role.

She will be an fantasy drama series called the Enchanted Garden. 
In an ironic twist, she will be playing herself as a man in part of the production to air on TV5.

Been There-Doing It

Alex Meadows from Lexington, Kentucky has a so familiar sad story: growing up transgender in the system.
Of course the shark aspect of human nature brought out the bullying and meaness in her school situation.
The good news is she made it through the rough waters of middle and high school- the bad news is  in her second year at Northern Kentucky University she is too much woman for the guys but still has to stay in the men's dorm and not enough woman for the girls and can't stay in their's.
The 19 year old is stepping up and out to help with a Project Speak Out anti bullying campaign in the Lexington area in the hopes she can help others with her story. Here's the link from kentucky.com

Not surprisingly the same life story was/is being lived by Riah Roe in Fargo, North Dakota.
Riah says she is getting used to the funny looks and the occasional raised eyebrow while others stare or whisper.
We all know the spotlight is on after the dark closet.
Riah was known as Zack when she started down the path of therapy and diagnosed with gender identity disorder which explained the years of self questioning we all go through.
There is a great indepth article concerning Riah on the
In Forum Fargo/Moorhead site!

Back to School

It's tough enough to send your child off to the first day of school.
Can you imagine the emotions you would feel if your child was transgender?
What a statement the parents and the transgender kids make when they do it.
I don't understand though how anyone could doubt how deep gender dysphoria (or what ever you want to label it) runs inside us.
Taking the courage a step further, when these parents and trans kids make such a courageous statement- it's such a tremendous move for all of us.
To compare it to the gay or lesbian community, you have people such as Anderson Cooper or the female Olympic athletes who are getting married...publically.
The most common move in the transgender or transsexual community is switching closets and going stealth.

Trans Dating

The Canadian National News recently published 7 tips on transgender on line dating.
The tips are pretty simple stuff (no they aren't). In the so called hetero normal dating world. it's not a cake walk either and we trans folk are just a wee bit different.
One of the harder facts to accept for a few of us more mature women and men is the fact on line dating is as popular and productive as it is.  I can't quote the number but an amazing amount of people these days are successful on line.
The first suggestion I rejected immediately: "Why not try a transgender dating site?"

Candis Cayne probably  NOT the best example of transgender dating used  by  article.

Most that I have seen don't appear to be very reputable if you are really trying to break the transgender/cross dresser stereotype of sex first-relationship later.
Then the problems start. The article mentions honesty. If you go to most of the mainstream dating sites it's nearly impossible to find one who even has a transgender option...yet.
Then what do you do? What I did in a couple places I visited was I never took the male option (said I was female) but I mentioned in the first sentence of my profile my transgender status. Others I took the male route with my picture and let the chips fall where they may. I sort of made value judgements depending on the site.
Through out the process you have to factor in your sexual preference. Are you a trans lesbian for example?
I was surprised how seemingly unconcerned the article was about honesty. It's just me but I would hate to live any of my life with another person without disclosing my gender past.
Regardless, it's worth a visit here to read more ideas on a very complex subject.
Finally, make sure you check out the cost factor. Nothing is free! Once you sign up-that is what you get for free. Anything else is extra. Also watch for the hidden "automatic" renewal option.
Good luck  be patient and careful and you can win. A date in my book is not a guy showing up at my house who isn't willing to be seen in public with me.
You have to be wary (as any genetic women knows) of where you are and who you are with to the best of your ability.
The chance to learn about a potential date without exposing yourself to harm is never fool proof but you can use chat systems like Yahoo without even giving out your cell number.
There are quality people out there but you must be prepared to sort out a lot of trash to find them.

Trans VA

It looks as if my long line of activity with the Veterans Administration  is about to take another turn- for the better.
I will explain  later after I pass along another trans veterans experience - not too far away from me. (Northeastern Ohio)
This story is much different, comes from a fiancee of a transgender vet and is brutal:

"The VA hospital and Community Outpatient Clinics here are some of the worst offenders when it comes to harassment towards the LGBT community. I cannot recall one time that we have had a peaceful experience at the VA. Sometimes I wonder how veterans can be so hateful towards their own just because they are exercising the FREEDOM to b who they are. The LGBT Veterans served their country just like the heterosexual veterans did.  WHATS THE DIFFERENCE? Many VA employees are rude towards the LGBT veterans. It's sad, very sad."

She goes on to document employees going out of their way to laugh at, embarrass and just make life miserable for her fiancee.
Fortunately, my experience has been almost totally opposite so far.
I have heard the VA operates (right or wrong) as very separate entities, which seems to be the case here.
The bottom line though is that the NE Ohio VA for the most part HAS to perform the same functions for a trans vet as mine in SW Ohio  The problem is how they do it.
My center has had educational and sensitivity training concerning trans vets-and it shows. If it has happened in NE Ohio at all then someone needs to be held responsible. Easy for me to say but at the least the article I read was a great starting point.

Back to me, only a final signature stands between me and the VA approving payment for my HRT treatment which they finally decided they could not provide.
That's all good. I understand the bureaucratic time frames and along the way I have been treated with respect.
Now, having said that-I take nothing for granted. It's not over till its over.
At the least the light at the end of the tunnel doesn't seem to be the train. That's all I can ask for.

David Michaels

If you remember David Michaels had more than a couple appearances on older television series such as "Night Court" back in the day (1984-1992) and even made it onto the "Designing Women" series.(1986)

It "Ain't" All Bad!

I don't know a transgender, cross dresser or transsexual person whose life has been a totally joyous experience. Of course elevated rates of suicide in the trans community are well documented.
Every once in a while, I come across a very positive site which involves our culture.

Kim and Kris Schroeder

Kris Schroeder authors a very positive blog which includes transgender and trans families.
An example is a link to a blog called the the transgentle wife.
Kris's blog is full of examples such as this and you can go here to read more.
Plus I will be adding her to my blog roll!

The Girls of Summer

I have written in length here in Cyrsti's Condo on my summer experiences on hormones.

Just happened to come across someone who describes the same process so much better than I and decided to pass along her ideas.
Her name is Paris Lee and she writes for the UK GayTimes. Read it here.

Life as a "Girly- Girl"

One of the most volatile issues of life in the trans lane has to resolve around one of the most basic functions of them all-the rest room.
We have had our discussions here in Cyrsti's Condo leading mainly to unresolvable disputes and hurt feelings. Comments have ranged from who the hell cares to stay the hell out of there.  Some think the room should stay the revered sanctuary for the genetic gender one was born with- or paid to be part of.
Don't want to re hash all of that again.
What I do want to bring up are the girly girls who slyly want to comment how proud they are of their rest room permit by praising the pristine condition of all the women's rooms they frequent.
You probably have read my posts in the past just saying I'm not much of a girly girl. In fact, early in my life when I was coming out of the cross dressing closet, I was roundly chided for wearing slacks or women's jeans at all.  Where were my frilly dresses?
So I figured my rest room ideas once again placed me in transgender minority. (Surprise, Surprise!)
On top of that, I worked in the commercial food industry for years and I saw my share of trashed women's rooms. Or the concerts, sporting events and other public venues I have been to when women invaded the men's facilities.  You know, I just didn't feel that violated and did not call the cops.
So, I never buy into the pristine female concepts.
Of course I do accept the biological fact that men have to aim and don't clean up but don't tell me it is an inclusive male trait.
I mean were you ever subjected to a Tyra Banks toilet seat rant? "Me thinks" she wasn't talking about the men's room.
"Me also thinks" the trans peeps who view the women's room as yet another pristine perk of their transition just don't get out enough.