Transgender Changes

From YouTube (of course) A little transgender history:

 

Hold Still-Here Comes Your Label!

I certainly do my best to stay away from the insane world of labels. I recently read a column concerning the "correctness" of using transgender rather than transsexual. I don't remember which.
Personally, I identify with the transgender term myself...I think! The word seems to separate me from the transsexuals in that the word sex was used.  I followed through the fact that sex is between the legs and gender is between the ears and I don't have the overriding urge to have a total sex change. Of course what I feel about those two labels doesn't matter. I am who I know I am not who I say I am - just to please society.
Also, my ideas don't stop me from writing about those who use labels to hate and bigot...Such as these two.

"A Twitter message about spitting led Towson lawyer and lesbian advocate Cathy Brennan to file for a peace order against a transgender advocate. Phylicia Sampson, a 28-year-old Baltimore resident, and Brennan, 42, were engaged in a heated debate on the social media site when Sampson wrote that she wanted to spit in Brennan's face. Brennan, a former member of the Boards of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore, said she has been a gay activist since 1995, but is of the opinion that transgendered women are male and should not have access to "female spaces." "The balancing interest and concern between lesbians and transwomen is an issue," she said. "This is an issue in [the LGBT] community, but I don't think this has bubbled into the main stream yet."

Really?

I have read more than a couple of Brennan's ideas and have felt she is a Rad-Femme hater/bigot. On the other hand the endless back and forth which resulted in the lawsuit is just counter productive. I suppose people just have to have something to do, even if it is just hate. That is one of the reasons why I don't dwell on labels. The wrong label with the wrong person only can lead to trouble.  Maybe I can say I'm into "label stealth"?

Top Gay Cities in America

The current issue of the Advocate features their choice of the "gayest" cities in America.
I have had an interest in this ranking for several years when nearby Columbus, Ohio made the list.
I know though that being the "gayest" city often has nothing to do with being transgender friendly of course. Still, it has been interesting to me from a public relations viewpoint of Ohio. More than once I have been asked by a former Ohioian who has not been back for awhile, how I stand to live here?
Well, times do change of course and certainly there are pockets of transphobia and homophobia as virulent as any place else in the country here. But do not slap the stereotypical conservative "bible belt" tag on us all.
Of particular interest in this selection of cities was the inclusion of Cincinnati. "The Nati" (also close by) in my lifetime has always been known for a very conservative stance on almost all issues. Obviously, I was surprised and happy to see the city made the list. Especially, since I'm considering moving there this year.
As with any ranking system in any publication the Advocate has a very subjective ranking system. But does include a transgender point:
"Transgender protections 1 point for every jurisdiction with laws prohibiting discrimination, according to National Gay and Lesbian Task Force"

To check it out and see if your city (or one close) made the list, go here.

Black-Out?

Like so many larger women, black is the basis of my wardrobe.  Sure black makes you look thinner but there are options. Check this fashion advice from Fabulous after 40.
I'm a real believer in keeping up with all of the feminine fashion and make up tips I can find and passing them along to you on occasion here in Cyrsti's Condo.

Video Trans Fun

This transsexual video is very simply easy on your eyes! Enjoy!
From YouTube of course!



 

"Wassss-up?"

Well kids, here we are. 2013 is collectively beginning to wrap her collective arms around us all.
Of course, as the dust has settled-some of us have tossed our new years resolutions in the trash all ready.
I prefer to think of mine as goals. In my mind at least a kinder gentler form of resolution.
Truthfully, I haven't had much time to think much about them because once again life seems to be rushing ahead so fast I'm lucky to stay on for the ride. Speaking of ride, the first week or so of my year left me without one. My car developed severe problems shortly after Christmas. I live in an area devoid of public transportation so thank goodness for friends who came to my rescue.
Since I'm finally on the road again, I can take care of fun filled tasks such as a big dental appointment...Yay!
On the bright side though I have set up another appointment with my Endo Doc to judge where I am with my  hormone levels and where we can go with them. That week is turning out to be an exciting one since I have also set up a laser consultation earlier in the week.
Then, as February comes around it's time for my first trip to Mardi Gras! I really don't go into "Bucket Lists" very much (Like John Lennon wrote "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans.) But I would really like to get my beads the natural way!
So that's my disclaimer of sorts of where I have been outside of Cyrsti's Condo and all of you.
I did want to mention I did run into a trans man friend of mine last weekend.  He is getting reading to start transitioning in earnest and in fact is going to the same Doc I am.  I have rarely seen a person as happy and at peace with himself! It certainly did my heart good!!!!

Quote of the Day

"Are you too old to start transgender transition at the age of 60? You are too old not too!"
Cyrsti

Cross Dressing in the "People's Republic"

From the Chinese "People's Daily On Line":

 "As the music rose, a fine-looking woman in ancient Chinese clothes appeared on the stage, waving her long sleeves and the ribbons tied to her wasp waist, delicate and graceful. Dancing and singing, she looked like a fairy on the cloud-shrouded stage and every tantalizing move aroused applause and ovations. This scene occurred at a concert in the Great Hall of the People at the end of 2012. The audience was thrilled not just because of the beauty of this woman, but because the performer was actually a man, Li Yugang, a male singer whose specialty is performing as ancient beauties. His imitation usually makes the audience forget about his gender. Li rose to fame in 2006 in a talent show with his cross-gender act (fanchuan art), a fresh form of stage art that combines make-up and performances. Since then, there has been an increase in the number of both performers and audiences for fanchuan. "Li launched a new era for this art, and it came at the right time," said Tang Yigang, a performing art commentator."


Fanchuan performers are usually mixed with nandan (men who play woman characters) in Peking Opera, because the former is kind of a derivative from the latter. "The performance pattern of nandan is fixed on stage. 100 nandan play one role exactly the same, while 100 fanchuan present 100 types of one role. It is more flexible and variable," Yang explained. In 2007, Yang became the first fanchuan performer on the stage of Vienna's Golden Hall.

Hispanic Crossdresser

I think "he" calls it his "hobby" So did I "back in the day!"