Saturday, January 26, 2013

Cross Dressers on the "Tube"

What's easier, picking the number of stars in the universe or the number of cross dressing video's on YouTube? Easy...picking the number of stars!

Gender Slurs and the Transgender Person

Tranny, Gurl, or girrl? What's your preference as a trans woman?
For those of you who have been around Cyrsti's Condo, you know my preference...none of the above.
I know you are thinking "just what the hell does she want to be called?"
My feelings are "tranny" is what drag queens call all of us and the other two are terms which toss me into the promiscuous stereotype that many male "admirers" put us into. I would rather be called "Hey You" or how about "Cyrsti"?
I'm doing my best to educate people now and not become seriously upset. I simply say "what's a gurl?"
The reason I brought out my soap box and went on this mini rant is I was called a "gurl" today.
After the good news I received from the doctor today, a gender slur was not what I wanted to hear!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Band of Doctors

Actually a band of one doctor and me. As I posted yesterday I had another appointment today with my Endocrinologist. I don't believe I have ever pointed out that today was my first visit ever with a physician who looked at my current medical status and discussed my HRT future with me.
This is what I mean: Amazingly enough since I hand carried my blood labs from the VA to his office, he had the proper information. The first visit he had no blood work.
I was surprised with the results.  First and most importantly he said my overall blood levels were good and then he asked what my plans were. I said I wasn't really satisfied with my progress I have made over the last year. Of course I have never been the most patient person in the world and I always want more. He said unless I really want to get serious about castration or the like, patience may be the best virtue for me. Why? Because my testosterone levels are very low and likely to go lower as they lose the war against the estrogen which he said was quite high.
So we decided to sit tight for the next six months and we will take a look again.
After the visit my brief stop on "cloud nine" I drove the 35 miles home in yet another blizzard! I didn't realize there was so much snow in the cloud!

Vietnamese Transsexual

From Vietnam's Vietnam.Net comes the story of the first legally recognized transgender woman.

"In  November 5, 2009,  the decision: allowed Pham Van Hiep to re-define sex from male to female and to change her name to Pham Le Quynh Tram. She said,   “I can’t believe that this is true. I cannot describe my happiness of living with my true sex,” Tram went on to say was born in HCM City. Her family moved to Binh Phuoc when she was small. Tram was born as an intersex but she was defined at birth as a boy."

Follow the link for more!




But then on a story dated Monday: On Monday Nguyen Van Hoi, chairman of Binh Phuoc People’s Committee, officially asked the justice department to act as a counselor in revoking two decisions issued by the People’s Committee of Chon Thanh district in 2009 and 2011 to allow Pham Van Hiep to re-define his sex from male to female and to change his name to Pham Le Quynh Tram. The provincial people’s committee said in a statement that the gender recognition is against the law. The provincial authorities have also proposed disciplinary action against the officials who approved this decision. Since receiving approval to redefine her sex, Pham Van Hiep has become widely known as the first transgender in Vietnam recognized by the authorities as a woman. “I can’t believe that this is true. I cannot describe my happiness of living with my true sex,” Hiep was quoted saying at the time. Go here for that link Sad!!!! Why can't the world just let us live?

Endo Doc Two

Early in the morning I make the trek into the unknown again as I go for a second visit to my Endocrinologist- which if the truth be known I can't say the word let alone spell it! But I know what it means to me! This is my chance to again to take a giant stride down my gender road. Once again I have a curious blend of anticipation and trepidation.
Almost every doctor I have ever been to has been better at telling me what he thinks is right without a great amount of regard for my feelings. That's the reason for my misgivings.

My feelings will be simple however. I want to kick my HRT feminization up a notch or two and I wish I could bring more knowledge to the situation.  I've talked to more than a couple trans women friends concerning alternatives but I'm not sure I came out any wiser for the experience. For example, the difference between estrogen pills, patches or injections. My first MD (not an endo doc) was a firm believer pills were easier on the liver than injections-which was fine with me. I have heard and read the opposite of course. Then there is that pesky problem of my testosterone level. It's my understanding the fairly basic dose of
"Spiro" I take will do a decent job. I will presumably find out how much of a job it is doing tomorrow when my blood tests are read.
So the bottom line is I hope the Doc can suggest a plan which helps accelerate my HRT but at the same time provides a safe path for someone my age.
Hopefully, that's why he has all the fancy degrees on the wall!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Working for the Transgender Nation

From the Michigan State University News:



"Some MSU students reconsidered gender and personal identity in art Tuesday by attending a workshop hosted by transgender activist and performer Rebecca Kling. With an extensive educational background in theater and performing arts, Kling was able to use her education to develop her identity, and when she visited MSU to run the workshop and perform for students, she encouraged her audience to do the same. “I used the tools as an artist to explore for the first time my experience as a transgender person on stage,” Kling said. “The reason we make art is to see ourselves. I used storytelling to share and fully understand who I was as a person.” Kling used what she has learned as a performer and a transgender person by talking to students and community members Tuesday in Snyder Hall about how to act and adapt to transgender people, and allow those people themselves to become comfortable in their own skin."

 Picture credit: Julia Nagy / The State News Transgender artist Rebecca Kling discusses exploring gender and identity during a workshop on Jan. 22, 2013, at Snyder Hall. About 10 students and faculty members attended the workshop. Julia Nagy/The State News

From the courage of a few come the benefits to many!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Springer Goes "Catfishin"

I mentioned the MTV show called "Catfish the Show". Last night they attempted to rival the "Jerry Springer Show" in out and out trash programming.
The premise of this well promoted episode was this guy who had a transgender girlfriend. Of course when they finally met he revealed he used a fake name and fake pictures to meet this very realistic transgender woman. As it turned out she wasn't transgender at all but claimed to be a lesbian who was considering having a relationship with a man.
Of course it got even better when it turned out she was actually sending him money to pay his bills. Really?
It seemed to me this guy was content to think this woman was easy pickings because she was trans and who was he to ruin his meal ticket? Plus what the hell was she thinking? Maybe we will find out on Jerry!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Martin Luther King

Thanks Dr. King!
For those of you outside the United States today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's. birthday. He was a leader in the African American Civil Rights struggle in the 1960's and was assasinated in 1968.
Many of his non violent efforts spearheaded a civil rights campaign which extended basic civil protections to the Black American public.
Finally last year the transgender population of our country began to achieve some protections under law which Dr. King fought for - and many gay Americans already have.
In recent history it's easy to say the Civil Right's movement in the 1960's was the beginning of the civil rights struggle which we as transgender American's still are lacking.
Dr. King provided a very clear path. In many ways he indeed could have been a  very sympathetic supporter of our cause if he was alive today.
I just wanted to take the moment to thank him!

Feeling the Pain

  Image from Eugenia  Maximova  on UnSplash. Learning on the fly all I needed to know concerning my authentic life as a transgender woman of...