Diamond Stylz

Check out her website. In her own words: where race, gender and sexuality collide. Go here.

Taking on the Military

As genetic women won the much deserved right to serve in combat functions in the United States military, transgender individuals are still on the outside looking in. More precisely really looking in since we are forbidden to serve at all.

Here in Cyrsti's Condo, I have mentioned Allyson Robinson. Who is a decorated veteran, a wife, a mother, an ordained Baptist minister, and the executive director of the recently combined advocacy organization for LGBT people in uniform, OutServe-Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. The Army veteran was tapped to lead the 6,000-member organization in October, and her appointment is noteworthy not only because she is one of the few women leading a military group but also because she is the first transgender person to lead a national LGBT organization.

A new feature in  theAdvocate  spotlighted Allyson's qualifications:

"Robinson’s appointment is anything but an affirmative-action hire, said retired Navy captain April Heinze, cochair of OutServe-SLDN’s Board of Directors in a statement announcing the hire. “Allyson Robinson is exactly the right person at the right time to be our leader and voice in Washington in the fight to achieve full LGBT equality in the military,” said Heinze. Indeed, Robinson is exceedingly qualified for her new position. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Robinson served as a commissioned Army officer commanding Patriot missiles in Europe and the Middle East, a senior trainer for NATO, and an adviser to the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar."

Read more here.

Jimmy...No Jenny Olsen

From XX Factor's Alyssa Rosenberg:

"Over the past several days, a rumor, based on both still photos and IMDb credits for Zack Snyder's upcoming Superman movie Man of Steel, has spread throughout the nerdosphere: that Snyder's made an important change to the Superman canon, turning Superman's pal, cub reporter Jimmy Olsen, into a girl. Some observers have suggested that the switch, if it proves to be true, would have some basis in Superman comics, given Jimmy's habit of dressing up like a woman. But if Snyder really is gender-bending Olsen, I hope he's thinking about what a permanent sex change might mean for the character—and what it would mean for Superman to have a close female friend. Superman writer and comics commentator Grant Morrison has suggested that Jimmy Olsen turned to drag in response to his essential uselessness to Superman. "Jimmy Olsen could barely stand to be himself for more than five pages," Morrison wrote in his book Supergods. "Prefiguring David Bowie and Madonna, his life became a shifting parade of costume changes and reinventions of identity." Jimmy may have gotten power from dressing up like a woman, but those transformations underscored the extent to which Jimmy as himself wasn't much use to Superman, and in fact, often ended up in need of rescue."

Read more of the post here . She approaches the idea of "Jenny" being a true equal to Superman rather than any transgender angle. That's OK, she doesn't have to. That's our angle. Speaking of angle's, I remember how difficult it was for me to get those seams straight on the stockings!

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!

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!

Guys Have Good Legs

 Yet another cross dresser from YouTube and Cyrsti's Condo They are everywhere!