Blast From the Past

Every once in awhile it's fun to go back in the old dusty archives here in Cyrsti's Condo and pull out an old post. This one is from the summer of 2011:

" I really get tired sometimes of all the "heavy" ideas and happenings of living a transgender life. Here's a funny little story. A week or so ago I was out making my rounds. Blond and beautiful (in my dreams) in my short black skirt and flip flops I slid out of my vehicle and started to walk towards a store. Without really looking around, I noticed a darned quarter on the ground by the car. Being the thrifty person I am I dove for it. On my way down I quickly remembered what I was wearing and maybe picking up the quarter wasn't such a good idea. No problem, no one around anyway. WRONG! I picked up the coin and looked straight into the eyes of a man who happened upon the scene. (of course) From the bemused look on his face, I had no idea of what he thought, I only know I quickly recovered my dignity and made my way to the store. My only redeeming value came from the fact I was wearing sunglasses. He couldn't see the shock in my eyes! Lesson learned...wear the skirt and leave the change alone!"

Domaine Struggles

Perhaps you remember Domaine Javier, 25, who was expelled from the private Christian school California Baptist University in August 2011 after she appeared on an episode of an MTV show called "True Life". She discussed the stigma experienced by transgender people and revealed that she was biologically male. She has now filed a lawsuit alleging that her civil rights were violated because she was expelled on account of her gender identity. She was informed that she violated the university's policy against "committing or attempting to engage in fraud or concealing identity" because she stated on her admissions application that she was female.

The basics once again go back to gender versus sexuality. Domaine of course had been living full time female for years and obviously identified as one no matter what her sexual organs were. So she was honest on the application.

For more on the story, go here.

Alphabet Soup

Check this out: "The gay rights movement has added a few more letters onto its initialism: LGBTQIA. LGBTQIA stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual. The new acronym allows the sexuality and gender identity-based community to include individuals who may not conventionally identify themselves as a man or woman." From the The University Daily Kansan (University of Kansas)

Let me add three more, OMG! Renee Richards (78) on Katie Couric this week said something to the effect the transgender word wasn't even invented when she was young. Hopefully Renee will be around this world long enough to see the entire alphabet not included in descriptors for our culture. Furthermore I disagree with the first sentence: gay rights movement and transgender being lumped together at all. That's the subject of a whole other post and a whole other alphabet.

Transgender Beauty

Well, it didn't take long for another young transgender woman from the Katie Couric Show to be subjected to extra publicity. Unlike her younger counterpart on the show (Coy) the 19 year old Devon (above) it seems benefited from puberty blockers and was able to live a mainly stealth existence until this show of course.
Devon's story was a bit different in the sense that Dad may have never totally agreed with the process but Mom listened to her child and all of them made the process possible.
Plus, experts on the show said blockers could be a temporary measure which allows the young person to better decide her or his gender path. Somehow I don't think Devon wants to backtrack and did say she wanted SRS as soon as possible.

The actual video of Dad's struggle is here on the Katie web site.

I know the process had to be hard on Dad. Devon's "Homecoming Princess" crown probably wasn't what he envisioned for his young son on Homecoming. But dad was almost man enough to let it happen!

For many of other of us stuck on the football team so many years ago, Devon's homecoming story was the impossible dream and it is so wonderful to have seen it happen for her!

Only the Beginning

You may recall Coy as the 6 year old transgender girl who was one of the guests on the Katie Couric Show  this week. (here).

Coy

As it turns out at the tender age of six, Coy's struggles are just beginning.
In a move- which could be on a show called "are you smarter than a first grader" (I know the real show is a 5th grader), Coy's school officials at Fountain-Fort Carson School District told her parents that their child could no longer use the girls’ bathroom at Eagleside Elementary.

That shocked her parents, said her mother, Kathryn Mathis. identified  The child had gotten through kindergarten with no problems and no complaints from anyone at the school. (of course)

Fortunately, this whole story is far  from over as a prominent transgender rights group announced  that it  filed a discrimination complaint in Colorado on behalf of Coy. It seems in this case Coy is being used as an example. If her restroom usage is determined now any future problems with unhappy parents could be headed off- if there are any.

The good news is anti-discrimination laws are finally being applied to the transgender community and this shy child has been forced into the spotlight to challenge blatant discrimination. Read more of the story here.

Just In Time for St. Patties Day

I have really tried to steer clear of the trials and tribulations of the Catholic Church here in Cyrsti's Condo.

When their (I'm not Catholic) ancient pope delivered his recent homo and transphobic rant, I brushed it off as another last gasp effort to alienate the world by some out of touch old man. I mean afterall, wasn't he the defacto leader of a church who in the United States at least was (and is)  implicated in a huge amount of pedophilia. So who really cares what the hell the hypocrite says anyway

Of course Pope Benedict XVI ( Joseph Ratzinger) bailed as quickly as Joe Paterno did at Penn State not so long ago. Ironically the straw that broke the camel's back was the allegation of a group of gay and cross dressing priests who operated in the Vatican itself. Now it seems there is more. Perhaps much more as written here.

The astounding news is this:
"The International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State wrote that a warrant was issued for the pope’s arrest and that he will meet with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on Saturday to plead for immunity. This is historic, for any legal action against a Vatican employee, much less the pope, is unheard of."

Most certainly, the Catholic Church will again survive this tremendous hypocrisy and try to operate with business as usual. The problem to me is how our culture which includes cross dressers and the gay culture will again be trashed in the process. Check another excerpt from the link which illustrates my point:


"The report on the gay prostitution and cross-dressing is said to be 300 pages long and was delivered to the pope on Dec. 17 by Cardinals Julian Herranz, Joseph Tomko and Salvatore De Giorgi. At his age, the pope must no longer have the stomach for the deviance, and pictures or videos of his priests in garter belts and lacy thongs must have sent him into a crisis of Christ-like proportions. Stepping down in haste shows that he wants the mess to be someone else’s problem. I am sure the pope has locked all the sordidness away deep in recesses of the Vatican basement vault, where only God and the next pope may get a glimpse of them. I doubt Jesus and the Holy Spirit will be allowed within an inch. I can’t say I am shocked at the alleged sex-lies-and-videotape saga, for the high hypocrisy of the Catholic Church stretches all the way to heaven via the backdoor of hell. And though the conspiracies seem to be getting more deviant as the day of the pope’s resignation approaches, nothing is worse than the widespread rape of children over the years and the sickening lengths the Catholic Church has gone to cover them up."

Nothing was ever mentioned of the continuing human tragedy at the hands of pedophiles in the church. Of course.

I must give Bobbie credit for getting me started on this rant and no the Pope wasn't on Cheers. That was John Ratzenberger.

Katie's Transgender Show

Tuesday afternoon in my part of the world, one of the more impressive television shows on transgender youth issues I have ever seen aired on one of my local television affiliates.

Katie Couric hosted a show billed as "Raising a Transgender Child".
Two impressive points were the fact the show was not presented as a sensationalized Anderson Cooper ratings booster and took a serious look at the lives of young transgender children female and male. All of them pounded home the very important point to the casual observer that gender and sexuality were different.
Above I have added a picture from the show including the youngest Coy (six) to icon Renee Richards (78) and yes the other two are transgender also.

Of course the subject of "puberty blockers" was prominently mentioned and experts were plentiful to discuss them. I would guess the more jaded of the public and the transphobic folks would have wanted a few naysayers on the show. In my mind a debate on the subject would have destroyed the continuity of the show.

Of course, I'm sure more than a couple trans nazi's will find something wrong in this show but I'm sure soon you will be able to judge it for yourself on line somewhere. Follow the link above for more!

Drag Queen and the Transgender Girl

We got mail! I love this response from Dianne on doing drag as a transgender woman:

 "I( Dianne) love it! Recently I went with friends to a Burlesque Show that one friend's daughter was in. Yes, seriously, in Boise Idaho... By nature I try hard to be the invisible gal. I am tall and imposing so I wear flats and soft colors and try to disappear. That night? I started with the breast forms that don't fit any more because hormones are doing their magic. I made sure I was spilling over the top! Gold flecked leopard print blouse with a plunge, tight jeans with pocket bling, 2 1/2 inch heeled boots, teased hair, too much makeup. The whole deal. Well since we were friends of the show we ended up center stage, second row. I was terrified. I felt like part of the show. EVERYONE COULD SEE ME!!! Oh shit! Finally I just jumped in. I went to get drinks and I stood up tall, pushed back my hair and strolled my self up the aisle like Mae West on the prowl. I did my best catwalk sashay and prayed I didn't trip on a chair leg or crash to the floor. Oh yah, I got read 100%. I figured I was on Drag Queen and the Transgender Girl"

Thanks Dianne! I can feel the fun from here !
I might add, if any of you ever have a chance to see a real Burlesque Show do it!
A couple of years ago I was very fortunate to see a touring burlesque group from NYC a couple years ago with a friend. Certainly you can really learn "exotic and erotic feminine lessons" from them! My second recommendation would be watching belly dancing  moves! Obviously most all of us have a difficult time with the moves but any of the basics help!

A Change of Pace

We try to show all facets of our world here in Cyrsti's Condo from painful transgender or transsexual transitions to pretty boys in drag becoming hot women on YouTube: