Whats Important to You?

In a week, I'm attending one of a series of meetings here in Ohio concerning community priorities for trans folks hosted by Trans Ohio.  Truthfully, my immediate reaction was, there are so many, where would you ever start? Plus over the past year or so, I have felt hindered by my age in such groups which are populated by younger people.
I used to do quite a few meetings such as these in other community groups I was in and a huge problem is just deciding on a few places to start. Quickly, I came up with just three:

1.-Visibility
2.-Employment
3.-Health Care

I'm not going into all three here except to say, all affect a transgender person regardless of age. For whatever reason my generation did a remarkable job of not being visible and are paying the price now by facing uncertain senior health care. Employment is a problem for everyone regardless of who you are and don't let the pundits kid you, jobs are still difficult to come by but even more so for transgender women and men. Here's an example from the Daily Nebraskan:

Elle Barts (left) went to her last job interview wearing a men’s suit and tie. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln alumna has applied for 30 jobs since she graduated with a degree in communication studies in August. She’s filled out applications for server positions, working behind a makeup counter and working as a forensics coach at a high school. Her resume – a solid GPA, four years of speech and debate, Big Ten forensics champion – gets her the interviews. But she said her identity as a transgender woman has prevented her from getting a job . She says it’s because she made a mistake. She told the managers she was transgender. “Are you OK with that?” she asked. They said, “We’ve never had one of those before.” 

"THOSE??" really? Unfortuantely I know "those" may be a kind word as compared to others but it does signyfy how far we have to go.  For more of the post go here.

Next week I will let you know how the meeting goes!

"Rockin" the Red!

My partner Liz and I finished out the weekend with her coloring my hair.  It was time!  My natural grays were starting to catch up with me! OK already, they passed me in the dust!

As far as color choices go, I have willingly given up the total decision process, remembering a few of the completely atrocious wigs choices I made. Truthfully, we both were basically on the same color pages. The only compromise I made was putting the box of a streaked ash blond mix back on the shelf-if  I could use similar highlights later this spring or summer with the red color I picked. Then, I was told to get two boxes to treat all the hair I have. Cool!  The color also words for me because red heads do run in my family as I have written here in Cyrsti's Condo. So,  my idea of going back to a deeper red hair is not completely unfounded unlike many of my other ideas.

If you have been through the process,  I think you would agree a home coloring ranks way below the sadistic rituals of waxing body hair and plucking eyebrows.  The process is just a little uncomfortable, even for a whiner like me, unless you screw up and leave the coloring on too long.  I just have a difficult time of sitting still plus I obsess over the treatment rinse and condition timing directions. I have a paranoia of leaving it on too long and my hair falling out!  Luckily, that didn't happen. The end result was I loved the color and softness of my hair. I'm sure you regulars here remember my earlier posts about visiting a salon for professional coloring.  The reasons I don't  now is money plus Liz does a great job and even wants to do it.


Of course I'm figuring  by now, you all are thinking, where the hell is our  "selfie" so we can see if Cyrsti did do something dumb with her hair! Well,  I'm getting a new phone later this week and assuming I can be smarter than the "smart phone", I promise a "seeing red" pix by next Monday at the latest!

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover today is Lorna Vanda in a classic 2005 picture from Puerto Rico.

Androgyny Scores a Win in the UK.

On the British version of the Voice, Singer songwriter James Byron emerged triumphant in the latest round. The androgynous 24-year-old, from Illston-on-the-Hill, near Market Harborough, stole the show from the more experienced singer Kiki de Ville.
For more details, go here.

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover today is Vietnam's beautiful transsexual woman...Huong Giang

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! Wham! Bam! Here comes another Sunday Edition of Cyrsti's Condo.

Page one.- Rollin in the "Nati"!  My trip with three friends to the Cincinnati Roller Girls this weekend was certainly different and fun.  I went with Liz and two other genetic women who all happen to be lesbian. Pointing out  their sexuality is only important to the story.  I guess the interesting part I internalized my feelings for quite a few in shape 20 something athletic women in very tight, short team uniforms.  My life has taught me I want to be one of these women as much as I may oogle them sexually-not the case with my friends who did pick out their "favorites."

The night started innocently enough with a dollar beer "Happy Hour" event, when the girls and I attempted to sip as much Hudepohl Beer as inhumanly possible.  Obviously this sort of camaraderie was missing from my life before and I love it now.  The event itself was interesting. As my partner Liz said "I've never seen so many lesbians in one place."  The action on the floor was at times, fast and physical.  Once I learned the rules it was all fun and skates!

Page two.- Week in Review.  We had it all this week.  A group was pushing a Change.Org petition to label the Southern Poverty Law Center as a "hate group."  The center is a known "nest" for noted transgender women haters. Members of our community have been targeted by trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs). Personal information such as former names, current legal names, and photographs have been compiled and displayed on the website “Name the Problem”. Several of the entries are self-attributed to “Pegasus” ("PegasusBug" is a pseudonym of Cathy Brennan, the head of Gender Identity Watch). This information was presented alongside reports describing rapists and batterers of women. If you haven't checked any of their propaganda-hate is a accurate term. On the other hand we spotlighted several very positive moves in the TGLB community.

Page three.- We Got Mail. We received several comments here in theCondo and in my email concerning the "Eyes of the Beholder" post. One was from Pat:

 I(Pat) was out of town for three nights and dressed and went out each evening. I encountered a few folks in the hotel elevator or lobby but no "odd looks". Sunday night I had on a black skirt and blakc lace top under my black blazer, beige hose and 3" block heels. (I wore the same brown sued block heels with the black blazer all three outings because it was cold and the streets, lots and sidewalks were covered with snow or ice and I did not think it worth risking stilettos. I also had some black flats for some walking.) That night I was at a friendly LGBT bar having some beers watching the Oscars with the rest of the patrons. The next night I went out to another LGBT friendly bar for some pizza and beer and again no one treated as anything other that what I appeared. I had on a brown denim skirt, beige hose and the same blazer and heels.

As always a good point Pat, of how in the right place at the right time, jumping in the "blender" and seamlessly navigating as a woman is easier.  Interestingly, I chatted with a trans person somewhere (she never would tell me) who was writing of her success in the world.  I told her, most of us in the world don't have the option of dressing fiercely as a woman and challenging a drunk red neck guy's ego. Before you say Cyrsti, just don't go there. Some of us live in places where that just isn't possible.  You go out your door and you are there. Finally, paraphrasing Paula, a "simple and honest" burst of laughter will make you rethink what you are doing...especially when a drunk redneck man or woman is doing it.

The Back Page.- Where ever you happen to be in the world, I hope your universe is a little brighter this week. You are always welcome here in theCondo! Hope you visit again soon!

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day"

"To Become Immortal, You Must Have a Life Worth Living."  Bruce Lee.

Skate Day

I'm happy to say I'm finally going to have a chance to write a post not concerning winter.  This afternoon, a group of friends and I are going to see the Cincinnati Roller Girls.  So yes I'm talking roller skating.  In my youth (yes I do remember it) , I remember watching mainly men roller skate on a banked wooden oval basically creating mayhem.  Hey, it beat wrestling! But when I caught a glimpse of the roller girls, I was fascinated!  For the most part they were faster and meaner than the guys.

As I was looking forward to this afternoon, I thought how great it was that several years ago, the sport broke the binary gender lines (along with body parts) by accepting a transgender woman skater.  In the beginning, Kayley Whalen, who signed up for roller derby in May 2008, and had to lie about who she was. Later though,she was required to sign a code of conduct that stated, ‘transsexual women are allowed to join if it has been at least two years since surgery, per International Olympic Committee rules’. At that point, Whalen, who skated under the name Lenore Gore, was drafted onto the DC Rollergirls team Scare Force One.  Kayley was a “jammer,” scoring points while speeding past the other team’s players while blockers with names like Dyke Diggler, Velocity Raptor and Marion Barrycuda toss opponents aside to clear the way. It’s sisterhood through bruising- which gives you an idea of the sport.

So, this afternoon will be fun in that I know one of the participants just could be transgender and the three genetic women I'm would even know-or care.

The Story of my Life

And you thought I was kidding!

This sweatshirt comes from DentzDesigns on Etsy.

When you see me in it, don't expect me to be in my usual cheery state of mind!