Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! Heads up! Another Cyrsti's Condo Sunday Edition has hit your virtual front porch.  Get your cup o joe and jammies ready!
Page 1.- The Week That Was-or-Wasn't:  It was an easy choice this week, the story of Bruce Jenner, who at press time was involved in a fatal accident. Unharmed, Jenner was being chased reportively by the paparazzi. Also riding on Jenner's possible MtF transgender transition was helicopter traffic reporter Zoey Tur. I just can't imagine sitting around the average American dinner table when one of the so called entertainment shows once again features either one of them.  Maybe stealth doesn't look so bad after all!
Page 2.- Transgender Seniors: For some reason this week, I fell and couldn't get up on the topic of transgender seniors and nursing homes.  An exceedingly tough discussion for anyone but worse of course for trans women and men.  Connie commented:
 "Having an advocate, like your daughter would be, is probably the most important thing for anybody when confined to a hospital or nursing home. I've had to be that advocate for family members and a friend, and I shudder to think of how much worse it would have been for them had I not made certain demands regarding their care. But, we know of so many transgender women and men who have been abandoned by family and friends. This very thing has led to suicide for too many of our transgender brothers and sisters. We, the survivors, must realize that getting past the pain of what life has handed us is not going to be of much help when we have to give up our own identities in order to receive medical care; care that could save our lives (even though we may feel as though we're dying inside at the same time).
Page 3.- Returning to the "Seen" of the Crime: Many times I think you lose track of your changes under HRT. Last week, for the first time in a while, I went back to one of one the venues I literally transitioned in. Wow, how times have changed! As I said in the post, two of the original bartenders are still there and no the venue itself didn't find itself in a "dangerous" neighborhood over the years. Go here to revisit the post.
Page 4.- The Back Page.  Congratulations this week to Stana of Femulate fame celebrating another blog anniversary! She is incredible! And, so are all of you for taking time to visit Cyrsti's Condo time after time! Thanks!

Georgia Cross Dressed Peach

Damn You Are Old!

Recently, here in Cyrsti's Condo we discussed the issue of being a senior transgender person in a nursing home.  Being in a nursing home at all is scary I know-but as with everything else in our trans lives, we have extra issues.

Pat was good enough to direct me to Caden Lane's post on the subject which you can read here.

Cyrsti's Condo "OOOPS?"

Hey Tim, you better get in here! Your friends came early to go to the movies!

Back "In" the Closet at the Nursing Home?

FABULOUSCONNIEDEEFebruary 5, 2015 at 6:20 PM

Cyrsti, the death certificate thing is a real concern of mine. Actually, my main concern is for the way I may have to live out my end days. I don't recall having read much on this subject, but I can't be the only boomer transgender woman who is thinking of this. Having seen the way some of my older relatives have been treated in nursing homes, many of the infirmed are not even respected for their species, let alone their gender. As long as I have control over my life, I will live as a woman. I pray that I will be able to die with dignity and respect the same way, but I can't count on it. Perhaps you could do a blog entry on this subject. How do you think the VA is handling this? Maybe transition ends when we do, but death (or near death) shouldn't change who we've sacrificed so much for to be. Yet, I fear that it may do just that. It's not enough that we know who we are; we need validation from others to make our lives have any real meaning - in death, as in life.

Connie, I understand your death certificate concern but I am with with you in how I may be put in some sort of back room closet in a crummy nursing home somewhere. My confidence lies in my daughter is an absolute force-BUT-I shudder to think of being in an androgynous body with gender markers changed, in a nursing home. It's a very real paranoia to me.

On rare occasions I have seen posts on this topic and even joined an on line group, no pun intended, maybe it just died out? I do believe as more and more of the Boomers hit our age, more publicity will come out.  Good and bad.

As far as the VA goes, they still (I think) just dole out some money for your closet and that's pretty much it.  The big hurdle with them is still getting gender markers changed on discharge (retirement) paperwork.  The key is the VA is beginning to do it, but it's not policy.

So, no Connie, I just haven't seen much on the subject but I do watch -plus if it is any indication, my Frock Magazine articles on being a transgender senior are well read.(other than well written) Most certainly if and when I see more I will "pass" it along. Probably a dirty word in Seattle!

Returning to the Scene of the Crime?

Or should I say the "seen" of the crime? Last night, I had an increasingly rare chance to go back to one of the original places I literally transitioned in.

I have mentioned it before. I have been going in there over seven years beginning when I used to go in there as a guy with my wife.  Two of the original bartenders still work there and remember (I'm sure) some of my not so pleasant nights.  One of the worst was when the manager let a guy play "Dude Looks Like A Lady" three times in a row while they all stood around and laughed. Or the night when a woman caught me in the restroom and called me a pervert. But,  through all the bad wigs and terrible fashion ideas, I managed to come through it all.

Times have changed so much, that outside of a few of the long time regulars, no one gives the transgender woman at the bar much attention.

Will wonders never cease-or the power of HRT?

The Beat Goes On?

Seems to be a regular deal now that when I turn on one of the national morning news shows, intermixed with the disasters, weather and "stuff" is a transgender story-most recently of course on "Bruce" Jenner.  Of course I know he is gender transitioning and showing the effects of HRT-but to this point seemingly still wants to keep it all a big dark secret.  It's fairly rare Connie and I agree so much on a topic, but this one we do:

FABULOUSCONNIEDEEFebruary 4, 2015 at 2:03 PM

I, too, saw the Zoey Tur (left) segment on Inside Edition last night. I thought it interesting that she got herself both "chopped and bobbed" in Thailand before her coming out. It was presented as though she had skipped the cross dressing stage most of us go through before undergoing surgery. Maybe she did, which is why she was getting her makeover on the show. (and meeting ex wife for first time?) But, was she walking so bow-legged because the surgery was recent, or was she just not accomplished enough at presenting herself in a feminine manner? She may be Zoey, but I was left thinking, "Zowie"!

Bruce just pisses me off. I understand that (he) prefers the name Bridget, after discarding the name Brucilla. I say "he" because, until he admits to the obvious, I can't show due respect based on just rumor. Do we really have to wait until May for Bridget's "reality"? Bring in the clowns....Don't bother, they're (already) here.

I felt the best point Zoey made on Thursday's interview on CBS This Morning was a transgender person does NOT have a choice about how she or he needs to live to survive.

Finally, Connie just had to cheap shot The Ohio State University Buckeyes.
What? THE Ohio State University isn't prestigious enough to produce quality transgender women? Well, at least they have a good football team.

Connie, on behalf of the Buckeye Nation-that is a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP football team and I am sure there are most than a couple quality transgender women and men studying at OSU!  I have to say that green color of make up you are still wearing after Oregon's loss to the Buckeyes in the championship game-does become you!!!

Like any other accomplished trans woman-we can have it all!

We Got Mail!

In response to a recent Cyrsti's Condo blog post "What's in a Name Change?" 

CarolineFebruary 3, 2015 at 12:31 PM

Hard to decide which is the toughest part of transition, hair removal or the paperwork... It is my third post op birthday and it is still not all fixed...

Thanks Caroline! I love it when any of you take your time to share experiences and knowledge! Not to be depressing, but I believe a gender transition ends when you do.  And hopefully (Connie) before your name on the death certificate!

Yet Another Chance for the Military

In typical government fashion, congress, politicians and career bureaucrats, Defense Secretary Hagle is out the door and Ashton Carter is  being "interviewed" for the job.  Now Washington has a huge chance to fix the biggest hypocrisy going on in our country today - How we treat transgender military members. Carter should answer a question without a doubt about what he would do if appointed..But-

I don't think there is a cold chance in Washington,  he will say anything other than he understands  the issue is under "study"- yeah right-but he doesn't know for sure. Then again he could and will look into the phantom study. 

Well,  you military members know if  Carter is approved-his "short timers" calendar will start. New president in a couple years and out he goes to some sort of cushy consulting job and yet a new study.

As you all know, I am a transgender vet and at one time in my past I served my country for the right to lose mine when I came out.  Can you tell I have strong feelings????

Check this story from Salon