Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl of the Day"

Transgender woman Candis Cayne is our feature today and aging well!!!!

Coming Home?

Ask any natives of my part of Southwestern Ohio about the small village of Yellow Springs and they will say or think "liberal or hippie" central. I'm "more mature" of course and remember back in the day how the military draft and service itself effected me. When I was home on leave-a trip to "the Springs" would allow me to see how the "other half" lived and I died a little bit inside everytime for a couple reasons.  Of course I would have rather been there with the long hair than in the military with the short. Very few knew of course (none) I actually identified with the women with long hair. Ironically, I am fairly sure I got more negative reaction then from being a G.I.(military) than now being transgender.

After the Army, I ended up again away from Springfield/Yellow Springs area for any number of reasons-mostly employment.  I never did forget though (with all respect to the Beatles) the girls with "kaleidoscope eyes" I saw first in YS. 

These days, as I have been blessed with my own head of hair, going back to Yellow Springs and all it's small shops is going home- especially everytime when I see small stickers on many of the merchant's doors saying everyone is welcome in their diverse village.  I feel much better these days because I think the little oasis of hippie/liberal thought is being relevant again in our often gender twisted world!

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl of the Day"

Our feature cover today is Mtf transgender woman Josephine Jochmann  who appeared in a documentary made for German TV station RTL2 entitled, "Transgender-my way to a competent body) - was born in 1994 but came alive as a girl in 2010 when she first went to school dressed in girls clothes. She started hormone therapy in 2011.

Even Closer to Home?

Just yesterday I posted a transgender story from Cincinnati.com and today there is another.  Aside from the positive impact of this new post, the fact I also drive through Yellow Springs, Ohio at least a couple times a week back and forth to Liz's in Cincinnati.  I will explain my attraction to "The Springs" in a moment-but first the most important point. It.s called  "RAISING ZAY: A family's journey with a transgender child THE MORE SCIENCE LEARNS, THE MORE MEDICINE CAN HELP. CINCINNATI HAS HELPED LEAD THE NATION IN TRANSGENDER CHILDREN'S HEALTH. Anne Saker, asaker@enquirer.com"



Follow the link above for more. It's a very in depth and positive piece!!!

The "Ripple Effect"

Unfortunately I drive past the exact spot Leelah Alcorn's life came to an end (and a truck driver's undoubtedly changed forever) - at least once a week and sometimes at night.  To say the least, it is a dark, desolate and busy stretch of road at night.  If it is possible though, the setting makes the whole story seem even more tragic and surreal.  But on the bright side, many are not forgetting the world's loss - as you will read in this article from Cincinnati.Com. It which recaps the events since Leelah's suicide:

The suicide nearly two months ago of Warren County (near Cincinnati) teenager Leelah Alcorn triggered a national soul-searching about gender identity, suicide, parent-child relationships and social progress.

Global attention to Alcorn's death came amid growing awareness of the transgender experience, particularly in the past three years with the shot to stardom of actress Laverne Cox. Less than a week before Alcorn's death, movie stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced that their 8-year-old child, a girl named Shiloh at birth, preferred to be called John and to wear boy's clothes. Olympic gold medalist and reality-TV star Bruce Jenner isreportedly transitioning, at 65, from male to female.

The Internet ignited and fueled the conversation about Alcorn. She posted a wrenching suicide note on the social media site Tumblr that flashed across the world. (The Tumblr posting has since been taken down.) A friend also posted Alcorn's selfie posing in a dress, a photograph that artists adapted around the world. That was only the beginning:

• The #leelahalcorn Twitter hashtag continues to generate rolling traffic. A petition drew thousands of signatures urging Congress to ban therapy that aims to dissuade people with questions about gender identity or sexual expression.

• Vigils were held in Cincinnati, across Ohio and the nation in Alcorn's memory; demonstrations were held as far away as New Zealand.

And there is more.  Go here to check it out!!!

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! Another version of our Sunday Special.  Around the Condo at least - it's another morning for nice snuggy jammies and a hot cup o joe!

Page 1.- The Week that Was-or Wasn't.  Again this week, the ever evolving transgender story seemed to take a back seat to the "polar vortex" which froze the eastern part of the country.  My understanding is this one came from Siberia.  One of the positives I guess is I learned a little better how Siberian women dress. 

Page 2.- One Person at a Time. I am nearly to the point where I have lost track of my counts of how many civilians I have come to know now. As we have talked about around here, when the world sees you interacting as just another individual in their world, doors open with most. The nice part is some want to do more than just know or like you-they want to embrace you. Over the years I have chatted with countless individuals who really need friends to reach out to. I don't know how long these "meet up" groups have been going on but if you are interested in finding "friends" or acquaintances, Google "Meet Up.com". and see if there are any groups in your area. Plus it is possible for you to even start one.  It's an excellent way for people to see you as more than a transgender person.

Page 3.- Transgender Vets. Seemingly every week I discover others who's stories very closely follow mine.  By now, most all of you know I am a transgender veteran, but not many know my first wife was also in the military. In fact, we met in Germany in 1974.  This week I discovered another military/trans couple after I read Marcia's blog.  She is a naval vet and her husband Angel served in the Coast Guard.  With all the coming out stories flooding all the media's, I just have to believe we are on the cusp of more and more trans vets coming out of their closets.  After all, the military is a well known place to attempt to "solve"-unsolvable gender issues.

Page 4.- Leelah Remembered. Fortunately, at least in her hometown and beyond Leelah Alcorn's tragic suicide continues to reverberate. More coming up in our next post!

Burning Transgender Bridges

I considered naming this post after "Last Call" (I paraphrase), I don't care where you go-but you can't stay here. In my case at least, I haven't had anyone tell me to my face I had a choice in transitioning to a transgender woman's life. I used to think of the transitioning process as "jumping off a cliff".  Now burning bridges seems more appropriate. You have a chance to look back and see how well the fire is burning, how well is your bridge holding up and how fast can you run.

It's also important to not let others see you burning your bridges-or at least the fire. I had an experience last night at a dinner meetup (meetings) in one of Liz's groups.  Several members bring their kids on occasion.  For the most part, they are overwhelmingly girls. Interestingly, one of them is exceedingly androgynous and exceedingly shy.  After a little research Liz and I found she was a generic and even had a androgynous name.

Last night though, another 14 something? girl was there.  She, I presume hadn't seen much of me at other meetings.  As many other teen girls do, they sense a difference in me which I think goes past looks these days. HRT life changes are real feminine gender enablers. (More than I ever considered.) As it turned out, she and I were brought face to face a couple of times during the evening and as always with generics-the eyes say it all.  Hers had a mixture of curiosity and acceptance. The last thing I wanted to do was show her any of my gender bridges still on fire.  I smiled and softly said hello as she attacked the M&M's on the food bar.

 From then on I blended back into the fast moving world of a teen aged critter. After all, there was her cell phone to consider! I wondered briefly if I had any part of her conversation but then remembered my own advice. It doesn't have to be about me at all.

Transgender Vet Follow Up

Marcia was suggesting a trans vet roll call of sorts and I was sent one (thanks!). Here on Susan's Place. Or, you can find it on my list of links too!  Thanks J!

So Close and Yet So Far

I know you have read me write here in Cyrsti's Condo about how amazed I continue to be about those of us in the trans or cross dressing community share a commonality about life.  From Pat's examples of "spreading" the word in gay venues about her to Connie and I playing football in our youth (different teams) to cover our "girl-ness" -literally tons of stories are the same.  Now, I have another which goes back to Marcia and Angel (left) of the blog "A Cross Dressers Wife." 

It turns out Angel is a trans vet and Marcia is a vet (USN) too.  Of course most of you probably know by now and I am trans vet but maybe what you don't know is my first wife is a vet too.  We still get along and was actually one of the first people I came out to as a "transvestite" in Germany where we serving in 1974.  It's a small world.  Marcia finished her post with these words:

"My hope is with this new-found openness in our country, we are becoming more united as a country that embraces our differences, inspires our characters and promotes our people to new levels of understanding and tolerance where we truly know the extent of what it means to be free.   And Freedom isn't free.

Hey Cyrsti, Let's start a role call of our military trans* that will be counted."

Angel Harding - USCG
Maria Harding - USN (Wife)"

No freedom is not free, and it's tragic the transgender military members fighting on the front lines for freedom- are the first in line to be denied it!!!!