Trans*forming the Dialogue

Tonight, if you on Twitter at all, I am going to try to participate in the Simmons College chat. You can register here.  and jump right in I think!!!!

#TransDialogue Tweet Chat: 
Date: Tuesday, June 23rd
Time: 8 pm Eastern Time

A Busy Week!

Nicole Maines (from Out Magazine.

Those of you more mature Cyrsti's Condo visitors may remember the days in the "Dark Ages" when the only type of a transgender-cross dresser-transvestite person on TV was either on a sensationalized talk show (like Geraldo Rivera) or a movie in which the character was some sort of an evil murderer.

This week is the exact opposite. Last night (Monday) was another episode of the Ryan Seacrest-produced reality series Becoming Us.  The show explores the relationship between transgender (transitioning) MTF Carly and her son Ben, a teenage photographer with a lot on his mind. As television would have it- Ben’s girlfriend Danielle also has a father who’s transitioning. Doesn't everyone?

Audrey Middleton

Then tonight (Tuesday) is the Royal Pain episode with young transgender woman Nicole Maines.

Last but hopefully not least (this Wednesday and Thursday)  the 2015 Edition of "Big Brother" will begin it's 17th season with a transgender woman Audrey Middleton included. 

As a sidelight, if you have ever seen Julie Chen, the host/moderator of this show speak on transgender issues she seems to be a huge ally of the trans community.

Finally, sometimes it is difficult to get links such as the ones in this post to work for long but you should be able to keep searching to find one.

Kristin Beck

Former Navy Seal and transgender woman Kristin Beck is running for Congress! She is running for the Southern Maryland 5th Congressional seat against a long time incumbent. 


Follow the link to her site for more!!! (And donate if you can!!!)

I view Kristin as sort of the "ultimate" transgender veteran and wish her the best!!!

The Greatest Conflict of All?

Connie recently commented:

"The vast majority of people grow up and live their whole lives without thinking about their genders. They become aware of gender at an early age, and that, most certainly, affects their general thinking. We, on the other hand, struggled with the dysphoria as we became aware of our gender flux"

I attempted to explain exactly that to my Grand Kids and sometimes even others. Again this weekend, I became extremely aware at how others can't even conceive what we go through. Fortunately any more  I don't need to carry around a chip on my shoulder or bitterness by this time in my life-it is what it is being transgender.

Back to this weekend, Liz and I went to a Lavender Festival plus a Summer Solstice Ritual Saturday and Sunday. A few of the group (we are members of)  braved the monsoon downpours Saturday and met again Sunday. In the group are four or five tweener girls who have become increasingly fascinated with me.

They are losing their shyness and are asking my name-slowly but surely they are warming up, which I love. After all, it wasn't so long ago girls their age were my worst fear when I first opened the door and began to cross dress in public. 

Connie went on to write:  "As I was standing in the grocery line yesterday, I surveyed the covers of the magazines on the rack. People Magazine had a full-face picture of a young Bruce Jenner, along with a smaller insert from Caitlyn's Vanity Fair shoot. The headline read something like: "Good-bye Bruce; Hello Caitlyn". That got me to thinking (like I said, you can't ever get over it completely) about how others misunderstand us. It's not as simple as "good-bye/hello". Just because we may have lived our lives in a flux about gender, we don't discount our pasts through MTF transition. Of course, I used to fantasize about a "magic wand" myself, so I don't blame others for thinking that, just because I've come out, I am a totally different person. "

Of course in some ways those girls do equate me with Caitlyn Jenner and what Connie wrote. While I am sure I will never have the opportunity to sit down with any or all and chat further about a new world of gender awareness they will be a key part of. One never knows! And of course, when their kids meet transgender classmates or friends, we won't be quite as confusing.

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Kerplunk! Heads up! Another Sunday edition is hitting your virtual front porch. Here in Ohio, we are taking a brief break from a typical steamy summer with torrential rainfalls which are the remnants of Hurricane Bill. Lets get started.

Page One-The Week that Was or Wasn't:  Last week, the remarkable run of transgender orientated media programming continued with the announcement of  another transgender teen, Nicole Maines making her acting debut this Tuesday on national television. She will be on this weeks episode of the USA Network show (Tuesday where I live) Royal Pains. **Note, this link may take you to a video.

If you remember, Maines, a 17-year old high school senior, made headlines when she won a Maine transgender rights case. The ruling saw the Maine Supreme Judicial Court guarantee the right of a transgender child to use the school bathroom designated for the gender with which he or she identifies.

Page Two- Dad's Day.- It's Father's Day again. I have no idea if other countries in the world have an equivalent. Around here, it draws the natural comparison between it and Mother's Day.Of course, the Mom's get the credit. In the transgender community I am going out on on a limb and write most of us for one reason or another worshiped our Mom's while our Father's remained distant. In my case, my Dad was an extraordinary provider while at the same time providing a strong moral compass. But, he was an a distant man...a WWII and Great Depression self made man. So Dad (who passed years ago) - I still wouldn't know what to get you for Father's Day. But, the more I read about the effect of single parent homes today-you were a star. Thanks I owe you a lot.

Page Three.-Summer Solstice.- Today also happens to be the longest day of the year and time to wrap this up and head to a celebration of sorts in a nearby park. Be safe and (as always) thanks for joining me here in Cyrsti's Condo! 

A Cyrsti's Condo Salute to Father's Day

No boring tie for this Dad on Father's Day!



James Ross in his drag role as Tyra Sanchez, with his son Jeremiah.  Portraits by Jeffrey Salter

Cyrsti's Condo DAMMIT!

Unidentified Pinterest Cross dresser

Jim! I don't have the key. I forgot and locked the hotel door behind me!!! It's going to be difficult telling the wives I was just "playing"sissy for you when the wives get back from shopping.

You Get to See What I Choose to Show You!

In recent posts here in Cyrsti's Condo, we have discussed how the world see's a transgender person. By now, even the average person has some sort of understanding of who they "think" we are because of Caitlin Jenner, Laverne Cox etc. 

Not a real surprise in that for most of our lives-we don't know what to think. At the point I did and interacted with the world, I came to my own realization my gender feelings were a highly personal, fluid and powerful part of my life. Selfishly, I discovered my gender was but a mirror. It was A mirror when I was kid walking down the hallway the first time in a dress and make up. When I transitioned more completely into the public, I compared my feminine life as stepping out of the mirror and into the "real world."

These days, I think I am coming full circle again. (One of the benefits of being old.) I still feel the highly personal nature of my personal gender, but now feel even a deeper sense of humor in letting the public see what they "think" they see in me. Only I know for sure!

After all, they don't have a life.

While My Blog Gently Weeps

Everytime I write one of these posts, I fervently hope it will be my last.  

The older I get now it seems the world has turned on it's end-again. First came the tragedy of the racially motivated attack in South Carolina. I was a "tweener" when the real impact of the Civil Rights movement took effect in the 60's.  While I am not naive enough to think racism was ever dead and buried in our country, I was fond of telling my grandkids of how their great grandmother went to local Klan meetings in a horse drawn wagon-and now we have a biracial president. 

Then, this morning a Cincinnati policeman was shot and killed on duty.

I wish I could pretend I was smart or powerful enough to even suggest ways to end this madness.  And, I have not even mentioned the issue of gun control.

I still think the somewhat "romantic" idea of a "gun in every house" because we (America) are a youngish country is still alive. After all that is the only reason the Germans or Japanese didn't attack in World War II! was we were armed. Finally, toss in all the meth heads or heroin addicts with automatic weapons and a good time will be had by all! 

What I do propose is, ALL of the nearly 20 candidates who are running for president need to not be allowed to steer the issues away from the basics.

Stop bitching about gay marriage and transgender rights and get to work on fixing what's broken. Before it's too late.