Growing Up Trans on PBS

I missed the first episode of "Growing Up Trans" yesterday on PBS. But I am sure I will have the chance to see it later. 

It's an all too familiar story: "

 It was kind of like a double life,” young transgender girl Ariel  told  FRONTLINE in Growing Up Trans, a new documentary which premiered Tuesday, June 30, at 10 p.m. EST on PBS 

She went on to say:  “I think a lot of people are completely just comfortable and fluid, but for me, I was really scared.”

'Ariel is one of eight kids, ranging in age from nine to 19, who share their stories in Growing Up Trans. With children transitioning at younger and younger ages, and with more medical options available to them and their parents than ever before, the 90-minute documentary explores the complicated struggles and choices facing families as they navigate the changing and complex world of gender and identity.

For Ariel, who began living publicly as a girl at age 11, the process has not always been easy.

“It’s harder, teasing and bullying-wise, when you’re a girlie boy, when you’re in that in-between stage, than when you’ve fully transitioned,” Ariel says.'

For more, follow the link above!

"Sinister in Law?"

I'm sorry. Recently I have been mentioning my former Sister in Law more and more here in Cyrsti's Condo and not giving you all more info. The reason? At the present time she is passing back through my life again-like it or not. Why? She is the younger sister of my deceased wife and has absolutely no blood relation left. She is also single and I am it as a support person-it.

In a way, I feel life has come full circle again. She was always the more attractive sister (between my wife and her). With a good body, blond hair and blue eyes-many times she didn't have to go far to get her way. So Mom and my wife, who were very down to earth women didn't respect her lifestyle on occasion. Many occasions as sister in law was also a big time party person-until it all started to break her down. She is now 56.

My living arrangements are complex. I still have a fairly major property to get rid of here before I can move in with Liz full time down in Cincinnati. To save money and stay warmer, I shut down a bunch of things in my old house and moved in with "sis." 

To make this all so much more complicated, she had no idea I was transgender until I came out to her after Mother in Law passed nearly a year ago. And, to make it worse "Sis" recently lost her drivers license for a yet to be determined amount of time. No, she does not have the money for Uber, has a degenerative knee disease and lives a block away from the nearest bus stop. Thus, my Taxi service for her monthly Doctor's visits and food stops. 

I look at it all this way. I don't have a choice and just can't walk away-but-in the meantime, I have been known to extract a "pound of flesh" in the meantime. (Bitch!!!) Along with wife and Mom, (maybe more so) I resented her looks and the flaunting of them. So, here I am, when they are nearly all gone. I hate to say it, but there is more than a little poetic justice. (Bitch!!)

In all fairness to Sis, she does try to give me input on my girl self (blah!!!) but she does give me a wide range of purse and jewelry options. 

Perhaps the scariest part of this all is- I can't see the end of the road for any of this. I just know I am on it.

Cyrsti's Condo "From the Hart"

Taxi Service and the Dox

Never a dull moment in my world (how much fun would that be?) Today I had to check in with my "medical team" endocrinologist on the results of my latest visit to the vampires. (Blood tests.) The result was after my cat -scan Thursday) he is scheduling me with a gastrologist. Hell, I don't even know how to spell it. Then, the Doc said "how you (me) doing?"  I said quite truthfully all of this new found attention was a bit un-concerting. In very unlike doctor language he said "Don't worry just go out and live every day." I thought quickly "easy for him to say" then again so right he is!!!

Then this afternoon, I was performing my medical taxi service for my "sinister in law" who recently lost her license. She is nearly 56 and ultra concerned about her image and tooooo concerned about mine. Which has resulted recently with me telling her "You are not the boss of me."

Anyhow, this afternoon I went in with her to her waiting room very butched in boy drag. I didn't think much about it until the receptionist was having a difficult time telling which one of us was "Melissa." What really got to "sis" though was when she (the receptionist) overlooked her and mentioned how much she liked the color of my hair. The very same color sis in law tried and miserably failed to copy. 

For once, I kept my "jabberer" shut and thanked the woman and thought "Ha Ha!"

So much for living every day Doc!!! Good advice!

Cyrsti's Condo "Blind Date?"

Identified cross dresser-Pinterest

Wow!!! I didn't know my sister was serious about setting me up on a blind date-but he is here! Too late to turn back now!!!

Moving Forward or Getting Even?

Following the landmark Supreme Court decision upholding nationwide same sex marriage, many have taken the opportunity to perhaps over celebrate or over react in the opposite. Recently, here in Cyrsti's Condo, we ran a post which essentially quoted verbatim a response from a photographer who chose to donate a wedding picture deposit to GLAAD rather than back to the person who paid it.  

And then, bless the persons who think not returning it was wrong-even though it said in the contract the deposit was not refundable. The reason for many was the whole affair was a chance to extend an olive branch of sorts to the couple of (faith?) who wanted their money back.

To an extent, Connie is one of them and you can read her comments why after the post. I am not,and I think the photographer did exactly the right thing. Perhaps? It's because Connie lives in a much more LGBT accepting part of the country? I am fairly certain entire olive trees have been torn down and extended to those "of the faith" around here who refuse to accept anyone else's faith. In an extreme sense, I'm sure to "some of the faithful" we LGBT women and men are as big of a threat to the fabric of society as the terrorists are in the Middle East. 

Enough said. Over the years I have been vilified, trolled and threatened with stoning surprising little on any of my social media.(  Maybe it was because I was stoned so much in my past?)

What does make me sad is how difficult it is for me to even consider the right wing bible thumpers will ever accept me.

Finally, as a point of reference- I want to say I am a capitalist to the point of supporting a small business owner's right to not serve someone on religious grounds. BUT when I take it a step further, owners could then begin to not serve others because of their race. So, in a sports reference-we won baby!!! Now get over it.

I know some of you are thinking too, what exactly does the SCOTUS decision mean to the transgender community, since most of us really didn't have a "horse in the race." More in a future post.

Cyrsti's Condo Advanced Training?

Unidentified Sissy Boy Maid Pinterest

Hmmmn? This sissy maid thing seemed like such a good idea....now what is that thing in front of me supposed to do?

The Un- Kindest Cut of All?

"Back in the day" when I was cross dressing and beginning to explore the feminine world, I constantly thought would I - could I ever "go full time."  Obviously (for any number of reasons) I took my time almost to the point of suicide. 

During that period of time a couple things stood out in my mind. One of which was a "documentary" of sorts about a person who was shown picking out a wardrobe ahead of her trip to Thailand for her SRS.  Afterwards, the story skipped ahead to a welcome home party of sorts to her home town. I thought at the time, wasn't that all a bit too easy? What did walking around in her new "little black dress" at the party have to do with her reestablishing a new life?

Then, there was the guy who went through sex reassignment surgery, lived as a woman for a few years and wanted no part of it. I remember thinking Wow - shouldn't a person be sure? Would I ever be? What if I went the distance and could never go back.

Well, I have never "gone the distance" as far as SRS was concerned and at the age of 66, I wonder about the health concerns of doing so. As it turned out, I learned the hard way what was between my ears defined me. Not what is between my legs.

I'm no expert but, over the years people have asked me what questions (and answers) which brought me to where I am today.  My best advice is very simple. There are two ways NOT to find out if you can OR if you want to live as a trans woman. No matter how much time anybody says you should live a feminine life, that does not mean walking the mall day after day or hanging out in gay venues. It means doing decidedly unfeminine things (which women have to do) like going to an auto parts store-etc. 

Plus, recently, Connie and I have have been discussing another level of acceptance in the world-as yourself as a transgender woman. In nearly polar opposites in the country we both became members of "Meet Up" Groups. In doing so, we have discovered total strangers like us for our feminine selves. Not a small deal of course. 

So, of course, if one rushes into this gender change thing at any age, it's tough. It just could be tougher the older you get and the extra baggage (not under my eyes!) which comes with age. I can only say, as I transitioned, I knew without a shadow of a doubt I was doing the right thing. I can also understand why many would call me all too timid also!!!

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day"

Over heard on one of the "Housewives" reality shows:

"I would be nervous of me-if I wasn't me."