Nine Lives Lost-So Far

Casper Taub

The grim reality is the trans suicides keep mounting. Not long ago in April A bullied 15-year-old transgender skater from West Bloomfield, Michigan died from suicide.

Casper Taub's death was brought to national attention Wednesday (15 July) night in Caitlyn Jenner’s powerful speech at the ESPY Awards.

Taub, who was also known as Sam, skated under the number 57 and his teammates in the Darlings of Destruction Junior Derby League remember him as ‘a bright and shining star’ whose ‘sense of humor was fantastic.’

He is the ninth transgender teen to die by suicide this year.

Jenner spoke about transgender suicide in her emotional ESPYs speech and paid tribute to Taub and 17-year-old Mercedes Williamson – a transgender woman of color was found stabbed to death in a field in Mississippi.

‘I also want to tell you about Sam Taub, a 15-year-old transgender young man from Bloomfield, Michigan,’ Jenner said.

‘In early April, Sam took his own life. Now, Sam’s story haunts me in particular because his death came just a few days before ABC aired my interview with Diane Sawyer.'

It's easy for me to place the tragic blame on conservative families, religious bigots and poorly supervised schools- but then again maybe I am right. 

Comedy and the Trans Girl

Recently I have been meeting my friend Kim for our Wednesday night "play nights." Rarely are they boring and the venue where we have been going for years has been experimenting with different ways of building business. The newest is yet another version of the well worn out Ladies Night drink specials along with different forms of so called entertainment. I figured it was far past time to enjoy my taste of Ladies Drink Specials!

One of the bigger surprises was when we found ourselves front and center on "Comedy Night." Our expectations were low - not expecting to see the next Jerry Seinfeld or Amy Shumer that night but, actually a couple of the guys were entertaining. (Or it could have been the 'dolla' pints?) Whatever the case, one of the comics began to zero in on the two sets of ladies in the half empty bar. I was half of one of the sets. Initially, I was a little embarrassed and warmed up to the attention.  Why not?

After the show, the comic came over to us and said "would you ladies be interested in attending his bigger show in August? If we were, he had free tickets for us." We took the tickets, again-of course.

Of course I had a great time all night. What I never (or not yet) grasped all the factors of why I have completely wonderful periods of time living my chosen gender-or others which are disasters. Obviously material for many blog posts.

One thing I do know is, I have to work very hard for any passing privilege I achieve. When I don't keep my hair up, my make up right or my weight down-I am just beginning to look for problems.

In the meantime, the times when my gender stars come together are unbelievably natural and uplifting-no joke!!! 

Having the Courage to Pay Forward?

Yesterday here in Cyrsti's Condo, we wrote about the relative "plethora" of transgender related programming Wednesday night but still forgot to mention Caitlin Jenner's acceptance of an ESPY. What is an "ESPY" you might ask? It's the annual Emmy's style award show directed at the sporting world by the sports programming giant ESPN. Both Pat and Connie asked me (sort of) why I didn't mention Caitlin. First some background: Of course not all the world was pleased with Jenner receiving the award for courage. Even I had my doubts as I witnessed the up close and personal struggle with a terminal brain tumor waged around Christmas last year by a local Cincinnati woman's basketball player. (Lauren Hill-now deceased)

Jenner (left)-Lauren Hill (right)

From Time Magazine:

"In the midst of the outcry, though, Jenner stood strong — a resolve she carried to the stage on Wednesday night. She used the speech as a rallying cry for the fair treatment of transgender youth.

“If you want to call me names, make jokes, doubt my intentions, go ahead, because the reality is I can take it,” she said. “But for the thousands of kids out there coming to terms with the truth of who they are, they shouldn’t have to take it.”

“For the people out there wondering what this is all about — whether it’s about courage or controversy or publicity — it’s about what happens from here,” she continued. “It’s not about just one person… it’s not just about me, it’s about all of us, accepting one another. We’re all different. That’s not a bad thing. That’s a good thing."

Yes, my most jaded self came to appreciate when Caitlin Jenner did have the opportunity to speak on behalf of the most important segment of the transgender community (youth) she did.

A Big Night Tonight

Plenty of action on the the American "Tube" tonight. (Wednesday EST) Do they call televisions a tube anymore or has the term gone the route of calling transvestites "TV's"? 

From ABC News:

"Like many teenage girls her age, Jazz Jennings spent time at the beach this summer and loves playing soccer with her friends, but she’s about to face a new challenge when she starts high school in the fall.

“I’m a little bit worried because I’m not sure if people are going to be fully accepting,” she said. “I’ve noticed that boys are less accepting than girls.”

Jazz is transgender, and at just 14 years old, she is staving off puberty and medically transitioning her body to female, the gender she identifies as, by taking estrogen and puberty blockers. All the while, like her peers, Jazz is trying to navigate typical teenage issues.

“It's hard for me to talk about boys with my friends sometimes,” Jazz said. “All they have to do is stuck their butt out and then a boy's like, ‘Text me.’ For me, it's not like that.”

AND! NASA has announced more and more of the historic pictures of the (planet??) tonight. Pluto tonight. And, all along I thought Pluto was a cartoon dog!!!

Cyrsti's Condo "From the Hart"

Cyrsti's Condo - "On the Runway"

Unidentified Pinterest Womanless Pageant Cross Dresser

Should "Sean" try not to look toooo comfortable in his girlfriends boots in this womanless beauty pageant picture. And, did gf (and her girl friends)  really take away his male clothes for the night?

The Science of Bra's

Think of it-which item of clothing generates more discussion than a bra. Often, the discussion is cute and nostalgic, embarrassing or even fetishistic in nature. Or Not!  For those of us who had/have a history of dating generic girls, there are the terrible memories of trying to slyly "unlock" the mysteries of removing our dates bra's at the drive in theater.  (Imagine what she felt?) Then, there were the wonderful girls who could "effortlessly" take their bras off-under a sweat shirt. 

Of course as time has passed and I have learned the gender grass on the other side is NOT necessarily always greener. Many of the women I know don't speak fondly of the first trips with Mom to pick out a training bra. Plus, there is the pressure to buy the right lingerie set (including a bra) for an intimate date night. (Or the possibility of one.)

Cis Model Lace Bra

And, of course there is more- so much more. If and when you decide to explore HRT and develop your own breasts, then all of a sudden you are slightly embarrassed teen girl looking for her first real bra.



Finally, I know I'm writing to the choir here about the power of the right bra. No pun intended, but the right one can "push" you to heights you never imagined. T-shirt bras can smooth you under a form fitting top or a flirty "peek a boo" lace bra can give you just a touch of class when you need it (not all low like me!)

I could go on and on. For some bra's are a BIG topic and for others (me) not so big. I can only say I have had a whole different idea of what's going on under my external clothing recently. I was more than a little shocked the first time I was told by one of my doctors to take my top off-then my bra. (Yes Mom-my undies were clean!!)

It's not a real surprise that bra's are such a big deal because they hold breasts (real or other wise.) And, we all know the power of the "girls" on both genders. Transgender, cross dresser, cis man or woman- all are influenced by breasts.

Even when I was wearing breast forms exclusively, somehow they defined my femininity.  Big or small, shaped well or not-bra's have a big job to do with all the boobs running around!

A Cross Dressers Best Friend?

"Jessie Pierce" a self proclaimed "T-girl" shows off her best friend!!! Her mirror!!!

From Yahoo News:

"Make Up For Ever is setting an important precedent in the beauty industry. The brand has tapped transgender model Andreja Pejic to be the face of their latest campaign, making the leggy beauty one of the first transgender models to land a major beauty deal (Pejic joins Brazilian model Lea T —who partnered with Redken in 2014—in leading to change in a largely cisgender-dominated industry). "I prefer doing shoots," the 23-year-old reveals in the interview. Time magazine last year for a feature titled "The Transgender Tipping Point," which explored how the acceptance of transgender individuals is the next social frontier in the U.S.)."


Don't you LOVE it? and her!!!!