Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Morning Edition"

KerPlunk! and welcome to another Sunday morning edition! It's building to another very warm 90 plus degree Ohio summer day around here, so the "joe" (coffee) is going to being iced today. Let's get started:

Page One-The Week that Was-or Wasn't. Not much ultra new or exciting last week. The usual suspects populated our transgender world such as Caitlin Jenner, Jazz Jennings and yes even Zoey Tur. Plus, we picked up a discussion on Trans woman Carly from the ABC Family Network. Even though we know "reality" is not often "reality" on American television, the discussions often are-after the cameras are off out here in the real world.

Page Two-Of Interest: As you regulars know, my choice of pursuing gender reassignment surgery is no. I understand the drive for so many others to have SRS but at the age of 65 what is between my legs does not define my gender. But-I do not hold it against others who desire the operation deeply. However, what has been happening little by little is others are feeling that way too-many in the younger generation who identify as gender fluid, agender or whatever. As always, I can't help but wonder how I would have felt "back in the day" when I was young and the same info would have been available. 

Page Three-It's Raining Men- in Skirts? Yes, yesterday was the Dayton, Ohio Celtic Festival and more than a few of the men showed up in their finest kilts. If you are not sure what a "kilt" is all about, follow the link. Rest assured kids, these guys weren't cross dressers-at least yesterday! I do have some pictures (no not in a kilt!) around somewhere on Liz or I's phone to pass along later then again you know what I look like.

Page Four-The Back Page: Before we take off, I am going to pass along a story from the other night  when Nikki, Kim and I got together for an adult beverage.  As I have mentioned before, both of them are of the "lesbian" faith. After we had been there awhile, it became evident a couple others of "the faith" across the bar were having an emotional moment. Nikki, who is never shy about buying others a "beverage" had the bartender sent the person across the bar (who was crying) a drink. The bartender said "from whom?" Nikki just said "from the team. How sweet!!!

Thanks as always for taking your valuable time for stopping by! Luv's ya!!!

Transgender Snow Flakes?

Hopefully the world is finding one meeting or even television show at a time, we transgender women and trans men are as different as snowflakes. Pat, Connie and Mandy have mentioned many times how simply "making contact" in the world brings the public to us-not the reverse. Connie gets the credit for this quote:

"Transgender women or men who are shown by the media are done so for economic reasons. Whether it's supposed "reality" or portrayals in an entertainment sense, we can only hope that the general population does not use them as examples to define the rest of us. Gender Identity is the only thing we may have in common; the rest of who we are is as different as are snowflakes."

This quote from Connie actually came from one of my who/us posts and I paraphrase: Caitlin Jenner did take one for the team when she received her Espy Courage Award. On the other on Becoming Us Mtf transgender woman Carly, seems more interested in taking one for her. (Or in her case-taking one off.)

From my angle, all of the PR, does seem to be making my life easier. I look at it as a cooking mix of sort: Put in a mix of HRT (hair-skin-etc) add a pinch of public relations and baking it with my half baked friends!

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Somewhere in the deep recesses of my noggin, I seem to remember featuring the UK's Kay English before.

At any rate unless she reads the blog and has something against it, here she is again.

 I just think Kay represents the best in feminine presentation pix. (I don't know her preferred label-transgender-cross dresser or whatever.)

Cyrsti's Condo Virgin Toes?

Tomorrow night I will go through another feminine "rite of passage" of sorts. As always, I am a little late for the party but I will make it none the less. (I hope!!!)

Liz and I are going on a mini "girl's night out"  complete with a pedicure. We can't do the classic "mani-pedi" because my hands are still healing from whatever has ravaged them. Tuesday, I have an appointment with yet another doctor. This time a dermatologist. 

The last couple of summers, I have developed an affinity for wearing sandals/flipflops. At the same time I have been able to perfect an amateur pedicure of sorts. But, never the real deal.

My problem is of course I am highly worried about the perception of my "less than dainty" feet. Liz simply says my feet are certainly not small but proportioned well. She has always pointed out (often) size has less to do with passing privilege as proportion- One reason for the need for quality padding around the hips for most of us to offset our shoulders. And, another mistake overzealous beginning cross dressers make when they over compensate immediately in the "boob" department.

As always, I digress and I have been directed to "prep" tonight and at least shave my legs from the knees down (really?) Plus, I have been researching the number of women I see who do not have exactly fashion model feet, so I won't be as shy about mine. 

So I believe tomorrow night will be one of those feminine rights of passage similar to my first visit to a salon to get my hair done. I am excited and at least Liz will be with me so I shouldn't get lost.

Philippine "Garage Band?"

So, that's what you have been doing with your spare time?
Thanks Bobbie :)

Trans Passing Privilege with a Capital "P"!

Pejic left and Swift right.

I know the last couple posts here in Cyrsti's Condo have dealt with trans women (mostly young) with tons of passing privilege. Now, I know many of you are like me and are just doing your best to get by in the feminine world-But! I do love to dream and marvel at the transitions I see with many Mtf transgender women.

Of course in that category is trans supermodel Andreja Pejic, who by the way turned up on stage with Taylor Swift as part of her BFF Squad.


Australian-born Pejic, 23, is the world's most famous trans model and was recently featured in AmericanVogue. Pejic is also the first transgender model to land a cosmetic campaign. 

I will never say her (Pejic's) appearance with Swift helps me in any way with my life but it sure looks like fun!!!

Cyrsti's Condo Cover Girl of the Day

Kim Petras

With all the recent publicity 14 year old transgender girl Jazz Jennings is getting these days, it's hard to believe it seems 20 something trans German singer/writer Kim Petras has been around forever!

If you recall, Petras was very adamant that her gender had always been female. In an interview about her surgery she stated "I was asked if I feel like a woman now - but the truth is I have always felt like a woman - I just ended up in the wrong body".

"Us" is "Who?"

In an extension of sorts from a previous Cyrsti's Condo post - an in depth look at the confusing and ever evolving list of terms to describe "us". Let's do who!

Now, with the ever growing explosion of transgender programming on television, many of us have had to pause and consider again where we fit in. Since I am writing this, lets take me for an example. The easiest is Caitlin Jenner. We both describe ourselves as transgender women but I will never have the privilege she has. Or, how about Laverne Cox? Again we both are trans and I deeply admire her work and public presence-but I will never be able to totally understand her experience of growing up black in the deep South. Then there is Carly on Becoming Us. She probably comes closest to me as far the social-economic side of life goes but again something about her just leaves me cold. I mean did she develop that annoying giggle as she transitioned? Sorry Carly.  (Liz told me I was just a bitch.)

By now you are probably asking "Cyrsti, just who do you like?" Actually, I like all of it. (except Zoey Tur of course.) How cool is it to be even having this conversation?

And now, 

This Summer, Let Your Voice Be Heard

The 2015 U.S. Trans Survey will be available to complete beginning in August. Until then, get involved in promoting the survey and join our mailing list below. You'll be the first to know when the study is available to complete, and the first to see the results.

This is actually a big deal as more of us stand up to be counted!!! 

And don't worry, I am just a cynic not  bitch! Liz!!!

The Definitive Guide to---Us?

"Us" is similar to "they." The faceless minions in the world, not in the new movie.

If you use "us" as in the TGLBQ community, it's a serious deal especially to civilians. After all in a previous recent Cyrsti's Condo post, Connie and I discussed using the "she" pronoun at all when referring to Zoey Tur.

Perhaps you remember the Simmons College "SocialWork@Simmons" Blog we participated with here in the blog. Now Simmons is passing along a "Gender and Sexuality - Defining Terms for Everyday Use."

Here is the intro:  "Navigating the dialogue that surrounds gender and sexuality can be difficult. The terminology used by and for individuals along the gender spectrum is specific, and preferred usage can vary from individual to individual. Consider the acronym LGBT, which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. It’s used all the time in phrases like “LGBT community” and “LGBT rights.” Yet, some people and groups include a “Q” in the acronym to stand for questioning, while others include an “I” to stand for intersex. The language is adaptable and it is always evolving."

Since it is incredibly complex for "us" I can only imagine how confusing it is for "them."

Thanks for checking in Megan (on my email) and Chris for his work on the blog. Follow the link for an in depth look. 

Perhaps of all the terminology, "evolving" is the most profound.