Just the Transgender Facts Mam

Darla Lannert served two tours of duty in Vietnam as Rick Lannert. “Trust me, I never chose this. People don’t choose to be humiliated, have their life threatened, lose their family and friends,” she says.

As you all probably know, I am a trans vet-a draft induced Vietnam Era vintage one. Yesterday, I saw these figures which I found interesting and of course wanted to pass along to all of you.

These come from the Wisconsin Journal Sentinel:   

1. 12,800-the estimate of active duty trans military members.
2. Transgender people are twice as likely to serve in the military as the general population.
3. According to an UCLA Study, an estimated one in five transgender women or men are trans.
4. Read more here!

Cyrsti's Cotndo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! Listen up! Another Sunday Edition is hitting your virtual front porch. Around here, Momma Nature is doing her best to provide a beautiful cool fall Sunday morning along the Ohio River in Southwestern Ohio. In fact I'm taking advantage of her gift by writing this morning outside. Let's get our "Cup o Joe" and get started!

Page One-The Week that Was or Wasn't: The surprise of the week for me was the Thursday "Dr. Phil" Show transgender episode.I was completely surprised when Dr. Phil "counseled" a young trans woman's step father concerning her transition-which in my book she was managing to destroy in every conceivable way she could. In fact, it took a visit from transgender Navy Seal Krisitn Beck to provide real insights.My fave moment came when Step Dad in a moment of ultra confusion called Kristin an "it".  Dr. Phil cautioned him later never call a Navy Seal an "it"-he could get kicked over the roof.

Page Two.- "Movin Picture Shows": Friday night after my speaking engagement, Liz and I had a chance to see a new "movin picture show" which was just opening called "Grandma". All I can really tell you about the movie is we enjoyed it immensely, it stars Lily Tomlin and transgender actress Lavern Cox has a role. 

Also, yesterday I received a message in one of my emails concerning a "Romance/Murder Mystery" which involves a trans "protagonist." At the beginning of the message and link, I was dismissing it out of hand-until-I read more about it. So, in a later post, I will pass along the link to the project and you can make your own decision. At this point, I can only say (from what I have seen) the movie will walk a fine line between the interaction between a transgender woman and her "admirer."

Page Three: Opinion: It's been a big Sunday edition this week as we deal with all sorts of contentious trans issues. Let's throw in another and call it "Shape Shifting." That's right-shape shifting. Friday night at the "Love Must Win" get together, another transgender woman named "Steph" (as I mentioned) spoke also. Her story was vastly different than mine in many areas yet so similar in others. The biggest similarity came when she said her journey to her present was not as clear cut as many of the trans kids (like Jazz Jennings) are today. Similar to my story. She also detailed briefly her cross dressing years- Still perceived as a negative somehow by trans "purists"." As I normally do, I began to backtrack in my noggin the next day about our "cross dressing" years and how I could even explain them somehow as my "shape shifting years." We will see.

Page Four: The Back Page: Today did mark a sad milestone in my life as I removed my last estrogen patches from my body. On the positive side, I have steeled myself to the point of living longer is my ultimate goal. If by chance the opportunity to begin estrogen again comes my way again-great. If it doesn't, at least I can thank my Goddess for letting me live it for awhile.

In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful day and as always-thanks for taking your valuable time and stopping by Cyrsti's Condo. "Luv ya" all!!!

Love MUST Win!

Last night was my speaking engagement in Burlington, Kentucky for a group called "Love Must Win!"  I was told it went well-even to the point of a couple in the group used the "I" word with me - inspirational.

Truthfully, while I was deeply humbled and flattered, "inspirational" goes right with "bravery" in my book as words I find hard to accept. I have seen and known many "first responders" and military members who are truly brave. I have just done what I needed to survive-before it was too late for me. 

Personally, I was inspired by so many others last night telling their stories. For the most part, 20 something gay guys telling brutal stories of growing up in very un-understanding families. These were the people who opened their group and invited myself and another transgender woman to talk about our pasts.

Sarah, the other trans woman, also survived a brutal past.

For my part, I am a survivor because of age. I told them all, I am living proof the light at the end of the tunnel is not the train. You may not get by unscathed but get by you can. Sure, I tried to oft myself actively and passively but Hey! look, I'm still here.

Until I heard from all the others though, I didn't realize how totally I would be speaking to the choir. After I heard their stories, it is no wonder so many LGBT youth try suicide as the only way out.

Love just has to win-what would John Lennon say?

Transgender Veteran Care

I try to pride myself in passing out praise as much as I am negative. Which I have to admit has been tough lately...but infinitely doable. Especially yesterday at my latest Veterans Administration appointment. 

I'm up now to giving regular blood labs first and then going over to hematology to give a pint. Hopefully if this works, I will only be scheduled for two to four more.

The reason I am writing this post is, I simply can't believe how nice they all are to me. I was greeted as "Ms" Hart and pronouned correctly all the way.

Hopefully, they all are just treating me so well because I trans-not because of my illness!!!!

Whatever the reason, I plan on carrying the theme on through into my speaking engagement tonight.

The bottom line is, the world does not have to accept or understand us any further than knowing we didn't have a choice with any of this- Transgender, gay, lesbian or whatever.

What we do have a choice in though, is how the world treats us.  Kristin Beck said it again yesterday: (I paraphrase) If we (trans women and men) aren't trying to kill ourselves-we are trying to do it ourselves in record numbers. Tragic.

Ending this post on a positive note, I am fairly sure no one from the Dayton, Ohio VA hospital reads Cyrsti's Condo-but if you do-THANKS!!!

Dr. Phil - Meet Kristin Beck

Liz is a bigger Dr. Phil fan than I am. So, I cringed when she couldn't wait to tell me the "Philster" was actually going to tackle a transgender topic today.


More precisely, the show was about a former trans military cop who was cutting a wide swath through her family as she transitioned. Her step Dad at the beginning of the show was so upset he was shaking and I was afraid he was going to hyper-ventilate. Her wife? Seemingly without much warning, the transgender woman said she now liked men and wanted out.


No surprises right? Dr. Phil is going to rush in and tell the newly minted trans woman to stop or at least slow down. 

Wrong...spoiler alert...former Navy Seal Kristin Beck was called in. (Transgender herself) -To add perspective and perspective she did. Her main point with Step Dad was being transgender is not a choice and Dr. Phil backed Kristin 110 %! Kristin also told the trans woman to "slow down" with her transgender "puberty" and don't destroy all of those who love her.


Dr.Phil did a wonderful job of asking Step Dad if he could even consider a person could be "hardwired" into a non birth gender. After miss pronouning Kristin to the point of calling her an "it", Phil finally made it through-with a final warning-never call a Navy Seal an it!!! He could get kicked over the building.

Liz made me swear I would not tell any of you how impressed I was with this show...to the point of tears.

So I won't. Except to say follow the link above to find it!

What REALLY Matters

Recently I read a post from Paula Goodwin. She was writing about how she feels a certain strong "bonding and friendship" with a few peeps on the web. Even though she has never met.

I feel the same way for a couple reasons.  One of which is those you who I share an almost an unreal transgender bond. The second is a how much empathetic feedback I get on certain items-which makes the small stuff-well, the small stuff.

These comments came from Connie and Shelle on the Cyrsti's Condo post "It Seems Kind of Cruel."

First Connie: "Cyrsti, So sorry. I was praying that you wouldn't have to take this step, and that they'd be able to get your condition under control by other means. Of course, I want you to get better, but maybe they'll discover that the estrogen was not a contributor after a few months. And maybe, as Liz alluded to, you will find that the hormones were far less important to your transition than you might have thought. At least you've had four years to develop your softer side, and I'd be disappointed only if you should return to the cynical asshole I knew you to be before. :-) I will continue to pray for you."

Thanks Connie! I can use all the prayers you send my way and Liz said it was her-not HRT that brought out the softer side :)

Next Shelle: "Dearest Cyrsti
I'm so sorry to hear about your,having to go off your HRT,It's very hard for anyone who has never experienced the real help,hormone therapy makes for ,I'm certain you will miss it.
Can you at least continue with the androgen blocker?
Anyway my thoughts will be with you going forward.
Hugzz Shell"

Shell, I can continue with my androgen blockers thanks.

One thing for sure, you two helped me to understand what really matters out here in our little transgender woman tribe! Your comments meant a lot!

Luv ya both :)

It's Time Trans Peeps!

U.S. Trans Survey (Closes 9/21) ***From helenboyd If you haven't yet taken NCTE's current trans survey, get to it! It will close on Monday, 9/21, & it's important they hear all your voices. By *all*, I mean especially those who tend not to do online surveys or who are otherwise often cut out by mainstream trans representation: those who have stayed married crossdressers who identify as trans* genderqueer individuals older trans people trans people of color Please, folks, this is your chance to get counted. If you tried before and it didn't work, do try again: they've got a fitter system in place.

Seems Kind of Cruel

I knew it was coming, as sure Fall is in the air around here on the Ohio River-yesterday my endocrinologist said "Get off the estrogen Cyrtsi." It's quite possible he said that it is a major contributor to what is ailing me.

I was semi proud of myself and kept my composure long enough to ask him was he sure and was it a permanent move. He was nice enough to say we are going to try it for three months and see what happens. I am pretty sure he knew not to try to B.S a Bullshitter and we both knew HRT was always going to be a risk at my age anyhow. So, I seriously doubt anymore estrogen will be in my future.

Enter Liz at this point: I was sad to the point of tears (damn hormones!) But, she pointed out if I really wanted to give all the credit for my MtF gender transition to drugs-maybe I was really shortchanging myself. As you may or may not remember, we have been together from day #1 about four years ago when I started HRT.

So, here I sit, rightly or wrongly beginning to rebuild again upon a couple facets of my life I enjoyed. Seems sort of cruel that I used to enjoy a fine Cincinnati craft beer and I used to enjoy the effects of estrogen on my body-and the Doc's took them both away. Then again, I will enjoy a good cup of coffee even more now and savor the healing effects my body will be now going through. Which in fact I already am.

Somehow I was allowed to burn my fuse at both ends for as long as I could. Now it's time to "trans up" and face the future. Not to worry!

Have You Heard?

During my seemingly endless search for extra information on the transgender scene, I ran into this following a link I have with the Dayton (Ohio) LGBT Center :

Current Locations:

• Dayton, OH
• Phoenix, AZ
• Nashville, TN

Contact us know if you want to see us in YOUR City!!!

The mission of the Gatlyn Dame Group is to raise awareness, provide education, and an outlet for Transgender, Non-Conforming Gender Identity Persons, and their Allies.

We are a non-profit organization that raises awareness, and provides education, support, and outlets for Transgender Persons and Non-Conforming Gender Identity Persons, and their allies. 

The purpose of this organization is to fulfill the mission stated by offering several different platforms to express their identity including the various art forms and educational support groups throughout the United States.

On of our ultimate goals is to have the different outlets and support groups available in every state.  We already have a vast amount of interest in several states.  We are already working on Chapters in Ohio, Tennessee, and Arizona. 

We are hoping to achieve a national "Hotline" for transgender, non-conforming gender identity persons, and their allies within the next six months. We will also hold four (4) National Events throughout the country every year.  The National Events will consist of several educational conferences along with different outlets that can express themselves through art and music, along with gaining a real sense of support, family, and comradery.

GatlynDameGroup@gmail.com

Board Members:

Devin Dame

Gage Gatlyn

Randy Phillips

Gunner Gatlyn

Jordan Allen

Allison Cox