Heart and Soul

This recent comment from Connie just happened to work in with a chapter I am writing for my second book , so I thought I would share it: "My new job, watering the hanging flower baskets in downtown Seattle, has given me an opportunity to do a lot of people-watching. Women definitely come in all shapes and sizes! Of course, I was already aware of that, but being on the sidewalk from 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM allows me to see all kinds of women: from the homeless early in the morning, the working women a couple hours later (and again at lunchtime), to the tourists who are on their way to Seattle's "famous" Pike Place Market. No matter what the women are doing, there are still all shapes and sizes within each group. And there I am, blending right in with all of them (despite the ugly orange safety vest my boss told me to start wearing today). I may not be as sleek and chic as the business workers, but I don't have to wake up on the sidewalk, either. The one thing I know, though, is that, if I asked any one of the thousand women I see every day, they would tell me that there is something about their bodies they don't like. It was good enough for me when a woman stopped to say, "It's so nice to see a female doing the watering for a change." To possibly be but average on the feminine body scale does not mean I can't be intensely feminine in my heart and soul, just as with most of the multitude of women I observe every day."

The chapter is called "What is a Woman" and fits in with the war transgender people everywhere are fighting with "gender bigots" who can't get it through their "pea" brains that trans women are men in drag invading women's rest rooms to pee.

Thanks as always Connie for a thought provoking comment!

From Change.Org:

"My name is Blair Durkee and I'm a South Carolinian trans woman, born and raised in Greenville, earning my graduate degree in Computer Science from Clemson University. I am one of many transgender Americans who is harmfully targeted by anti-LGBT legislation like the discriminatory S. 1203.

S. 1203 sought to prevent schools and municipalities from allowing trans people like me from using sex-designated bathrooms. While the bill, thankfully, was defeated, the anti-trans animus behind it is still very much alive. This is true of one of my state's elected officials, state Senator Lee Bright, who sponsored and supported S. 1203, and for the many like him across the country who have supported the more than one hundred discriminatory anti-LGBT bills that have been introduced this year, alone."

Follow the link to sign. Thanks to Liz for passing this along. With young up and coming transgender women entering the world, like Blair Durkee the trans future will be bright!

BIG Changes Coming?

According to Time Magazine:" The Department of Veterans Affairs has quietly proposed lifting a ban on sex reassignment surgery that has been in place since the early 1990s, in what would be a major shift in its coverage of medical treatment for transgender veterans.

The V.A.’s proposed rule would follow in the footsteps of a similar change Medicare made in 2014, and would align the V.A. with the latest research on treatment options for transgender people, which has evolved since the V.A.’s ban was instituted more than two decades ago.

“At that time some of these surgical procedures were not as well developed as they are now,” says Jillian Shipherd, a co-director of the V.A.’s LGBT health care program. “The science about what the international standards of care are was very different from where we are today.”

However, as discussed here, a "proposed change" rarely moves quickly within the Veteran's Administration, and the actual approval within the VA could take up to 22 months.

From Pockets to Purses

As I transitioned, I transitioned of course from pockets to  purses. 

Sounds easy, right? So much more room, so many more possibilities. Then reality set in. As with anything, the grass is not always greener.

First of all, you have to find the right purse. If you are like me, I'm going in circles, running errands and trying to catch my tail-no time for a designer bag. Over the shoulder is good for me too. That way, I always know where my purse is.

Which is important. My billfold and you could say my life as I know it has found it's way into one of the most endearing forms of femininity. 

I have found, purses are great conversation starters too. My latest Target purchase was a fringed bag which I see are becoming more and more popular - for now. I just love your bag!

The nice thing too about purses is they come in all sizes (so you can carry your dog, except mine, 91 pounds) or just a few essentials. I have learned to not get too fancy with mine because I am so scatter brained and I just hate it when Liz just asks "are you bringing a purse?"

Sometimes I don't. She bought me a nice large billfold/wallet to carry all my essential cards and very little cash in. So sometimes I am lazy and don't, but on days I know I am going to be "out and about" all day I carry my "fringe" bag because of the extra room it offers.

I rarely wear skirts so I struggle with those pesky pockets a lot. My women's jeans have them and my first move in a cashiers line is to put my keys and change in them.

I suppose there is no right or wrong way. As you transition (unless you already have) you will find your way and for the most part, the world of purses is a pleasant one.

Trans Vet Fighting Again!

 From CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -

Charlotte resident Janice Allison refuses to abide by the bathroom principles laid out in North Carolina's House Bill 2. A military veteran and transgender woman herself, she made her stance on the law clear at last week’s Charlotte City Council meeting.

For more, go here.

If I Had to Do It Again

Yet another round of Doctor's visits today at the VA, this time with my endocrinologist (all fluids checked out OK) But today the visit was different in that I had two residents in the room, eager for a training look at a true transgender woman.

So for a half hour or so, I was subjected to medical questions plus the usual breast exam by the Doc who always points out the difference between my hormone induced girls and a cis girls.

As I was leaving, I couldn't help but notice each of the training docs were at the least my size and attractive. On my way down in the elevator, I couldn't help but remember what Jazz Jennings Mother had detailed if Jazz had not had hormone blockers. How would I have turned out?

First of all, it is such a mute point, it is almost fun to think about. How about, turning Connie loose on this one: "If life Gives you Lemons, you make Lemonade." Go ahead and substitute balls at your leisure.

Second of all, the blockers are expensive to the tune of one thousand dollars a month.

Finally, I don't see all my time as a guy as a waste, specifically when I consider my daughter and grand kids- by far my most precious possessions.

On the other hand, just the idea of having a body as intensely feminine as the two residents today was intoxicating.

Of course I will never know, and most of the time think I am playing with house money at the age of 66.

But I will take it. I just heard yesterday, a younger person I had worked closely with years ago suddenly passed away.

So, just reshuffle the deck and call me a survivor, and that works too.

Jazz is Back

 From Wikipedia:
"Jazz Jennings (born October 6, 2000) is an American trans woman, YouTube personality, spokesmodel, television personality and LGBTQ rights activist. Jennings is notable for being one of the youngest publicly documented people to be identified as gender dysphoric, and for being the youngest person to become a national transgender figure. Jennings received national attention in 2007 when an interview with Barbara Walters aired on 20/20, which led to other high-profile interviews and appearances. Christine Connelly, a member of the board of directors for the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth (BAGLY), stated, "She was the first young person who picked up the national spotlight, went on TV and was able to articulate her perspective and point of view with such innocence,"

The new season of her show is starting now on TLC, check for a link here to see if you can get it! For those of you who think looks is an end all/be all to achieving trans happiness, this show will set you straight.

How's the Water?

Thanks Paula for sending a couple comments from England about transgender swimming groups being formed which are quite popular,

 Paula GoodwinJune 2, 2016 at 5:10 AM

Here in the UK we have a wonderful group of people who organize special trans swimming session in local pools, I have been to a few and it is quite liberating, but even better for the trans men

Plus as I understand it, that includes access to the changing rooms and showers...

I'm afraid the  situation in the states is so tender right now...the pickets would be forming even for a private event but give it awhile and it is an incredible idea.

The UK is always ahead of us in so many ways and much more civilized.

Plus:

"Over here in the UK we have a movement starting for safe spaces for exercise, led by TAGS who arrange with Local Authorities to provide swimming pool time and changing facilities specifically for trans people. This is great since it means that whatever point we are at we can get changed, shower and swim with no worry about how the people will react."

We Got Mail

From Connie "It most certainly would be a brave soldier who would volunteer to have the spotlight put on her or him for being a trans person in the military today. This may be just the thing to tip the scales toward acceptance, though!" From my time in the service, I can't believe the pressure the very few "out" transgender military troops feel. They must find pockets of acceptance from superiors is all I can figure.

From Pat:  "Thank you Cyrsti and all the veterans who served the greatest country the world has known. I was at a very moving Memorial Day Ceremony yesterday. After it broke up it was interesting to watch the vets from the various services get together with the Marines dissing on the Navy, the Navy on the Army and everyone dissing on the Coast Guard. These were all contemps of mine who spend time in Vietnam...Who served at DaNang...who was on a vessel support the Tet...etc. I did not see any of the Vietnam era folks happy with the Obama apology tour stopping to disparage America in Hanoi and the former Saigon. Many wondered why he could not stop AF 1 on the way back home in Hawaii to honor the Americans who were killed during the sneak attack at Pearl Harbor. Others wondered why, during his annual visits to vacation in Hawaii he could not find the time to lay a wreath at Pearl Harbor like he did at Hiroshima.
While some may talk about his kind words about LGBT others question his value as CIC".

Thanks to you Pat! Obama indeed will have a "curious" legacy at the least. 

Back to Connie:  "My brother-in-law was a Vietnam vet. He suffered from the effects of agent orange his whole adult life, including the cancer that ultimately killed him just last year. It wasn't until his mid-sixties that he finally even wanted to say or hear anything about his stint in the service, although I know it haunted him on a regular basis. I told him once that I was sorry I didn't do my part, and he said, "Why the hell should you be sorry; consider yourself lucky." I suppose that I was lucky enough to narrowly miss the draft with a lottery number of 122, which is right where they stopped taking draftees. Now, for me it's a "there but for the grace of God" attitude that I have. 

On a lighter note: If the BBQ bitch ever joined in with the LGBTQ community, would we have to make it the LGBBQT community!!"

Yes, my draft number was the only thing I ever won with a "27" my ex brother scored in the upper 200's. Looking back, I got the better end of things. He still lives within a mile from where we grew up and married a neighbor girl. Uncle Sam sent me to three continents on his Dime in three years. I'm still alive, wiser and not allowed in his house!!!