Are the Knives Sharpened?

It's been a minute since I have written here about the differences I learned almost immediately in gender conflict. Or, the stamina it takes to be a transgender woman survivor.

Very quickly I found men would either head to the other side of the room, ignore me or lay down the occasional cheap shot. Women however were much different of course.

I learned many times a smiling feminine face was concealing a sharp knife behind her back. So I ended up being wounded more than once.

It will be interesting to see how many of the women tomorrow night (23) migrate at all towards me or away from me.

I have been to "girls only" events before and the big difference was family talk versus sports and job talk. Which I can still do equally as well.

The only thing I don't have is grandkid pics...a needed accessory.

The only woman I can see who would remotely find me offensive is a religious right winger and I don't want to be part of that! (She doesn't.)

So, my junior knife set is sharpened and I can't wait to have a good time.

It's All Just Paint

Back in the day, I always had an incredibly difficult time painting my model cars just right. Ironically that inadequacy carried on through to the present when I try to paint my own nails.

Last night though, I seemed to have a breakthrough of sorts as I gave myself a pedicure which is yet another girl thing I have to do before the Saturday "girl's only" bonfire invite.

While far from from perfect, I believe my work was serviceable and will be fine for my open toed footwear I plan for Saturday. Plus, once I started to try on clothes, not so surprisingly, I flew through option "A" and "B" and settled on "C". Which is by far the coolest most comfortable outfit I have for a 90 degree evening. Without having to go into too much detail. I' m wearing white culottes with a gray and blue striped top and macrame flip flops.

What is really nice these days is that I don't have to worry about wearing an overabundance of any makeup. Again making life much easier in the Ohio heat and humidity.

So maybe my problem was all the time, I was using too much paint! 

Ameila Gapin

My partner Liz is a runner, and me not so much, so imagine my surprise when she harrassed me for not even giving her latest "Women's Running" Magazine a second look. On the cover was a full length shot of Ameila Gapin runner first and transgender woman second.

The magazine itself did a wonderful job of taking on the task of the challenges trans women face when they compete as far as gender markers, testosterone levels etc.

I am not a runner, but I will gladly tell anyone who will listen, how estrogen and HRT will sap your body strength before you know it.

Ameila goes into it as only a dedicated runner can in this article. Plus, you can follow her SRS challenges on her blog link above.

JJ's Quote of the Day

"Sometimes the greatest Visibility is wrapped in Invisiblity." 
JJ

Weekend Bonfire with the Girls

A couple weeks ago or so, a long term dear friend was trying to get her women friends together for a bonfire. She is popular and ended up with 24 (I think) at last count.

I said sure I would come and immediately had to think of an outfit to wear and the other not so little extras which go along with being a woman.

In my case, my hair looks terrible to say the least and needs fresh color, and as I see it (no pun intended) I have two or three choices. Pretty much stay the same, go lighter or go back to my "Vibrant Violet." (No not violent.)

For the rest of my outfit, I am thinking of a very long black skirt I have with a very long slit which I hold together with a very big ornamental safety pin, with a black tank top. Or, since nothing is small on me, for lack of a better term, I do have a little black dress of sorts.

I know the black may sound a bit excessive for a summer evening in Ohio, but I'm trying to just provide an edge without cutting myself on it!

"JJ's" Quote of the Day:

"A woman is socialized from the inside out-not the outside in."
JJ

Corey Maison

Slightly lost in the reemergence of Jazz Jennings has been Fourteen-year-old trans youth Corey Maison who created a brilliant anti-bullying video which has racked up some serious shares/views on social media. Through the use of cue cards and facial expression, it’s quite the emotional request for sanity from our larger society — many of whom are simply uneducated. And for other trans kids being bullied, affirmation that they’re not alone and hope for changes exists.

Corey previously attracted media attention when her mother posted a photo of Corey online during North Carolina’s bathroom bill controversy.

However, after Corey was taken out of school because she was being bullied, they came across a video of Jazz Jennings, a transgender YouTube star who Corey immediately identified with. 

After watching one of Jazz’s clips,Corey started dressing like a girl in public, and although she faced a great deal of harassment from strangers, her mother encouraged her to be confident by advising her to 'strike a pose' every time a stranger tried to take her picture.

After researching therapists who work with transgender children, Erica was sent five hours away from their home to the gender clinic at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. 

Corey was soon given a $21,000 puberty-suppressing implant that was fully covered by insurance.

Go here for more.

It's Graduation Time

Yesterday, Liz's son graduated from a very rural Indiana high school. In some ways I still felt the old trepidation about going, but in other ways felt honored. 

It turned out, I didn't get much of a second glance and I wasn't pulled out and burned at a stake, so life went on.

As I watched though, I began to try to respond to Liz's questions to my graduation colors etc. The problem is next year is my 50th reunion and I don't remember many of the details, except not really wanting to be there at all.

Also, next year will be the big 5-0 reunion which I think I have discussed attending (or not) here at JJ's. 

My answer was and is-no I am not going for a couple of reasons.

The first is, I didn't know many people from the school when I went there and made no so called "life time" friends. If I did make those friends I would see them anyhow.

The second is, I don't want to be the entertainment and I don't need to make a statement for transgender women everywhere with an appearance.

The third is, ten years ago when I ran the most popular restaurant in town, they couldn't seem to find me then, so they don't need to find me now.

Good enough? 

J.J.'s Sunday Edition

Ker Plunk! Another Sunday edition is hitting your virtual front porch!
First the weather. It's a dreary gray day here in Southwestern Ohio but after it clears up, we are on the way to some beautiful weather next week. As always, I wish the best to those who aren't so fortunate. Lets grab a cup o' joe or tea and get started!
Page One: The Week that Was - or Wasn't: Once again last week, the stupid counter productive waste of time "restroom wars" battled on. Amidst it all came this fabulous video from "Kinky Boots" which went viral:

 

Page Two: In My Town You Do: A couple years back I wasn't too surprised to learn my backwards, negative hometown (which I was moving from) put out a social media page called "Not in my town you don't." Well, as it is turning out, they were wrong. The town is Springfield, Ohio and is basically between Dayton and Columbus and not so far from Cincinnati.

Due in part to problems shaking it's "Rust Belt" heritage, a few powerful preachers and politicians have been able to keep the city of approx 65,000 in the LGBTQ dark ages. Which in turn is a powerful deterrent these days attracting liberal white collar jobs.

Slowly but surely though, a small group founded an Equality Group, managed to raise enough money for billboards and this year-a bigger and better "Pride" event.
Then I saw this:

 SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (ABC NEWS/WRIC) — Katie Flesch spoke with ABC News to share the story behind her seven-year-old transgender daughter Elizabeth, who she described as a “typical little girl.”

She said that Elizabeth enjoys bowling, animals and likes to pick flowers for her family.

Photo Credit : ABC News.com

“She is one of the most amazing people that I know and that’s including children and adults,” Flesch said about her daughter. “She is so empathetic and just compassionate towards everybody. I am truly honored and blessed and lucky that she is mine.”

For more, follow the link.

Page Three: The Back Page: As always, thanks for stopping by JJ's! Luv ya all!!