Time Flies

My Mom said it best: "Never wish time away, it's like a roll of toilet paper. The closer to the end you come, the faster it goes."

I didn't quite wish the year away but it doesn't seem possible it's been that long since I began to legalize my gender markers, and here I am taking care of my annual driver's license/ car registration renewals. Otherwise known as yet another money grab by the state.

Looking back over the year with all of you, as much as I want to whine about my minor (fortunately) health issues, I really don't have a lot to complain about.

Even the gender marker path wasn't too bad here in Ohio except I still can't get my birth certificate gender changed which means I still can't use the rest room in some states.

As we all know, our basic health is everything and even the VA seems to be on the upswing.

Plus, I have been semi successful in not talking politics (or religion) except with my closest friends and hopefully will be invited on a couple paranormal adventures in October.

So life is good right now as my toilet paper roll spins faster.

Now it's time to go give my taxation without representation money to the state.

Girl Packing

I have written several times concerning our (Liz and I's) upcoming six day vacation to Maine.

Those of you who are crossdressers, transgender women of any experience or one of the cis women (quit laughing!) who read the blog, know the outright challenge of packing for such an adventure. Especially when we are allowed only one suitcase and carry on bag. So no five suitcases girls.

To make matters worse, we are entirely sure yet of how the weather will change, as we cross into fall.

I am approaching the whole trip on the conservative side with clothes that will fit into a medium size suitcase and what I call my "heavy casual" wardrobe of jeans and tennis shoes designed for walking and browsing the shops.

Also, I am bringing my light weight long sleeved tops and maybe one sweater (if I can sneak it in) for the day we go whale watching. (Hope the whales know we are coming to watch and the Lobster Bake.)

All whining aside I can't wait to get started on this adventure!

JJ's Sunday Edition

Ker Plunk! Listen up! Another Sunday Edition is hitting your virtual front porch. Let's get started.

Weather: Sunny and humid for "Zinzinnati's Huge Octoberfest" but so far no rain. Perfect for a cold iced "Cup o Joe!" (or beer)

Page One: The Week that Was-or Wasn't: It was a sad week after we lost two well known transgender celebrity/activists. Following a long illness Alexis Arquette passed on as did The Lady Chablis who had a pivotal role in the Clint Eastwood directed film "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

Both passed at relatively early ages.


Page Two: Opinion: Yesterdays Coffee: It's been awhile but here at JJ's I have tried to pass along the simple warning to never take our security for granted as transgender women on a semi regular basis. As cis women can be the first to tell us, there are any number of places we shouldn't be seen in un-escorted. Lets be careful out there please!!!!

Page Three: The Back Page: Well kids it's time to head out and take on a busy afternoon and evening. Love you all! Be safe :)

Jessie

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day" Archive

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day"

"If you can't see it-you aren't there."

Cyrsti Hart

Through the Wormhole

The Science Channel has just launched it's highly provocative series "Through the Worm Hole."

As luck would have it one of the shows examined gender, I mean really examined gender down to it's genetic basics.

I would imagine you can see it on the link above at some point, but at the mean time if you are transgender, inter-sexed or transsexual in any way this show means a lot.

To take it to it's most basic level (which even I can understand), we all are missing the proper sequence of just one or two genes which sends us to where we are now.

I came away wondering if the radical right bible thumpers who were watching (damn few) thought and would be scurrying to their pastor/priests for understanding. After all, who would be so sacrilegious to mess with God's genetic will for us?

Then again, I have a close friend (trans woman) who was raised in an alt right house hold who once told me the more they are faced with truth, the more they dig in their heels and resist.

Finally, I was fascinated with the show facing the idea that some day we all could be one gender. How would that fit with everyone's neat little gender plans that don't work?

Nashville Cats!

Transgender actress and activist Jen Richards is on the road to Nashville!

Richards (Her Story) has joined the country music drama in a recurring role for season five, it was announced Tuesday.

She will play Allyson Del Lago, a tough but understanding physical therapist who helps one of the series' main characters through one of their most difficult challenges. Richards' casting marks the first transgender character on CMT and the first out transgender actor on the network. 

CMT, along with Hulu, resurrected Nashville in June one month after it was canceled by ABC after four seasons.

Richards recently nabbed an Emmy nomination for co-creating, writing and producing the digital series Her Story. She also starred in the Los Angeles-set romantic as Violet, a trans woman who must confront her attraction to women when she meets a cute reporter named Allie (co-creator Laura Zak) while also worrying that her attraction to women makes her less trans. 

"Richards also appeared as herself on the E! docuseries I Am Cait, which centered on Caitlyn Jenner's post-transition journey. Although I Am Cait was axed last month after two seasons, transgender TV has continued to prove popular. Transparent, which centers on a man's transition to a woman, has won Emmy and Golden Globe awards for star Jeffrey Tambor. Laverne Cox, best known for her breakout role on Orange Is the New Black, will next headline Fox's Rocky Horror Picture Show remake in October, before making history as the first full-time transgender character on a broadcast television with CBS' Doubt. Richards also is slated to appear on the midseason legal drama, in addition to co-producing the forthcoming docuseries More Than T.

In addition, Richards is an activist and advocate who works with national organizations and media projects.

Nashville's fifth season premieres Thursday, Jan. 5, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CMT."

Go here for more.

Prodding the Snail?

I am a trans veteran under Veteran's Administration health care. While I am the first to admit my history with the VA has been pretty good, the record with others has been spotty, depending where you were/are.

One thing is for sure though, once the VA approved HRT for trans vets years ago, any movement towards approval of any so called "bottom" or cosmetic surgery has been imperceptible.

Now though "the snail (VA)" has been prodded by a group calling itself   "The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus Transgender Equality Task Force" is  urging the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to move swiftly to ensure access to medically necessary surgical care for transgender veterans.  The lawmakers recently wrote in a letter to VA Secretary Robert McDonald. “We urge you to move forward with publishing a proposed rule to remove the arbitrary and outdated restriction that prohibits VA from providing medical services to treat gender dysphoria."

The letter was led by Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and also signed by Democratic Reps. Mike Honda (Calif.), Jackie Speier (Calif.), Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.), and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.).

In June, news emerged of a VA proposal that would allow coverage of surgeries deemed medically necessary on a case-by-case basis. At the time, VA officials said the change had been in the works since 2014.

Of course, the proposal does not include a timeline for when coverage might begin, but such changes can take years to come into place. (normal)

The VA already covers transition-related care for transgender vets, including hormone replacement therapy and pre- and post-surgical care.

But it's been barred from covering any actual surgery since 1999 Which means the snail might need far more than a prod to move on actually approving SRS. 

Plus, since the VA has the apparatus set up to send us outside the system to approved providers, the excuse of not having a trained staff to do it just doesn't hold water. 

The Gift That Keeps on Coming Back

In another major slam to North Carolina's economy, the NCAA is pulling it's events from the state. Check this story from the News&Observer:

"Since the North Carolina legislature last March passed House Bill 2, a controversial law restricting transgender bathroom access and limiting the civil rights and bathroom usage of the LGBT community, the state has lost the NBA All-Star Game, Bruce Springsteen and other concerts and conventions and millions of dollars in revenue.

Now North Carolina is losing the NCAA tournament. The NCAA announced on Monday that the seven championships scheduled in the state during this academic year, including NCAA men’s basketball tournament games in Greensboro, would be relocated because of House Bill 2, better known as HB2."

If you are not especially into sports, this list should give you a look at the economic impact this move should have:

"The Greensboro Coliseum had been scheduled to host first- and second-round NCAA men’s basketball tournament games next March. Those games, scheduled for March 17 and 19, will now be played at yet-to-be determined location.

In addition to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, North Carolina is also losing:

▪ The 2016 Division I Women’s Soccer Championship, which had been scheduled for Dec. 2 and 4 in Cary.

▪ The 2016 Division III Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships, which had been scheduled for Dec. 2 and 3 in Greensboro.

▪ A 2017 Division I Women’s Golf Championships regional, which had been scheduled for May 8-10 in Greenville.

▪ The 2017 Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships, which had been scheduled for May 22-27 in Cary.

▪ The 2017 Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship, which had been scheduled for May 26 and 28 in Cary.

▪ The 2017 Division II Baseball Championship, which had been scheduled for May 27-June 3 in Cary.

The Town of Cary was hit especially hard by the NCAA’s decision. Harold Weinbrecht, the Cary mayor, released a statement expressing his frustration that HB2 had cost the town the opportunity to host four NCAA championships.

“I am extremely disappointed with this news,” he said. “We are no longer viewed as a progressive state but a backwards one which is a disservice to the citizens of North Carolina. We will lose millions of dollars in economic benefit locally."

When will they ever learn?

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article101457472.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article101457472.html#storylink=cpy

The "Trans Scowl?"

Recently I posted about the rare couple of days I saw two other transgender women (or so I thought) and received this comment from Connie which ironically described both:

"The trans-scowl, or even aloofness, shows a lack of self-confidence. Of course, the overconfident trans people who overdo it in their manifestation of (perceived) femininity - or masculinity - can be just as difficult to understand. As my job affords me the opportunity to observe many trans people every day, I see both extremes, yet I see far fewer trans people who might be perceived as fitting into the "just a regular woman(or man)" category. I believe that I do fit into the category, but I wouldn't mind hearing it from one of those other trans women I see (and who see me) everyday. The trouble is that they can't get past their scowl, aloofness, or narcissism to even look at me, let alone speak to me. Then again, they might have to hear what I have to say to them in the process. :-)"


As I wrote, the first trans woman I saw shot me one side glance which would have melted Clint Eastwood. We shop at the same grocery store and I have seen her before. The first time she was totally overdressed in heels and hose and this time looked much better in a skirt with flats and a long sleeved top. Of course I don't think she was looking for my approval-or vice versa. I also think she desperately wants to fall into to the "just a regular woman" category as Connie spoke of. 

I just wonder how she does with some of the store's crew who go out of their way to be nice-to me. Which is always an instant reminder of how deep a trans scowl I may be forgetting I wore on the day in question. Maybe someday I will be able to see if she wants to sit down and have a cup of coffee in the store's shop?

The other person I saw walking down a hall in a hospital, and the only reason I thought she was trans was her size, the way she was put together and she was trying too hard. So maybe a little narcissism (Connie). We only had a glance at each other and she stuck her nose in the air and was gone, so I doubt we will meet again,

Having said all of that, I know for sure of a couple transgender women working at the Dayton Veterans Hospital. As I was leaving the other day, one came teetering down the sidewalk at me in her hose and heels, but we spoke!

Success!!!! I just want to be a regular me-it's a full time job.