Thailand...The Land of Opportunity?

Not so much for transgender women who are forced  to attend conscription for the nation's army.

Every April, Thai men who turn 21 must either volunteer to serve for six months in the military or take their chances in a lottery, where a choice of black ticket lets them go home but a red ticket means they must serve for two years.

Now, while many are mostly exempt from taking part in service, if they don't get the proper exemption documents they have to go along.

This has caused huge embarrassment and stress for many Thai trans women, and caused outcry from LGBT communities,

For more, go here.

Being Transgender Follows Me

It is an easy excuse for a complex problem I know. Very few humans know the feeling of not knowing their binary gender when they wake up every morning. We who have not had that "privilege" are forced to live day to day with is what is commonly known as "gender dysphoria."

In my case, the dysphoria caused me at the least anxiety and at the most a deep seated ache. I was the kid who didn't want the BB Gun and would have been happier with a doll.  But a BB Gun is what I got. Along with the knowledge I better start running as fast as I could from my gender malfunctions.

I was never fleet of foot anyway and over the years my transgender soul followed me, most of the time in a vicious battle to win my total being. Being who I was, the only thing I knew to do was to fight it the best I could.

Then, all of a sudden, in the midst of my journey, the world began to catch up to me. The psychiatric community declared trans people were not mentally ill after all and I learned the true meaning of the word transgender.

Still, running as fast as I could, I kept looking over my shoulder at my transgender self who was constantly gaining on me. At that point, I tried to self medicate myself with alcohol. The "more the merrier" almost killed my liver years later after I had tried a very active suicide attempt. Looking back, much of my reckless behavior had to do with "passive" suicide tries.

Finally, I was able to live life the way I have been happiest, as an out and proud transgender woman.

I know I paid my dues (about 50 years worth) but still being trans follows me. Into every rest room and face to face meeting with others, and it always will.

The toughest part now is knowing that no matter how hard I try, being transgender will always follow me.

Since I have accepted it though, the world is a brighter place!

Weinstein Company to Battle "R" Rating for Transgender Film

According to Variety:

"The Weinstein Company is taking on the ratings board over “3 Generations.”

The drama about a transgender teenager earned an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for profanity and for sexual references. That means that moviegoers under the age of 17 can’t buy a ticket without a parent or guardian. The Weinstein Company is objecting, arguing that the film needs to be seen by high schoolers because it has a message of acceptance and inclusion that’s relevant at a time when transgender rights are being hotly debated. Transgender teens also have a higher suicide rates — 40% of transgender adults attempted to kill themselves, with 92% of those attempts coming before the age of 25."

“3 Generations” follows Ray (Elle Fanning), a teenager who has struggled with the body assigned to him at birth and is determined to start transitioning. First, however, he must find his biological father in order to get permission for the medical procedure."

Naomi Watts, who stars in the film as Ray’s mother Maggie, said: “This film is a beautiful and touching story about family and identity. It is important for teenagers to see it and the ‘R’ rating doesn’t reflect today’s society. ‘3 Generations’ doesn’t have a bad bone in its body, it’s an expression of love, acceptance, strength, and honesty — values that could not be more necessary right now.”

"In a separate statement, Susan Sarandon, who stars in the film as Ray’s grandmother commented, “‘3 Generations’ is an important movie for everyone to see, especially transgender youth who are feeling isolated or fearful and their families. It’s ridiculous to have an R rating which would prevent this audience from seeing the film.”

What People Who Exclude Trans Women from Real Women Should Know

This title comes from a "Huffington Post" article I just read. By Katelyn Burns.  She begins by writing:

"A series of liberal newspapers have printed op-eds by prominent feminists declaring cisgender womanhood to be the real womanhood. What they all miss is how the language declaring “real womanhood” has been a racial and patriarchal oppressive dehumanizing tactic for centuries. It leads me to wonder, why is there a need to declare one thing, one experience, one human life to be “real” at the detriment to all others? "

She goes on to write about "keeping up with the Joneses of womanhood.

How accurate! Plus, it's true we don't have all the resources cis women have and for the great majority of transgender women, we get a late start. And:

"As a transgender woman, my womanhood is constantly questioned. Not only in newspapers, but in comedy specials, by my government, by my elected officials, even by my family"

I also like her (Katelyn) points about freely admitting she does not know all the experiences of a cis-woman or vice versa. It's a shame the whole matter has come down in some people's minds as who has paid the most dues.

This is a very interesting article and I urge you to follow the link above for a thought provoking read.

We Got Mail!

Paula Goodwin set in this comment to one of our transgender rest room posts: "I think I may have finally learnt to make three checks, that the seat is attached, down and clean and dry (I can't hover!), that there is a lock on the door, and paper on the roll."  (Especially if ou are going to Mardi Gras!)

And Jeni added:  I would say a FIFTH toilet, not third. (is needed)

Normally, the third toilet is the disabled persons one.
The fourth toilet to gain media coverage, has been the unisex ones, for civilized people. Not the utter cretinous slobs you describe here." 

I replied the fifth toilet could be a "Porta Potty" or an "Outhouse."

Connie sent in this DIY comment on my hair coloring post: "Transitioning doesn't come with instructions, although following instructions for things like coloring your hair, assembling IKEA furniture, or even recipes should be part of Transition 101. Not following the instructions is such a guy thing! Sometimes a girl has to learn the hard way, I guess. :-)"

Some of us have always had to learn the hard way I guess.  Similar to expecting your skin to be presentable if you don't take care of it, or that dress to fit if you don't watch your diet!

Thanks to all for your comments :)

Cyrsti's Condo "Archive Post"

I Love Ohio

Marcela Ohio Miss T Brazil 2012 Transsexual beauty.

Attention to Detail

Finally yesterday I gathered up enough courage for yet another "DIY" (Do it Yourself) hair coloring.

Each time in the past, I have struggled either with the directions from beginning to end or getting all the color on my hair and not bathroom walls and fixtures. In a rare moment of clarity yesterday, I was able to accomplish understanding all the directions plus was careful to not make a mess, except on an old towel or two.

First off, I have a lot of hair and most of it thank goodness is pretty thick. So, working all the color in is important. Otherwise, any gray streaks left uncolored come out looking like bald spots. I concentrated my efforts on the crown of my noggin and worked outward, which today seemed to work well.

The second problem I have had is not washing out all the excess color. In my mind, the more that stays on the better. I guess the manufacturers know best because a good lather and rinse saves me from extra color on the towel when I dry my hair.

Finally, I paid attention to my timing on the conditioning step of the process. The "secret" for me was to leave the conditioner on for the extra minute the directions called for, then making sure I rinsed all the excess out of my hair.

The results today have left me with the overall color I was looking for plus very soft and manageable hair.

I guess it was high time I got it through my thick noggin how to properly color the hair on my thick noggin.

Mo Pee?

As Connie points out, "common sense" isn't often so "common" when it comes to rest room use:

"Restroom etiquette is not always practiced by cis women either, although I have to guess that few, if any, of them stand facing the toilet in the stall when they pee. Many do, as do I, squat and hover to avoid having to sit on the seat. Following the rules of etiquette is important for the trans woman, in that it reduces the red flags (go ahead and make that into a tasteless pun, if you'd like). As you say, it's just common sense. Common sense, though, is not necessarily common to ones gender. Maybe, then, a third restroom should be made available to the slobs of any gender(?)

When I first ventured out, it was with a cross dressing social group. They have a long "Rules of Conduct" contract one must agree to prior to joining in outside-the-meeting activities. To me, it was all common sense, and I imagined that there must have been many incidents that led to the writing of this list. I know of one person who was banished from the group many years ago for masturbating in the stall! Again, I'm sure that there have been cis women who have engaged in that activity, as well, but with not such egregious results.

For a trans woman (or cross dresser, for those who would want to make a differentiation), using the ladies room for the first time is often considered to be a rite of passage. It's not necessarily a right of passing, however. For most of us, our outings would be severely limited if we had to pass completely before using the ladies room. 

Since the first time I went out in public "en femme", I have used the ladies room without incident. Until all of these "bathroom bills" began, I never really had reservations to do so. A few months ago, though, I had a little scare as I stood in line in the ladies room. A woman left one of the stalls and, while washing her hands, declared that there had been a man in the room. She turned from the sink and looked directly at me, and it was all I could do to make eye contact in return. "Did you see him?," she asked me. Trying to hold my composure and not let on my relief, I just shook my head "no." I wanted to ask her if she meant that it was a man in a dress, but I really needed to pee, so why press the issue (so to speak). "

I too learned the hard way not to automatically think a toilet I was about to sit on was even close to being in "pristine" condition. Although I did know from my days in the restaurant/bar business cis women were as capable as men when it came to trashing a restroom. 

My "worst of story" comes from when a group of cross dressers invaded a mixed gay/lesbian bar in Columbus, Ohio years ago. Several of them seemingly took pride in peeing all over the seats, except the two who kept going in to make out. 

If it wasn't for low class, some people wouldn't have any class at all!

India Steps Up!

After undergoing rigorous training, India’s first trans police officer, Prithika Yashini has graduated from the academy and is ready to start her new job.

In 2015, Yashini won a landmark legal battle to become the country’s first trans police officer.

Earlier that year India officially recognized transgender people as a third gender. But the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) did not have the option on its application.

She won a battle in the Madras High Court to have the include a third gender on its application process.

‘The social impact of such recruitment cannot be lost sight of, as it would give strength to the case of transgenders,’ the judges said in their ruling.

‘Yashini must reach the finish line, and not be stopped and disqualified in the middle.’

For more, go here: