Transgender Support Group

Yesterday was my Veteran's Administration trans support group meeting. This time, there were no new attendees. So, everything went according to plan, which is rather boring.

What I did find out, and contributed to, was a future date when the entire hospital would be subjected to a LGBT sensitivity day.  When asked what I would add, I simply said two things. The first of which was, we are real, not just something you may happen to read about.  We may be exceedingly rare in your mind, but try to hold it together. After all trans people are just people too.

My second point was, when you do encounter a transgender person, one of the most important thing not to do is mis-gender us. At the least take the time to call us by our first name.

The problem I used to encounter before certain medical units began to know me, was someone screaming out "Mr. Hart" when announcing I was next to be seen.

We will see if anything gets done, although the hospital is pretty good now with it's LGBT sensitivity issues.

Daniela Vega to Make History

From Remezcla comes a good news - bad news story:
The upcoming Oscar presenters list included familiar faces like last year’s winners, Viola Davis, Mahersala Ali and Emma Stone,  Marvel’s newest heroes Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) and Tom Holland (The Amazing Spider-Man), and awards season staples like Laura Dern, Jennifer Garner and Margot Robbie. But one name had us giddy with excitement: Daniela Vega. The star of Chile’s Oscar-nominated film A Fantastic Woman, unfortunately did not make history by becoming the first trans performer to earn a Best Actress nod as many predicted, but she’ll get to grace the Oscar stage regardless. In a year when Sebastian Lelio‘s film celebrates the strength and stamina of a trans woman and trans director Yance Ford earned a Best Documentary nomination for Strong Island, Vega’s presence on the Dolby Theater will feel all the more historic — a sign, one hopes, that Hollywood is ready to embrace and tell more authentic stories about the “T” in LGBT. 


And, a strong sign transgender women are beginning to gain acceptance as women too!

Good News

Amidst the usual bad news surrounding the transgender world, comes a bright story:

A trans teen will be under the care of his supportive maternal grandparents after an Ohio judge denied custody to the child's transphobic parents, the Associated Press reports.

The 17-year-old was suffering from depression and anxiety, and was deemed a suicide risk, possibly because his father refused to accept his gender identity nor allow his transition. A juvenile court judge in Cincinnati ruled on Friday that the child should be under the care of his maternal grandparents, who support his transition and are prepared to allow him access to hormone therapy. The judge did rule that the youth must see a psychologist before he can begin hormone treatments."

Hopefully, more successful cases such as this will follow!

Happy Sunday

Well, it has been quite the week, for a relatively quiet one.

As I wrote about here in Cyrsti's Condo, I am working on a borrowed computer until I can get the laptop I normally use up and running. Hopefully, it is something minor. I miss my normal spell check as well as other things I am used to, such as adding links. Oh well!

Again this week, I made another trip North to see one of my doctors at the VA in Dayton, Ohio. I narrowly missed seeing a transgender psychiatrist, I don't normally see. Not a big deal, except it is always nice to talk to another trans person. Who, by the way, is Mtf transitioning nicely. I can really notice a positive change. I know she transitioned into the VA out of the military, so I can only guess the courage and difficulty in what she is doing.

Yesterday, we hosted a birthday party here at the house for Liz's (my partner) brother.  He was fairly talkative for a change, and actually said a few things to me. So, the afternoon was pleasurable, I went with light makeup, a sweater and jeans. Since he has seen me many times before.

Also, I wrote about my desire to lose a few pounds here and there (mostly here) before Spring/Summer. I mentioned I have read HRT will make losing weight more difficult, as it changes your metabolism into a more feminine mode. Regular blogger Paula Goodwin wrote in and commented old age has something to do with it too. Thanks Paula! I think :).

Other than that, it was a very mundane week except for yet another tragic school shooting in Florida. I am taking this chance to send out my condolences to all of those directly affected by this senseless tragedy. I wish I could even begin to speculate where this is ever going to end. It's crazy I have to fear for my grand kids in school.

I hope your week was good also!

Spring Has Spung?

This is the time of year, here in Southwestern Ohio, when every once in a while, Momma Nature decides to tease us with a touch of Spring.

Of course we natives know, we have a long way to go before Spring weather arrives for good. The delay, though, does give us time to consider what wardrobe we have left and what we will need to face the season.

I'm thinking, I am about half way there, and need to do some discernible shopping to get me into the summer months.

Fortunately, I am hearing very good reports about a Dilliards Outlet Store in a nearby mall. If you are not familiar, Dillards is an upscale department store. I most certainly will be headed there to look, plus I am a confirmed "thrifter", and on occasion love to shop a couple of nearby thrift stores. I plan too on taking a few items of clothing to the exchange which is being planned for our cross dresser - transgender support group. Maybe I can pick up an item or two there.

Summer time Pic.

Also, weight has a lot to do with my Spring/Summer plans. So far, I have taken off the first four pounds of a planned twenty pound goal. We will see, how much harder weight loss will be for me now since I have been taking transgender HRT meds for over three years now. I have always heard, as a trans girl begins to pick up the body characteristics of a cis woman, it is harder for us to lose weight too.

I can only say, I have a long way to go.

Hopefully, Spring will have sprung around here by then, and I will be ready. Easily, I have until April to do it.

She's Baaack!

Once again, my lap top started dong crazy things and kicked me off. Luckily after a couple days of losing arm wresting with it, I was able to commandeer another computer to post with.  Hopefully the problem with the lap top is finding an obscure back up password which Liz has tucked away.

In the meantime, the only thing of note which has happened was another trip to the Dayton VA. I wore my new Red softy sweater, jeans and walking tennis shoes. Not very sexy, but very comfortable for a normally very long hike across the parking lot.

I had to have my blood labs taken, which normally isn't a bad deal, but this time I was unlucky enough to be a pin cushion for a brand new student.  She stuck the syringe in and nothing happened. Then she panicked and wildly began looking around for help from her "teacher" who was out of the room bitching about some sort of other problem.

Finally she found help and after profuse apologies, managed to take my blood. I think I only was called a mumbled "he" once. I have a hard and fast rule to not aggravate people who are sticking needles in me though, so I didn't say anything. Plus, I couldn't be sure if I didn't make it up.

My next appointment, was a rare one with the transgender psychiatrist I see every now and then. My regular therapist is a psychologist. Unfortunately, she wasn't there yesterday and I saw someone else.

So, all in all, a pretty uneventful day!

Reliving the Past

Perhaps you recall me telling you about my new friendship with a transgender woman who is now starting more and more to find her way in a feminine world.

Much of what we talk about has to do with her "dating life" or, the attempts to establish one.

From her, I understand now there is a trans LGBT dating appt and, why wouldn't there be. I know back when I was seriously seeking dates from mainly men, there wasn't such a thing. If there was or wasn't, according to my friend, her initial results are largely the same as mine.

For example, one guy wanted her to dress up like a ten year old girl and another just wanted to wear her panties.

Of course I told her to be very careful and she said she always insists the guy wears a rubber. I said well, that is all well and good but make sure you don't get get caught off guard and basically raped or molested. Don't assume all of your old male privilege against it still exists.

Then, I related the story about the night I was cornered at a party by a man much larger than I, so quickly, it made my head spin. If it wasn't for a cis woman bailing me out, chances of my mini skirted rear making it out of the situation may have been dim. I am enclosing a picture of a close proximity to what I was wearing.

From that point on, it has been lesson learned. I have discovered I must be aware of what it going on behind my back...with men and women. I discovered early on too, a woman can smile to your face, while at the same time, stab you in the back.

I also told my friend to look at the dating process this way, she is just going through the same process every cis woman does!

Ponies in the Olympics

If you are an admirer of the feminine figure, many times, there is not a better place to view finely tuned bodies than the Olympics. Even though the winter games don't provide as many chances as the summer games do, many gorgeous women such as Lindsey Vaughn (right)  still compete.

As you can see, Lindsey has her long blond hair tied up in a high pony tail in the picture, which was the topic of a recent Cyrsti's Condo blog post.
 
As you know I do, I love to provide a different take on the subject, which often comes from Connie:

FABULOUSCONNIEDEEFebruary 12, 2018 at 11:12 AM

"If you've been watching the Olympics coverage of the figure skating, you've seen many high pony tails, especially on the ladies on the ice dancing teams. The twizzles, twirls, and lifts really are accentuated by their pony tails flying in all directions. It's all far beyond my abilities, but fun for girl to dream of doing it. I may never be able to put myself in their skates, but I have managed to wear my "Stilettos on Thin Ice" (it's not shameless for me to make a plug for your book, is it?). :-) "

No! It's not shameless to plug my book except it's nearly impossible to find now that the publisher has gone out of business! Shame on me though for not working harder (or at all) on my second or third book. Seeing as how I have most of all the writing done. It just needs to be compiled. Plus, it is very expensive to find someone else to do a good job of publishing your book and I simply haven't the energy to find another "self publisher".

Finally, a girl has to dream...doesn't she? Without dreams, she has nothing!

Almost Heaven

I am sooo fortunate to have been able to grow out my own hair. No sensation is as heavenly for me than to wear a pony tail in the summer and feel my hair brush against my bare back. I guess sensual would be the best descriptor.

Of course I know, most transgender woman can't have their own long hair, for any number of reasons.
Now, let's check in with Connie, on hers:

FABULOUSCONNIEDEEFebruary 10, 2018 at 3:59 PM

"I have always envied girls and women who could wear their hair in a high pony tail. In my more athletic days, I could only imagine the feeling of a pony tail bouncing and swaying as I ran. Of course, the undoing of the band afterward, allowing the hair to fall with a shake of the head was just plain alluring. My reality is that I am limited athletically these days, and I have no hair anyway. All I can do is to have a few wigs with different styles, but a high pony tail just doesn't happen to be one of them. The feeling could never be the same, and the look would be so obviously "wiggy."

Old Pix of my hair pulled back.
It is longer now. Beading by LizTDesigns

I know when I wear my hair tied back, I do so love the guilty pleasure of "fooling" with my pony tail. I usually hope no one else has noticed!  Plus there is a certain commercial on television now with a red headed woman wearing a high pony tail, I am so in love with.  I hope someday I will get as good as when she effortlessly pulls hers' back!

She is also driving a classic International Scout, all of which were made in my hometown. But Connie said it best!

Thanks (as always) for your perspective.