Meeting the Enemy?

Today we sat up in a local park's farmer's market to try and sell fresh baked goods and other articles in an attempt to raise money for our Witches Ball Halloween Party coming up in October.

We didn't do too bad considering the day was overcast with occasional showers.

As we were beginning to close up for the day, two squeaky clean young white girls who were showing just a little too much attention to what we were doing stopped by...without offering to buy anything of course.

Finally it came out when they offered to exchange cards and yes they were Mormons. They didn't pay me much attention and I was getting too mad at the rude woman nearby smoking a cigarette. Which I can't stand.

At any rate, I turned my attention back to the Mormon girls who by this time were singing the praises of going to Utah. Quickly I realized I didn't really know much about how the Mormon faith approaches being transgender. I always assumed Mormons didn't accept us. So when I got home, naturally I Googled it.

Here is a small look at what I found from the "Human Rights Campaign" , as well as a few other issues which might relate:

"The LDS Church follows strict rules of sexual conduct, including commandments against pre-marital sex. The Church distinguishes between same-sex attraction and behavior. As stated on its website, "The experience of same-sex attraction is a complex reality for many people. The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is." The LDS Church previously taught that same-sex attraction is a curable condition, but now states that "individuals do not choose to have such attractions" and that therapy focusing on "a change in sexual orientation" is "unethical."

Those who do not act on their sexual identity, “enjoy full fellowship in the church, which includes holding the priesthood, carrying out callings, and attending the temple.” The Church considers Mormons who act on feelings of same-sex attraction to have disobeyed church teachings on morality and thus are subject to ecclesiastical discipline. They may be (1) placed on probation (for those desiring to change their behavior), (2) "disfellowshipped" (excluded from participating in the sacraments for a finite period of time while they correct their behavior), or (3) excommunicated.  Members who face a disciplinary council and refuse to repent—or insist that their feelings are integral to who they are—almost always are excommunicated. They lose their membership and cannot participate in any way other than attend meetings. They also lose the eternal ties that bind them to their families and their church.

The LDS Church has no official policy regarding transgender individuals."

Now I wonder since I acted on my gender issues and transitioned does it make it wrong in the eyes of the Mormon's?  Or, more precisely should I care? 

The easy answer is I don't really care and maybe I was wrong. The Mormon girls were just doing their thing and really didn't consider me an "enemy." Or better yet, I enjoyed passing privilege  and they never even knew.

"Mo" Trans History

Just when I thought my old noggin remembered vividly almost all the transgender influences of my past, along comes two reminders from Cyrsti Condo readers jogging my memory on others. The first post is from Calie:

1. "The woman who really hit me hard was Canary Conn. This had to be around 1978 and I saw her on a television talk show promoting her book. She was a pop singer, formerly known as Danny O'Connor. I did buy the book and read it twice. I was about the same age as her at the time. I knew what I was prior to that but Canary Conn made a profound impact on my life. I knew then that I had to transition but, for many reasons, never did. More info on Canary Conn here:
   http://queermusicheritage-theblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/danny-oconnor-became-canary-conn.html"

   

   And, from:
2. 
   ConnieJune 12, 2019 at 1:47 AM

   "In 1963, I was a twelve-year-old, going it alone. I honestly don't remember learning about anything having to do with transvestism; nothing that really affected what I was feeling about myself and my gender identity. I think that I was actually a transphobe back then, but I was already adept at applying makeup while behind the locked bathroom door. I was, alternately, prideful at the young woman I saw in the mirror, and disgusted with myself for "giving in" to something for which I seemed unable to control. I really didn't want to know of others who were like me, because I never could see myself being like anyone else. In retrospect, I knew, even then, that I was not a cross dresser. What I wanted to be was a woman, but not just during those times when I could sneak into the bathroom to look like one. Aside from Christine Jorgensen, I hadn't heard of anyone who was even close to the way I felt about myself.
   
   It almost didn't matter what, or who, I knew about when I turned seventeen. It was then that I embarked on a successful suppression that lasted for another seventeen years. When I broke the mold, I was still going it alone. I went back to hiding behind locked doors, but with a family and a job, there was so much more to be hiding from. My thought was, why would I seek out a role model who would abandon their established life for the selfish endeavor of being who she was? Well, now that I'm another 17 plus 17 years older (68), I'm pretty lucky to still have my family while being the not-so-selfish woman I am. It was not by any prominent figure that got me here, but I did get here with a little help from my friends - you included, girlfriend!"
3. Thanks sooo much!

Going Blogless

Sorry I missed a day blogging yesterday. The day turned out to be much busier than expected.

In the morning, I ended up going with Liz to two of her Doctors' appointments. I was flattered when one of them even remembered my name.

In the afternoon, I watched the baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians on television.

And, at night, my partner Liz made me an offer I couldn't refuse...a dinner out if I went with her to her martial arts class. I did feel a little guilty when I upgraded my evening outfit a bit to go out. But what the hell is a girl to do? The whole day went well though.

To make up for missing a day, I thought I would pass along a little background and a picture of the beautiful Australian Daniielle Alexis cable television star:

Down under viewers are used to seeing her in prison garb as one of the inmates on the cable TV drama Wentworth.

But this week, Daniielle Alexis showed fans a different side of herself by pouring her curves into a busty tube top in a display of self-empowerment on Instagram.

With her ample cleavage on full display, the 32-year-old wrote in the caption: 'I questioned whether to wear this at first.'

Transgender History

One never knows when simply being older than everyone else could be a positive.

One of the questions at last night's transgender - cross dresser support group meeting was what was your earliest remembrances of obtaining any information at all concerning your gender differences.

Being the oldest in the group, I was the only one to remember Virginia Prince , her  Transvestia Magazine and The Society for the Second Self... for male heterosexual cross dressers. The last issue was in 1979.

Over the years,  Virginia finally has began to receive the credit she deserved for being one of the pioneers of the cross dressing movement all the way to the beginnings of understanding the transgender movement. She came from a socially prominent family in Los Angeles and like so many of us struggled (and lost) a marriage because of her cross dressing. She began cross dressing when she went to a church Halloween party dressed as a woman and no one knew. So, again, many of us followed the same path as her.

I know I first obtained a copy of one her books "The Transvestite and His Wife" (1967) and immediately read it approximately three times. I also subscribed to "Transvestia" for awhile. Plus, my first dealings with other transvestites came from a Virginia Prince connected group in Cleveland, Ohio. So I owe a lot to her as a pioneer.

Virginia Prince

Virginia passed away in May of 2009. Follow the link above for more.

Change is Coming?

Every once in awhile change seems to be upon us in the transgender world, even amidst all the horrible trans murders. It seems the "Craft" movie remake is attempting to become more inclusive and add a transgender Latina actress.

If you are qualified, check out the ad below. And if you are not qualified like I am, you can check it out too!

Andreja Pejic

Talented, gorgeous Andreja Pejic is still breaking down barriers. The Australian born model is now taking on the silver screen. More from the "Them" site:

"Andreja Pejić has walked runways for the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier, Marc Jacobs, and Jeremy Scott. She’s been a cover girl for international editions of GQ, Elle, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar — the list goes on. But tomorrow, the 27-year-old model will make her acting debut on the big screen.

“It’s been a crazy whirlwind. I can’t believe I’m in a blockbuster Hollywood film,” Pejić tells me with an elated sigh. “What is life!” It’s two days after the New York premiere of The Girl in the Spider’s Web when we hop on the phone, and Pejić is still processing the fact that she stars in an adaptation of the book series she grew up reading as a teen.

In Sony’s latest reboot of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo franchise, Pejić plays Sylvia, an Eastern European goth girl and Lisbeth Salander’s lover. In director Fede Álvarez’s film, adapted from the fourth novel in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series written by David Lagercrantz, The Crown’s Claire Foy steps into the role of Salander, the leather-clad hacker vigilante."

Can't wait to see it! To my knowledge, it is streaming on certain services such as Amazon Prime. It was actually released November of last year.

Revenge?

Last night was our regular monthly social with the transgender - cross dresser group my partner Liz and I are part of. All of the usual suspects were there, including the Mike Pence (yes the fascist vice president) loving cross dresser.

I was enjoying myself. I thought I looked as good as possible with my loose fitting sleeveless top, along with my black leggings and black flats. The outfit gives me an inkling of how the hormones I have been on are finally shaping me a feminine body without the benefit of any shapers what so ever. The weather was not overwhelming hot and the air conditioner works well in the almost new car we just bought. Life was good.

I was even ignoring my less than fave cross dresser until Liz started a conversation with his daughter about why my brother and I don't speak anymore. The basic reason is he (my brother) won't accept me over the feelings of his Southern Baptist in laws. All of the sudden I sensed my opening was coming.

To set it up, a couple weeks ago over dinner, I was trying to get Mr. CD to bring up his buddy Pence (they are both from Indiana) and he did by calling him a "man from a good Christian family." Last night, his daughter wanted to know why my brother didn't accept me. I couldn't resist and looked her and Dad right in the eye and said because of a good Christian family.

All of a sudden, the dinner conversation was over. I felt I had arrived finally. Everyone was wondering why I was so quiet...no more. However, I warned them.

Speaking, or writing on religion, Connie did write in this comment to add in because it's never "enough said.":

"Well, I wasn't going to comment on this, since you ended your post with "enough said," but since others have spoken up...

The book of Deuteronomy is, basically, a list of rules that pertained to the society and culture of that time. It doesn't explain the reasons, really, and much is left to interpretation. I've read that 2:25 may have been in reference to men attempting to avoid military service, as well as women who wanted to fight. Of course, it could have been put on the list by a homophobic authority figure who found himself attracted to a trans woman. Your anonymous "commenter" appears to be of that ilk, especially considering the other Bible verse attached. 

Connie

After years of hiding myself from anyone, literally and otherwise, I had what was, at least, an epiphany - but I do believe that God spoke to me directly. As I sat alone, locked in a room, I heard a voice saying, simply, "It's OK; you are OK." For me, that overrides any Bible quotes anybody else tries to throw at me. 

Now, if I could just get one of those Bible Thumpers to explain why God created a man with nipples before He created a woman, I'd be a happy woman! :-)"

Enough said? This time?

All that Jazz

This quote from new Harvard student Jazz Jennings reportively  about a year removed from her genital realignment surgery has a lot to say:

 "I just know in my heart that the world is getting better and better and that change is being created. So stay hopeful, stay strong, and just continue being yourself, because one day, everyone will allow you to be your true self.” :trans:

We Got Mail

We received two great responses from our religious post yesterday here in Cyrsti's Condo:

1. KeithJune 5, 2019 at 10:44 AM

   "Genesis 1:27: "God created man(kind) in his image...…….male AND female he created them". It is not the exclusionary connector, OR, but the inclusive connector AND. We all have varying PROPORTIONS OF BOTH, according to the first book of the bible, the introduction to our connectedness to God. As ond deepens in their spiritual awareness one tends to understand the scriptures at a deeper level, as originally intended. Thanks for your post."

   
   
2. 
   GracieJune 5, 2019 at 9:49 PM

   "I have a hard time getting too excited about Deuteronome 22:5 after a little scholarly research. Although not completely understood, there is some speculation that it may have had to do with admonition of some pagan rituals that were performed crossdressed. Or in a society where men and women socialized separate from each other, it was a way to get together with the opposite sex for illicit purposes. If taken too literally, one could suppose that the majority of contemporary western women will be going to hell for wearing pants, and St. Joan of Arc is also burning in hell."
3. Thanks to both of you for responding!