I'm Getting Dizzy

Before you cheap shot me and say "Cyrsti-you always have been dizzy" - let me explain.

On certain days and in certain weeks, it seems there is almost a daily give and take of transgender rights being given in one place and then taken away in another.

Bobbie (one of our Cyrsti's Condo readers) keeps me pretty much up to date and in fact passed the Obama story along yesterday.  Bobbie is Canadian by trade and sent me a couple encouraging stories of improving transgender rights in Vancouver and Alberta.  She said the province of Alberta quite possibly is the most conservative of all the Canadian Provinces.  Don't worry, if I get any of this wrong she will deservedly correct me!

Then, right in the middle of all the warm and fuzzies- comes this totally ignorant story from South Carolina. Right now I can hear some of you saying "Damn Cyrsti, what do you expect-it's South Carolina.  I don't like to play that game because more than a few think that about the citizen's of Ohio.

At any rate, here's what happened:  "A South Carolina teen who wears androgynous or feminine clothing says he was prevented from wearing makeup in his driver’s license photo. Chase Culpepper, (above) who identifies as gender nonconforming but uses a male name and pronouns, had already passed his driver’s test and went March 3 to the Anderson Department of Motor Vehicle to obtain his driver’s license. But DMV officials told the 16-year-old to take off his makeup for the picture, because they said he did not look how a boy should."

I get so tired around here about ranting about stupid little people playing God.  

Fortunately, these days we have good guys and girls on our side and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund has asked the DMV to allow the teen to take another photo – wearing makeup.   attorneys with TLDEF said the decision violated Culpepper’s rights and said:

“He is entitled to be who he is and to express that without interference from government actors,” said Michael Silverman, executive director of TLDEF. “Forcing Chase to remove his makeup prior to taking his driver’s license photo restricts his free speech rights in violation of state and federal constitutional protections.”

My fondest desire is at my age, the bigots are beaten back and we can live in a free world...before I die.  The bad thing is I have gay friends who still don't understand I don't have the rights they do.

For more of the "Culpepper" story, go here.

It's All Fun Until You Have to Stop?

In a companion post I just wrote here in Cyrsti's Condo concerning a second mammogram and her friend- an ultra sound, I wrote I wasn't going to jump off any bridges yet.

To start with, locally, there aren't many bridges I could jump off of which would do anything other than break my leg.  I would have to drive an hour or so down around Cincinnati to find a bridge to cause significant damage if  I jumped and I would be pretty much out of the idea by then.  Not to mention I am extremely afraid of heights.

To be truthful, my paranoia comes from an imagined possibility the doctors saying I would have to go off HRT.  The possibility is a very high bridge to jump off of and one I don't want to even consider.

For the first time in my life, I'm beginning to wake up in the morning enjoying the feminization of my body and yes I'm selfish-I don't want to go back.

Bless all the genetic women in the world who go through this - and worse.  Hysterectomies come to mind.  I can understand them feeling they are losing much of the physical basis which equals female in their mind. But, their minds, bodies and experiences were molded to a large part by their hormones and won't start growing big bones and angular features. Since I already have to work around 60+ years of maleness I was born with, any assistance I could find from HRT was welcomed!

Then again, ( as I have written), there is the mental aspect.  I feel hormone replacement therapy after a certain point of time does cause the mind to develop extra feminine worry, even to the point of hysteria.  It's become an involuntary reaction for me these days.

I think too that "Momma Karma" is whispering to me, "you wanted to go down this path-now here you are." As my wife said years ago as I was admiring myself in the mirror, "Come on Princess, it's time to go. You can't have your cake an eat it too." Yet another version of the theme, you really don't know what it is to be a woman.  Perhaps her (she has been deceased for nearly eight years now) and Momma are enjoying a cup of coffee right now discussing all of this. Or, I'm just flattering myself.

Either way, I should be able to tell more early next week and look for a bridge if I need it.

Nothing to Wear

Seems to be the story of my life these days.  Actually though, my summer wardrobe is nicely put together- except when I get summoned back to the hospital for another mammogram and an ultrasound this Thursday. Which begs the question-what does one wear to an ultra sound? Is clothing optional?  Never been invited to one before.

Before anyone starts to take the OMG route with me, I was told by the powers to be at the hospital, a second mammogram for a virgin wasn't all that unusual.  So, before I hitchhike to the tallest bridge around here and jump-I'm going to assume they know what they are talking about.  Plus, at this point in time, what can I do about it anyway?

At least the nurse today didn't laugh on the phone when I asked if the event was formal, casual  or semi formal.

I have waited for a long time to be called "mam" but this is a bit much!

It's Never Too Early

It's never too early to think ahead to Halloween!  I found this costume on Pinterest and positively LOVE it!!!

Fortunately, Liz is a very creative seamstress, loves kitties and purple...I may not even have to rub up against her leg and purr!!!

Cyrsti's Condo "Power Scope"

I'm in LOVE! 

Libra (September 23-October 22): Shoot for the moon when it comes to love. No more waiting for that perfect moment to happen. Yes, seize this moment and make a bold declaration to someone you’ve been holding out on. Freeing yourself of secrets is one way to set bigger plans into motion — lucky for you, doing so can have instantaneous results! Claim what is yours!

Three in a row amazing "scopes"?? Think I'm due to crash and burn? Naaah!

Hope your own scope is amazin' too! For your own "scope" go here to theFrisky!

Wow!!!!

Our Cyrsti's Condo "News Correspondent Bobbie"  just sent this along.  It's from Mother Jones:

President Obama is planning on signing a new executive order preventing federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT employees, a White House official told the Associated Press on Monday. The order is expected to be finalized in the next few weeks and is an extension of previous orders banning employment discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin among federal contractors and subcontractors.

"The protections will reach over one million LGBT workers across the country, making it the single largest expansion of LGBT workplace protections in our country's history," ThinkProgress reports.

The White House official would not say when Obama plans to sign the order, but confirmed that the president told his staff to prepare a measure for his signature. On Tuesday, the president will travel to New York for an LGBT fundraising gala with the Democratic National Committee.

Monday's announcement comes after years of pressure from gay rights groups calling for broader action on the issue. Last November, the Senate passed legislation banning workplace discrimination against LGBT workers, but the bill has since gone nowhere in the House.

Gee, I can't believe it went nowhere in the house...just like here in Ohio where the house Republicans are pro discrimination!

Thanks Bobbie!!!

Cyrstio's Condo "Quote of the Day"

Believe!!!

 

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover today is the Mtf transgender beauty Rebekah Shelton from Brazil:

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day."

"Welcome to the other side of the looking glass, Alice"  From the motion picture "Soldier's Girl." A line spoken by Lee Pace as Calpernia Addams to her lover Barry Winchell.