Transgender Woman Severely Beaten at Baltimore McDonalds While Employees Watch
Jumping back onto topic for a moment, I'd like to direct everyone's attention to this news item. You may have seen it already. If not, please take a look. The video is disturbing. It was shot by a worker at the McDonalds. Neither he nor any of his coworkers attempted to stop the fight. Then he uploaded the video to WorldStarHipHop Video Tube, which appears to be an urban (read black) version of YouTube., in an effort to get his fifteen minutes.
The victim hasn't been identified, and there seems to be some debate amongst the rabble as to whether she's trans or not, but the perpetrators have been arrested. They may be facing hate crime charges. Every time I hear about legislators refusing to grant public accomodations protection to LGBT people, I think of incidents like these. I wish stuff like this would stop happening.
Showing posts with label transgender. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transgender. Show all posts
Friday, April 22, 2011
Saturday, July 24, 2010
A Makeup Test
I haven't worn makeup since January, but I've tried to maintain my supplies and refresh from time to time with new products as they catch my eye. I tend to stick with stuff that works, but every once in a while I'll try something totally new, especially if I'm bombarded constantly by TV commercials and print ads in every publication.
One product I'm always looking at is mascara, as my lashes are not especially long or thick. Maybe it's because I'm technically male, but most mascaras don't do much for my eyelashes. Today I tried two different products: Maybelline's Volum' Express the Falsies in Blackest Black and Cover Girl's Lash Blast Fusion.
Maybelline Volum' Express the Falsies
http://www.maybelline.com/Product/Eye/Mascara/falsies-volume-express.htm
The ad copy promises to "instantly build 8x more volume without clumping" and to provide "the look of 300% more lashes". Maybe I didn't get it on thick enough, but I didn't see more volume or extra lashes. I see upon reflection that they suggest that the wearer repeat coats "until false lash look is achieved". That could mean wearing a LOT of mascara. Ugh. It's bad enough that I have to wear a lot of foundation. I can usually get by with minimal use of eye makeup. Maybe I'll give this product a go when I can wear full face, but at this point I'm disinclined to recommend it.
Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion
http://www.covergirl.com/products/product.jsp?productId=lashblast_fusion_mascara
Here I must confess that I was a little predisposed toward this product. I like the original Lash Blast formula, and I always got good results with it. I only went out and bought the newer product because it was time to replace the other stuff, and I thought I'd combine replacement with a demo. I found that I got both length and thickness with this product. I definitely give this one my thumbs-up.
I can't find any of the print ads, but I've seen in the small print for one of these products that the model is wearing false lashes in addition to the mascara, and further that for best results one should wear both. I have to try, hard sometimes, to avoid looking like a drag queen, and they want me to wear false lashes AND heavy mascara? I think I'll pass.
Almost forgot: I trialed a new eye shadow with these mascaras. Cover Girl have a new product they've been cross-promoting with the Lash Blast: Smoky Shadow Blast. This is a two-part product featuring creamy shadow built into a double-ended pen. One end features a soft color on a rounded applicator. The other end is pointed, with a darker or more "bold" color. I don't like their choices of color combos. The colors they place together are complimentary, but not necessarily what I'd call the best choices. Perhaps they did this on purpose, in order to sell more shadow. Or maybe they expect their customers to be less picky. I don't know. I tried out one called "Purple Plume". The step one shadow is a pale, pinky lavender, and the step two is a purpley bronze. Neither shade looks very purple on the skin, but I think they looked okay.
One product I'm always looking at is mascara, as my lashes are not especially long or thick. Maybe it's because I'm technically male, but most mascaras don't do much for my eyelashes. Today I tried two different products: Maybelline's Volum' Express the Falsies in Blackest Black and Cover Girl's Lash Blast Fusion.
Maybelline Volum' Express the Falsies
http://www.maybelline.com/Product/Eye/Mascara/falsies-volume-express.htm
The ad copy promises to "instantly build 8x more volume without clumping" and to provide "the look of 300% more lashes". Maybe I didn't get it on thick enough, but I didn't see more volume or extra lashes. I see upon reflection that they suggest that the wearer repeat coats "until false lash look is achieved". That could mean wearing a LOT of mascara. Ugh. It's bad enough that I have to wear a lot of foundation. I can usually get by with minimal use of eye makeup. Maybe I'll give this product a go when I can wear full face, but at this point I'm disinclined to recommend it.
Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion
http://www.covergirl.com/products/product.jsp?productId=lashblast_fusion_mascara
Here I must confess that I was a little predisposed toward this product. I like the original Lash Blast formula, and I always got good results with it. I only went out and bought the newer product because it was time to replace the other stuff, and I thought I'd combine replacement with a demo. I found that I got both length and thickness with this product. I definitely give this one my thumbs-up.
I can't find any of the print ads, but I've seen in the small print for one of these products that the model is wearing false lashes in addition to the mascara, and further that for best results one should wear both. I have to try, hard sometimes, to avoid looking like a drag queen, and they want me to wear false lashes AND heavy mascara? I think I'll pass.
Almost forgot: I trialed a new eye shadow with these mascaras. Cover Girl have a new product they've been cross-promoting with the Lash Blast: Smoky Shadow Blast. This is a two-part product featuring creamy shadow built into a double-ended pen. One end features a soft color on a rounded applicator. The other end is pointed, with a darker or more "bold" color. I don't like their choices of color combos. The colors they place together are complimentary, but not necessarily what I'd call the best choices. Perhaps they did this on purpose, in order to sell more shadow. Or maybe they expect their customers to be less picky. I don't know. I tried out one called "Purple Plume". The step one shadow is a pale, pinky lavender, and the step two is a purpley bronze. Neither shade looks very purple on the skin, but I think they looked okay.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Don't Get Me Wrong
I'm afraid my post this morning might have led to people thinking that I don't like the idea of transgendered people being included in the so-called "GLBT" community. On the contrary, I do, I just haven't had much experience in the true spirit of community. Most of the time it seems like our community is rather a bunch of disparate factions who just seem to be traveling in the same direction. As Ben Franklin put it in "1776", "we must all hang together, or assuredly, we will hang separately".
In response (or rebuttal) to Ronald Gold's "No to Transgender" piece the other day on Bilerico comes this piece by Dr. Jillian T. Weiss about transphobia in the gay community:
http://www.bilerico.com/2009/12/transphobia_in_the_gay_community.php
It's nice to get some historical perspective.
In response (or rebuttal) to Ronald Gold's "No to Transgender" piece the other day on Bilerico comes this piece by Dr. Jillian T. Weiss about transphobia in the gay community:
http://www.bilerico.com/2009/12/transphobia_in_the_gay_community.php
It's nice to get some historical perspective.
Community? What Community?
I spent yesterday on another day project with De. We always have the most thought-provoking conversations. She asked me if, in my internet travels, I had encountered a spirit of "divisiveness". I have.
I hear a lot of talk about the "GLBT community", and including all under a queer umbrella, but what I see is a lot of factionalism, splinters and groups crying out to be separated from one another. Without naming names, let me cite a few examples I've seen or experienced.
When I was in college, we had a so-called "Gay-Straight Alliance" that didn't have many (or any, at one point) straight people in it. When I first started to get active in things, I met lesbians who didn't want to be "lumped in" with gay men. The support group I used to belong to in Charlotte had its dinner meetings at a popular lesbian hangout. The staff loved us, but sometimes the other customers would act like "Why are they here?" At Charlotte Pride two years ago, there were only six or seven trans people (that's including drag performers) out of the thousands who attended the festival. Earlier this year, I read a story about intersex people not wanting to be grouped with transgender people. Then there are the post-op transwomen who say they're not trans anymore, and go "stealth", and sever their ties to the community. Just yesterday a blogger on the Bilerico Project posted a nasty piece that said there's no such thing as transgender. I was going to write a nasty, underhanded rebuttal to said piece, but the editor there apologized, so I'll abide. It's a shame, though, because I had such nice things to say. ;)
Often I've felt like the "T" in GLBT (or LGBT, according to your preference) was a dangling participle. It often feels like we trans people have thrown our lot in with the gay community because no one else will take us. Don't get me wrong. I've got gay friends, and they're among the best and brightest I know. I just don't always feel like the larger community has my back. ENDA was making in-roads with Congress two years ago, and the bill lost its support when the HRC said they were willing to set aside protections for gender identity and expression if that's what it took to get protection for gays. A few months ago they reversed their position, saying they only backed a trans-inclusive bill. It's been tabled by a House subcommittee, and slated for review when Congress come back from their holiday break. With healthcare reform, the wars and all the other issues, I worry sometimes that we'll be set aside again, but I still have hope.
I hear a lot of talk about the "GLBT community", and including all under a queer umbrella, but what I see is a lot of factionalism, splinters and groups crying out to be separated from one another. Without naming names, let me cite a few examples I've seen or experienced.
When I was in college, we had a so-called "Gay-Straight Alliance" that didn't have many (or any, at one point) straight people in it. When I first started to get active in things, I met lesbians who didn't want to be "lumped in" with gay men. The support group I used to belong to in Charlotte had its dinner meetings at a popular lesbian hangout. The staff loved us, but sometimes the other customers would act like "Why are they here?" At Charlotte Pride two years ago, there were only six or seven trans people (that's including drag performers) out of the thousands who attended the festival. Earlier this year, I read a story about intersex people not wanting to be grouped with transgender people. Then there are the post-op transwomen who say they're not trans anymore, and go "stealth", and sever their ties to the community. Just yesterday a blogger on the Bilerico Project posted a nasty piece that said there's no such thing as transgender. I was going to write a nasty, underhanded rebuttal to said piece, but the editor there apologized, so I'll abide. It's a shame, though, because I had such nice things to say. ;)
Often I've felt like the "T" in GLBT (or LGBT, according to your preference) was a dangling participle. It often feels like we trans people have thrown our lot in with the gay community because no one else will take us. Don't get me wrong. I've got gay friends, and they're among the best and brightest I know. I just don't always feel like the larger community has my back. ENDA was making in-roads with Congress two years ago, and the bill lost its support when the HRC said they were willing to set aside protections for gender identity and expression if that's what it took to get protection for gays. A few months ago they reversed their position, saying they only backed a trans-inclusive bill. It's been tabled by a House subcommittee, and slated for review when Congress come back from their holiday break. With healthcare reform, the wars and all the other issues, I worry sometimes that we'll be set aside again, but I still have hope.
Friday, October 16, 2009
A Long Weekend
I mentioned a couple of days ago that I was going to be off this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Well, I discovered last night that this has been extended. Due to scheduling difficulties with my relief, I've been given Monday and Tuesday as well. That's a four-day weekend! If I had known of it a little sooner, I could've made plans for something more involved than what I was already looking towards, like a road trip or something.
Did I mention I'm going to be all alone this weekend? Yeah. Nate's getting on a train in a couple of hours and running down to Florida for Nick's seventh birthday. He's going with Eddie, our nice neighbor who watched the boys over the summer when Nate was working and I was sleeping. They won't be back until sometime Tuesday evening. What am I going to do with myself?
I'm going to try to get in a little shopping this morning after I pay a couple of bills, then off to bed. My "vacation" doesn't start till tomorrow. After work tomorrow, I'll crash for a bit, then off to Movie Night in Virginia Beach. No idea what the movie will be, but it'll be nice to hang out with friends.
Sunday's the air show. The weather is predicted to be crappy again, but both the Blue Angels and Snowbirds say they can work with ceilings as low as 1000 feet, and most of the rest of the performers won't notice the lack of altitude. Sunday night, if I'm not completely wiped, I might check out the Hershee. They have karaoke on Sundays. What? Don't look at me like that.
Monday and Tuesday, though. What am I gonna do? On the one hand, I've got two extra days to be myself 24/7, so no running about in drab unless I want to. I can even paint my nails if I want! Take that, Boss!
Did I mention I'm going to be all alone this weekend? Yeah. Nate's getting on a train in a couple of hours and running down to Florida for Nick's seventh birthday. He's going with Eddie, our nice neighbor who watched the boys over the summer when Nate was working and I was sleeping. They won't be back until sometime Tuesday evening. What am I going to do with myself?
I'm going to try to get in a little shopping this morning after I pay a couple of bills, then off to bed. My "vacation" doesn't start till tomorrow. After work tomorrow, I'll crash for a bit, then off to Movie Night in Virginia Beach. No idea what the movie will be, but it'll be nice to hang out with friends.
Sunday's the air show. The weather is predicted to be crappy again, but both the Blue Angels and Snowbirds say they can work with ceilings as low as 1000 feet, and most of the rest of the performers won't notice the lack of altitude. Sunday night, if I'm not completely wiped, I might check out the Hershee. They have karaoke on Sundays. What? Don't look at me like that.
Monday and Tuesday, though. What am I gonna do? On the one hand, I've got two extra days to be myself 24/7, so no running about in drab unless I want to. I can even paint my nails if I want! Take that, Boss!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Movie Review: Zerophilia
Zerophilia (2005)
Director/writer: Martin Curland
Starring: Taylor Handley, Kyle Schmid, Rebecca Mozo, Marieh Delfino
Zerophilia is a fantasy movie that posits the existence of rare humans with a third "Z" chromosome. These individuals are capable of changing their sex at will, but the ability doesn't manifest itself until they become sexually active.
Luke (Handley) is a college student. He's out camping alone in the woods when he's nearly crushed in his tent by a Jeep with camper barreling through the woods. The driver is Kelly LeBrock, and to make up for nearly killing him, they have sex. It's Luke's first time.
A little later, Luke meets Michelle. Michelle is smart, funny, and gorgeous to boot. They hit it right off, but when they go out to dinner, Luke gets a little aroused, and starts to grow breasts. What follows from there is a classic comedy of errors.
I first learned about this film a couple of years ago on a Yahoo TG Fiction mailing list. The writer/director joined the list to promote his movie, and he even credits a couple of known TG fiction writers in the credits.
It's an indie film with a limited budget, but I thought it very well made. The script is good, the actors all give solid performances, and the plot flows pretty evenly with no awkward spots. I got the movie via Netflix when it first came out, but it debuted last night on Showtime 2, and I watched it before coming to work. It'll be on again on the regular Showtime channel sometime over the next two nights, so set your DVR. I promise it's worth the effort.
Director/writer: Martin Curland
Starring: Taylor Handley, Kyle Schmid, Rebecca Mozo, Marieh Delfino
Zerophilia is a fantasy movie that posits the existence of rare humans with a third "Z" chromosome. These individuals are capable of changing their sex at will, but the ability doesn't manifest itself until they become sexually active.
Luke (Handley) is a college student. He's out camping alone in the woods when he's nearly crushed in his tent by a Jeep with camper barreling through the woods. The driver is Kelly LeBrock, and to make up for nearly killing him, they have sex. It's Luke's first time.
A little later, Luke meets Michelle. Michelle is smart, funny, and gorgeous to boot. They hit it right off, but when they go out to dinner, Luke gets a little aroused, and starts to grow breasts. What follows from there is a classic comedy of errors.
I first learned about this film a couple of years ago on a Yahoo TG Fiction mailing list. The writer/director joined the list to promote his movie, and he even credits a couple of known TG fiction writers in the credits.
It's an indie film with a limited budget, but I thought it very well made. The script is good, the actors all give solid performances, and the plot flows pretty evenly with no awkward spots. I got the movie via Netflix when it first came out, but it debuted last night on Showtime 2, and I watched it before coming to work. It'll be on again on the regular Showtime channel sometime over the next two nights, so set your DVR. I promise it's worth the effort.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Writing Assignment #1
I promised the respondents to my "contest" posts that I'd write something on whatever topics they chose. I've had the first topic for about a week, and I must confess that I'm somewhat stumped.
Caroline wrote to me:
I must confess: I haven't seen a lot of movies that get us. There haven't been a lot of mainstream movies that talk frankly about us, and too often TG characters are victims of hate crimes or serve at the butt of jokes.
I've heard a lot about Transamerica, starring Felicity Huffman, but I heard lots of negative reviews from assorted trans friends, so I refuse to watch it. I might have to break down and give it a look, just in case I'm wrong.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407265/
There's Boys Don't Cry,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0171804/
(I am currently experiencing difficulties with my Italics button)
the story of Brandon Teena. I'm MTF, not the other way around, but I found it to be very real. Gut-wrenchingly so.
I've only seen a few other movies that depict trans characters in a believable fashion. The oldest one would be The World According to Garp, which isn't about a trans person, but one figures big in the story. Roberta Muldoon, played by John Lithgow, was the first transwoman I remember seeing in a film. I enjoyed the novel more than the film, but I saw the movie when I was ten, but read the book when I was twenty.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084917/
Another grim one I've seen is Princesa
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281094/
The title character is Fernanda, a trans teenager who travels from Brazil to Italy to work as a prostitute in order to finance her SRS. She has some rough experiences, but she finds a sugar daddy. I don't want to give away the ending, but it's not a happy story.
One light-hearted movie I've seen is Different for Girls
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116102/
Back in the 70s, the two characters were best friends in school. Flash forward to the 90s, and one of them has transitioned and is trying to build a new life for herself. She finds herself falling for her old friend, but things don't always work out the way we hope they do.
That's all I've got for now. I apologize if it seems half-arsed, but I confess to feeling underprepared for this one. If anyone could suggest some decent trans-themed films to watch, I'll be happy to Netflix 'em and post my thoughts.
Coming soon: Assignment #2, from Chrissie, "Dreams of Flight".
Caroline wrote to me:
Lets be predictable and combine two subjects which interest us:-
"The Movies which got Transgender right"
I must confess: I haven't seen a lot of movies that get us. There haven't been a lot of mainstream movies that talk frankly about us, and too often TG characters are victims of hate crimes or serve at the butt of jokes.
I've heard a lot about Transamerica, starring Felicity Huffman, but I heard lots of negative reviews from assorted trans friends, so I refuse to watch it. I might have to break down and give it a look, just in case I'm wrong.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407265/
There's Boys Don't Cry,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0171804/
(I am currently experiencing difficulties with my Italics button)
the story of Brandon Teena. I'm MTF, not the other way around, but I found it to be very real. Gut-wrenchingly so.
I've only seen a few other movies that depict trans characters in a believable fashion. The oldest one would be The World According to Garp, which isn't about a trans person, but one figures big in the story. Roberta Muldoon, played by John Lithgow, was the first transwoman I remember seeing in a film. I enjoyed the novel more than the film, but I saw the movie when I was ten, but read the book when I was twenty.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084917/
Another grim one I've seen is Princesa
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281094/
The title character is Fernanda, a trans teenager who travels from Brazil to Italy to work as a prostitute in order to finance her SRS. She has some rough experiences, but she finds a sugar daddy. I don't want to give away the ending, but it's not a happy story.
One light-hearted movie I've seen is Different for Girls
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116102/
Back in the 70s, the two characters were best friends in school. Flash forward to the 90s, and one of them has transitioned and is trying to build a new life for herself. She finds herself falling for her old friend, but things don't always work out the way we hope they do.
That's all I've got for now. I apologize if it seems half-arsed, but I confess to feeling underprepared for this one. If anyone could suggest some decent trans-themed films to watch, I'll be happy to Netflix 'em and post my thoughts.
Coming soon: Assignment #2, from Chrissie, "Dreams of Flight".
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
New Rights for Transgender Workers
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31517604/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/
I saw this on MSNBC.com this morning and thought I'd share. The changes only apply to federal workers, but it's a step.
I saw this on MSNBC.com this morning and thought I'd share. The changes only apply to federal workers, but it's a step.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Out of My Mind
At least, I was.
Saturday morning I left work after a nine-day stretch. I lucked into a four-day weekend, Saturday to Tuesday. I was soo looking forward to it. Alas, I forgot that I had neither TV nor internet at home.
I spent Saturday out running errands. I went to the nail salon with the intention of getting the works. I thought better on the cost thereof and settled for getting my eyebrows done. Sunday I went to the Gender Expression Project's "Everything You Wanted to Know About Being Transgendered (but were afraid to ask)". That was pretty cool. The rest of my time off was a repeated cycle of sleep, reading (Stan Nicholls' omnibus edition of his Orcs trilogy), Xbox 360 (offline, of course) and watching assorted movies on DVD. That last was pretty cool, as I saw the Richard Donner cut of Superman II and the original Taking of Pelham 123.
Now I'm back to the old grind.
BTW, the photo to the right is one I shot of myself Sunday after returning from my outing. I know, the hair isn't the right style for my face, but my usual red piece is looking a little ratty, and I didn't have the funds to get another this go around, so I recycled this one. It's a little short, but it's fun and flirty.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Movie Review: Let the Right One In
This movie was reviewed by my friend dr. morbius not too long ago, and my interest was sufficiently piqued that I dropped into my Netflix queue right away. Last week it appeared in my Instant Viewing queue on Xbox Live. This morning (yesterday, now) before bed. I broke down and watched it. A review blurb on the cover proclaims it the "Best vampire movie ever." I like vampire movies, when they're done well. This one is.
The movie is Swedish, with English subtitles. Subtitles used to bother me, but I hardly notice them after a while. This is especially true when a movie grabs me like this one did.
Oskar is a preteen boy living in a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden in the early 1980s. His parents are separated, and he lives with his mother. He is bullied by his schoolmates, but he tries to make friends with Eli, the androgynous child who lives in the apartment next door. Oskar want Eli to be his girlfriend, but Eli says, "I'm not a girl."
By turns, the two become friends, after a fashion. Their relationship survives the revelation that Eli is a vampire. I'd love to tell the rest, but you'll just have to see it.
I thought the subtitles were a little choppy, but I wasn't sure if that was just the result of translation from Swedish. I've since found some criticism of the subtitling, and I guess you can add my voice. There's a lot of signage that could've used captioning. A big plot element is Oskar teaching Eli Morse code so they can "talk" through their common wall, and little of that is subtitled.
My research has turned up the info that the film is being remade for the American market. Like a lot of import remakes, it could either be brilliant, or horrible. When will American filmmakers learn to leave stuff alone?
The movie is Swedish, with English subtitles. Subtitles used to bother me, but I hardly notice them after a while. This is especially true when a movie grabs me like this one did.
Oskar is a preteen boy living in a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden in the early 1980s. His parents are separated, and he lives with his mother. He is bullied by his schoolmates, but he tries to make friends with Eli, the androgynous child who lives in the apartment next door. Oskar want Eli to be his girlfriend, but Eli says, "I'm not a girl."
By turns, the two become friends, after a fashion. Their relationship survives the revelation that Eli is a vampire. I'd love to tell the rest, but you'll just have to see it.
I thought the subtitles were a little choppy, but I wasn't sure if that was just the result of translation from Swedish. I've since found some criticism of the subtitling, and I guess you can add my voice. There's a lot of signage that could've used captioning. A big plot element is Oskar teaching Eli Morse code so they can "talk" through their common wall, and little of that is subtitled.
My research has turned up the info that the film is being remade for the American market. Like a lot of import remakes, it could either be brilliant, or horrible. When will American filmmakers learn to leave stuff alone?
Monday, April 27, 2009
No One is Safe
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30431717/
It seems the "Craigslist Killer" wasn't just looking for GG dates. I'm not sure I approve of hooking up via the same site where I unload my old video game systems. I had a look at some of the personals on there. Ewww. I'm not going to try to tell anyone how to live their life, but please, ladies and gentlemen, be careful out there.
It seems the "Craigslist Killer" wasn't just looking for GG dates. I'm not sure I approve of hooking up via the same site where I unload my old video game systems. I had a look at some of the personals on there. Ewww. I'm not going to try to tell anyone how to live their life, but please, ladies and gentlemen, be careful out there.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Small World
I met another transwoman last night, at work. She turned out to be someone I checked in in drab about a week ago. She came down to the lobby shortly after I came on shift and asked if it was okay if she hung out in the lobby en femme. I took a moment to see how she was dressed (a sweater and skinny jeans with pumps) and told her it was cool. Then I told her I was trans, and she relaxed.
It was busy last night, but between dealing with assorted guests and their lunacy, I got to chat with her a bit. She lives overseas as a civilian contractor with the military, but occasionally returns to this area for business. She doesn't know of any support apparatus where she is stationed, so I consulted my online references, and showed her a couple of links. Naturally I threw in a link to this little work in progress. ;)
After a little while, she disappeared up to her room and returned in a different hairpiece. She asked if I could take her photo, so she could see how she looked. I was happy to; any excuse to handle a camera is a good one.
This little interlude eased the loneliness I've been feeling. It's always nice to make a connection.
Before I forget, I managed to get my way regarding this weekend. I reminded my boss that I had put in a request (a month ago) and that I've worked six weekends in a row. It took some surgery on the schedule, and made it so I've had to work eight nights in a row (tonight is number 8), but I'll be able to go to Langley this weekend. Plus, I'm getting to borrow a decent camera, so I'll have photos to show.
It was busy last night, but between dealing with assorted guests and their lunacy, I got to chat with her a bit. She lives overseas as a civilian contractor with the military, but occasionally returns to this area for business. She doesn't know of any support apparatus where she is stationed, so I consulted my online references, and showed her a couple of links. Naturally I threw in a link to this little work in progress. ;)
After a little while, she disappeared up to her room and returned in a different hairpiece. She asked if I could take her photo, so she could see how she looked. I was happy to; any excuse to handle a camera is a good one.
This little interlude eased the loneliness I've been feeling. It's always nice to make a connection.
Before I forget, I managed to get my way regarding this weekend. I reminded my boss that I had put in a request (a month ago) and that I've worked six weekends in a row. It took some surgery on the schedule, and made it so I've had to work eight nights in a row (tonight is number 8), but I'll be able to go to Langley this weekend. Plus, I'm getting to borrow a decent camera, so I'll have photos to show.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=114268&catid=222
Allen Andrade was convicted of first-degree murder and of a bias-motivated crime in the murder of Angie Zapata. This story has been covered elsewhere by better writers than me, but I had to get my word in when I heard the news.
Allen Andrade was convicted of first-degree murder and of a bias-motivated crime in the murder of Angie Zapata. This story has been covered elsewhere by better writers than me, but I had to get my word in when I heard the news.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Not Quite
I was standing up at the front desk at work yesterday, and one of my female coworkers asked me about something, I forget exactly what. One thing led to another through the course of the conversation, and I ended up blurting out, "I'm transgendered!"
There was the briefest of pauses, and she said, "Jaye, I never would have guessed you used to be a woman."
I guess I can understand her confusion. I present as a man most of the time, but I wear earrings and long, polished nails.
So close, yet so far away.
There was the briefest of pauses, and she said, "Jaye, I never would have guessed you used to be a woman."
I guess I can understand her confusion. I present as a man most of the time, but I wear earrings and long, polished nails.
So close, yet so far away.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Changes
After a hiatus of the last few days, I return. I wish I could say I'd accomplished something while I wasn't blogging, but this is not the case. I found out tonight that my supervisor has finally hired a relief person to work the weekends. Alas, she also scheduled me to work this weekend, presumably to train this person. I wish she'd given me a little more notice. I've had off almost every weekend, consecutively, since the first of the year. My New Life support group meeting is this Saturday, and for the first time since January, I'll have the use of my own vehicle for the weekend. AAAUGH!!!
I attended the meeting in January and then drove myself to work. I think I can manage that again. The associate I relieved back then knows me very well, and wasn't put off seeing me en femme. Naturally, I changed clothes before I clocked in. I'll be doing the same Saturday, but the person I'll be relieving doesn't know about me. I guess this will be a very eye-opening experience for her. Maybe for the both of us!
On the positive side of things, my nephews (Nick and Brayden) have come to visit this week. I haven't seen them since December, back before they moved to Florida. They're so cute! They love to play Halo, but they're not very good at it (they are 6 and 5, respectively). It's nice to have nephews again, if only for a few days. Later this week, we're talking about taking them to see Monsters vs. Aliens.
I attended the meeting in January and then drove myself to work. I think I can manage that again. The associate I relieved back then knows me very well, and wasn't put off seeing me en femme. Naturally, I changed clothes before I clocked in. I'll be doing the same Saturday, but the person I'll be relieving doesn't know about me. I guess this will be a very eye-opening experience for her. Maybe for the both of us!
On the positive side of things, my nephews (Nick and Brayden) have come to visit this week. I haven't seen them since December, back before they moved to Florida. They're so cute! They love to play Halo, but they're not very good at it (they are 6 and 5, respectively). It's nice to have nephews again, if only for a few days. Later this week, we're talking about taking them to see Monsters vs. Aliens.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Trans-Positive: Story in Marie Claire, April 2009
I couldn't find a link to this article on the magazine's website, so I'm going to post it here, in it's entirety. If someone could point me towards a proper link, I'll remove this later.
BOYS WILL BE GIRLS
Bangkok may be the sex-change capital of Asia, but transgenders - also called "the third sex" and "ladyboys" - still live on the fringes, often denied secure work that pays and anything resembling acceptance. A ray of hope: At Suan Dusit University, a new initiative to openly recruit ladyboys has drawn 100 of them to the school, where they can wear the girls' uniform and behave "like ladies" without facing discrimination, and where other transgenders teach and serve as role models. "I couldn't wait to come here," says 21-year-old Wittaya Jannoi, a pretty, hormone-enhanced marketing major who hopes to have a sex change after graduation. "We can be ourselves, because we don't have to hide."
Yeah, I could've put this up on Trans Talk, but I'm lazy.
BOYS WILL BE GIRLS
Bangkok may be the sex-change capital of Asia, but transgenders - also called "the third sex" and "ladyboys" - still live on the fringes, often denied secure work that pays and anything resembling acceptance. A ray of hope: At Suan Dusit University, a new initiative to openly recruit ladyboys has drawn 100 of them to the school, where they can wear the girls' uniform and behave "like ladies" without facing discrimination, and where other transgenders teach and serve as role models. "I couldn't wait to come here," says 21-year-old Wittaya Jannoi, a pretty, hormone-enhanced marketing major who hopes to have a sex change after graduation. "We can be ourselves, because we don't have to hide."
Yeah, I could've put this up on Trans Talk, but I'm lazy.
Monday, March 9, 2009
March NLTO Recap
I forgot to mention that Saturday was this month's NLTO meeting. There were a few more people there this month, which is a good thing. My friend Debbie (who has appeared here before) brought another lady named Debbie. We met Sharon, who is getting out of the Navy this year. My friend Kathy brought her genderqueer friend Ashley. We spent the first part of the meeting getting to know each other.
LLLLL did a presentation about this year's Camp Trans; it sounds like a lot of fun, but I'm a city girl at heart. I'm too high-maintenance to rough it in the middle of nowhere (Michigan) in June. We talked about this month's Movie Night. It's the last that'll be at Ericka and Linda's; alas, they're moving to Alexandria. Anyway, this month's selection is Yentl, with Barbra Streisand and Mandy Patinkin. I haven't seen that since I was in grade school (it was on HBO), so it'll be almost like seeing it for the first time.
We had another clothing swap. There was more to choose from, and I actually found a few nice pieces. I got a (tight) pair of jeans and a denim mini that used to be Michelle Marie's, and a few tops that were Debbie's. One of the tops is leopard print (!) and I'll need to wear my smaller forms ('cause it's a little revealing). All that didn't go home with someone will be donated to the CHKD thrift store.
Before we broke up for the night, we broke up into little groups and chatted about stuff: blogs, Battlestar Galactica, physics, politics, etc, ad nauseam.
I got home a little later than usual. I didn't have dinner before the meeting, and as good as Giles' cookies are, I needed something more substantial. Nate rolled in from work a little after I got in, and he hadn't eaten either, so I ended up ordering in Domino's. If you're looking for a recommendation, the Memphis BBQ Chicken pizza is awesome! The delivery driver hardly batted an eye when I answered the door en femme.
I stayed up to watch a little TV: CSI Miami reruns on A&E, then Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex (my fave anime) on Adult Swim. There's a whole discourse I could write about being trans and relating to the themes on this show (and especially the music), but that'll wait for another post.
LLLLL did a presentation about this year's Camp Trans; it sounds like a lot of fun, but I'm a city girl at heart. I'm too high-maintenance to rough it in the middle of nowhere (Michigan) in June. We talked about this month's Movie Night. It's the last that'll be at Ericka and Linda's; alas, they're moving to Alexandria. Anyway, this month's selection is Yentl, with Barbra Streisand and Mandy Patinkin. I haven't seen that since I was in grade school (it was on HBO), so it'll be almost like seeing it for the first time.
We had another clothing swap. There was more to choose from, and I actually found a few nice pieces. I got a (tight) pair of jeans and a denim mini that used to be Michelle Marie's, and a few tops that were Debbie's. One of the tops is leopard print (!) and I'll need to wear my smaller forms ('cause it's a little revealing). All that didn't go home with someone will be donated to the CHKD thrift store.
Before we broke up for the night, we broke up into little groups and chatted about stuff: blogs, Battlestar Galactica, physics, politics, etc, ad nauseam.
I got home a little later than usual. I didn't have dinner before the meeting, and as good as Giles' cookies are, I needed something more substantial. Nate rolled in from work a little after I got in, and he hadn't eaten either, so I ended up ordering in Domino's. If you're looking for a recommendation, the Memphis BBQ Chicken pizza is awesome! The delivery driver hardly batted an eye when I answered the door en femme.
I stayed up to watch a little TV: CSI Miami reruns on A&E, then Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex (my fave anime) on Adult Swim. There's a whole discourse I could write about being trans and relating to the themes on this show (and especially the music), but that'll wait for another post.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Law & Order Repeat
For anyone who, like me didn't see last week's episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit all the way through, the episode, "Transitions", will re-air tonight on the USA Network at midnight. That gives me plenty to watch tonight, with the first part of the "Ryloth Trilogy" of Star Wars: Clone Wars on the Cartoon Network, and one of the last episodes of Battlestar Galactica on SciFi. Yeah, this girl is a nerd.
Correction: the SVU episode actually runs on Saturday night.
Correction: the SVU episode actually runs on Saturday night.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Story in USA Today
Here I was, leafing through the Life section, hunting for the puzzle page, when I come across this 3/4 page story, "A shadow of regret cast over gender switch". The story is about trans persons who either stop transitioning, or else revert to their original gender after making the change. The story cites the case of Mike Penner, aka Christine Daniels, a writer for the Los Angeles Times, who began to transition, publicly in 2007, then reverted to his male identity in October of last year. The story is a little disturbing, but it's one of the first stories I've read in a mainstream news publication in some time. I made the title above a link to the story, but here's a regular link just in case:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-24-transgender-penner_N.htm
Edit: I want to clarify something I wrote here this morning. I said that the story is a little disturbing, and I'd like to say a little more about that.
I know this life is hard. The article cites a Paul McHugh of Johns Hopkins University. Contrary to his opinion, I don't believe anyone "chooses" this life due to some social construct. I am 6' 1" tall. I won't say my weight, but it's over 200 pounds. I could live as a man, if I wanted to, and have no outside difficulties. It's what I've done for most of my adult life. That life would be hollow though, and it has been. When I go out as my true self, I feel as though a burden has been lifted, and the prospect of living that way full time fills me with joy, as much as I have ever known.
It's a little daunting to read that people who are further along than I am stop, or even go back. I read another news story back in the fall:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1026392/A-British-tycoon-father-man-woman---man---knows-sex-hed-be.html
That was truly disturbing. This person is wealthy beyond counting. He is unhappy in married life, begins hanging out with transwomen, then decides to become one himself. A Middle Eastern man remakes himself into a blonde Western woman, complete with a name change. Her considerable finances grease all the wheels, and she becomes a successful designer. Then, a few years later, she decides to switch back. Now I understand all the qualifiers, the conditions that have been set for whether or not someone transitions.
I don't know about these others, but the only way for me is forward.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-24-transgender-penner_N.htm
Edit: I want to clarify something I wrote here this morning. I said that the story is a little disturbing, and I'd like to say a little more about that.
I know this life is hard. The article cites a Paul McHugh of Johns Hopkins University. Contrary to his opinion, I don't believe anyone "chooses" this life due to some social construct. I am 6' 1" tall. I won't say my weight, but it's over 200 pounds. I could live as a man, if I wanted to, and have no outside difficulties. It's what I've done for most of my adult life. That life would be hollow though, and it has been. When I go out as my true self, I feel as though a burden has been lifted, and the prospect of living that way full time fills me with joy, as much as I have ever known.
It's a little daunting to read that people who are further along than I am stop, or even go back. I read another news story back in the fall:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1026392/A-British-tycoon-father-man-woman---man---knows-sex-hed-be.html
That was truly disturbing. This person is wealthy beyond counting. He is unhappy in married life, begins hanging out with transwomen, then decides to become one himself. A Middle Eastern man remakes himself into a blonde Western woman, complete with a name change. Her considerable finances grease all the wheels, and she becomes a successful designer. Then, a few years later, she decides to switch back. Now I understand all the qualifiers, the conditions that have been set for whether or not someone transitions.
I don't know about these others, but the only way for me is forward.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
House, 2/23/09
I don't often watch "House", and I missed last night's episode, but I think it's one I would have watched. The episode was titled "The Softer Side", and it featured House treating a teenager diagnosed with genetic mosaicism. I'd heard of this before, but I didn't think it effected humans. A deeper reading of the synopsis describes the teen as having both male and female characteristics. Hmm... IMDb says the episode is set to air on the USA Network Friday, March 6. Set your DVR, or Tivo or whatever.
If anyone's already seen it, I'd appreciate their take on it, House is a cranky fellow, but the medicine on the show is usually handled in a realistic manner, from what I remember.
If anyone's already seen it, I'd appreciate their take on it, House is a cranky fellow, but the medicine on the show is usually handled in a realistic manner, from what I remember.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)