Aug
27
The other day, I wrote about feeling like an imposter… which begs the question, “What exactly is the pretence?”
Stated differently, “What is it about being a woman that I am doing that is not authentic?”
Of course, these questions lead into consideration of what being a woman is all about… a bit of a tough question.
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Aug
13
This weekend’s New York Times Magazine cover story had the same name as this post. I recommend it to you. Click here for the article. (their photo too.)
When you read it, note the hundreds and hundreds of comments it generated in its first days. That should give you an idea of how sensitive this issue is.
It is astounding to see how the world has changed, and also to see a pattern of commentary that shows some folks stuck in the past and others racing ahead of where we are.
Any sea change in social structure tends to follow the same course. Think of the resistance to women wearing pants, or becoming capable leaders, or showing their elbows in public, or getting the vote.
The most amusing thing about all this is that people look at what their life was like, what their parents did, and perhaps what their grandparents did and think they know all of history – enough for sure to judge what’s normal and socially acceptable.
The truth is that boys wore frilly tops and skirts, the same as girls, for many years and in many cultures in previous centuries.
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Jun
15
The government of Ontario has become the first jurisdiction in North America to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination under its Human Rights Code.
Woo! hoo!
But, while I am ecstatic to be protected from discrimination, I cannot escape a nagging feeling of dread.
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Jun
06
What struck me most of all about the innocent little announcement from AP, which I read this week on Yahoo’s news feed, about Janet Jackson signing on to produce “Truth”, a documentary on the lives of transgender people, were the comments from readers, among which:
- Oh great, Hollywood pushing it’s gay agenda again!
- We live in a VERY sick society in these modern times.
- [Josh] Yep. This is what it has come to. Immoral people trying to get everyone to ‘accept’ their garbage and call it ‘tolerance.’ Anyone that ‘tolerates evil and freakishly immoral stuff like this yet bashes God needs a wake up call. If you think our society is better off with everyone being transgender and gay then you have no idea what it is to have morals and I cringe at the thought of these people having kids.
- [Anthony] I cringe at intolerant people like josh c. If you don’t agree with something that’s your right. but you don’t have to attack people just because you don’t accept who they are
- I agree, Josh. Right is considered wrong, and wrong is considered right nowadays. It IS freakish.
- And Josh yes it will come, but does it have to come now, to our families?…
Jesus never said when and think this is why, he gives us the freedom to fight this form of satanism. I actually think he would want us to fight against these demonic forces trying to push aside and discredit his teachings, if not doesn’t it just defeat the purpose of it all. - We really need to go to the barn, dust off and break out the hot tar and the feathers and rail to carry them out on
Apr
19
A court decision in Canada has struck down a law requiring Gender-reassignment Surgery (GRS) as a precondition to having one’s gender changed on their documentation.
There are undoubtedly people on both sides of this issue who will be unhappy about it – post-op transsexuals who may feel that anyone who can tolerate the “bits” of the opposite gender is not truly transsexual, and others who may feel that this just makes it too easy to play games with one’s gender and official documentation.
But, remember that most people who eventually undergo gender reassignment surgery spend years living as the gender opposite to what their identification indicates. They do this for financial reasons, or even for reasons of uncertainty and fear of going through with the surgery. They are not fooling around; this is serious business in their lives, and having a passport or ID that matches the gender they are living is important.
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05
They’ve decided to reverse their decision over at Miss Universe Canada and allow the transgender contestant to compete.
Those of the school that any publicity is good publicity will suspect that the whole thing was a charade. With “the Trump” behind the contest, such suspicion can only grow.
But, I think the image of the contest has been sullied somewhat. Don’t you?
No matter, I think the whole episode has done the trans community a wonderful service by shining the spotlight on a positive image of our community rather than some of the sordid headlines we often get.
Maybe people will rethink their impressions of what a “tranny” is. One can only hope…
Mar
27
Miss Universe Canada selected Jenna Talackova as a finalist for the 2012 competition.
But, that was before they found out that she was born male (“assigned male at birth” to be exact).
Can’t have that!
Yes, the pageant immediately disqualified her, wishing her the best in her life outside their little event. Sorry, just the rules; no discrimination here, they said.
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Mar
09
As we push the boundaries of gender, sometimes things just make you shake your head – even people like me. A pregnant man is one of those things.
Not too long ago, there was an article in a local paper about a guy having a baby. Not surprisingly, it was an FTM transsexual – and one who had taken pains to preserve her reproductive organs during her reassignment surgery.
Now, I am the first to admit that my views on gender are fairly old-fashioned; ironically, it is that point-of-view that is the foundation for my transgenderism, as I am simply unable to incorporate my feminine side into my masculine without destroying the integrity of both, as I see them.
So, this person is clearly the opposite of me, in that she did not feel that becoming a man conflicted with her desire to become pregnant and give birth to children, nor her desire to be in a relationship with a man.
Amazingly, what did give her pause was the idea that having her feet in stirrups in order to receive the insemination would be too feminizing for her masculine self!!
Mar
03
I took the time to read the New Yorker article referenced by the Washington Post in my last post.
It is well worth reading.
With all due respect to the esteemed Washington Post, Pejic doesn’t really seem to identify as male any more than he does female. His focus is, much like was discussed in my missive on Psychology Today, that there is no benefit to identify as one or the other.
He says he never did “drag”; he just dressed pretty, in the same way girls do. Semantics, perhaps, but evidence of a certain mindset.
He does not divide the world into girls and boys, and roles for each, orientations and attractions. He just takes it as it comes, with no labels.
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Mar
01
I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the television series Bones. In many respects, it is just another crime-drama show.
What brings Bones to my blog is an episode I just happened to land on the other day, which involved a visiting Japanese forensic investigator. (This episode, though new to me, is a couple of years old, BTW.)
As a subplot to the usual grisly murder investigation, the regular characters on the show were mystified as to the gender of this visitor, and determined to figure it out. Each professed their opinion based on whatever gender markers they found relevant. There were actual debates about this.
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