Last night I had the pleasure of chatting with an awesome transsexual woman. She is fun, intelligent, beautiful and very much as a woman as I am. I however had the luxury that most of us enjoy in that I was born with my physical sex matching my mental and emotional sex. I've never been uncomfortable in my own skin, I've never felt torn between what I can physically see and what I emotionally and mentally know to be true.
I can't tell you how much my research into transgender issues and gender identity has affected me. I do have a whole new understanding of some very serious issues facing our lovely sisters and brothers out there. 41% of the transgender population in the United States have attempted suicide according to www.livescience.com. When my guest indicated that she was to the point of detachment and ready to be done with the struggle it nearly broke my heart.
Then it kind of pissed me off because she had done nothing wrong! She struggled to hide, suppress, repress and otherwise deny who she was and for what? The sake of society being comfortable with her being a part of it. Let me say that again in bossy caps... SHE HAD TO HIDE, SUPPRESS, REPRESS AND DENY WHO SHE WAS FOR THE SAKE OF SOCIETIES COMFORT. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who can see how wrong that is. It's not the individual (in this instance) who needs to change who they are (they are not criminal or deviant), its society that needs to change how it views its members.
Our brothers and sisters are being marginalized, trivialized and sexualized by a self proclaimed all inclusive society. Well naysayers, cry me a freaking river! My transgender brothers and sisters are just as valuable to society as every other member of that society! The only perversion with this condition is the way the non-affected choose to view those transgender members of society.
So anyhoo, before I go off on another "asshat" episode (which by the way I did get into trouble for hehe) Let me do what I intended to do at the very beginning of this episode. Share some resources. If you know someone who is struggling and doesn't have access to the internet, print out the phone numbers for them.
CenterLink This awesome link has a map of LGBT centers nation wide.
Gender Talk offers up a huge resource asset.
The HRC a hugely active association with news etc...
GLAAD's Transgender Resources page.
Susan's Place another great Transgender resource page.
TransEquality is a National Organisation dedicated to establishing Equality for Transgender people.
The Transgender Center offers even more resources and the awesome Gender Bill of Rights by JoAnn Roberts Ph.D
More Light Presbyterians is an awesome organization that promotes acceptance and provides guides for spiritual leaders to be inclusive of ALL people. (Kudos to MLP!)
AAMFT provides links to counseling services for the Transgender person, their family etc...
The Trevor Project The Trevor Project, if you or someone you know is in crisis please contact The Trevor Project here or at 866-488-7386 or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
Employers with Transgender Friendly Policies This says it all.
Sex Talk with Curvy : Gender Identity Yes, shameless self promotion! :D A girl has to do what a girl has to do. Karin is really exceptional and an inspiration!
I said in this episode that I would gather resources, here they are. One thing I do want to point out to people is this, if you know someone who is dealing with gender identity issues share these resources with them. If you are a family member of someone who is dealing with gender identity issues, read these. If you are interested in activism and openly supporting our Transgender brothers and sisters, get involved. If you are one of the referenced "asshats" cut it the F out! Seriously. We don't like it!
It's so much easier to be who you are, to be true to yourself than it is to try to please the whole of society. (It can't be done anyway) So promote what you love, promote the rights of others it's so much easier than fighting against something. If you think about it there is so much negativity in this world, if we all quit fighting the things we don't like and started promoting those things we wish to be implemented life would be so much more peaceful and fulfilling.
So in that spirit, I promise not to call anyone an asshat (for being an asshat) for the next 60 minutes. Now I need to go lock myself in my bedroom and make sure to have all electronical (yes it's made up) things turned off so I can keep my promise. :D
Stay true to who you ARE, stay sexy, stay strong and as always...
Stay Curvy!
XOXO
I can't tell you how much my research into transgender issues and gender identity has affected me. I do have a whole new understanding of some very serious issues facing our lovely sisters and brothers out there. 41% of the transgender population in the United States have attempted suicide according to www.livescience.com. When my guest indicated that she was to the point of detachment and ready to be done with the struggle it nearly broke my heart.
Then it kind of pissed me off because she had done nothing wrong! She struggled to hide, suppress, repress and otherwise deny who she was and for what? The sake of society being comfortable with her being a part of it. Let me say that again in bossy caps... SHE HAD TO HIDE, SUPPRESS, REPRESS AND DENY WHO SHE WAS FOR THE SAKE OF SOCIETIES COMFORT. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who can see how wrong that is. It's not the individual (in this instance) who needs to change who they are (they are not criminal or deviant), its society that needs to change how it views its members.
Our brothers and sisters are being marginalized, trivialized and sexualized by a self proclaimed all inclusive society. Well naysayers, cry me a freaking river! My transgender brothers and sisters are just as valuable to society as every other member of that society! The only perversion with this condition is the way the non-affected choose to view those transgender members of society.
So anyhoo, before I go off on another "asshat" episode (which by the way I did get into trouble for hehe) Let me do what I intended to do at the very beginning of this episode. Share some resources. If you know someone who is struggling and doesn't have access to the internet, print out the phone numbers for them.
CenterLink This awesome link has a map of LGBT centers nation wide.
Gender Talk offers up a huge resource asset.
The HRC a hugely active association with news etc...
GLAAD's Transgender Resources page.
Susan's Place another great Transgender resource page.
TransEquality is a National Organisation dedicated to establishing Equality for Transgender people.
The Transgender Center offers even more resources and the awesome Gender Bill of Rights by JoAnn Roberts Ph.D
More Light Presbyterians is an awesome organization that promotes acceptance and provides guides for spiritual leaders to be inclusive of ALL people. (Kudos to MLP!)
AAMFT provides links to counseling services for the Transgender person, their family etc...
The Trevor Project The Trevor Project, if you or someone you know is in crisis please contact The Trevor Project here or at 866-488-7386 or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
Employers with Transgender Friendly Policies This says it all.
Sex Talk with Curvy : Gender Identity Yes, shameless self promotion! :D A girl has to do what a girl has to do. Karin is really exceptional and an inspiration!
I said in this episode that I would gather resources, here they are. One thing I do want to point out to people is this, if you know someone who is dealing with gender identity issues share these resources with them. If you are a family member of someone who is dealing with gender identity issues, read these. If you are interested in activism and openly supporting our Transgender brothers and sisters, get involved. If you are one of the referenced "asshats" cut it the F out! Seriously. We don't like it!
It's so much easier to be who you are, to be true to yourself than it is to try to please the whole of society. (It can't be done anyway) So promote what you love, promote the rights of others it's so much easier than fighting against something. If you think about it there is so much negativity in this world, if we all quit fighting the things we don't like and started promoting those things we wish to be implemented life would be so much more peaceful and fulfilling.
So in that spirit, I promise not to call anyone an asshat (for being an asshat) for the next 60 minutes. Now I need to go lock myself in my bedroom and make sure to have all electronical (yes it's made up) things turned off so I can keep my promise. :D
Stay true to who you ARE, stay sexy, stay strong and as always...
Stay Curvy!
XOXO
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