Archive for the ‘Transgender’ Category
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 11, 2012
Courage, Hopes & Dreams statue, Immigration Square, LIUNA Station, downtown Hamilton, Ontario (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Some people have hopes and dreams from a very early age, others set their hearts on something later as teenagers whilst some drift into adulthood with very few hopes and dreams living each day as it comes. For some people living from day-to-day is all they want, they may make one or two plans such as deciding to buy a house or finding a partner and getting married. Others set their hearts on having a family and follow with what all that entails. Some people want to be rich and powerful and some only want the bare necessities in life but whatever plans, aspirations, hopes and dreams people may have, do they all get want they wanted and if they do are they happy with the outcome? Sometimes things don’t work out as planned and we make adjustments. We try one path and it fails so we try another. Are we dismayed when things don’t go our way or do we plod on and try something new? Do we follow our dreams regardless or are we prepared to make changes to our plans and will we be content with that? When I was very young I had mo idea on what life had in store for me. I had no ideas on what I might do when I grew up but I did have one persistent thought in my mind and that was to see if it was possible to become the girl I felt I was inside. When as a teenager I learned of someone having gone through a sex-change operation my hopes were built-up and I longed to be able to save enough money to do the same thing myself. This led me to concentrate on getting a job and pursuing that dream if I could. I was in the closet as they say so no-one knew of my aspirations or my gender identity issues. However life had something else in store for me and I was side-tracked from my original goal. It was through my own weaknesses that I was deprived of what I really wanted, I wasn’t strong enough or determined enough to follow my dream. This was mainly due to my timidity having been bullied throughout my life. By the time I became self-assured I had already become married and my plans fell to one side. Things however didn’t go to plan and eventually the marriage broke down. This is recorded in my story page so I won’t repeat it here. Again I was in a position to follow my original dream and that is what I did. My children were now adults so there was nothing now to stop me. Again, this is recorded in my pages above. I can say that my hopes and dreams have all been fulfilled albeit much later than perhaps they should have been but although I went down other paths I have no regrets. I would never have met E and fallen in love with her, I would never have experienced parenthood and the joys of having children had I followed through with my hopes and dreams at an earlier time. I therefore had to shelve my own desires with the prospect of never fulfilling them now that I had a family and a relationship. Plans can be changed and sometimes they turn out to be better than we’d hoped. Whichever way you live your life never let go of your hopes and dreams for although they may not be fulfilled immediately, they may be one day!
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Dreams, Hope and aspiration, Life, Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Dream, Hope and aspiration, Transsexuality | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 25, 2012
Gender 'tag cloud' (Photo credit: ILRI)
The article below is copied entirely from Yahoo news pages on 24 Feb and can be seen there. I think it is a step in the right direction and makes for positive reading in the light of recent mishandling of the same subject by some areas of the press. I felt it worthy of posting for those who find the whole subject confusing…..
.. News headlines this week proclaimed the story of five-year-old Zach Avery, the British boy who rejected his sex and now lives as a girl.Zach Avery © Caters News But away from all the controversy over one child’s tale, we take a look at how to handle this rare, but very real, condition: gender identity disorder or GID. While most often seen in adolescence or adulthood, GID – where a person feels alienated from their biological sex – can also be experienced by children. Cases of very young boys and girls, such as that of Zach Avery, are in the minority. At the UK’s only national medical centre for the disorder, London’s Tavistock and Portman Foundation Trust, only seven children under the age of five were diagnosed last year. [Related story: Meet the parents raising a genderless child] But the number of children of all ages diagnosed with GID rose from 97 in 2009-10 to 165 so far this academic year. Much of the upsurge may be due to greater awareness. But, as experts point out, around 800 adults are referred annually to NHS gender identity clinics. And although most say they experienced discomfort about their sex from childhood, only about 50 children per annum are referred to the Tavistock and Portman. That means many childhood cases of this gender dysphoria – that is, unhappiness or anxiety about biological gender – may be going unreported and undiagnosed. And it can manifest itself, as the NHS notes, “at a very young age”. But how do you know if your child has the syndrome or if their protestations are just another phase? Should you be concerned if your little boy wants to dress as a ‘girl’, your daughter only has boy playmates or your son says he wants to be a lady when he grows up? It’s a difficult and sensitive issue with as many grey areas as there may be black and white – but there are organisations and support networks out there that can help. One of them, the British charity Mermaids, is specifically aimed at helping young people and their families through what can be a very confusing time. As the website site explains: “Your daughter may say that she wants to be a boy, or your son may identify himself as a girl. Or perhaps you are worried about your child’s cross gender behaviour, but they won’t discuss it with you, and instead are isolated and withdrawn… Don’t panic, you are not alone.” [Related story: 'Gender neutral' child says 'it's silly' to differentiate between boys and girls] Firstly, it is important to remember that even children who experience gender identity disorder are not inevitably going to wish to change their sex when they reach adulthood. Sometimes the issues are transient, and pass. The NHS says: “In most cases, this type of behaviour is just a normal part of growing up, but in some cases of gender dysphoria, it persists into later childhood and through to adulthood.” UK charity the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) notes that, of the relatively small number of cases of young children the organisation has seen, 80 per cent “did not progress to become transsexual people” – i.e. undergoing surgery to alter their sex. As for what causes it, the reasons remain largely unknown. While GID is currently classed as a psychiatric condition, recent studies suggest it is more to do with biological development. Whether passing or permanent, psychological or physical, the reality is that when children do go through these issues, the stresses can be immense – from bullying at school to alienation within the home and disgust at their own bodies. According to official NHS advice, if the behaviours are occasional, or in early childhood, there is often little cause for concern. But if your child repeatedly insists they want to be the opposite sex, behaves as the opposite sex, dislikes or refuses to wear clothes typically worn by their sex, shows unhappiness with their genitalia, has not yet reached puberty and has behaved in this way for at least six months then they could have GID so visit your GP for a referral to a gender dysphoria clinic. Here is some advice on how to deal with the condition as a parent, teacher or family member: .Remember that, while rare, it is not that rare. GIRES estimates that in any school of 1,000 pupils there are likely to be six who will experience transgenderism throughout their lives. Among younger, pre-adolescent, pupils, there are likely to be 60 who will experience “atypical sexual orientation”. Try not to conform to stereotypical views of gender. If your son prefers to wear ‘girly’ clothing or your daughter displays ‘boyish’ behaviours, don’t forbid it even if it makes you feel uncomfortable. If your child or a young person in your care brings up the matter of gender (e.g. expresses anxiety about being a boy/girl) always listen, reassure and offer support. GIRES adds: “If it feels right to ask a few questions, you can do that, but do it gently and don’t make it sound like an interrogation. Try not to act as though you are amazed or shocked. Be relaxed and matter-of-fact.” Reassure the child that he or she is not the only one – and that although it may be unusual, there are other young people who feel exactly the same. Organisations such as Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence can show young people and their families that they are not alone. Ask how they feel about it: if they say they are very upset or depressed or have even considered suicide, take them seriously and tell your doctor. Ask if anyone else is aware of this and inquire, gently, if they have ever been bullied because of it. Prejudice and bullying can be a serious problem. Organisations such as the Anti-Bullying Alliance can help. Try to understand the nature of gender variance – that is, not to think of gender identity as being either totally male or totally female. GIRES says: “Sometimes people of any age may be ungendered. In many people, especially those who are young, gender identity may be partially both male and female and also fluid.” Seek support and advice yourself – it is normal for parents to feel worried, confused and uncomfortable. Don’t ignore it and don’t react with anger – forcing a child to hide his or her feelings will not make them go away. Remember that gender identity is naturally variable; it is no-one’s fault, so do not feel guilty or blame anything you may or may not have done. . If you do decide a GP referral is the appropriate course of action, specialist doctors can make a proper diagnosis, as well as undertake psychological assessments and possibly hormone tests. Counselling, group support, and other treatments are available. Lastly, as the NHS advises: “You should try to be relaxed about cross-gender behaviour in your child, even if you do feel concerned. It is important that children do not feel judged or rejected because of who they are. “Sometimes, in the case of a child who wishes to cross-dress, you may feel it is appropriate to negotiate some boundaries to this, by explaining to your child that although this isn’t a secret, it is private and should be done at home, but perhaps not at school as other people may not understand. However, it is important not to make the child feel that this is something shameful.” For information and advice see www.mermaidsuk.orh.uk or call their helpline on (0208) 1234819 Mon to Sat, 3-7pm. Also see www.gires.org.uk, www.genderedintelligence.co.uk and www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk…. . @YLifestyleUK on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook .. . . Family and Parenting Editor Picks
Copyright Yahoo 2012
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Gender, Gender identity, Gender identity disorder, Gender Identity Research and Education Society, National Health Service, NHS, Sex, Zach Avery | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on November 18, 2011
Image via Wikipedia
When I am out in my little van driving off to the great beyond doing my electrical thing I have the radio switched on. Nothing new in that is there? I generally go through phases when it comes down to which station I tune into, it switches from Classic FM to Jazz FM, from Radio 1 or 2 to Radio 4 but whichever station I select it remains that one for a long time. Presently it is Radio 4 which for those who don’t know is a magazine style station. That means it has music and news, interviews and plays, a mixture and variety of things which I like. Driving to work on Tuesday I switched on to a program that had already started, an interview and I got that interested in it I pulled over before reaching my goal and listened to it until it finished about twenty minutes later. It didn’t interfere with my appointment as it finished just before I was scheduled to be there. The interviewer was talking to a woman. At first I couldn’t make out what the interview was about but it soon dawned on me that the woman was a transgendered person and was talking about her journey and how it affected those around her, not least of all her wife, children and family. Throughout the interview she was treated with the greatest respect and the whole interview was positive and encouraging for those, who like her, were going through the same trials and of course the public in general. She talked about her early years and the fact that she knew something was wrong with her assigned gender. She talked about her youth and how she didn’t fit in with her peers, how she met her wife and came out to her before they got married. Her wife was totally accepting. From what I heard I couldn’t make out if she was transvestite or non-op transgendered, not that makes any difference but I was curious. She seemed to indicate that having the operation was an option she was considering but I wasn’t certain about that. In any event the program ended so I will never know. The point I am making is not really about the details of the program but the fact that the subject was being discussed at all. With Cannel 4′s latest program ‘My Transsexual Summer’ and now this one on Radio 4, which admittedly was not a series, there seems to be an increased interest in transgender issues. Hopefully this will lead to a better understanding for those who know little about the subject and as long as the programs are conducted in a civilised, informative way without any hint of derision it should prove beneficial for all who have gender issues .
Notice the similarity in the colours of the old (2007) Radio 4 logo above and the one for the Transgender Portal below…….
Image via Wikipedia
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Education, Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: BBC Radio 4, Classic FM, Computer program, Jazz FM, Radio, Radio 4, Transgender, Tuesday | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on November 9, 2011
Image via Wikipedia
Watching the first episode of the program on Channel 4 last night the first thing I noticed about the group of people was the closeness and acceptance that each of them portrayed when they got together in the country retreat during their stay together. It was one of the first things I noticed when I began on my own journey into womanhood. I was a little concerned about the way the program described the condition of being transsexual as one of wanting to change sex rather than one of transforming one’s anatomical appearance to conform to one’s psychological assertion of gender. However an effort was made to describe the condition through the narrative of those involved which was encouraging. I found the group to be very supportive of each other whether they were male to female or female to male transgendered. Whilst watching the program I began to recall the same experiences I went through and it is the same for all who embark on the journey. The program brings together four male to female transsexuals and three female to male transsexuals and it was interesting to see each groups points of view and experiences regarding their transitional journey. I only hope that the programs begin to give people a greater understanding of what it is like to be transsexual and to be able to accept those they know who are transsexual. I am looking forward to the next episode.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Channel 4, Female to Male, Trans man, Trans woman, Transgendered, Transsexualism | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on October 24, 2011
Image via Wikipedia
Once upon a time, sounds like a story coming up but no, not today, today I want to talk about transvestitism. The dictionary description: the practice, especially of men, of wearing clothing usually associated with the opposite sex for psychological gratification.
When I was very young I always wanted to dress as a girl and I never lost that feeling for the rest of my life but as I grew into my teens I realised that what I wanted was not so much to dress as a girl but to be one. Throughout my childhood I desired to be female but knew nothing about it ever being possible. In reality I was already a female but was in the wrong body as the cliché goes. Dressing up for me was a way of fulfilling who I was as far as I could make that possible. Fear and self-denial, circumstances and situations prevented me from taking matters any further. In later life when I eventually became serious about transitioning I discovered many other people in the same boat but I also became aware of people for whom dressing was simply nothing more than a self-gratification and that gender identity wasn’t an issue for them. By far the majority of cross-dressers that I met were male but I did get to meet female cross-dressers too although in their cases they were all gender dysphoric, they were men in women’s bodies as I was a woman in a male body. For the male cross-dressers it seemed to me that dressing up was more of a hobby and as I said, self-gratification, whether that was of a sexual nature or not is irrelevant. I could not understand why anyone should want to do that but it showed a lack of awareness on my part that there are indeed many different people in the world all with differing views, sexual urges, fantasies, persuasions, call it what you will. Even though I now know these things I cannot understand them which brings me to the point where I realise that people who are not transsexual do not always understand that condition either. Ultimately education and time will correct this but I feel there will always be those who will not accept those who are different from themselves. All I can say is that I do accept that people are different for whatever reason even if I do not understand sometimes.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Behaviour, Clothes, Lifestyle, People, Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Clothing, Cross-dressing, Crossdressing, Gender identity, Gender identity disorder, Health and Wellness, Transgendered, Transition | 6 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on October 11, 2011
Something from my childhood…………
The lady who loved herself
Children have such a vivid imagination and can dream up things and make believe that they are true. They can also be very cruel in their treatment of others and in the observations that they make about them. To a child, often black is black and white is white. There is no in between sometimes. Everything has to conform and anything, even slightly different is quickly spotted and therefore open to ridicule. We would dismiss this as normal human behaviour because I suppose we have all been guilty of acting this way when we were young. Most children will grow up to be sensible adults, making educated assessments of most things and situations. As adults they will have developed the ability to not only see black and white but all the in between shades of grey too. They will realise, with the advantage of experience, that things cannot always be taken at face value because often there is a reason for things not appearing as perhaps they think they should. Of course even adults can be unaccepting of many things that they consider out of the ordinary or not conforming to accepted standards, standards imposed by society. It is the demonstation of rejection and discrimination which is intimidating to the recipient and can lead to unfortunate situations. Homophobia is a form of this kind of behaviour.
As young children, my brother, sisters and I would often kneel on chairs and look out of the window overlooking the main street in front of our little house. Our youngest brother had not been born at that time. It was just the four of us. We would spend hours gazing out into the street which was quite busy at times as it was one of the main arterial roads out of the city centre less than a mile away. We would see the old tram cars, buses, lorries and a few private cars too. Many people walked back and forth in front of our window on regular trips in and out of town. We got to know a few of them by sight. On Sunday mornings we would see two women walking past. First down the street, presumably into town and later again up the hill past our window, presumably returning home. Both ladies, I will call them ladies because of the way they were dressed, always immaculate and well groomed in the fashionable clothes of the day. So it seemed to us anyhow but they did stand out from the majority of the women we ever saw. One lady appeared to be much older and smaller in height than her companion who I guess must have been around thirty years of age. It was the younger of the two who I remember most vividly. She was usually dressed in a brown tailored skirt suit, trousers for women were not fashionable in those days, high heeled shoes, carrying a matching brown bag and wearing a wide brimmed hat sometimes with a feather in it. The hat also had an open mesh veil which covered her face. I will always remember her face. It was as smooth as porcelain but heavily covered in make-up and she had bright red lipstick on her full lips. She wore pearl earrings and a pearl necklace was draped around her neck. She often had a fox fur stole around her shoulders which many women still wore occasionally. She always looked immaculate, a perfect model, a perfect woman. I secretly loved seeing her and wondered if I would ever be able to wear clothes like hers and full make-up. I must have been about eight years old, maybe a bit younger when I first saw her. She walked arm in arm with her older companion who we thought of as her mother and we never did see them apart. We felt as children that because this lady was always so well groomed and elegantly dressed she must have thought herself very important and was trying to say to all who saw her, ‘Look at me, I am so beautiful and lovely’. Well, that is the impression she gave to us as young children and I for one really did think she was worthy of the claim. It was because we felt she thought herself as lovely that we beagan to call her ‘The Lady who loves herself’, amongst ourselves that is. If one of us happened to see her whilst we were looking out of that window we would shout to the others, ‘Come quickly, here’s the lady who loves herself’ and we would all rush to the window to see her. She never once glanced in our direction but always looked straight ahead.
It was a few years later and I would be about fifteen or sixteen years old when ‘the lady who loves herself’ was the subject of a conversation. I remember reminiscing about the past with my mum when she told me the truth about those women. It appeared that the older of the two was the mother of the younger lady and that this lady was in fact a man! I had a feeling of excitement when mum told me that because it demonstrated that I could do the same. I could dress as a woman and be passable. Really though, I wanted more than that. I have to admit my disbelief at what mum had told me but she was insistant so I said no more on the subject and ‘the lady who loved herslf’ was never mentioned again.
As children we made fun of that lady but we had no idea of the facts and perhaps that was just as well because things could have been worse. That is how children are, they don’t reason that they are hurting someone’s feelings, it is all just fun to them. Most adults would find the subject intriguing and would express their feelings in closeted conversation but some would be openly disapproving. It is difficult being the exception in the normal scheme of things. I felt this way for many years and it was often reflected even if covertly sometimes in my habits and attitude to things in my life. Am I now ‘the woman who loves herself’? In a way I am. I am happy in myself now more than I have ever been.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Behaviour, Transgender | Tagged: Behaviour, People, Transgender | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on August 13, 2011
Image by CodeCutter via Flickr
Reading other people’s blogs is one of my pastimes when online and I read a few but not too many of them, I have too many other things to do. I find what others write about very revealing and their posts often provoke me to comment. Hopefully I do that tactfully. I often find that I can offer some advice having been through similar experiences to theirs and I hope too that any advice I give is helpful and supportive. Many of the things people write about concern their everyday lives and problems, especially those who, like me have transitioned or are going through transition. They write about things like acceptance, homophobia and transphobia in particular, love, relationships and a host of other things too. Sometimes I avoid responding to some posts especially where I have strong feelings on the subject opposing what is written. One of these subjects is religion. It is hard for someone like myself who, after many years as an atheist, became a Christian who reads about the moral issues and habits of non-Christians. I have to try to tread carefully so as not to upset people with any response but at the same time wanting to witness to them. Well everyone is different of course and I sometimes feel that Que Sera, Sera will inevitably rule. I read about the problems others like myself have when facing the world with the animosity and homophobia rearing their ugly heads from time to time. When I first transitioned I was fairly often picked upon by some people who had obviously ‘clocked’ me. Not a pleasant thing to endure but endure them we must. These days only very rarely does anyone look at me twice. It is hard for people like myself to get back in the queue of life having stepped out along the way. There should be no problem getting back in line because the space we left for a spell can only be filled by ourselves, the person didn’t leave the planet, just changed appearance! In my personal thoughts I sometimes feel that I don’t quite fit in, haven’t been fully accepted, am only tolerated, I am pitied. None of these thoughts are rational for in reality I have fitted back into the slot I once left whilst making the detour. When I visited the USA a couple of years ago there was a special reason, best known to the officials at the airport in New York for separating males from females. The men were allowed through the checkpoint and the women were made to stand there like dolls in a window with all and sundry gawping at them as they passed through. It was a very uncomfortable feeling having to stand there with my sisters, on show, fully exposed and with nowhere to turn. A case for testing one’s confidence if ever there was one! I had no problem of course but I did feel a little uneasy, half expecting someone to point the finger at me. Thankfully that didn’t happen and I had no problems at all during my whole stay in that country. It is nice to know that you fit in, that you are accepted as the person you are and the gender you are and not just simply tolerated. A lifetime of dysphoria coupled with bullying results in a lack of confidence that is hard to redeem. I was once in that boat and although now a land-lubber still have pangs of anxiousness now and then. I get these feelings sometimes.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Happiness, Life, Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Happiness, Homophobia, New York, Philosophy, Que Sera Sera, Time, Transgender, Transsexuality, United States | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on January 16, 2011
What a different day Saturday was to the lovely warm and sunny Friday! It was windy, cold, wet and quite miserable but that is the nature of English weather. I didn’t get up too early, in fact it was around 10.30, so I skipped breakfast and even had a late lunch. I spent some time watching some of the snooker masters championship games on the television but eventually did other things to pass the time. E went to her meeting and she was followed by our son returning to his place soon afterward. It is nice having the place to myself for a spell.
Last summer we had a couple of our neighbour’s trees pruned back as they had become too invasive. As it is, one of those trees is still far too large and some of its branches still overhang at a high level. It was this tree that suffered most in a recent stormy period we had a couple of months ago, one of its upper branches snapped but was left hanging precariously over our garden. It was only a matter of time before it snapped off completely and as we’d had a pretty windy night from Friday evening through to yesterday morning that is exactly what happened. Now the branch looked fairly small when hanging aloft but when it landed we could see just how big it was! We seem to be having a season of chopping and sawing tree branches lately; only a few days ago E’s nephew arrived to clear out the garage of all the logs we had stored there recently, and there were quite a number of them! Now there will be lots more and we still have another two trees to fell. The grounds around our property have changed quite a bit during the last twelve months and look far different from what they once did, for the better I have to say. It all takes time though. Today I hope to do a bit more outside if the weather allows me to. Tomorrow I shall be working in the morning so I won’t get an opportunity to do much at home and besides, the bricklayer will be working in the same area that I would need to work in so I probably won’t bother. We’ll just have to wait and see.
My friend sent me a message on Friday to arrange somewhere for us to go for lunch this coming week if it was possible and we will do that on Friday. She has recently come out to her parents as being transsexual although she has known about her condition for quite some time. The initial reaction from her dad was quite positive but she now tells me that both her parents are now a little uncomfortable with it, which is understandable. It must be difficult for any parent to learn that their child is transgendered but I feel they will come round in time. I had the opportunity to come out to my parents but chose not to. It was only a couple of years before I came out when they both died. In a way I suppose it was better not to put the extra pressure on them as they were elderly and not enjoying good health. I should have revealed myself long before that but the opportunities to transition in those days were not as they are today. How times have changed.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Friendship, Garden, Transgender | Tagged: Friendship, Gardens, Parent, Transgender, Tree | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on December 14, 2010
I suffered from gender dysphoria (a modern term) or gender identity throughout my life until I did something about it more than eight years ago. Unless somebody has the condition it is difficult for them to fully understand it. It is only in more recent times that it has become recognised as a genuine disorder and again that something can be done to help those who need it. Too many folk lack an understanding and many will childishly ridicule those who suffer from a gender identity disorder. Unless a person fits the same mould as everyone else they can become victims of ridicule. The condition is very simple to describe, although much more complicated in real terms. Simply put it is a condition whereby a person has feelings of incongruity between their physical body and their psychological being; in other words their bodies don’t match with their brains, they may look like men but are in fact women inside or they may look like women but are men inside. Imagine trying to explain that to people who know you, never mind those who don’t! The greatest fear for anyone in this situation is that of what others will think, say or do when told. The stronger individual will take all this in their stride but some will find it very difficult. What is really needed is understanding and support but it isn’t always available. When I transitioned I was told that I was very brave to do what I did but that was far from the truth. It has nothing to do with bravery but it does take a positive attitude. The hardest people to tell are those in our own families because they have known us a long time and have preconceived thoughts about us. They don’t see us being ‘in the wrong body’ so they may react negatively. It is indeed a difficult thing to reveal to anyone but it must be done if a life of misery is to be avoided. I found it immensely difficult to tell my ex and my children and it took them a long time to come to terms with it all. I was terrified of rejection but as it turned out they have accepted me. A friend of mine is about to reveal her true self to her parents; her sister is already aware and may be a support for her when she ‘comes out’. I don’t envy her next few weeks but I do understand all that they might hold for her and I wish her all the best when she takes that step of no return. Is she brave? I think not. It is something that she simply has to do.
For more information on this condition see the links in the right-hand column.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Gender, Gender identity, Gender identity disorder, Health, Psychology, Sex reassignment surgery, Social Sciences, Transgendered | 6 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on October 27, 2010
I was thinking today about this evil world in which we live. I was reading about a woman who is being held by police on suspicion of murder. She has been accused of pushing someone under a tube-train in London. As it was reported this male person who subsequently died happened to be a transvestite and it was that fact that majored in the report, not that the poor man had been simply murdered but the emphasis was on his mode of dress and that he was in drag so to speak. Several things spring to mind. Firstly, someone had been murdered. Secondly, he was being judged. Thirdly, it shows just how wicked and ungodly humanity can be.
This is what Scripture has to say. I will let Scripture speak for itself…………
Romans 1………….
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Will mankind ever learn? This is serious stuff and worth thinking about. God isn’t a figment of mans imagination, He is real. Ignore Him at your peril, for nothing else can save you, not religion, not a faith in philosophy or some other idea or practice. If you don’t think you need saving then you are already lost.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in God, Religion, Transgender | Tagged: Christianity, Creator deity, Evil, God, Jesus, London, Murder, Religion and Spirituality | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on October 5, 2010
Next week, on the 14th, I shall be eight years old! It was on that day, which happens to be the birthday of one of my brothers too, in 2002 that I lay in a hospital in Chon-Buri, Thailand, undergoing my GRS or gender re-assignment surgery. I prefer to call it ‘corrective’ surgery as that is what it essentially is. I was simply born a woman in the wrong body! That is something many people will not understand and this too is quite understandable! They have not been in the same predicament. I say predicament because that is what it was and is for those in similar situations. Imagine, if you are a woman, being trapped inside your brother’s body for a few days (or your sister if you are a transsexual guy) and have to live up to the expectations of those who know your brother and expect him to behave as the guy they know he is! The experience would be horrible and that is the way it is for the transsexual but they have to live that way all their lives unless they can change their physical appearance and live as the gender they really are. So it was with me. It is a well-known fact that most transsexuals go into self-denial even for years, thinking that all will go away but it doesn’t. Events in their lives thwart any hope of resolving their problem and they get dragged away by peer pressure from friends, colleagues and family commitments. I wont go into any further detail here but if you wish to know more on the subject there are some good links below and on the right here under ‘Transgender’.
Anyhow, when I first transitioned, physically that is, I had some difficulty in ‘passing’ as a female for many reasons. Nowadays though it is much better and I find that I am not noticed as anyone special or out of the ordinary. I like it! People, being as they are, can make life difficult and I can do without the hassle. Now I am just another woman on the block. My life has been good over the last couple of years after many years of being trapped. Thankfully those days are gone and the future remains bright.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Gender, Health and Wellness, Transgendered, Transsexualism | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on August 2, 2010
Although this site has references to transgender issues and with references to my own transition, it isn’t intended to be a platform from which I wish to broadcast those things. I am open about my transition, obviously, as I make no attempt to hide my history here. If the subject arises through readers comments or because I wish to write about a transgender issue then that’s absolutely fine. Most of this blog majors on my day-to-day life and the issues that any normal girl faces in her day. I read other people’s blogs and some of them are so oriented toward their transgender problems, if they are problems, that it becomes so boring to anyone who has no real understanding of those issues. Personally speaking I do understand but many people don’t. I think there is a risk of alienating people to the real issues that transgendered people face in their day-to-day existence because of this. A better way to gain respect from one’s readership is to simply be yourself without blowing a trumpet as it were. Like I said, I am a normal girl with everyday problems just the same as anyone else and I feel people are more inclined to respond to me if I don’t push my history into their faces.
I had no intentions of mentioning these things when I opened my blog but because the thought was in my head I wrote it down. I wanted to mention the little party E and I held yesterday. Our intentions were to have a barbecue if the weather was good and as it turned out it was. Out came all the garden furniture and the barbecue. Our guests arrived one by one albeit a little late but at least they came except for one who is in fact going on holiday tomorrow so she probably was spending a lot of time packing. We had a great time and there was plenty to eat and drink, too much in fact. I suppose we can do it all again next weekend! Do you find that you provide much more than can be sensibly consumed by your guests? I like to think I have catered for everyone’s tastes so I buy in all sorts of drinks and foods. Not much gets wasted though and what wasn’t consumed that could be safely stored was saved. I had to get to a job this morning but as it was fairly close to my home and I didn’t need to be there until nine o’clock I was in no mood to retire early last night. I had been drinking all day, that is from around twelve noon but I didn’t overdo things and I was quite sober when I did go to bed. I was tired though and was soon in the Land of Nod once my head hit the pillow. I was back home just after ten o’clock and I intend to spend the rest of the day at home. I have had requests for work but I have decided to spread them out over the week and not be too eager to do them. In a recent post I explained that one of my weakest traits is to be too obliging when people are asking me to do work for them and that I needed to slow down a bit. Well this might be the start of that policy. Besides, there is all that food and drink left to consume! LOL………..
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Behaviour, Leisure, Transgender, Work | Tagged: Fun, Philosophy, Transgender | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on October 20, 2009
I saw a program on TV last night which reported on the story of an eight year old girl who was genetically born a boy and who lived with her parenta in Tuscon, Arizona. It told of her desire at a very early age to be the girl she felt she was, to dress as a girl and be treated as such. It is not unusual for very young children to be aware of their gender dysphoria even though they don’t understand what it is. They instinctively know that there is something wrong and that they should be the opposite gender than that which they are assumed to be. I know this to be true because the same was my experience. The difference is that this young girl has very understanding parents who have realised the psychological pressure their daughter was going through when she was being treated as a boy and took the steps to ensure that she is now treated as the girl she really is. When she reaches puberty or rather just before then she will be better able to decide whether she wants to continue into womanhood or not. She has the support of her doctors and she will commence testosterone blocking drugs at the right time until she is old enough to start hormone treatment and have GRS (Gender re-assignment surgery). It is a sad fact that many children go through their lives with this condition without the support or understanding of those around them and have to wait until they are adults before any action can be taken. By then it has become more difficult in many ways. I applaud this young girl’s parents for realising their child’s needs and acting in a proper way toward her. I feel the whole subject of transsexualism should be taught in schools for many of today’s adult population have no understanding of a condition that many among them suffer.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Family, Transgender, Transsexual | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on October 2, 2009
On visiting my second job of the day I was met by an old couple who told me that they had seen my advert in the newspaper but that they also had a business card. They explained that the details on the card, the phone numbers, were exactly the same and that I’d been there about ten years ago doing another job. Ten years ago I was pre-op. and my plans to transition were still two years away therefore when I did the job I would have been presenting as a male. In fact they were right. Now then what was I to say? Well at first I wasn’t really sure. Should I explain about my transition for they seemed to be saying that they recognised it was me the last time? ‘Well’, I said, ‘that card isn’t mine but it’s the same business’. I gave them my new card which shows my name whereas the old card didn’t. They seemed a bit confused and said that they thought it was me who had visited the last time. ‘Ten years ago’? I enquired. ‘It wasn’t me, it must have been somebody else’, I continued. They then said that the guy who had done the job was really nice and they were very pleased with his work. I smiled and it was obvious to me that they now thought I was indeed not that person. What I couldn’t understand was that they saw my new advert in the newspaper and thought they would have a woman electrician for a change and yet when I arrived they had thought that I had been before. I think they must be mistaken about it being ten years ago. I think I actually did the job about six years ago when I’d gone through my transition. In either case I’m not really sure. I could have explained things but thought, ‘Why should I’? That has been my policy regarding my transition. I will only reveal on a ‘need to know’ basis.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Transgender | Tagged: Transgender, Work | Leave a Comment »
