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
06
I had the honor of being asked to do a guest post on Jessica de Leon’s fabulous blog, Jessica Who? To those of you who don’t know Jessica, she is a warm, outgoing, brilliantly funny, and insightful performer and writer. You owe it to yourself to spend some time with her and her friends.
My post, entitled “Second Nature Second-Nature” was published yesterday. To read it, click here. [Ed. Note: link disabled]
[Ed. Note from the future: It seems Jessica’s online presence has vanished – I really hope she is alright. If anyone has any information on her, please let me know. In the meanwhile, I have disabled the links originally provided – as someone else has taken over her site – and I am reproducing the content originally seen on her site (it is mine, after all), below.]
Second Nature Second Nature
Ever find yourself dancing around the house, feeling all feminine and joyful – or is that just me?
Umm… well, I am sure we all have our moments of inner contentment and happiness at how we are feeling as our female selves. In my case, just hearing some of my fave tunes when I am feeling that way will soon have me floating around with the music. (It would be a lot less embarrassing if I could dance at all…)
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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
02
After seeing that episode of Bones, I sat down to write my post about it. In the process of doing so, I looked up references to androgyny in Asian culture and found some fascinating things.
Pretty men in Japan seem to be well-liked by young females, and are popular television personalities and performers as they appeal across a broad spectrum of that society. They are also popular in manga comics as the prototypical male, especially those targeted at girls.
Here’s a telling quote about the history and endurance of this type of character, from the wikipedia entry on the subject (link is below):
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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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Feb
29
More mainstream coverage and acceptance of the blurring of gender lines…
Andrej Pejic is the only person who can walk down top fashion runways as either a man or a woman. People seem to accept that.
The Washington Post did a feature on him on February 10th. How much more mainstream can you get?
Oh, but FYI, Andrej is not transgender. So says the Washington Post:
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Feb
26
No doubt you have taken note of the movie, Albert Nobbs, starring Glenn Close, currently in theaters.
It is to state the obvious that once again, we transfolk and gender-benders should be delighted with our now regular inclusion in mainstream media.
Let’s take a moment to think about how much acceptance it takes to have a movie like this made, or have a transgender model on America’s Next Top Model, or walking down the high-fashion runways all over the world.
There is the creative talent that must not only be open to it, but be so interested as to make it the focus of their work. There are the actors that must portray someone and cast a certain light on themselves. There are the producers who must have enough confidence that this will fly as to put their money into it. And, advertisers, whose main focus is to cast their product in the best possible light and have the best possible associations for it – they must be willing to align themselves with such a project. The critics, whose tastes will influence so many others, must put their reputations on the line with their commentary. And finally, the viewers, who come and see and enjoy, and come back again.
It is easy to complain; let’s take joy where we can find it.
Feb
25
Lately, I have been overwhelmed by the number of supportive articles I have found in mainstream media.
This most recent example is an article in Psychology Today discussing the obsolescence of defining sexual orientation and gender.
[M]any young people are no longer finding that categorization by sexual identity is meaningful or useful. They dispense with labels that limit behavorial freedom and instead are digging deeper to discover and embrace their true desires wherever that leads them. Their sexual partner’s gender matters less than the fulfillment of their physical and psychological desires…
We are beginning to recognize that we may no longer need to be part of a sexual community of others who share our attractions. Instead, as our culture continues to shift, we are leaning towards honoring the uniqueness of our individual desires.
The author’s conclusion:
“[M]y inner truth was more perfectly found within my desires than within any identity I subscribed to.”
The whole article is at: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/intelligent-lust/201202/beyond-sexual-orientation
Feb
23
For the first time in a long time I found myself thrilled to spend a day as a guy.
I’d almost forgotten how wonderful that can be.
So much so, that when I was doing some writing a month or so ago, I had more than a little difficulty finding any reason that truly resonated inside as to why a person would want to be a guy.
But manhood can be quite a rush. A powerful feeling and a feeling of power. A feeling of strength and control and competence in a way that’s completely different from the feminine versions of those things. (This is an astounding contrast with the feelings I expressed in this post from last summer.)
If I had to find a metaphor, it would be, um… shoes. Masculine shoes and feminine shoes. Oxfords and high heels.
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Feb
22
It is impossible to crossdress in a world where there is no dress, and no dressing. So, clearly, in a world with no clothes, a crossdresser (defined here as a man who dresses like a woman but maintains his male identity throughout) is simply a man.
But, let’s take it a bit further: what makes a naked t-girl female (especially where she has had no surgery or hormones)?
Differently posed, how do you go about being “trans” in a theoretical world where there are no clothes?
That is, in essence, the question asked of me by an insightful reader comment on a post from last summer entitled Cause or Effect? that questioned whether I was trans or not. His feeling was that my answer to that question – or my attempts to answer it – would provide insight on the subject.
And, I think he was right.
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