baking scones

Baking

I love to cook, but I seldom do any baking. It is just too exacting, and I prefer the creative freedom of throwing whatever catches my fancy into the pan and seeing what comes of it.

But, I felt like scones this morning, and they weren’t going to make themselves. So…

Surprisingly easy, these plain scones with orange zest took all of 30 minutes from setting foot in the kitchen to setting one in my mouth (scone, not foot).

Serve these up with jam and clotted cream or butter (and, of course some fine tea from Mariage Frères in Paris). Totally yummy!

(Yes, I am a bit of a gourmand. Sorry…)

andrej pejic

More on Andrej

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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bishonen

Pretty Boy

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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dr tanaka kei

No Bones About It

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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andrej

Beautiful Andrej

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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glenn close as albert nobbs - mainstream tg

Close to Perfection

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.

psychology today

Psychology Today

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

manhood

Manhood

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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being able to crossdress too

How Does a Nudist Crossdress?

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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hiding from an old friend

Life in the Not-So-Big City

I went to one of my favorite cafés today, and who should I run into but an old friend of mine whom I hadn’t seen in months.

It just so happens I was coming from a doctor’s appointment; otherwise, yep, I’d have absolutely been in heels and hosiery!

Phew!

This city, that is so large and has provided such good cover for me these past few years, is starting to feel awfully small.