tgirl

living life - Janie and yummy paella dinner

Just Living Life

In the past, I posted my thoughts on some complex transgender issues, but somehow rarely found time to post about just living life.

Not everything is drama, or even deep. In fact very little is.

We go about our days just living life and being who we are. Sounds boring – and that’s probably why I didn’t write about it before – but if one posts nothing but inner questioning and the like, people tend to get the impression that you are troubled. 😛

So, I’d like to provide a more realistic perspective of my life as a transwoman – largely free of

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redhead Janie the devil in disguise

Devil in Disguise

Well, I must be the devil in disguise…

I recently attended a busy club night and was approached on the dancefloor by a confident young man. “My name is Adam,” says he. I leaned in and replied, “I’m Janie, and I am trans.” Poof!! I swear he evaporated into the crowd!

Am I really that bad? Are we all?

About a half-hour later, another guy was flirting with me and introduced himself. I introduced myself the same way as before.

“What does that mean?” he asked.

“It means I’m a little different than most women.”

That staggered him.  Reeling and shocked, he literally crossed himself, said a prayer and walked away!

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Is Beauty the Way We Define Gender

Define Gender: Man, Woman, What’s the Difference?

I don’t think I ever imagined I would ask such a question, but life being what it is, not only is it a question that now makes sense to me, it is a fundamentally important one to me.

With all this talk about one’s gender not being defined by what’s between their legs, and that we ought to expand the acceptable roles for both genders, I think this question of what makes a person a man or a woman becomes quite a challenging one. There are plenty of ways we don’t, or ought not to, define gender. So then, how do we define gender?

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Tgirl Janie Black's Christmas Holiday Photo

Holiday Time

I hope everyone’s been safe and sane all year, and that the holiday season brings you joy and happiness – and lots of good prezzies.

Here’s hoping those who choose to focus their energies and careers on running other people’s lives renew (of find for the first time) their true devotion to public service and love of their fellow human beings.

There is no excuse in this day and age in societies whose minds have expanded to assimilate the concepts of the human genome, nanotechnology and such, that those same minds can be closed to the relatively simple concepts of the endless variety of the human experience and the ways embracing diversity enriches the human race.

More to the point, how can we not realize the obvious fact that compassion and love given freely return far greater rewards than bigotry and hate.

Janie shoveling snow

Winter Life – Digging Out

Ah, life in Canada! We had our first real snowfall here this weekend.

I know, who comes here for the weather report? Well, sometimes all the mumbo jumbo about life as a trans woman comes down to simply living your life.

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Self-Portrait – The Real Me

Just a little practice doing a self-portrait. I am working to improve my craft, but sometimes it is slow-going. Then again, I think this one has something special to say…

self-portrait of tgirl Janie Black

tgs in tiaras promo

TGs in Tiaras – A Gala Ball

“TGs in Tiaras” is the name given to a brand new event hereabouts.

It will be a glittering ball with everyone dressed to the nines in their finest gowns, cocktail dresses and formal attire. It is a nice idea and a great opportunity to get all made up, dolled up and dressed up.

For me, it is a doubly happy affair, as I have the honor of having been selected as the photographer for the event.

outing roasting giant marshmallow on campfire barbecue

Outing Outdoors

One of the things I love most about summer are barbecues… cooking and eating outdoors, en plein air… cold, refreshing beer, the wafting of wood-fired smoke and aromas of slowly cooking meat, the special acoustic qualities of sky and trees on music out of doors, and good friends at a relaxed pace on a long weekend.

A perfect setting for an outing…

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Red Hair -ing

By now, the exciting news has leaked out – that I have red hair. Well, I have always had red hair, but now it is REALLY RED HAIR.

For most women, the choice of hair color is not a piddling concern, but likely not life-changing. For me, it is very likely to be.

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frock magazine article photo of Janie Black

Catch Me in Frock Magazine

The current issue of Frock Magazine is out on the virtual newsstands, and there is a six-page spread by and about me, starting at page 58, called “Beauty on the Gender Line.” (The issue is #21, June/July 2013.)

To save you the trip – and a few of their maddeningly ill-advised edits of the article – I reproduce the contents here –

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