The Transgender Thread

**allegro** · 09-07-2015, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by sick among the pure

I don't have cable, is it (legit) online anywhere? I'm sure I can find a shit stream somewhere, but I prefer to get my internet-version of cable legit if possible. If nothing else because it's usually better quality, more reliable, and shows that there is a demand for that kind of show to be made.

Try here?

http://m.eonline.com/shows/i_am_cait

Last Sunday's episode:
http://m.eonline.com/shows/i_am_cait...e-name-legally

August 30th:
http://m.eonline.com/shows/i_am_cait...m-cait-preview

Just track back every previous Sunday. The series premiered on July 27.

**allegro** · 09-07-2015, 09:31 PM

Susan Finney Boylan talking to Cait (discussing sexual preference, and Cait's wanting "a guy to treat [her] like a normal woman" (even though Cait is attracted to women):

"Caitlyn Jenner, you ARE a normal woman, right now, today. A man is not ... you don't need a man to make you a woman. A woman can make you a woman. And it's a thing that women do ... we look to men to give us self-worth, it's a thing that we need, I think now that you're in the sisterhood, um, you know, you have gone to such trouble to become a woman, don't be a stupid one."

Cait has kept so many male gender manners, e.g. standing up at the table whenever a lady enters the room, opening doors for all the ladies, picking up all of the checks at dinner, etc. and her posture needs work. Old habits die hard. Candis ribs her about this, constantly (and good-naturedly).

This is a FASCINATING show.

Such honesty, especially, from the supporting people and the trans kids. So sad their struggles

I am also addicted to "I Am Jazz" on TLC. That kid has such a great attitude!!

http://m.usmagazine.com/entertainmen...er-ban-2015227

**theruiner** · 09-07-2015, 09:51 PM

That show is definitely on my list. I have so many trans themed shows to catch up on. It's a nice problem to have, really. I'm happy there is so much exposure right now. Though it would be nice to have more representation of FTM, non binary, fluid, bigender peeps and the like. Baby steps, I guess.

Speaking of shows, I'm right in the middle of "Becoming Us," which I've been enjoying. I kind of fell off it a month or two ago but am planning on jumping back in this week. "I Am Jazz" will probably be next (not sure if that's going to bother me too much to watch...might be a little too sad to see someone experiencing the childhood I missed out on but I guess I'll see how I feel when I start watching it).

I think I mentioned it awhile back but I found "New Girls on the Block" to be really enjoyable. I'm sure the subject matter was influencing my opinion certainly. But it was really nice to see everyday, down to earth trans women (especially women close to my age...OK, kind of close as I'm not in my 20s anymore) living their lives like everyone else. Also a bit of vicariously living through them, which didn't hurt.

**allegro** · 09-07-2015, 09:55 PM

There are ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE on "I Am Cait."

**allegro** · 09-07-2015, 10:03 PM

Actually, I thought about you when Candis describes her struggles in finding a good therapist and good medical doctors because trans people will need this for the rest of their lives and not just anybody can do this or understand this.

She moved from NYC to LA and needed a new doctor and a cis friend referred her to her doctor and the doc said "oh, you're not another one of THOSE people, are you?" And Cait was shocked, like this still happens? So Candis goes to an LGBT specialty clinic in LA to help her with hormone injections and to test hormone levels, etc. and Cait goes with her, and this doc explains how it is really important to find a specialized doctor. Later, Candis tells Cait that people drive 100s of miles to go to this clinic.

**theruiner** · 09-07-2015, 10:22 PM

Lord, tell me about it. I thought about switching doctor's offices awhile back and then I realized, like, who else am I going to see that can help with hormones? The doc I see is a GP but has a lot of experience with trans issues and sees a lot of trans people (hell, I saw two trans people in the waiting room when I was there last week. I go months without seeing another trans person and there were three of us in the same room...ha). I honestly don't have a clue who else in my area could help with that. I'm honestly not sure I could find someone.

On a somewhat related note, I'm thinking about sticking with my therapist for now. She is a good therapist in a lot of ways but there have been a few things she has has asked me to do during therapy that I found really problematic (specifically as it relates to trans issues). And she did something really shady recentally (not related to trans issues) that I have a big problem with and I really feel like she is brushing me aside in favor of other clients. Like I'm a second class patient and it really makes me mad and that makes me wonder if I can be totally open and honest with her while I have this issue bubbling up in the back of my mind.

Anyway, yeah, it's not entirely uncommon for some people to have to travel really far to get their medical care for trans issues. Or to be flat out discriminated against if they have to go to the hospital (I have heard some pretty awful stories of flat out bigotry and these were people that were inpatient so, I mean, talk about feeling vulnerable...)

Also somewhat related, I am seeing my doc for the first time in probably 6 months on Wednesday to specifically touch base about my transition. I usually see the physician's assistant (that's who I saw last week) who has been helping me with general care and hormone refills but she told me she'd like me to see the main doctor since he is the only one there versed in trans issues and it's been awhile. Which was perfect timing because I have been meaning to see him anyway to see what we can do about the damn hormones not working. I should have gone in to see him about this a long time ago but for various reasons have not. I don't know if switching to injections or the pellet instead of pills will help but it is probably the only chance I have of actually seeing any progress (or more than the very, very small amount of progress I've made. Which is almost nothing). I might just be one of the people for whom hormones just do not work. Which is looking more and more likely. It's an outcome that's too awful to think about so I have been trying not to.

Wow, that was a very disjointed post. Heh.

**allegro** · 09-07-2015, 10:47 PM

By the way, one of the guests who was on "I Am Cait" was:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Bornstein

**playwithfire** · 09-07-2015, 11:12 PM

Kate is one of my personal heroes.

**theruiner** · 09-08-2015, 05:23 PM

This is huge. HUGE.

http://www.vox.com/2015/9/3/9257255/...ge-white-house

**allegro** · 09-08-2015, 09:30 PM

Oh, wow, this is so great to see: Caitlyn has promised that she would contact Ellen DeGeneres and get on her show to focus on a trans woman she met, Blossom, who really wanted to get into nursing school but didn't have the money and had great a great ACT score but was denied acceptance by several nursing schools probably because she is trans and Caitlyn wanted to get Blossom some money and exposure to get her into nursing school, she just loved Blossom so much.

Watch the clip with Caitlyn and Blossom at the bottom and the clip on the Ellen show at the top, here:

http://www.eonline.com/shows/i_am_ca...emotional-clip

**allegro** · 09-08-2015, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by playwithfire

Kate is one of my personal heroes.

Although, Kate got a lot of flack from younger people in the trans community due to Kate's "freak" comments on this show.

http://planettransgender.com/cait-vs...-todays-youth/

http://www.attn.com/stories/2793/i-a...pisode-4-recap

**playwithfire** · 09-08-2015, 10:01 PM

Yep, I followed that when it initially happened. I can totally see the perspective of younger people, but I don't think that was Kate's intent... bleh, I'm too sleepy to articulate this but basically I don't disagree with either side.

**Dra508** · 09-09-2015, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by theruiner

I really feel like she is brushing me aside in favor of other clients. Like I'm a second class patient and it really makes me mad and that makes me wonder if I can be totally open and honest with her while I have this issue bubbling up in the back of my mind..

You're not being totally open and honest because you have told her you have an issue with her. I really liked my therapist probably because he did make me feel like he was fully engaged with just me, at least for that hour. That he got me and I could trust him. Reality was, if I go by the folks I'd occasionally see before and after my appointment, he had a wide variety of folks as clients.

It be in your best interest to resolve whatever the issue is. IMHO

**Sarah K** · 09-14-2015, 10:20 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/22/op...privilege.html

Trans Deaths, White Privilege

**theruiner** · 09-15-2015, 09:47 PM

Trans people: they're not really people, so when you kill one, it's not really murder!

http://www.texasobserver.org/dallas-...f-trans-woman/

**icklekitty** · 09-18-2015, 11:39 AM

So how much representation does everyone have locally for TDOR? We have a trans person on our board and they're trying to create an event in conjunction with London Trans Diversity.

**theruiner** · 09-18-2015, 11:17 PM

I checked after seeing your post and apparently we do have some sort of gathering but they haven't announced anything for this year yet. I will be going if at all possible.

I'm glad we actually have something, considering how small the trans community seems to be here.

**slave2thewage** · 09-25-2015, 05:00 PM

The woman who started the battle that lead to the equalisation of trans* people under Irish law got her new birth certificate today, along with receiving a European Citizen Award from the European Parliament.

A fun aside, we had Lydia as a guest of honour the year I was on the local Pride committee. She was quite taken with me. I'm sure I was far too young for her at the time.

**playwithfire** · 09-27-2015, 01:03 PM

I think this kickstarter is pretty important, and it only has a few days left, so I figured I'd post it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-hrt?ref=video Spread the word, if you're so inclined.

**allegro** · 09-27-2015, 09:49 PM

If I didn't hate the fucking TSA enough, already:

http://www.vox.com/2015/9/21/9367327...rlando-airport

**theruiner** · 10-01-2015, 10:02 PM

Yeah, I was reading about that. Just awful. And here's another example. My blood boiled while reading this.

http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2...dy-not-anomaly

No joke, I don't think I'm going to be flying much longer.

**allegro** · 10-01-2015, 10:44 PM

If it's worth anything, I've been treated like total shit by TSA agents and I'm cis. The TSA needs to be disbanded and set on fire. They are corrupt control freaks, and awful. I have met some that are nice, but many that are really awful. The only resort we have is to walk away and say "fuck you, I'm taking Amtrak, motherfuckers."

**playwithfire** · 10-01-2015, 11:41 PM

Yeah, but trans* people experience a really unique variety of awfulness us cis folk never have to worry about.

I opt for a pat down instead of going through that scanner every time I fly, and honestly it's been fine. I also follow the rules to a T and prepare for going through security before I'm up to the bins where you start taking stuff out. (I also never fly with a belt, and my bras don't have underwire, and all sorts of other things.) If I was trans* it wouldn't help me.

**allegro** · 10-01-2015, 11:47 PM

Have you read the stories about people with piercings and the TSA demanding that they remove them? (Some actually removed nipple piercings, wtf, no flight is worth that shit.) The TSA people can be just plain old evil. The video of that woman detained with the breast milk made me want to go beat the shit out of them.

The stories where they make old people remove colostomy bags are just horrifying. What terrorist is gonna be 80 and hide a bomb in a colostomy bag? It happens to lots of people with medical conditions.