Mini-documentary about Midwest trans activist, JAC Stringer: by Hunter Stuart at Stuart Productions

The Midwest is crawling with queers. Not because of any strong presence but in the more literal sense. Queers are crawling because we do not have the space to stand up. We do not have the resources that would enable us to live full, healthy lives. We, like so many others, are isolated in our homes, in our towns, controlled and confined by others, longing for life and being unable to live it.

I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. When I came out as trans I didn’t know anyone who was like me and I had no way of finding them. The city‘s “gay“ scene was practically extinct and no trans or queer scene it had never existed in the first place. There was no space for me, so I decided to try and make one.

Apparently January is the 2nd annual National Drag History Month. A month-long event that “salutes the richness of drag culture and pays tribute to the courageous queens & kings who have fought for equality while inspiring, educating & entertaining us all.” Sounds cool right?  But when you click the link you may feel the same disappointment I did in seeing that “drag history month” is nothing but a LOGO ploy for programming (also see excellent blog by Queerty). You may become depressed at the fact that the link itself has the word “franchise” in it. Or you may just be downright confused how there is not one mention of any female-bodied or gender transgressive/genderfuck performers. I guess National Drag History Month is for girls only… or is it for boys only because they are drag queens? Either way, WTF? Do drag kings have no history of doing anything? Not that LOGO would know either way because no actual history is ever talked about in the programming.

It is a common misconception that drag kings and genderfuck performers don’t exist, but we actually do. It isn’t like we aren’t out and about. Now days its hard to hit up a lesbian bar without finding some trace of drag kings or go to a queer space without at least some knowledge somewhere of genderfuck performers. Female bodied gender performers have been gaining speed and spectrum, in the past ten years especially, but still we get thrown to the back of the bar. Why?  I remember when I was first getting into drag and I told my sister about a drag king show. Her response, not knowing any better at the time, was “Drag king? But isn’t the point of drag being flashy with sequins and glitter? Boy clothes are boring.” I responded with a very humble,  “Well… but… I wear sequins too…”

Male bodied gender transgression has always been more visible, either because of guarding masculinity or simply because they are a lot taller. As a result so many female bodied performers have busted their asses with character, choreography, and costume and still never gotten to top the bill when queens are around. Now don’t get me wrong, I have some very dear friends who are queens, drag or otherwise. Some of my favorite performers are drag queens. That said, the constant removal of non-male bodied drag and gender performers from the drag movement, or even the queer movement, is fucking bullshit. Drag queens have long been a trademark representative of visual queerness, not because they are better in any way, but mainly because of the cultural dissonance caused by any male person “giving up” their masculinity for the less than desirable feminine presentation. I’m not saying drag queens haven’t been around the block, fighting the good fight. I’m just saying they weren’t the only ones there. Another element that I feel may contribute to the muffling of drag kings is the stereotyping of female-bodied queerness. it isn’t just straight porn projecting “straight looking” women fucking each other anymore. Shows like the L Word promote a gender-normative, hyper-sexualized female queerness that leaves no room for anything or anyone else. Who decided that genderfucked female bodies weren’t sexy? Homonormative, HRC pumping queer gentrification rears its ugly head again.

x posted MidwestGenderqueer, AmplifyYourVoice.com, TransgroupBlogs,

Okay, this is my first post on GenderBlogs, hope to be learning and sharing with you all.

Jossie.

Recently scientists have found that a specific gene can be altered to make a female body begin functioning as a male, and another to make a male function as female. Now, I am not a molecular geneticist, but my parents are, so I feel entirely capable of talking about this situation by summarizing what other people wrote.

If you remember your 6th grade science class, it has been commonly thought that physical sex is determined by X-chromosomes and Y-chromosomes (XX, XY, XXX, XYY etc). The research for this new study, published in the journal Cell, challenges that concept. The genes known as FOXL2 (active females) and SOX9 (active in males) are found on a non-sex chromosome that is in both the male and female sex. The new discovery states that genes are all that stand between changing the female sex (XX) into the male sex (XY), and ovaries into (non-sperm producing) testes. Long story short, FOXL2 and SOX9 are the light switches between the male and female sex.

When active FOXL9 bonds with estrogen and “blocks” high levels of testosterone from being produced. When working with mice, scientists found a way to artificially “switch off” FOXL2, un-blocking the testosterone (along with other elements) making an otherwise female sexed body function as male. The body begins to produce testosterone at the levels of a healthy male and eventually turns the ovaries to testes. FOXL2 and SOX9 both exist in males and females, but if FOXL2 is on, SOX9 is on. (Apparently Dr. Seuss is a geneticist.) For the female sex to become male, turn FOXL2 off which will turn SOX9 on. The research also suggests, or is interpreted, to show that FOXL2 is continually fighting to keep ovaries as ovaries, resulting in several articles titled “Battle of the Sexes,” along with some cute ones like “Minnie to Micky…” and the poorly written mess in “Gene Stops Ovaries from TESTIfying”

What does this mean for humans, you may ask? The researchers are hoping for this information to be useful in understanding and treating medical conditions such as premature menopause in women and, less in my favor, disorders of sexual development AKA intersex conditions which can lead to more problematic, non-consensual “fixing.”

Another possibility especially relevant for us trans folks is that this can help us in physical transition. If scientists can “switch off” this gene in humans, it would trigger the growth of secondary sex characteristics, like facial hair or breasts, and and chromosomally transform human ovaries into testes and testes to ovaries.The body would begin to naturally produce testosterone or estrogen, which means bye-bye needles and pills. Hormonal transition would be entirely internalized. In addition, the research found no adverse health effects and a normal lifespan, something we can’t say for current hormone therapy. Sterility would still be an unhappy result, but the overall process would be significantly less invasive, healthier, and possibly cheaper in long term.

Sounds great, right? Honestly, I think it does, as long as we keep things in check. There are many ways the institution can flip this around and make it totally inaccessible to all of us… but lets try to be optimistic for a minute. I’d like to have some hope for a minute.

xposted MidwestGenderQueer.com, QueerToday, TransGroup Blog

I had my first breast exam today, I have a large lump in my right breast and it turns out it may be a Cyst, which isn’t a big deal, however I did a lot of research on it and it turns out you need to get it drained and it never really goes away. i think that is a good reason to get my breasts removed!

I want to remove my Breasts because i don’t like them on me, it’s the first step to becomming the person i want to be (Alan). however i’m afraid to bring it up to my mother, because last time i tried to tell her i wanted to be a man she wouldn’t stop crying and that was really hard to deal with. i can be stubbourn but i can’t be selfish :/ she knows guilt gets me and i’m afraid she will hold it against me when i ask her about breast removal. but i would honestly kill to have a chest i want a chest more than i want to have money or my job! hopfully it will go much smoother than the first experience but we’ll see

I called a therapist today as well, she never called me back i left her my phone number but didn’t call me back, i hope she had a busy day and didnt ignore me that would be pretty lame (for lack of better sentence) any way. i would like to see a therapist so that she can back up my thoughts about sex change or transgender change. i hope all turns out well in the weeks to come. i have a posotive though about them, and if i keep it up it will be just that

blessed be friends

Iggy

Hi!

Let’s begin by introducing me. My name is Katherine Jane DeIrlande. I am a male to female transgendered chick.

The name that has been given me was the one that my mother chose before I was born, so not much thinking on my part to come up with a new, and exciting name. I have since a very young age identified as female, and now, I am doing something about it.  First, I have decided to plan out the identity change over, and any help or suggestions would be very greatly appreciated. What are the pitfalls? Risks? And finally rewards in being officially recognised as a girl? What are your experiences?

(This is a repost of my Facebook Note posted yesterday, June 9, 2009. I believe the subject is important enough that it must be shared with those not on Facebook).

Among my endeavors is the title of Webmaster of the modern-day Gay Activists Alliance International website. (http://www.gayactivistsalliance.org). The GAAI have taken a stance along with other organizations to boycott London Pride for their lack of support of the trans-identified community. The GAAI is FULLY INCLUSIVE of trans-identified individuals.

I am a trans male. I was born female-bodied, but having the gender identity of a man. I have medically and socially adjusted my body to match my gender identity.

I’ve been around the GLBT community for 30+ years. I have seen many changes. I have seen the acronyms grow from just G to GL to GLB to GLBT and continuing on with the Q and the I ….

Forty years ago, we were ALL part of the “Gay” community. There were no separatists (*see Note below). Whether we were male, or female, nellie, flaming, butch, dyke, queen, crossdresser, transvestite, transsexual (a medical term, btw), liked men, liked women, liked both, or even were simply gender-variant – we ALL made up the Gay community.

Remembering Stonewall today requires knowing the TRUTH. The truth has been skewed and warped through the years, as our ONE community has split into its smaller fragments of acronyms.

The truth is, Stonewall was initiated by what we would NOW term the gender-variant people, or “TRANS”. There would be NO PRIDE if it weren’t for TRANS men and women.

Let me repeat this. THERE WOULD BE NO PRIDE IF IT WERE NOT FOR TRANS MEN AND WOMEN.

The truth is, the FIRST riot where we all protested has now become a forgotten piece of history – The Compton’s Cafeteria Riots”. These riots were initiated by TRANS people in San Francisco, three years BEFORE Stonewall, in 1966.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compton%27s_Cafeteria_Riot and www.comptonscafeteriariot.

My boy contacted me just minutes after I posted my status line this morning that said ” Life is beautiful! Be thankful, and see the beauty.” Little did I know that a miracle would be happening.

Sitting here once again, after a shopping trip with him, and the emotions are flooding. The tears streaming down my face, a sob or two sneaks its way out.

I look at the photos I’ve uploaded, I hear my boys in the other room, and I cry some more. The joy inside me is screaming its way into the room.

I go through my emails, and find another young man who writes “my life is being put thru a meat grinder, binding is as far as can go at this point, social anxiety is killing me, can’t use public restrooms, i’m scared, confused & alone”.

I cry some more, as I am trying to explain to my wife – something that doesn’t really need explained. All this started because I created a simple website. A website to give the guys a chance at something I never had.

Nearly 900 men (from 13-65), two other support sites, and now an organization later, I am humbled. And emotional. And ecstatic. And nearly speechless.

I will explain the miracle of my boy being here in our home in another note. I’m not able to write any more now, it’s way too powerful.

Seize the Day!
Michael B.

I’d like to start this off by saying that I’m new at this – not only to genderblogs but to blogging in general. I read blogs, but I’ve never – strangely enough – felt compelled to comment or join the dialogue until finding this blog, which is wonderful. Thanks to all of you who write and participate here. You create a really unique and open space for discussion. Having said that, earlier today I found the website for the National LGBTQ Equality Story Summit, which I hadn’t heard of before, and it’s really neat. If you haven’t heard of it, I recommend taking a look at their site. The stories are really touching, to say the least. And as I listened to one individual speak about gender identity, and about ‘being in between and feeling comfortable there,’ I started to mull this concept over very deeply, even though I have conversations about gender frequently and hear statements of this nature a lot. And I really like when this happens, because there is always learning to be done, and new ways of thinking to discover, especially in such a complex and fluid subject as identity. So I’d like to keep thinking out loud more critically, and hopefully hear your thoughts about, what we mean when we talk about being in between, or in the area outside of, or independent of, the prescribed and narrow male-female gender binary. I doubt there are answers to this, per se, other than people doing what they need to do to feel comfortable and fulfilled – I’m just looking for different perspectives about this. And solely for the purpose of coming to a more dynamic, informed understanding of ‘in between’ that feels right for now.

So, here are the actual statements that spurred my thinking around this (and you can see the video and others at www.nodumbquestions.org).

“I don’t particularly like being a girl, but I’m no more a boy than I am a girl. I don’t like to identify as female or as a woman, but like obviously on forms with bubbles I will, you know, check female because that’s the one that makes the most sense to me. Um, but if I have a choice for – well if it says ‘sex’ I’m pretty comfortable because I know what I am there. But if it says gender, I’m like well I mean I’m somewhere in between, don’t they have an androgynous box? So I came to that conclusion that I’m not trans, I’m not happy with being female, but I don’t think anyone is especially happy with 100% of their gender characteristics. Everyone complains about something…”

I guess what I can’t wrap my mind around is what it really means to feel one way or the other, or in the middle, specifically in terms of gender identity and expression. For example, I don’t understand what it means to ‘feel like a woman,’ or not. I know this can certainly mean different things for different people, and I’m not talking about knowing that your birth sex is not representative of who you are or how you feel inside. But, we are bombarded from before we are even aware of it with societal and cultural prescriptions for sex, and for gender, and the behaviors and roles that supposedly characterize them, and there’s no doubt that those messages get internalized. I was born female, and I identify as a queer woman. I’m very comfortable with my sex. I’m less comfortable, however, with my gender identity and expression and struggle to align them all in a way that feels representative of who I am and how I feel. Whether this has to do with comfort level or my personality, or it’s something more, I don’t know. But considering all of these things together makes me wonder if it’s the societal prescriptions we try to evade in determining where in the universe of gender we belong, or if it is something more inherent in ourselves, or perhaps probably a complex combination of both? I know that I feel comfortable with the parts I was born with, and with my body and how I feel inside of my body. But I don’t know what it is that makes me a woman, or what being a woman feels like or should feel like. Really, there are as many gender identities as there are individuals, and perhaps the problem is in thinking that being a woman should feel like anything in particular. Is there so much emphasis on our gender and sex in our experience that we can’t see or make sense of any part of ourselves without it there?

“Out here we treat the internet like a public BBQ: you might talk a minute to the person eating next to you, even give them your extra fork, but once you go home neither of you don’t vouch for the other as a friend just because you both like BBQ.”

I received an email with the above statement the other day. It was in response to my invitation to connect on Yahoo! Profiles. What I wasn’t aware of when I clicked to request a connection, was that it was to a brand new Yahoo! Group, barely alive for 2 weeks. Now, mind you, this was a Trans-supportive group, for SOFFA’s of transgender men and women. I have corresponded with one of the transman heading the group via messenger a couple of times in the recent past. He’s involved in another Yahoo group I frequent, and a part of a national organization that was founded by a good friend of mine.

“You have never asked to Yahoo Connect with me, [our group], or any of our members, even though our Yahoo IDs have been there for years, but you send an invite to a week old ID. Kinda creepy even when I know who you are.”

I’ve been using Facebook for several months, seeing it as an invaluable networking tool. I have to say that it’s Facebook that has enabled me to get word of our organization out on the Net and into people’s homes. It’s also due to Facebook that I have met so many incredible, awesome people who have become personal friends of mine, and enriched my life in ways I can’t begin to explain. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

Prior to Facebook, I used Myspace as a networking tool, although at the time I started with it, it didn’t have all the functionality it has now for networking, which led me to move on to the evolution and extensive capability of Facebook.

I have many “friends” I’ve connected with via both these networking mediums. Some were suggested to me by others, some approached me with a request to be a friend, while others I saw an opportunity to get to know another trans man or woman and maybe be able to offer something to them in the way of support. After all, that’s why I network – I give my time, my energy and my finances to assist and support the trans community in every way I’m conceivably able to give.

Although not new to Yahoo! (groups or mail), I am new to the new Yahoo! Connect feature. Thinking it was another way of adding to my networking abilities, I requested a friend Add from this group. Sometimes I’ve included a short message to someone when requesting “an Add” and other times, I don’t, thinking that they will simply look at my profile (which is visible to Everyone, friend or not, on all websites I belong to) and they will see 1) I am trans, and 2) I run an organization that supports trans individuals.

Rather than be accepted, I received the email, telling me that the owner would have to contact this other person [who has done many good things for the Trans community in his area of the country] before they would consider approving me. It’s his email that contained these sentences about connections I’m referring to in this writing.

“…why are you sending a “personal” Connections invite to our area SOFFAs group organizers? You do not know any of the people at that Yahoo ID, you did not even send a note explaining why there should be any common ground….So it makes perfect since that [the site owner] will not connect with a Trans site owner or a stranger in Arizona without finding out why you sent the invite”

“A stranger in Arizona”? Well, I never thought of it that way. I responded to his rather curt email with a short, but polite email, apologizing for the apparent “intrusion”, but I also included the following in this return email:

“I believe trans organizations need to work together and form alliances with each other, even if only getting together for “BBQs”. I also believe that although technically I’m ”a stranger in AZ”, I’m a transman out there *doing* something for our Trans community. I see it as opening doors to possibilities; instead of running into the brick walls we do in general society.”

He continued in another email after my response:

“Plain and simple, if you do not know someone, have not even sent a simple email of greeting, then you are a stranger. Period. Does not matter if you are Trans, claim to be Trans, or anything else.”

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I was put off by the tone of his emails, and discouraged to find this type of attitude in our own community. Segregation anyone?

“Strangers vs. Friends”. I wonder how many friends we would have if we all had the same attitude, that everyone’s a stranger. I wonder how he proposes one establishes a friendship if one does not initiate the first step in a friendship?

I’m baffled, and somewhat put off by the position this person has taken. I should probably let it roll off my back, but it’s grinding at me, and I needed to share it with all of you and maybe get some feedback on this.

So I leave it to you to let me know – Is online networking “creepy”? Or maybe they just do things differently in the south.

Seize the Day!

Michael B.