Ok- This is an amazing topic and I apoligize for not posting here earlier. I'd been out of sorts a while for personal reasons and am only now getting back into my Colleenisms! That being said I always feel better when I'm here and should just never leave.
I started by reading from the begining and there was so much insightful, inspirational and passionate stuff here I thought my head was going to explode! I'll try to keep it short, but...
First off Stacy, I can't imagine what it must have been like for you. I hold you in the highest regard becasue you've over come tremendous obsticles. When it comes to Transexuals you can cut the discrimination with a knife! Thats what holds us all back to some degree.
The only TS I know personally, I met through these boards. Here name is Helen and as many of you already know, one of the kindest and sweetiest human beings ever put on the earth. Although I have always been sympathetic to Transexuals because of my "Transgendered Behavior" (Thank you Jade) I never took the extra step.
Now I do. When I said cut the discrimination with a knife, I'm talking about my experiences in NYC on the steets or in the subway. People aren't afraid to laugh, gawk, snikker, spew or throw things at transexuals or trans whatevers. I used to just cringe but not do anything. (I NEVER WITNESSED PHYSICAL ABUSE! I assure you if I had I would have done something to stop it)
Because of my experiences with the motherboards I always make a point of approaching a transexual in public and saying how nice they look or keep up the good work. For those of you who have met me as a boy you know how straight I look. I don't let them know I also have transgendered behaviors. I always feel unless I engage in a converstaion with them that it's better encouragement if they think some totally straight guy on the subway acknowledged them. (If thats not true, let me know)
Back to the topic at hand though, I think it's best to find the common ground and stick with it. The biggest thing I can take from this topic is "Owning your own sexuality". I don't know if it was Sweetie or Bobby who said it, but it is the most important.
Like Sheril I have only come out in the last year, although I'd been dressing for many indoors alone or with friends. My greatest struggle was identity. What am I? Well I must be gay. Ok, but I'm not attracted to men...hmmmm Well I wear a dress and love other TS's, CD's, Tv's so I must at least be bi....and on and on.
Society likes labels. Your gay so your over here, your straight so your over here...So much so that I think sometimes we feel obligated to fit into one or create new ones.
FUCK THAT!! I'm tired of it. I've spent so much of my life trying to fit into something that I just finally want to be me. Sometimes that means wearing boy jeans and a t shirt other times a dress. Sometimes I want to be with a TV, sometimes a woman and sometimes a lesbian with a 10 inch (ok 8 inch) strap on. So what.
My sexuality, my desires and needs are unique to me. Thats why I am me. Define me by me! Whereever I have common ground with others that's probably where I'll want to be.
And that "is" the motherboards isn't it?
[This message was edited by Colleentv on 06-20-02 at 08:23 PM.]