Oh, Pope Benny...

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Living anachronism. Not much more needs to be said beyond that. I could but that delve into the realm of theological debate and, like, that would be boring for me to write at the moment. Instead all I will write on this is the above 'living anachronism' comment as well as the declaration that the idea of the pope as some sort of rockstard shredding at some rock festival makes me smile and grind these teeth all at the same time.

Political Drag

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Woah, it has been awhile. In any case this bit of trans news kind of stuck out to me because one does not often hear about political legislators dressing up in drag. I have to admit I am just a little bit confused on this one. SI mean it is no secret that some people who happen to be trans also dislike drag and find it all kinds of offensive for one reason or another. They are entitled to their opinions and all of that. And these legislators ARE likely a bunch of privileged white men with no real understanding of what drag actually is and does. But then again, comparing a few politicians doing a drag show for a few laughs to Klu Klux Klansmen dressing up in blackface is maybe just a little bit fucked up, Joann Prinzivalli. Letting our white privilege out to play, are we?

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In other news I just want to point out how much it just tickles me to see the following statement "One might think, in this age of anything goes, that a pianist's private life would be just that and irrelevant to his or her ability to play the piano" in an article which starts off exposing the very private life they try to establish as irrelevant, using the usual pronoun jumble when dealing with the past and present tense. Though fuck yeah for Sara Davis Buechner and her awesome piano skills. I love me some Baltimore musicians after all. Though... oh wait... what is this at the end of the article? Masculine emphasis? Oh William Littler, you cheeky cheeky reporter, you!

Bluh. At least there were no pianist jokes.

"Plenty of Hair, Nary a Mustache"

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From the NY Times. Whoa. “They’re professional. They do it perfect.”

You're so awkward

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In Le Provocateur, Kristin Miller writes an article about a talk by Colby College prof. Jennifer Finney Boylan. Miller ends the opening paragraph with, "her talk was not about the surgery itself, but how she dealt with this lifelong and nearly incomprehensible condition." And closes with, "no matter how awkward, mysterious or taboo the topic of transsexuals is, it must be addressed by society." You're so awkward. Thanks Kristin.

know yer neighbors

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So an amazing thing is about to happen in Oregon. People are going to have to own up to the petitions they signed. Or someone can search to see if their name has falsely been attached to said petition. I think this is great. Some people think it's horrible. And I think they're wrong. I love when something that is public record but commonly thought of as private suddenly becomes very public.

So in 10 days, the names and addresses of about 55,000 Oregonians who signed a petition to repeal both the new domestic partnership benefits act the nondiscrimination act will be posted at Know thy neighbor Oregon dot com. It could get a little akward in my neighborhood that's all I'm saying.

It's also up for past initiatives in Florida and Massachusetts.

Genna Suraci

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Okay, one, I know this isn't okay, but I actually appreciate that I read both of the non-trans women in the opening picture from this article- in the New York Times- as trans. There's just something nice about that.

Two, I love that they included a picture of Ms. Suraci pre-transition, all suit and tie, with the subtitle "Gary Suraci, now Genna," as if that were somehow okay. (Hint: "Genna Suraci, previously Gary," would be more okay, but still messed up. A picture of her actually looking like the lady she is would've been nice.)

Three, I wonder whether even NYT writer Tina Kelley knew how cash-fuckin-money this line is: "Michael Locasio, who owns a tattoo parlor in a neighboring town, complained, 'God makes things perfect and people want to screw it all up.'" Awesome.

Four, "Mr. Ruglis would not say whether the principal had undergone sex-change surgery, but said such a procedure would not be covered by the district’s insurance policy." Because I guess that's what's important to tax payers? "Let's just reassure everyone that their money isn't buying this person a body that makes sense to her." (not a real quote.)

Five: military service, marriage, kids, check. Also, somehow including a bit about what she was wearing, right at the beginning of the article: check. Interestingly, the contrast of wife/kids/military with became-a-lady isn't really played up; also interestingly, there's a description of what a non-trans, pretty-superfluous-to-the-article woman is wearing, too. It's almost like Ms Kelley knows what I'm looking for in an article about a trans woman, and is fucking with me. Which is kind of nice.

Six I am in love with the hippie teacher who's all about compassionate living and 'adults are set in their ways, children are sweethearts who are not.' LOVE HER. YAY NEW PALTZ.

And finally? Seven? All snark aside, I love that the article ends with three students, all of whom are like, 'who cares? sometimes people are trans, whatever.' No dissenting voice, no queerphobia for contrast or fairness or whatever. It's nice.

So I guess a thumb and a half up?

HAWK STONE

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"The best guess is that it affects one in 30,000 males and one in 100,000 females, said Dr. Edgar Menvielle of Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He based his calculation on the number of sex reassignment surgeries in the Netherlands."

That last sentence reads like a punchline. I love how pseudo science is allowed to be when it comes to gender. "Well, judging by a ten-year old six-person study in the Netherlands, I'm going to assume that female-to-male transsexuality does not actually exist." (<--- Not actually a real quote.)

It's also delightful how, in the last section, badassly-named psychologist HAWK STONE is talking about gender identity stuff very rationally and intelligently, and annoying reporter Fran Henry interjects in the second-to-last paragraph to be all "transsexuality's not real though," and then she continues quoting HAWK STONE who's like "well, actually, transsexuality's a real thing."

F minus, Minneapolis Star Tribune. Wait no- F plus, for HAWK STONE.