Spellbound

"If you treat the witch standing by the roadside with respect and courtesy, she will reward you with useful advice and powerful magic."

Do folk stories of elves and witches have meaning for us today?

Are there modern myths that can help make sense of our inner lives?

Jack Molay's beautifully crafted post Spellbound transgender deals with these issues and more.

Jack invites us to follow a new series of posts too. As he says, "If you are truly transsexual, your transsexual condition cannot be overcome through myths, arts or psychotherapy. But I am sure the symbols can be used by you to make sense of the life you are living."

A spectrum of color

Antonia D'orsay, a.k.a. Dyssonance, and several other writers have started something ambitious. Actually, Dyss started it a year ago, but recently it was relaunched in its current format. It's called The Spectrum Cafe, an all-trans news and comment blog. The writers of TSC are hoping to create a Pam's House Blend or Bilerico Project for trans issues. With Dyssonance at the helm, you can be sure this blog won't pull any punches, and it's bound to be thought-provoking.

Check out the most recent post (as of this writing) from Emelye Waldherr called ...really a man.

What colour is your blog?

In this case, it's chartreuse. Thanks to Picky Penelope, who writes Penny's Story, for bringing Chartreuse Flamethrower to my attention.

I have never gone through every single blog on the T-Central list, but I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of blogs are written from the male-to-female perspective (transsexual or otherwise). It's always nice to find a different perspective. The author of Chartreuse Flamethrower has undergone top surgery, but prefers the pronouns "they" and "them." They write about a lot of issues, but mostly they challenge those of us who fit at one end of the binary or the other. Check it out.

Goodbye and Hello.

This is the goodbye part.

I've grown accustomed to writing blog posts after midnight.  I don't know, perhaps it's a pattern I developed during transition when I couldn't sleep and stayed up for hours upon hours trying to figure out how to get through the transition tube.  When you're inside the middle of the tube, you're surrounded by a cold and hollow darkness, and you're not sure if you can see the light at the end of it.

But thankfully for me, I made it out to the other side alive and in one piece.  Looking back I'm not so sure it was all a perfect plan or massive luck.   What I am most certain is that I relied heavily upon the many friends who at times offered a hand in the day or an ear to the phone so late at night it became morning time for coffee at a Denny's somewhere in Alhambra, California.   There's nothing like establishing a connection with those who know exactly what you're going through, even if turns out they live fifteen hundred miles away.

The time has come for me to step aside from T-Central.  As many of you know I am longer posting to my old LorisRevival blog and my "life at the next level" is keeping me busy enough where I simply don't have as much time or energy to maintain what started off as a second page to my original blog.  It was  a page designed just to highlight all the blogs I followed and the friends I made for easy reference.   Over time T-Central grew in both blogs listed and in followers that it's taken a life of its own.   Because it continues to provide a service to many, from the trans person just beginning to consider transition, to the parent raising a transgender child, and even to the significant other of a trans person who's looking to read from the perspective of other trans people to help them chart the next course with, or without, the person they first fell in love with.

That being said, in addition to the current moderators/administrators who are listed, I have named my good friend Calie of Calie's Chronicles as the main moderator and caretaker/owner of T-Central.   I'm certain that the site will continue as is, free of ads and updated with new bloggers as they too come on the scene wherever they might be on the T-spectrum.   I will continue to read and post comments when I'm able to find the time to read blogs, but I will no longer have any control or admin privileges over T-Central.   I'm thankful that there are those willing to carry the torch and continue to maintain it as a service to others.  

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be of some use, and thank you to all of you who continue to share your story.   I believe every one of us has a unique, inspiring story to tell.   I'm grateful for all the extraordinary people I've met and look forward to peeking in from time to time to see more bloggers share in this amazing journey.  

Calie, (and Veronique, Renee, and Christianne), it's all yours.

Countdown.

As you all know, I've tried to make T-Central as user-friendly as possible while enabling people to grow their connections of "Followers" for the sole reason that being T can often be quite lonely out there.   Having the ability to reach out to someone who knows what you're going through is a damned positive thing, and I'm glad this little personal blog roll has been a help.

Soon there will be a minor change under the hood of this site.  It's not going away, at least not quite yet.  No, I refuse to make it a profitable venture by slapping %$#^& ads all over the place.  And there aren't plans to change the look and feel of the site.   

Stay tuned.  And make sure you keep on commenting on those obscure, hardly-read blogs.  And if you're not one of those prolific bloggers, take the time to build an audience by commenting on other's blogs.  You can't expect people to follow you if you only hang out on your own page.

A Very, Very Tired Conversation

Ms. Shandy gives us an excellent retelling of a harrowing bathroom experience while presenting not as her target gender but while in "guy-mode." It's a great example of what one can expect when they transition and haven't gone to living full time.
Give it a read and please don't forget to leave a comment.

Read "Revisiting a Very, Very Tired Conversation" HERE.

Donna Speaks on Privacy vs. Disclosure

In case you didn't know, March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility. As I progressed through my own transition for three years, I made it known to those who knew me (and those who didn't) that I placed a lot of importance on being a visible trans woman. Educating others and fighting ignorance was important to me, until I realized such a thing as TOO much visibility existed.

Instead of expanding on what I mean by that, Donna Rose posted a blog today on the differences between privacy versus disclosure, and I think it better examines the need for visibility AND privacy. Give it a read and thank Donna her continued blogging on such matters are important. You can do that by going to Donna's blog HERE.

The Doc Is In

Our own Dr. Morbius writes a very interesting and compelling blog today called "Identities."  Thinking through her post at length, I've decided not to give any opinion for the sake of only directing you there to form your own.

What are you waiting for?

It's My Life

A fellow blogger recently shared a link to friend's blog.  This woman is a truck driver who is trying to give up long haul driving to work for companies that offer local driving in her area.  In her most recent post "The Unraveling," Julie shares how she applied for a position with a company but was told that she was denied employment...not based on her qualifications but because of her gender identity.   She was told that because she is still pre-op that she must obey male dress code standards.  How would you feel if you were told to cut your hair and wear attire opposite of how you identify, even if you've already begun transition and have legally changed your name and gender marker? 

Head on over to "It's My Life" and show your support for Julie. 

Helping Her Find Her Way Home

This morning I received a comment on my blog by another mother of a transgender teen.  In "Helping Her Find Her Way Home," this mother describes coming to terms and beginning the process of allowing her fifteen-year-old trans daughter to transition from male to female.  Her therapist recommended she start a blog, and she already has three posts up. 

Her blog is over on Wordpress so there is no Followers gadget yet up, but I've added her to the blogroll here on T-Central below so you can keep up with her and her child's progress. 

You can find her blog HERE.

A Life Reborn? Rebecca Begins a Blog

I recently met someone online who is just beginning her path to self acceptance though she, like so many, have struggled for years to internalize her true self.   In "A Life Reborn," Rebecca explains how she's recently seen a gender therapist who has had extensive experience dealing with gender identity issues.   The question Rebecca raises concerns her therapist's recommendation (after one visit) that she's ready to begin a hormone replacement therapy program.  

How soon is too soon?  And when SHOULD a therapist prescribe HRT?   How rigid should the WPATH Standards of Care be followed?   Being that this is Rebecca's new blog and first post, I'm hoping you'd be willing to head over there and chime in.   Her "Followers" feature is up so you can follow along with her too!

Common Teri's Commentary

Ever since I began my first steps to transition, my friend Teri had a blog on Yahoo 360 where she would write her unadulterated thoughts about transition, life, and the new challenges of living as a woman.  She left the blog world for a few months recently but has returned with a new blog and new input.  Her most recent posts already prove she's back in true form sharing her heart and chronicling her life in a real and sensitive way.  

Please head over to her site and become a follower.  It's definitely worth it!

http://commontericommentary.blogspot.com/

Cammie's Song: Out of Love For Her Child

I don't think that any personal story I've recently read has moved me more than that of Cameron's Song, a blog written by the mother who, out of love and understanding, is allowing her daughter ( born male ) the freedom to transition. I initially began to reminisce of my own painful gender dysphoria from around age five, and I wondered how different my life would have been had I been allowed to transition at an early age. I've learned to accept my past and have come to appreciate the many wonderful things in my life because of it, including having children.

The author of Cameron's Song (also known as Cammie's Song) is intelligent, knowledgeable, and most of all, she articulates her compassionate heart for her daughter as they take on all the issues revolving around a transgender child. I will be following this story closely, I hope you do too.

Stillettos and Sneakers: Alexandra Billings

Alexandra Billings is a phenomenal and beautiful actress, singer, and writer. She will be playing an important role in the trans-related short film "Stealth" (view the PR HERE).

In her personal blog at Live Journal (read it HERE) Alexandra frequently shares some of the more intense moments of her life. Many of her real life stories will have you at times laughing and crying almost at the same time. Her main website is HERE.

The Girl Can Run!

I stumbled onto an interesting blog this evening. Jennifer McCreath is a transsexual marathon runner, and apparently she's been chronicling her runs in a blog for some time now. According to her blog's byline:

I am a 35 yr old transwoman marathon runner from Newfoundland, Canada. I use running as a way to raise societal education and awareness about the issues of transsexualism. This blog focuses on my running and on my life in general as a transsexual.

Pretty cool stuff if you ask me. Give her site a look! http://jennifermccreath.blogspot.com/

A Daydreamer Among Us

Over on Wordpress, I stumbled upon Adrienne Morgan Leigh's blog (READ IT HERE or navigate to http://daydreamer37.wordpress.com/ ). Adrienne seems ready to continue the chronicles of her transition, and I appreciate anyone willing to share another simple yet incredibly personal journey with the rest of the world.

Head on over the Adrienne's blog and decide for yourself. She's also been added to the T-Central list below in case you miss a blog or two!

Tiana's "Being My True Self"

I have a dear friend who just recently transitioned on the job. From what I hear things went exceptionally well and she is finally settling into her role as her true self.

Speaking of true selves, Tiana no longer posts over on Yahoo 360 and has begun her own blog here on Blogger. It's titled "Being My True Self," and I think the world of Tiana. Following her over the last two years, our lives seemed to eerily parallel each other, and even now I wonder what kind of exciting future holds for my friend.

That's her on the right, taken at last year's IFGE conference in Tucson. She and friend Marie A were doing some sort of cotton-eye-joe or something like that. I was busy with camera in hand. So head on over to her new blog, follow her by clicking on the Followers box, and say hi. I'm sure that friendly Texan will be glad you did. Yee-haw! And be sure to tell her not to kill me for posting this photo!

Fresh Blood

Sorry, the title isn't indicative of a new vampire flick coming to a screen near you. Rather, I wanted to introduce you to two awesome bloggers in their own right who will be posting their own blog reviews here on T-Central.

Veronique has been faithfully posting to Trans-Canada since mid-2007, and it's this blogger's opinion that the running message of hope and perseverance throughout her blog is a must read for any person beginning to or in the process of transitioning. Veronique is a representative of what can go right with transition.

Christianne Benedict of Scheherezade's Sister is a long time friend of mine whose own transition I've been following since the old "decrepit 360" blogs in days of yore. The only thing I enjoy more than reading her blog is talking to her on the phone, which we seem to do with a bit of regularity. Her other movie blog Krell Laboratories is amazingly extensive and provides some really great insight in current and classic film. You may be seeing posts in this space coming from them in the near future. Don't worry, and don't adjust your TG Set...

Oh, and these aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along. Move along.

Amber Begins the RLE!

Wow. Amber begins her true real life experience. Only NOW are we made aware of this! Tsk tsk tsk, Amber! You should have told us sooner! LOL! Kidding, kidding, of course.

Anyway, I've known Amber for as long as I've been transitioning, and she has steadily moved forward proving and reassuring me in a way that your transition is your own, and no one should push you into doing anything you don't want to. It's your life, your timing, your choice.

Thanks for reminding me of that, Amber. And rock on.

Now go read her cool blog. READ IT HERE.

Stephanie Just Stephanie Just Turned Five Five

Go on over and show this girl Stephanie some love! She's hit the five five! Party on girlfriend!