“Did you know I was trans?”, I ask the gay climber as we hike in the first full moon of the new year. “I assumed you might be from something you said to M. at dinner the other night but otherwise I wouldn’t have known”, he replies, then adding, “And anyway, I don’t care whatContinue reading “Not “man enough”?”
Tag Archives: gender
The eternal extra work for AFAB persons
Yesterday, I found myself venting with one of my closest cis-guy friends about my confusion and disappointment: the gay climber (another cis-man) with whom I had seemed to connect so nicely over the holidays and who seemed to genuinely enjoy my company & to care about my friendship has ghosted me. He didn’t reply toContinue reading “The eternal extra work for AFAB persons”
Born again
Yesterday, as I was chatting on the phone with one of my best friends from grad school, I noticed the Priority Mail envelope outside my front door, the envelope that I had anxiously been awaiting for a few days. Excited, I interrupted my friend mid-sentence, opened the door, grabbed the envelope and ripped it open:Continue reading “Born again”
The “nice guys” in my life
“Happy birthday, man”. “Happy birthday, dude”. “Happy birthday, brother”. It’s a series of big tight “guy hugs” from some of my new cis-het buddies as I celebrate my birthday over beers with the co-ed climbing team after our weekly training. When I joined this climbing team about a month ago, I did so “stealth” andContinue reading “The “nice guys” in my life”
TDOR 2025
[Trigger warnings: transphobia; physical/psychological/emotional violence; death.] Today is Trans Days Of Remembrance. This year, given the actual war that the fascist Trump administration is leading against our community, it is a sadder and more important day than ever to remember. I’m one of the lucky ones — at least, for now. I live in aContinue reading “TDOR 2025”
Explorative, affirming birthday week
It’s mid-summer. After almost a year of paperwork and emailing back & forth with the Italian Consulate in Chicago and the City Hall of the city where I was born back in Europe, I have finally received the communication that I didn’t dare hope for: “Your sex change has been accepted and your gender amendedContinue reading “Explorative, affirming birthday week”
Conversion therapies of all types must end once and for all
[Note: in addition to gays/lesbians, conversion therapy has also been forced on autistic children/youth in the form of “Applied Behavioral Analysis” therapy, a.k.a. ABA.] Re-blogging an excerpt from one of the LGBTQIA+ organizations here in Colorado: “This administration is continuing to use harmful rhetoric to stoke fear, chaos, and division within our communities. The recentContinue reading “Conversion therapies of all types must end once and for all”
I don’t see her anymore
Last night, I saw my bare-chested reflection in the mirror and a thought shot through my head, of its own accord or as if it were someone else’s comment: “That’s a man”. In reality, it was more a feeling than words. But then explicit words out loud followed immediately: “I don’t see her anymore”. BeforeContinue reading “I don’t see her anymore”
Feb. 6th, 2025: News Dump
[Trigger warning: massive transphobia] Sorry that I haven’t gone through this in more detail or sorted it better, but this needs to be put out there. Please just pick one and read. I’m going to put the “good news” first because I think we need it more than ever now. Trans Formations Project Weekly LegislativeContinue reading “Feb. 6th, 2025: News Dump”
Heaviness
I’m feeling sad. It’s a heavy sadness, a dark heaviness that has been weighing on me since Sunday. I’m feeling sad and exhausted, and almost everything in my life now feels heavy and joyless. On Sunday, I had signed up to race in a local 10k run that has had a nonbinary category for aContinue reading “Heaviness”
The Little Prince and the Fox 