Bluegrass BelleView, December 1997

 


EMail Our Columnists: Dawn; Anne; Angela

 


Events Calendar

With No Apologies

by Dawn Josephone Wilson

First Annual BGB Holiday Bash Sunday, December 21st!

It is Official! I am totally insane !!!! No, not really. But, sometimes I feel like a nut, and sometimes I don't! The holiday party is set, and will take place Sunday, December 21st, at the Wyndham Garden Hotel, at the Newtown Pike/I-64/75 interchange - it=s marked Airport - Lexington. Turn left from the exit if coming from Louisville, right if from the south or east, and take the frontage road. You will see the sign. Drinks (cash bar) opens at 4:45; dinner and keynote speech from 5:30-7:30, and dancing from 8:00 to 10:00 PM. Cost is $20 single, and $30 couples. For more information, call 222-4254 or email me @ dwils00@ukcc.uky.edu.

Now for something completely different >

November 19th, on the Drew Carey Show, Drew hired his brother, Steve, to work at the store, not knowing that his brother was a crossdresser. Now, they could have given in to all the negative stereotypes, but they didn't; they played it straight. Steve went to work as Stephanie without anyone knowing, until Drew came to check on his brother's progress. Drew was shocked and somewhat dismayed, and tried to hide his brother when the head man arrived, but to no avail. He begins to hit on Steve (as Stephanie), until he is outed as Steven. Drew's boss wants to fire Steph. But in the end Drew comes to not only accept his sibling, but makes a bet in which the head man is forced to tell the difference, and fails miserably after making a fool of himself. Drew wins.

In essence, we all did . At one point in the show, one of the characters asked Stephanie why she crossdresses; her answer was that it feels good. Also, there was a joke about drinking beer enfemme at the ballpark. Hmmmm.. I see Ms. Casebeer's handiwork here! The other point was a direct shot at ENDA. Drew asked his brother if he was gay; his brother replied, no. Then Drew remarks: "Too bad, There are federal laws to protect gays." I hope the gay community got the point. Without transgendered people included, ENDA is incomplete. Overall, I found it more enlightening than Ellen.

All Things work for the good of the.....

A French clergyman once said "the saddest words of speech or pen are these few words: Ait might have been.@ Sunday, Nov. 9th, was a significant turning point in my life. At 4:40 that day, I pronounced the man who had been my Dad for 25 years, dead. My Uncle died after a long bout with pancreatic cancer. In terms of acceptance, he and my aunt were a class act. As I watched him leave this world for the next, I was inspired by the dignity and faith he had at his death. He never was in any pain, spiritual or physical.

Unlike my dad, there are many transgendered people out there in pain, a different kind of pain than my dad, but pain nevertheless; emotional pain. That is why my goal for this group in the coming year is one of outreach, networking and help. The focus will be a mix of group and individual needs. There will be road trips

to sister groups in Ohio, Tennessee, Indiana, West Virginia, and Illinois. I plan to lead a delegation to Washington, D.C. for Lobby Days. We plan to attend the IFGE convention in Toronto, and Southern Comfort in Atlanta next October. Before I can make any plans, we need you! We need you to be writers, cartoonists, board

members and politicians. We need you to make this group work. So are you with me ? Great ! See you next year.

Love, Dawn Josephine Wilson

 

Bob the school bus driver is a parent, too

Stephanie A. Haas

I's like to respond to the letter written by Ms. Wall of Selinsgrove. The debate about Trish the bus driver seems endless, but I hope you have patience for one more point of view. Ms. Wall's letter is very indicative of why the issue has raised such fear in our community. Little or no attempt has been made to understand the mechanics of Trish's situation before passing judgement.

 

Trish is currently in the care of a psychiatrist, a certified medical doctor. This doctor's duty is to restore well-being and equalibrium to patients. This doctor believes Trish's mental health is best served by making a biological, medical transition from male to female. Prior to his therapy, "Bob" was an unhappy male who suppressed his feelings to the point of deep depression. Under a doctor's care, "Trish" has begun to find a sense of balance that was not formerly present. I expect many people are disappointed to learn that the doctor has not opted to make him "normal". Perhaps these people would also find it more desirable to be suicidal than to be different.

 

Ms. Wall asserts that Trish is a threat to the common good. Perhaps she's confused "common good" with "status quo". Many people say Trish is a threat, but they have yet to quantify how one person's transexuality threatens a town full of children. Drugs threaten a child's health. Promiscuity brings the threat of pregnancy or disease. What threat does Trish pose? Does her lipstick make her more likely to crash into a wall? Or will she inspire your child to be -gasp!- different? I have news for the parents of Selinsgrove. Your children are exposed daily to forces far more sinister than a man in women's clothing. I, myself, was offered drugs before I was ten years old. It's a sad state of affairs, but even in a quiet town like ours, no child is too young to be confronted with serious issues.

 

Your responsibility as a parent is not to insulate your child from reality, but to teach them how to maneuver through it successfully. If your child is so easily damaged by a man wearing eyeshadow, imagine the problems they'll encounter when a friend offers them drugs or encourages them to commit crimes like vandalism or petty theft. I wonder if those parents who fear for their children are aware that Trish is a parent as well. I am Trish's daughter. This transition that my father is making is odd, but I am upset far more by the small-town witch hunt that has followed his decision. I can accept his decision because I've seen a person who was grumpy and irritable become happy and relaxed. His morality has never changed. He still believes in the same values he taught me as a child. He taught me to respect others, to be kind, to stand up for my beliefs no matter what. He taught me that I have the freedom to make my own choices, along with the responsibility to stand accountable for the consequences. Amid all the name-calling and hysteria, it seems that many of our normal, "moral" residents have yet to learn these basic, fundamental lessons.

 

I would encourage every concerned parent to go to a library, or a doctor, and learn about Gender Identity Disorder. No matter what your opinion is about Trish, knowlege is power. Understanding this condition will help you deal with the situation more effectively. Denigrating something that you do not understand is not "morality". It isn't "righteous indignation". It is fear.

 

Stephanie A. Haas lives in Selinsgrove.

Our Time in Eden

Anne Casebeer

Transgendered Concert Review - Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon Tour 1997

Have you met any gin-soaked barroom queens from Memphis lately? Have any of them tried to take you upstairs for a ride? No? You weren't in Vanderbilt Stadium October 26th, when the Rolling Stones brought their "Bridges to Babylon" tour to Nashville. So, aside from the fact that Mick Jagger is THE original gender-bending mascara-wearing rock star, what does this have to do with your friendly neighborhood gender group newsletter? Well, Jennileigh Love told me the Stones were coming to Nashville, and we thought that going femme would be a somewhat original experience. Of course, when the chance comes to see the Stones in concert, wild horses can't keep me away. It might only be rock n' roll, but I like it.

We briefly considered soaking ourselves in gin for the occasion, but neither of us can stand martinis. Since we aren=t from Memphis, we decided that we had to go ahead and be queens instead, which is a risk in itself in a crowd of 44,000 some-odd fans of the World's Greatest Rock N' Roll Band. But, as gonzo journalist Dr. Hunter S. Thompson always preaches, a reporter must do whatever is necessary to COVER THE STORY AT ALL COSTS. After all, it could be the last time they will tour, I don=t know. I started up later that I expected, so I never stopped the entire way to Nashville, and arrived with seconds to spare, looking like a rainbow. Time waits for no one, after all, but this time, for once, it was on my side. Jenni handed me the ticket, which I put in my purse and kept safely under my thumb, and we boarded the bus for the trip to Vanderbilt. Upon leaving the bus, we were engulfed in a massive crowd pouring through the turnstiles, and we slid on by, despite the fact that we were dressed like honky tonk women. Fortunately, both of us are sufficiently practiced at the art of deception, Sheryl Crow was providing the soundtrack as we made our way to our seats, and she was right; if it makes you happy, it can't be that bad.

Ms. Crow finished her set, and we waited for the sky to be painted black, so the full splendor of the lighting and pyrotechnics that makes a Stones concert special could unfold. Around 6PM, the lights dimmed, the video monitors came on, and Mick Jagger and friends emerged, singing "Satisfaction". There are no other groups that can unload the arsenal of great rock n' roll songs that the Stones can, and unload they did. This is the 6th time I've seen the Stones in concert, but the first time since 1981, and they have never been sharper musically than now; Darrell Jones is an improvement on bass over Bill Wyman, . Jagger does not move onstage like a man in his 50s, and Keith Richards looks remarkably healthy for someone who has already died many times over. They also featured keyboardist Chuck Leavell, formerly of the Allman Brothers Band, and Bobby Keys on tenor saxophone, as well as an excellent background vocal section and a couple of brass players; they added greatly to the sound. Our seats did not give the greatest view of the stage, but well-placed video monitors filled in what we were unable to see, and the sound quality was excellent. Following the concert, we took the bus back out to our vehicles in Donelson, TN., and dined at Ruby Tuesday's. Following that, I had to become the midnight rambler, and head back towards Louisville.

Going to rock concerts isn't unusual for me, I've probably attended hundreds. This was my third one in femme mode, but the other two were in the Palace Theatre in Louisville, a 3000-seat converted movie theatre. Despite being crunched into a crowd of 44,000 people, we were totally ignored. It was a cold, windy day, and we dressed as two women would dress for such an occasion. Yes, we all enjoy 3" stiletto heels, micro-mini skirts, and tight tops, but only for the right occasions. If you are going to a concert, try a pair of jeans and a sweater, or leggings and a sweatshirt, which is what we did, and what a genetic female would wear. The point of doing things like attending a Stones' concert femme is this: acceptance. The more times people see us out properly attired, the easier it gets. I've discovered that nearly any recreational activity I'd enjoy doing in male mode works femme, if common sense is followed, which means dressing for the occasion. When we dress appropriately, even if we're clocked, we don't come off as being too unusual. At this point in my life, I enjoy questions about my presentation from anyone, and never mind answering even the most inane questions about why I might wish to go out in public in a dress and makeup. After being out a year, it's part of my life; one I'm at peace with and enjoy, and a lifestyle I'm proud of. If they ask about it, I'll tell 'em. We make friends one at a time, and nearly every time I get out in public, I get that chance. It's easy to go to gay bars and clubs, but the education happens when we go out in straight public, and that's what I'm enjoying most these days; the thrill of going most anywhere and doing anything.

"Now is this any way to behave at a rock n'roll concert?" - James Douglas Morrison

Freedom and Mascara!

Anne Casebeer

Totally....

By Angela Bridgman

When vinegar doesn=t work, try honey... Do you remember that phrase? I certainly do! And I think it=s time we in the transgender community learned it as a maxim. What exactly, am I referring to, you ask? Simple. I am referring to the approach that politically active people in Louisville have taken thus far. Case in point: Fairness. Before I am misunderstood, I take nothing away from those who have worked hard on this for fifteen years. I am sure that their efforts are sincere, and that the spirit in which this work has been undertaken has been pure (at least, as far as the gay and lesbian community=s rights are concerned!). I=m not so sure that their intentions about inclusion of bisexuals and transgender people are quite so pure. I=m also not sure that the Fairness Campaign has done any more than give lip service to the other elements of very real discrimination that exist in our society, like it or not. I refer very specifically to the lip service given so far to race issues. Let=s face it, folks, this is still a problem in our society.

If anyone really and truly wants to discriminate, they can find a reason to do so, one that will be legal, and unquestionable, unless the person they are trying to discriminate has a character totally above reproach, is saintly, and walks a very straight and narrow line (Forgive me for using that term, but I do not know how else to say it.)

I personally know of a manager, who was once told, Ahire who you want to, but don=t hire any blacks.@ This was in the early 1980's, in the South. So, as that one incident proves, discrimination based on race, though illegal, still happens! So what have we done about it? Not much, I=m afraid, and not nearly enough. It can be argued that race discrimination is an issue for the NAACP to tackle, but I don=t buy that! I don=t buy it, because, when one person is done injustice, then we all are done injustice! Granted, our organizations, singly, are way too small to have anything other than local effect, unless, of course, you live in Louisville, Kentucky, in which case, nothing will have an effect, as long as Steve Maggot, er, that=s Steve Magre, is in charge of the Louisville Board of Aldermen. The only answer is to join forces, and unite! Become powerful! There is power in numbers, and the more numerous we become, the more powerful we become! How is that so, you ask? Glad you did. You see, many people in this country have become disillusioned. They think they don=t matter! Well, I want to tell you, here and now, that everyone matters, if they use the power they have to their advantage! What power, you ask? The power of the vote, of course! Throw out the trash that is currently running our city! The corruption in local government has to be seen to be believed! (However, if you have no particular reason to believe, than don=t go and look, because you won=t enjoy it!) Anyone who has ever attended a normal session of the Board of Aldermen knows what I am talking about here! Plain and simple, the more people we have on our side, the more votes we have on our side, and the more we can force current politicians, to either vote in a way which would please us, or we can remove them from office entirely! When we can come to them with that type of ultimatum, and the power to back it up, I bet the results of an issue like Fairness will stand a much greater chance of passage!

Am I advocating not beating a dead horse? In a way, yes, but in another way, no! We must continue to use vinegar on our politicians, and we, as the transgender community must continue to use vinegar on the gay and lesbian community, but also be prepared to switch their dosage over to honey if they begin to see things our way.

Meantime, how can we use honey to our advantage? Simple, and I=ll explain how! We can show the business community here in Louisville that it will be more rewarding to them to hire us, to not discriminate against us! How to do that? I have just launched a new campaign, with that aim in mind. The campaign is called EFFORT, and it stands for Employment Freedom for Transgendered people. The idea of EFFORT, quite simply, is that we will issue certificates of appreciation to area employers who practice non-discrimination in their employment policies, including hiring, firing, promotion, transfer, and raises. The idea is that an individual should nominate a business they feel is worthy of this honor. Whereupon, if they meet the criteria (which are still being worked out, but should include, race, and sexual orientation) they would be awarded the certificate, and placed on our list of preferred businesses. The transgender community then, would be encouraged to do business specifically with the companies on our preferred list (a reverse boycott, what a novel idea!) So, what I think we need at this point, is to keep the pressure on our legislators, yes, but, simultaneously, use a different form of pressure on the local business community. Zig Ziglar once said, AIf you help enough people get what they want, then you will get what you want.@ I believe firmly in that principle. And that is why we need to become more involved in issues concerning discrimination against people other than our own selves! The more people we get on our side, the better chance we have! And, for God=s sake, if you=re not registered to vote, get out there and register, NOW! Don=t wait! Remember, if you don=t stand up, and be counted, when the time comes where it matters, then you have no right to bitch about our government! You may not get what you want every time you vote, but at least, you stood up, and got counted! Oh, and by the way, there are curtains on all the voting booths in the United States, and no one is looking to see how you vote, no one is standing outside your booth with a rifle, to insure you vote the way they say you should (as like what happened in Austria in 1938, when Austrian citizens voted to annex with Germany! What they didn=t tell you about that vote, though, was that there were Nazi soldiers manning the polling places, armed to the teeth!) And because there are curtains, no one knows that you, particularly voted for or against a particular thing or person, and so, you don=t have to worry about being Aouted@ because you supported the causes you believe in! In closing, I must say, right here and now though, that I firmly believe that when any of us are oppressed, then none of us are free (Thank you, FDR, for that quote!)

Until next month, when I once again climb up onto my soapbox,

Luv ya lots, like, fer sher!

Angela Bridgman