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"Of Evaporated Milk And Bananas"
The Great Taboo
By Bobby G
I was a captive audience to a radio talk show as I rode with a
friend a few weeks ago. One of the listeners mentioned her son's
poison ivy. A flood of telephone calls followed, offering all
sorts of remedies to soothe the boy's itching. Recommended were:
calamine lotion; baking soda; cortisone pills; bathing in tomato
juice, although, in this case, the talk show host thought that
this remedy was used to get rid of skunk's odor; pouring evaporated
milk over the affected areas; and, finally, rubbing them with
the inside of a banana peel (after eating the banana, of course).
As I listened to this, I wondered how the TG Forum audience would
respond to my itch.
I've been a member of the TG Forum for several months now, and
read most of the articles each week. I think it's a great publication.
I even have the Forum's CD featuring all the stories and articles
of the past two years. I've read coming out and first time stories;
insightful articles about what it means to be transgendered; beauty
tips; advice to the transgendered, couples and SO's; comic strips;
historical flashbacks; movie reviews; and editorials commenting
on a wide variety of T-related subjects. Recently, there's been
discussion over liberals versus conservatives in Genderland. But
nowhere in this, the most popular voice and best online advocate
of the transgendered community, is there mention of what I consider
a significant problem for some, if not many -- the conflict of
being both religious and transgendered.
Perhaps I'm prejudiced. After all, I do post the online Grace
& Lace Letter International on AOL -- an evangelical Christian
publication devoted to crossdressers, transgendered, and transsexuals.
Maybe there's no interest. Then why should the hits on our sister
Geocities page jump well over a thousand in past few weeks? Then
again, perhaps there isn't a problem. But why would we get letters
like the following to our page?
"I would just like to thank you for the time and effort you
have put forth on this page. Being a TV Christian, I find myself
struggling with this issue daily. I find myself taking comfort
from your page and returning again and again. Thanks."
"Reading your letter this morning was one of the most important
things I have ever done. Having been a crossdresser as long as
I can remember, and discovering as I grow older (I'm 54) that
I feel more and more like a woman in a man's body. I have lived
with shame and guilt and fear of condemnation my whole life. Such
is certainly the case with my wife, who despises me....... Middle
age is presenting a new string of problems. I have learned to
accept and even like myself through therapy, but the price for
doing this is greater despisement by my wife and a constant fear
of losing my wonderful children, and/or incurring their loss of
love as well. Discovering your site at least gives me renewed
faith in the rightness of God's creation of me and reassurance
that I am not really some despicable unworthy beast. I will continue
to return to your site for inspiration. Thank you."
Yes, there is a problem and a need to discuss these matters openly.
But why is this subject never a topic in the TGF? Is religion
taboo? Is it only to be mentioned in other publications, or too
trivial to be included in this one? Can we fret over the politics
of being conservative or liberal in Genderland and ignore a segment
of this community that suffers daily trying to resolve this issue
in their lives? I hope not.
I trust that others share my view, and that we see articles on
this subject in the future. If we do, at least we'll never have
to bathe in evaporated milk or gorge on bananas just to get the
peels.
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