I finally got the courage to join the local gender society and went to the business meeting this month. There were many fears about whether or not I’d be accepted. Honestly, one of my biggest worries was that I'd be the only one there with 5 o'clock shadow, thinking everyone else would either done laser or wear cover up... but I wasn't :D
I went there all on my own and shy and sat down at a table where there was only one person and she said, "I'm not much of a conversationalist" and I said, that's ok, I’m nervous and won’t say much. But during the night three gals came over to speak with the new girl (me) and all were very nice. OH and one of the gals that came over and talked to me was one where I thought, "Oh she's really cute, I'd love to talk to her."
I also found out about another group, which does activism. I intend to join them too. And I found out the local LGBT Center has three or four monthly trans things going on. In one of the conversations I had that night I spoke about how I had an online community and friends up north who have taken me to gender groups there, but I really wanted a local community. Many people at the table nodded their heads. After all, that was what this society is all about. I’m so glad I went.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I had SUCH a great Halloween.
I went as Supergirl. This echos back to the comic book character I created in High School that was me if I had been born in female form. She often wore a Superman T-shirt. When I first tried on the costume, I thought I looked great in it. In fact I think I even looked kinda sexy *blush* Here is a link to a picture, if you’d like to see for yourself: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linden_tea/4070228299/
My SL friends Sen and Pink are just fun to be with anyway, but I flew out to MA to be with them this Halloween. Friday we were in Boston and visited three colonial graveyards and a street that was mentioned in a HP Lovecraft story. Then we went to a Staged radio program all locally Boston-referenced which broke in half way through to the Boston version of War of the Worlds. Really fun. The Halloween itself we went up to Salem which had downtown all blocked off to Traffic and was a HUGE Halloween party. We went to the Witch Museum which hadn't changed much since I was a kid and I LOVED that... dioramas that lit up one at a time with a creepy voice over. We went to a wax museum and a haunted house and a creepy stage production.... there was a live band that did scary Journey covers - well, just Journey covers, but Journey is scary in its way. I got a HELL of a lot of attention, mostly positive though some negative. More attention than I thought I'd get. But seriously, it was evident I was transgressing from the high level of attention.
Of the negative response, mostly I got disapproving looks. One un-costumed guy tried to get into my face saying, “Why? Tell my WHY?” A little girl said to her father, “he’s weird.” Her father responded, “Yes he is.” The whole what are we teaching our children thing came up for me around that.
I received many positive responses. A number of people took my picture; many wanted to be in the picture with me. And I was happy to get my pic taken :D Many people shouted, “Supergirl,” “Superwoman,” “Nice legs” or “I love your costume.” A handful of people said I had the best costume they’d seen. One person said, “I bet all the guys are hitting on you.” I think some were. I even heard “Is that a man or a woman?” a few times and was very pleased about that. I assumed people were going to all “read” me as a man in drag; it was nice that some people at least had to ask.
Over dinner (Thai) we talked about the Middle Ages feast day tradition of turning the status quo on its head, and how doing that with gender is still relevant today. Sen spoke of how people who responded negatively were probably unconscious of the power dynamics at play. I said even the positive responses were mainly people who were picking up on the fact that something was being subverted and they liked that even if they weren’t conscious of it. Of course, I’m not trying to be subversive; I’m subversive by just being me.
My SL friends Sen and Pink are just fun to be with anyway, but I flew out to MA to be with them this Halloween. Friday we were in Boston and visited three colonial graveyards and a street that was mentioned in a HP Lovecraft story. Then we went to a Staged radio program all locally Boston-referenced which broke in half way through to the Boston version of War of the Worlds. Really fun. The Halloween itself we went up to Salem which had downtown all blocked off to Traffic and was a HUGE Halloween party. We went to the Witch Museum which hadn't changed much since I was a kid and I LOVED that... dioramas that lit up one at a time with a creepy voice over. We went to a wax museum and a haunted house and a creepy stage production.... there was a live band that did scary Journey covers - well, just Journey covers, but Journey is scary in its way. I got a HELL of a lot of attention, mostly positive though some negative. More attention than I thought I'd get. But seriously, it was evident I was transgressing from the high level of attention.
Of the negative response, mostly I got disapproving looks. One un-costumed guy tried to get into my face saying, “Why? Tell my WHY?” A little girl said to her father, “he’s weird.” Her father responded, “Yes he is.” The whole what are we teaching our children thing came up for me around that.
I received many positive responses. A number of people took my picture; many wanted to be in the picture with me. And I was happy to get my pic taken :D Many people shouted, “Supergirl,” “Superwoman,” “Nice legs” or “I love your costume.” A handful of people said I had the best costume they’d seen. One person said, “I bet all the guys are hitting on you.” I think some were. I even heard “Is that a man or a woman?” a few times and was very pleased about that. I assumed people were going to all “read” me as a man in drag; it was nice that some people at least had to ask.
Over dinner (Thai) we talked about the Middle Ages feast day tradition of turning the status quo on its head, and how doing that with gender is still relevant today. Sen spoke of how people who responded negatively were probably unconscious of the power dynamics at play. I said even the positive responses were mainly people who were picking up on the fact that something was being subverted and they liked that even if they weren’t conscious of it. Of course, I’m not trying to be subversive; I’m subversive by just being me.
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