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Life without a mirror
At our regular Glebe cafe night this month the conversation took a serious turn sometime between mains and desert. We asked ourselves some of the usual type of transgender questions – you know, the ones where the only answer is “I don’t know”. Well, one of the questions is I think worth bouncing round the “All about me” forum – not because there is a right or wrong answer – but because thinking about the answer may just shed a little more light on the mystery of our unusual lot.
And the question is:
If you woke up tomorrow and found yourself totally blind, how would it affect your expression as a gender diverse person.
And, I’ll start with an answer…
We all know that the mirror is the most important accessory a gender diverse person can have, closely followed of course by the digital camera.
Like many in our community I have made good use of both in my lifetime – and the validation they provided was an essential tool in transitioning to my preferred gender expression. So, if I couldn’t see, how could I have made this journey? Tricky to answer, but luckily that wasn’t the question asked.
The question is, how would not being able to see myself affect me now? I think (but I’m not sure) I’m much less attached to looking at myself these days. I know that if I couldn’t see I’d be dependent on someone I could trust to assure me that the way I was presenting matched the way I feel. Makeup would be a big, big challenge of course, but I think I know now how to dress myself in my sleep so to say. I think I’d find the inability to live on a computer terminal much more of a lifestyle change.That’s me… now what about you?
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2 Replies
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Hi,
As a person there would be things i could not do as for a mirror , would not bother me at all. as to see if my makeup was right its a non event any ways, just lippy & i can do that with out one, eye liner well if i cant do that tough, i wont, & most of the time no makeup .i only use it because of being burnt & scared , tough .
As to the blue ? would not make any difference to myself at all.
in fact if i had no makeup at all i really dont care, as it is most i did have Dejarn has taken our grandaughter, age 10 y 9 m .
makeup does not define who i am. im accepted just the same with or with out,
I know there are quite a few who would not go out the door with out makeup. okay ill leave that there because i see an issue that will come from some because they are hideing behind a mask or so they are not recconised,
I on the other hand being well known just show myself for who i am there is no hideing its what you see is what you get, no matter where i am. and those im involved within our groups is well over 1000 people,
had i been blind would it make any difference in being who i am as a female though different in doing all that was needed to help me in life .
No why should it, i know what your saying from maybe a dresser’s or trans point of handleing it so for those i wont answer because im nether,
this word validation. well i dont use it as theres no need, okay im not sure , this is a can of worms for myself so ill use what i know .
im an intersexed female, who has been accepted for who she is, so as im accepted , i dont need tp prove who i am. my peers have shown that with out ?
I dont relie on my outer how i look or dont, in my presenting who i am. what i dress in , for myself its not in my clothes, or as it seems to be about makeup , take that all away. ill wear a sack i really dont care,
Its allways about the person. & what comes from you. or myself that makes us who we are, so i can stand alone with out clothes , im still female the root of the concern is right there, my body is still female .
so take away the externals whats left, for myself a woman.Ooops sorry got carried away ,
…noeleena…
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“If I woke up tomorrow and found myself totally blind, how would it affect my expression as a person”
Answer ? Simple…… It wouldn’t
I am, who I am……… Blind or not.
I don’t need a mirror or camera to define how I express myself as a person. I am just simply ………. Me.
With love & respect
Catherine
