[Adrian]

Another interesting follow up article from the SHM – showing how the Caitlyn show may not be all it seems.

Does Bruce Jenner’s transformation deserve the admiration it is receiving?

Andrew Hornery

View the full article here:
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/private-sydney/does-bruce-jenners-transformation-deserve-the-admiration-it-is-receiving-20150606-ghfg7u

Andrew’s article starts by observing the media show that “Call me Caitlyn” generated:

Quote:

….
Indeed much of this week’s attention has been purely on the superficial, from the designer gowns Caitlyn wears in the shoot by Annie Leibovitz, to her choice in lipsticks and hair highlights.

Once again our society’s priorities would appear a little off, but who wants to dwell on reality when you have reality TV stars to provide us with endless distractions?

Indeed it was a brave soul who dared to cast a critical, questioning eye over the media circus which for the past year or so brought us to this week’s “unveiling” of Caitlyn Jenner.

Then comes the real story that for some reason no one told us about….

Quote:

But surely we should be just a tiny bit skeptical, as not all the motives here were totally altruistic. The Vanity Fair cover was the most recent in a long-line of highly orchestrated and manipulated media moments engineered by a team of media executives and publicists in the lead up to next month’s debut of a new reality television series starring, you guessed it, Caitlyn Jenner on the E! network, by the same team which brought us Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

No doubt all the attention Caitlyn has enjoyed will ensure the new show will be just as popular as any of the other Kardashian franchises……….

Quote:

…..But just don’t ask Caitlyn about double standards when it comes to gender equality.

How many other 65-year-old women have graced the cover of Vanity Fair recently wearing racy lingerie recently? Helen Mirren, 69, hasn’t been given the honour. Meryl Streep’s most recent VF cover has the 65-year-old looking like a librarian rather than lascivious.

Indeed it was a New York Times reader who wrote one of the most insightful comments on the whole sideshow: “Apparently Jenner gets the male privilege of being considered desirable at an older age that is not given to those actually born a woman.”
….

View the full article here:
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/private-sydney/does-bruce-jenners-transformation-deserve-the-admiration-it-is-receiving-20150606-ghfg7u

[Adrian]

Someone has messaged me asking if I really “don’t love the breast form manufacturers”

So maybe I should clarify where I am coming from.

It is true – I’ve been watching too much of the Checkout on ABC recently! Spot a bit of possibly misleading promotion a mile off.
And I’ve always had a special angry spot for people who prey on the Trans community with pink creams, and price-inflated ‘must-haves’.

I’ve nothing against forms – I just loved them when I found the cash years ago – though I had become sort of wedded to the cool-bag jell technology!

But there are clearly people getting sucked in by the advertising and assuming that they are not only buying into a very convenient shape enhancement, but also into what it feels like to be a woman. And that may be going too far.

It has also been pointed out that maybe manufacturers such as Amoena are trying their best to make women who have had a mastectomy feel better about themselves. But even if that is the case. it still shouldn’t preclude an informed discussion on actually what feeling can be expected.

Hence my desire to get a body of evidence to explore if forms feel anything like breasts to the wearer. If this information is in the public domain, then people will buy forms with a realistic expectation of what they are buying into.

I doubt it will affect sales, and I hope it won’t push people onto HRT. But in this community of dreams a bit of reality might not go amiss.

[Adrian]

Carol wrote:

OK they don’t look as good/prominent as the forms but they do feel right for me.

Let’s try and keep this thread objective. Ignoring what subjectively you think is right or best; just how does the feeling compare? I guess because the real breasts don’t look (to others) as good then you are confirming the difference in shape is significant to you. What about sensitivity, weight etc? How would you describe in feeling between the two? Is there any?

[Adrian]

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[Adrian]

Carol wrote:

No wonder I’m green.

If you think Caitlyn would look like her Vanity Fair shoot if you met her in aisle 6 of Woolworths – then you really are green. Even the shots of her in the video(see above) tell a more realistic story.

But being bitchy is not a good look either. None of us is in a race to be the model of American Hollywood “beauty” – or we shouldn’t be. There is so much more richness to gender diversity than trying to achieve an unachievable standard of “perfection”. It is all about “becoming yourself” – not trying to become some dream or fantasy.

[Adrian]

jordan wrote:

Firstly is this whole drama actually positive for the trans community or is it a hindrance?

Like the Time front cover the prime media exposure is definitely positive for awareness (if not perhaps acceptance, and certainly not understanding). The fact that the message is a stereotyped Hollywood Boy to Belle that has little relevance to 99.9% of transgender lives is unfortunate but unavoidable. Most of us are just too ordinary to make the front cover of Vanity Fair!

jordan wrote:

And secondly what do you think about the correct use of pronouns in this story, Jenner doesn’t seem particularly bothered by correct use of pronouns at this stage.

Pronouns get debated ad nausea in the labels forums. I certainly don;’t think there is such a thing as “correct” pronouns. If we are hung up on pronouns then we aren’t focusing on the important messages. Call me he or she – we shouldn’t care and I guess Jordon doesn’t. It is a problem created by the English language and not one we can hold individual journalists responsible for fixing.

[Adrian]

Glebe April 15

[Adrian]

[quote=”Terri_2″ post=26617 perhaps we need to start a push to change this to optional[/quote]

I regularly write to businesses whose forms insist on a salutation ( e.g. for me to order something on line). I ask them why this information is mandatory and what they intend to do with it. I add that I;’m Transgender, find being called Miss, Ms or Mr offensive and don’t want to see it on my correspondence from the company. It generally gets an apology, even if they can’t get the IT guy to change the form.

When I’m not in campaigning mode – I just select Dr or some other non-gender specific title. I would never tick Mx.

[Adrian]

Thanks to everyone who has posted or emailed me sharing their enjoyment of TransFormal 2015.

Last weekend was the culmination of many months of work. Though I personally find the weekend exhilarating, exciting, and often exhausting, it is the positive experiences of others that really make it worthwhile.
I’m so glad it gave so many had a wonderful time!
Thanks for letting me know!

[Adrian]

Carol wrote:

(can someone more technical than me explain how I can download the pictures?).

I’ll find somewhere “private” to upload the photos (and movies) I have.
I’ve done this in the past but very few others have shared their photos so it has been a very one-sided exchange. Any suggestions how to make it work?

I personally don’t think Facebook and other social media is the place to post pictures unless everyone in the picture is comfortable with their image being cached for posterity and viewed by the world. Obviously my personal opinion isn’t going to stop it happening though!

[Adrian]

So Transformal is over for another year.
Back home we have to wind down from the excitement, download the pictures from the camera, and think back over our memories.
On many aspects I feel it was one of our best yet.

I still can’t believe our luck in having good weather for the 6th year running. Occasionally I have thoughts of changing the date so it doesn’t clash with the North Face run, but then I figure the Gods may be confused and forget to let the sun shine.

This year was memorable for me because of our significant contribution to the Blue Mountains IDAHOT celebration. We carried our banner with pride and were welcomed by the local LGBTI community. The speeches might have over-run the official timing but were eloquent, relevant, and at times very moving. The Gods smiled on us bringing out sunshine to counter the mountain chill, and as the rainbow flag was raised at the Council Chambers the wind picked up to blow it out.

It is always a pleasure to go back to the Carrington Hotel and be warmly greeted by the staff. After 6 years I feel we belong there and our return is appreciated. Things ran very smoothly from my perspective this year, even though my partner wasn’t able to help with the organisation as much as she wanted to.

It was lovely to see the Grand Ballroom full on Friday night, with so much happy chatting (probably we should have used that microphone). Then on Saturday Julie Peters challenged us to become ourselves, we grappled with the difference between tolerance and acceptance, and Ophelia excelled herself exposing the real deal on false nails. I was lucky to have the time to attend Kayh’s Yoga class which both helped us relax from the buzz of TransFormal, and tone up our muscles for the dance floor.

Perhaps the saddest part of the weekend was hearing that our enthusiastic photographer Connie had been admitted to hospital on Saturday. We will miss not having her photographic record of the Formal, but our thoughts are with her for a speedy recovery.

[Adrian]

Carol wrote:

Just heard that my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, nephew and nephew’s wife will be in the Blue Mountains for some running event this coming weekend. That could lead to interesting reunions.

It’s the North Face 50k & 100k endurance race. We discussed it earlier because of its impact on budget accommodation in Katoomba this weekend. The run is on Saturday – with the 100k fitness freaks running through the night!! The race is hosted by Scenic World this year – so stay away from the Scenic railway if I was you!

[Adrian]

Ticket sales for 2015 have now closed.
Numbers are very slightly up on last year with a few last minute ticket purchases.

Some statistics:

22% of guests are coming to their first Transformal
60% of guests are coming for the full weekend
We have guests from every state except Tasmania
70% of the attendees come from NSW.
We have booked 84 room/nights staying at The Carrington Hotel

And the weather at this stage looks promising

[Adrian]

Here is the final program for IDAHOT on Sunday 17th May.

I’m hoping that most of the 80+ guests who are in Katoomba for the TransFormal formal will delay their departure to take part in this important celebration. It is important because the issue of Transphobia is something we all deal with, and because this is a truly unique opportunity for a significant number of transgender people to stand up in public and increase awareness.

If you are wondering what a flash mob dance is…then here is the video.
Have a rehearsal and let’s show Katoomba that the girls can dance!

[Adrian]

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