As posted to my own journal
Feb. 3rd, 2007 12:05 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
cassaclyzm.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
transSo I went to a PFLAG1 meeting tonight. Finally. Considering who was there, they should really call it "LAG" (I live in a small city). One parent, eleven gays... and a Cass.
A transgendered Cass.
Now, here's the thing. Apart from doing what's comfortable for me, I don't typically start conversations with, "Hi. I'm Cass. I'm a university student. I like cookies and am a transgendered individual." However, I have always, always said that if anybody asked, of if it became relevant, or it came out in conversation, that I wouldn't hold back from, y'know, mentioning pertinent details involving my gender ID.
Well hot damn, I guess was telling the truth!
See, I never got to test this ideal - I always avoided the question before. How conveeenient, eh? Increasingly over the past little while, I've been putting myself in positions in which I have to make a choice - be closeted or be out. First it was the university Q-Collective, which I help run. Then it was an interview for a local online press. Now PFLAG peeps.
Validity is a big theme that has been on my mind lately. I tend to not take myself too seriously - it's a conflict avoidance thing. But I'm realizing that in not taking myself seriously, in not treating my issues and ideals as valid, I am undercutting myself and those ideals. This is harmful to me, and possibly to others - if I, an individual who actually identifies as trans2, can't be serious about it, who the hell will?
Anyway. It's going to be a long haul. But I'm feeling cautiously confident, and apparently there's some prophetic voice booming from the clouds saying, "It Is Time.". And yes, the PFLAG peeps were very supportive and surprisingly well acquainted with TG-ish issues. Nice!
1 I imagine 90% of you recognize the out-dated acronym - Parents and Friends of Lesbians And Gays.
2 Now all y'all who have asked, in the past while, "so, uh... how do you ID these days, anyway?" I guess you have part of an answer. ;-) Though I think my typical response of "Butch-ish genderqueer with a side of smarmy bastard and a dash of bashful" still stands. It definitely works best on the internet, where I don't get to involve my body language and clothes and voice in my communicating.
A transgendered Cass.
Now, here's the thing. Apart from doing what's comfortable for me, I don't typically start conversations with, "Hi. I'm Cass. I'm a university student. I like cookies and am a transgendered individual." However, I have always, always said that if anybody asked, of if it became relevant, or it came out in conversation, that I wouldn't hold back from, y'know, mentioning pertinent details involving my gender ID.
Well hot damn, I guess was telling the truth!
See, I never got to test this ideal - I always avoided the question before. How conveeenient, eh? Increasingly over the past little while, I've been putting myself in positions in which I have to make a choice - be closeted or be out. First it was the university Q-Collective, which I help run. Then it was an interview for a local online press. Now PFLAG peeps.
Validity is a big theme that has been on my mind lately. I tend to not take myself too seriously - it's a conflict avoidance thing. But I'm realizing that in not taking myself seriously, in not treating my issues and ideals as valid, I am undercutting myself and those ideals. This is harmful to me, and possibly to others - if I, an individual who actually identifies as trans2, can't be serious about it, who the hell will?
Anyway. It's going to be a long haul. But I'm feeling cautiously confident, and apparently there's some prophetic voice booming from the clouds saying, "It Is Time.". And yes, the PFLAG peeps were very supportive and surprisingly well acquainted with TG-ish issues. Nice!
1 I imagine 90% of you recognize the out-dated acronym - Parents and Friends of Lesbians And Gays.
2 Now all y'all who have asked, in the past while, "so, uh... how do you ID these days, anyway?" I guess you have part of an answer. ;-) Though I think my typical response of "Butch-ish genderqueer with a side of smarmy bastard and a dash of bashful" still stands. It definitely works best on the internet, where I don't get to involve my body language and clothes and voice in my communicating.