Wow – 56 new posts since I logged off last night. So forgive me that I don’t recall who said this: “I don’t know any transgender people.” You might, but you just don’t know that you do. In the movie with Felicity Huffman, called “Transamerica,” there’s a line when a transgender person says, “We walk among you!”
Great movie, by the way.
I totally disagree that the issue of Bruce Jenner’s decathlon win is a “legitimate question.” He was a male when he competed, competing honestly against other males. He won that fair and square and there would be no good cause to disqualify the win or try to keep her from referring to it has her achievement.
Sometimes horses are so very high that it is impossible to dismount.
Pizzagirl- I think the poster of that question may be recalling controversies in the past about males who have transitioned to females wanting to compete as females and this being a huge advantage for them. Of course Jenner retains all his records.
Regardless of what she wore, people would criticize it. She knew this, so I’m guessing she went with a look that would make HER happy. After all the years she spent hiding that part of herself, I think she was well within her rights to go sexy or glam or whatever adjective one wants to apply to it.
Great photo. Apparently what she is wearing is a bathing suit. Very classic look. I really think its a great choice even for her age. She looks great.
In interviews Bruce states he was caught wearing his wives and his daughters clothes. His wife, Kris, caught him early on in their marriage and told him never to do it again and to keep it to himself.
I cannot begin to imagine what it was like for him to live in a family of women who are so obsessed with their appearance.
Glamorous clothes, make up and beauty products, decadent jewelry and designer shoes all within his grasp and he couldn’t touch any of them.
It had to be driving him crazy.
So welcome Caitlin. I hope she can be happy. I hope she finds the acceptance she needs from the people that matter to her.
Nothing else really matters.
“- I think the poster of that question may be recalling controversies in the past about males who have transitioned to females wanting to compete as females and this being a huge advantage for them. Of course Jenner retains all his records.”
That may be. I didn’t think the poster was discussing any future athletic competitions, though. (And there is nothing to suggest Jenner desires to compete athletically.)
I think it’s a form of acceptance that people can critique choices within this process rather than being disgusted at the concept altogether. American society has come a long, long way on LGBT issues. I have a young lesbian coworker who just got engaged. How wonderful it is that she can be out and accepted and have about 20 extra moms so excited for wedding planning. That’s tremendous change in one generation. Now, the collective “we” is a bit confused on transgender stuff, but hate is not the default anymore. There is real change happening.
Conmom, that advice to not transgender if you have children is 35 years old. It is outdated. People used to say you should not divorce if you had children. Psychologists used to say that autism came from bad mothering. Specialists USED to say a lot of things. The world “used to be” flat.
I am taking a vacation next Sunday and a transgendered pastor is filling in for me. At one church only, because she would be received horribly at the other one. I am hoping that she survives at the other. I questioned seriously whether I should ask her to supply but she loves to preach and is good at it. No church will call her as pastor.
She was ordained while male and of course her ordination is recognized. After her name change was legalized three years ago our denomination formally granted standing (as an authorized minister) in her new name.
Okay, now I’m trying to think of what I would name myself if I had to choose a male name. Nothing is coming to mind yet but I don’t think it world be Kevin or Brad or other popular late '50s names.
Being a transgender person is associated with a higher rate of violence, hate crimes, and suicides than any other group of people, especially male to female transgender, and even more particularly, people of color.
If Caitlyn Jenner brings some new awareness and acceptance to all trans people, then Bravo! I just pray that there isn’t some sort of backlash to the LGBTQ community.
@missypie, interesting idea. Hmmm…I’ve always felt so female (and consciously loved feeling female), that I’ve never even had that thought. But I’m going to try to think of what name I would choose if I were to transition.
I actually love my husband’s name.
“Being a transgender person is associated with a higher rate of violence, hate crimes, and suicides than any other group of people, especially male to female transgender, and even more particularly, people of color.”
Your sentence is unclear. Do you mean committing, or being the victim of?
Caitlyn is not wearing a swim suit. It is a Trashy Lingerie brand 36DD corset and matching high waisted underwear in size large.
Being the victim of violence. And hate crimes. And more than 50 percent of transgender youth will have at least one suicide attempt.
Close friend’s child transitioned from male to female about 10 years ago. It was difficult for my friend. Her child suggesed she attend a lecture by a Colby prof who had written about transitioning from male to female. Author (Jenny Boylan) and her book – She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders – offer an excellent view of one very articulate person’s experience. I went to the lecture with my friend and bought the book and highly recommend it. Boylan’s account of her transition is insightful, funny, and poignant. I believe that she is still an English prof at Colby College.
Bruce was the 26th most popular male name in 1949 which would be ‘Brooklyn’ today or ‘Joyce’ in 1949.
(Link in Post below)
Find out what your same-ranked name (same gender) would be if born today using the interactive tool in this link.
@Madison85, cool link. My 1990’s name is D2’s name. 
My corresponding male name for the year of my birth is my brother’s name.
My name was a fairly common one when I was born but is kind of dated today - you don’t hear it on young people. Ditto for a lot of girl names of that era. I see no reason why Bruce should have “had to” pick a girl’s name from the era of his birth. Caitlyn seems just fine.
Hard to think about what I would rename myself if I were a boy! The boy name I liked, I already gave my son! I suppose it’s easiest if one has a name that has a similar version in the other gender.
My friend whose daughter is transitioning has a first name that is feminine / doesn’t have a male analog. He is using an abbreviated version of his middle name.