Alliteration, bitch, WHAT!?
So yeah, lots in my head today. Here we go.
- I am still sort of reeling from the news that my friend is positive. He hasn’t told me, but I want to talk to him. Not sure of how to do that without seeming totally conspicuous. Perhaps I will use another friend as a contact. We’ll have to see where this goes.
- I am not attracted to Ray Lamontagne at all (way too shaggy), but I definitely love him. His music is awesome. I am seriously all, Damien Rice who(?) now. HA!
- I can’t believe that this article was written recently. Seriously, a checklist to see if your husband is gay? So basically, if your husband hates gay people, or, if he likes them and surround himself with gay people, he must be gay. Well, that is pretty much everyone, the gay haters, and the gay supporters; we must all be gay! WTF? I would like to believe that times are becoming more progressive, but people still holding these antiquated views of homosexuality really show that we have a long uphill battle ahead. Now, while I am sure that it is very difficult for a woman to discover that she is married to a gay man, I don’t like that the gay men are painted as some sort of predatory manipulator that is trying to take advantage of the marriage situation, just to make himself feel better (without regard for his wife’s feelings). That is just BS, and we all know it (at least, we should). Being gay is hard, and admitting it and living it is even harder; but getting married because you aren’t okay with your homosexuality isn’t some sort of manipulation game you are playing with, it is obviously way more complex than that. I just can’t believe that there is a checklist that reinforces all of those stupid stereotypes. Ugh, I would like to think that we are normalizing homosexuality, but things like this are just creating more stigma. Bleck.
- I really don’t know how I feel about this. I mean, it is good that Barbara Walters is bring attention to something that really goes unnoticed (that is, until someone is beaten to death because they are transgendered) and something that is utterly shunned, but I don’t know what the impact on these kids will be. First of all, a HUGE kudos to the parents who support their children; I hate those so-called Christians that throw their children out because they didn’t come out exactly like “God made them”, i.e. “normal”. At least there are parents who are supporting their children. I guess my concern, is that exposure as transsexual really does put them at risk for those nutsos that really would want to beat them to death for who they are. I just have hope that people can change, you know? I just want the world to be more tolerant; is that so much to ask? Until the answer to that question is a resounding ‘no’, I will be concerned for people that deal with situations like being transgendered, and even for those that have the unfortunate circumstance of being gay in a very homophobic area. Be careful!
- I painted two paintings last night. I think that it is definitely one of the first times I have painted something, and was very pleased with the initial results. It came out exactly as I imagined, and I haven’t second guessed the project at all. I am kind of floored with my lack of criticism, to be quite honest. I will put some pictures up, hopefully this afternoon. I can’t wait to hang them up!! It also reminds me of my utter wish that I could do creative things for a living… but alas, I do live in the real world, not the dream world where I get to do things I enjoy for a living…
- Finally, a HUGE WTF for this story. I mean seriously… not one spider, but TWO SPIDERS were living in this kid’s ear. That freaks me the fuck out. My grandma was just telling me the other day that she cleaned out her boyfriend’s ears, and got a pea-sized amount of wax out (EW!) because he NEVER cleans them. WTF?! I am very weird about stuff in my ear, and I am just shivering thinking about a spider being in there. Yikes!
Yeah, so um, yeah. That’s what’s going on with me right now. How about you?
WOW – you have a lot on your mind. Can’t wait to see the pictures of your paintings. I’m in a mood myself – I hope to be able to post on it at some point today. Three more days!!!
in response to the abc special :: I have conflicting feelings about the special but for different reasons. I don’t think the special puts them at any kind of risk. Most of the people those children come in contact with on a daily basis already know(I believe). And raising awareness helps raise acceptance. So I think ultimately it will be a good thing.
The problem I have with it is that the children are so young. I’m not sure that supporting them to this extent this early is such a good idea. One of them is 6 years old. I really don’t think a 6 year old has any kind of concept of differences in girls and boys other than the obvious anatomical differences. I don’t think they should be discouraged from discussing their feelings, but to just completely support them and starting to think ahead to hormone replacement is a bit soon. I just don’t think that 6 year olds have that kind of awareness to be able to determine what sex they feel that they are.
Joey,
Without fail, all of the transgendered people I know (including my ex-husband) say they knew from a very early age – e.g., 4 or 5 years old – that they were born into the wrong body. Anecdotal, I suppose, but there it is.
Yeah. I guess it’s something I’d have to live through to understand fully. I’m just remembering back to all of the misunderstands I had when I was that age. All of the things I thought that were but turned out to not be so.. or things I thought I felt but were different once I got older and got a better grasp on my own emotions and the world around me.
But you’re right. Who knows better than someone who has lived it?… no one.
I think that it is good for a parent to notice something about their child and be supportive. But it might be really hard for that child. I mean, to be biologically a boy… do you get sent to school as a girl? Which restroom do you use? And other children are growing and learning and some of them will be tolerant and others will be horrible. And if you stand out too much you get creamed. I had enough on my own plate in high school. I can’t imagine what it would be like for a transgendered person. But I guess if you can catch it early, the person might be more balanced as an adult.
I read about the spiders in the ear. I really hate spiders and to think that they might crawl into your ear at night. Freaky. I would not want to save them as a souvenir.
Hope you get the paintings posted. I am glad you can do something creative even though it is not full time. Any creative pursuit is a good thing!
Ray LaMontagne rocks…I saw him in November and he blew me away! Trouble is one of my favorite albums:) Damien’s new album is bit stranger. I don’t know. I just haven’t absorbed it yet maybe.
I am sorry to hear about your friend, Duane.
Keep painting Van Gogh;) Or is it Gauguin?
Doug,
Actually, little kids tend to be the most accepting when it comes to gender transition. The older people get, the more of a problem they tend to have with it. Children haven’t yet internalized the messages that our society sends about gender.