GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

I believe it is better, to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant.

~H.L. Mencken, Writer (1880-1956)

PROTEST

SUPREME COURT RULING!

The Supreme Court ruled that the civil rights law protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination. It was a surprise given the makeup of the court. Wonderful news.


https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/us/gay-transgender-workers-supreme-court  

COMMENTARY

Two black transgender women were murdered in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Now President Trump has overturned protections for transgender people against sex discrimination.in health care. It's bad enough that transgender people in many cases do not seek medical care because of the fear of mistreatment or worse, no treatment. What the government is doing is defending the strict binary system already in place. 

Transgender people are being denied participation in school athletics, service in the military, access to public accommodations in some cases, and denial of employment and housing. Roger Severino, head of the Hospital and Health Services states that transgender people are protected by other statutes that bar discrimination in health care. What I would ask Mr. Severino is why does he assert that transgender people are protected under existing statutes when transgender people, legitimately so, fear mistreatment. I know people who have been mistreated. 

I would also ask how my being transgender affects your religious convictions. Am I one of God's creations? Does God love me any less? I have been a born again Christian much longer than I've been out as transgender. Treating someone different because they aren't like them is showing partiality which is clearly spoken against in scripture. 

I am disappointed with this but not defeated. There will be lawsuits. I'm concerned about my trans brothers and sisters. Yet, I will be in the fight to see this action defeated. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.


~James Baldwin

COMMENTARY

Much has happened both worldly and personally. I won't dwell on the personal stuff because it would take another post. With the protests over the death of George Floyd, let's not forget the shooting of Tony McDade, a transman, in Jacksonville, Florida, and Breonna Taylor in Louisville. I'm for peaceful protests but I abhor the looting and rioting done by those up to no good. 

There are some really troubling problems in the country. It's high time people not only begin a dialogue but figure out how these issues can be resolved. What gets me is that neither the right or the left will talk with each other. I find the left so married to their ideology that they believe that they cannot learn some things from the other side. The same goes for the right. This is a shame.

I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I respect that. It's time now that both the left and the right put aside their egos and listen to each other. Much has happened in the country. the pandemic, the protests, the anger and disgust people feel. If that anger and disgust don't lead to action, actively and personally, then all this means nothing.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.


~George Bernard Shaw

CANCELLED

The Trans Wellness Conference in Philadelphia scheduled for July has been canceled for 2020. It has been rescheduled for July 2021.  I was looking forward to going along with visiting Philly, a city I have come to like. My wife and I plan to visit Philly sometime in the summer.

CONFLICTING TIMES

The past few weeks have been trying. A few people I knew from my church family passed away  Another black man (George Floyd) has been lost to police brutality. The streets are burning in many places. Protests are numerous. I felt uncomfortable in an eatery while buying a pizza. My friend's passing was the tip of the iceberg. I am doing better today. I am watching what's going on. I'm not overwhelmed by it, just so much is happening all at once.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with a sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained.


~Helen Keller

TAKING STOCK

Since the coronavirus lockdown, there has been an uptick in bias against blacks,  Asians, Jews, and Latinos. Wonder who is losing it?

What does the second amendment have to do with coronavirus? I live a block from the hospital. During the first few weeks, ambulance sirens were a constant. The virus is real and needs to be taken seriously. A number of people in my neighborhood have died.

I would be out practically every day before corona. This cramps my style but this isn't going to last forever. I have been calm about the whole situation. The fog will lift one day.

Life will be different, for sure. I have learned some new skills and so have a number of my friends. Even in crisis one can be productive. The small things mean more than you know. Whatever joys there are I just take in the moment and enjoy it

HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR FREEDOM

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

MORE ACTIVITY

I see more people outside in recent days.  More businesses are open also. It's still pretty much a lockdown but people are venturing out.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

A crisis will bring out the best or the worst in people.


~Genevieve

MOTHER'S DAY

EACH PERSON HAS THEIR OWN JOURNEY

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Crises are part of life. Everybody has to face them, and it doesn't make any difference what the crisis is.

~Jack Nicklaus 

COMMENTARY-CHANGE HAS COME

Some people have the notion that life will return to normal. With so many people unemployed, businesses closing, and essential services curtailed, I don't see how that is possible. I don't trust much of anything the government and politicians say.  

Yesterday, some workers at places like Amazon and Whole Foods went on strike. All these stimulus packages will be going to the usual suspects-never the working class. Will this be the beginning of a people's revolution? The LGBTQ+ community is now the targets of bigots, being blamed for the coronavirus pandemic. As you can see, some people's stupidity is coming out. 

Make no mistake the world will be different. For better? Or worse? only we the people will decide. I'm through with the politicians and so-called experts. They are all liars, cutthroats, sociopaths, psychopaths, who are married to the corporations and only out for themselves. It is time for us to stand up and speak out. Protest. Work on the things that need changing. Only we can make life better. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.


~George S. Patton, Soldier (1885-1945)

FROM A HATER TO A HISTORIAN

I never had any interest in history as a school student. Actually hated it. I remember one time, getting so angry I threw my history book against the wall. 

Over time I saw the importance of history and why it's so important to study it. During this pandemic, I have found an interest in reading the history of LGBTQ people, and trans people in particular. I am currently posting castles twice a day on Facebook. I did more research on the ones that fascinate me. I am also researching obscure poets and studying them. 

I enjoy doing research and I guess being somewhat of a historian is a natural choice for me. When I read about the many LGBTQ people of the past, there are so many variations of expression. The colorful history of some of them is riveting and thrilling. Because I enjoy doing research, it could be why I like writing essays. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

PRIDE MARCH CANCELED

The New York City Pride March and other events in June have been canceled. It may happen later in the summer says, Mayor De Blasio. There are plans to have a virtual pride celebration. The city will lose a lot of money with these cancellations. I will miss being among all the revelers. 

WHAT IS THE END GAME?

I don't believe everything has been told about the coronavirus. I have been researching Anthony Fauci and I don't like what I've been reading. To me, the government overstepped its bounds with this lockdown. Unemployment, businesses closed, and social. Is this a precursor to martial law? I pray not. I don't trust anything the government says. I will post more on this in the coming days.

INTERESTING

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

When we are no longer able to change a situation we are challenged to change ourselves.


~Viktor E. Frankl, Psychologist (1905-1997)

BE ENCOURAGED

How is everybody doing? Is everybody doing ok? This pandemic will not last. Be encouraged. 

HAPPY EASTER!

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

God's mercy and grace gave me hope-for myself, and for our world.

~Billy Graham, Clergyman (1918-2018)

LIBERATION

This is an article I wrote for an online publication a decade ago.

Liberation
by Gennee

When I came out as a crossdresser, I was liberated from what society says I’m supposed to be. I felt that I was completed as a transgender person.

There’s another liberation that I experienced many years earlier. When I confessed my sin to God, I asked Jesus to come into my heart. It was liberated from the control of sin and eternal damnation. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He set people free from disease, blindness, despair, shame, fear of the future and religious dogma.

One of my concerns, when I came out, was how being transgender would affect my standing with Christ. He answered me one November day in an empty church when He embraced me as His child who happens to be transgender. It was part of his plan for my life.

Liberation is more than being set free from physical circumstances that are unpleasant. Jesus came to liberate our spirits too. We may be free, away from the things that bring distress and pain but are bound by shame, anger or bitterness. The inner turmoil from years of abuse may still paralyze us from living the life God has for us. I am reminded that it took nearly a century after independence for America to be free from the threat of attack from Britain.

Liberation means we no longer need to be victims. As transgender and gender-variant people, this can be a tall order. Long suppressed and demeaned by medical and religious institutions, we are rising up and declaring that we are God’s creation, too. We believe that God loves us as we are.

Transgender author Vanessa Sheridan states that ‘liberation is an essential, perhaps the essential element of the gospel of Jesus Christ for human beings and certainly for differently gendered human beings. It’s the whole purpose of the gospel- to free us from sin’s shackles.’ Sheridan states further that ‘Seeking personal spiritual liberation through the good news of Jesus Christ will help us to accept our responsibilities and benefits as gender-variant individuals, allowing us to more fully celebrate our transgender orientation and identity as the true blessings from God that they are.’

We need not be ashamed of who we are. Christ has liberated us from the shackles of sin, shame, and despair. We have been liberated from society demands that we conform to something that we’re not.

MISSING MY FRIENDS

I participated in church services online this morning. My wife and I did the passing of the peace ceremony. I was during service it hit how much I miss being with my friends from church and from my senior center. I keep in contact over the phone or social media but it's not the same as physical interaction. 

I'm sure they feel the same way. I generally don't show my emotions but this really puts a damper on me. I'm okay with the fact that's there's a  pandemic going on. Still, it's too bad I haven't able to see my friends. This won't last, I'm sure.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.

~Desmond Tutu

QUEER THEOLOGY

Queer theology is being discussed at church. We are discussing what it is, our personal viewpoint, and reading scripture through a queer lens. When I came out as a crossdresser, I examined what the scriptures say about it using Hebrew texts. What is said and how it is portrayed in American society is quite different. I applied this to transgender later on. 

As a queer transgender person, I will refute the idea that I am an abomination. I am wonderfully made to be the person God created me to be. The study was conducted on Zoom and nineteen people participated. I'm looking forward to future meetings. 

TRANSGEDER DAY OF VISIBILITY

HAPPY TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY

BE PROUD

BE OUT

BE WHO YOU ARE

ALONENESS

I went out today and picked items for the house and, later on,  food. The place I went to had plenty of water and toilet paper. While I waited for the subway home, I scanned the scene on the elevated. Van Cortlandt Park was two stops north. In high school, I ran cross country races there. I have visited the park from time to time.

The park is one place I feel a sense of peace. I'm drawn by the beauty of the foliage much of the year. I reminded me of my childhood when I always wandered into the woods. There are days that I still yearn to those childhood days. Don't know if there's a pathway but I will find out. I yearn for quiet spaces because I feel the freedom to be Genevieve. 

My journey is lonely at times but I don't feel that way. I'm quirky in that I can be alone for days at a time and enjoy it. I admit that I'm not PC but, then again, I am different. Doing what's not expected. My life has been a trip thus far. Looking ahead it going to get even stranger.  

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

I'm a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. the great point is to bring them the real facts. 


~Abraham Lincoln

TIME TO BE HUMAN BEINGS

I went downtown today and it was eerily quiet. Times Square isn't quiet at 3 in the morning on a weekday.  With the city on lockdown, many people are working from home or not at all. Restaurants and bars are closed. so are movies, theaters, churches, and other venues where people will congregate. The coronavirus pandemic has affected how we go about our daily.

Some might say that it's the new normal. I like to think of this as a time we need to choose who we want to be as human beings. It will be on each individual to do this soul searching. Things will not be the same when this crisis passes. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

In a time of domestic crisis, men of goodwill and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics.

~John F. Kennedy 

CORONAVIRUS

Don't ever remember New York City on lockdown. Many businesses are closed or doing limited work. There's only delivery and take out at restaurants and eateries. I have been out but on a limited basis. Can't keep me down. Been keeping in contact with family and friends. 

It's also a good time for quiet assessment and reflection. Which things are really important and which are not. Maybe those projects long put off can be done. There's much to consider. This is a bridge I don't believe any of us has crossed. 

Follow all the directions by medical folks 

Don't be in close proximity to people who are sick. See a doctor if you have the symptoms.

Mental health is just as important. See a therapist if you feel triggered or depressed.

Drink plenty of water, vegetable, and fruit juices 

Keep in contact with family, friends, and neighbors.

Pray.


This will be over soon enough.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.


~Muhammad Ali, Athlete (1942-2016)

I'LL MANAGE

As a huge sports fan, I'm disappointed that the men and women's basketball tournaments were cancelled. So were spring training in baseball, hockey, and pro basketball. In my own famous words, I'LL MANAGE.

NO GO

LGBTQ and non-conforming people will not be counted in the 2020 census. This is wrong and the definition of discrimination.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

There's no excuse for the young people not knowing who the heroes or heroines are or were.


~Nina Simone, Musician (1933-2003)

CORONAVIRUS

I have been reading about the symptoms of coronavirus.  Unfortunately, some people have died. In many cases, the persons who died had other medical conditions. You also had some idiots hating on Chinese people because the virus originated from China. 

Like all illnesses, rest, drink fluids,  see the doctor if you have difficulty breathing, which is one of the symptoms. Also, people need to calm down and stop overreacting, which exasperates the current situation. It will pass.  

NO REAL CHANGE

With Elizabeth Warren dropping out of the Democratic primary that leaves Dems with two old white men. If Joe Biden wins the Democratic nomination it tells me that people want the same old, same old. Bernie Sanders is too leftist for some. Biden is a safe choice, more establishment. 

I will not vote for either one of them. President Trump will win again. Sorry to say that, Democrats. If you wanted REAL change these two men wouldn't be your choice. Elizabeth Warren and the other candidates weren't any better. They were all bad. Shades of 2016 with the Republican nominees. 

SOUTH CAROLINA

Joe Biden needed a big showing in the South Carolina primary and he got it big time. It has signaled the end of the line for Pete Buttigieg and possibly Amy Klobuchar. Looks like Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren.

To me, SouthCarolina Democrats took the safe route in choosing Biden. Sanders's socialist views won't cut it anywhere in the South. Warren may be hurt by the fact that she has not taken advantage of her early success. 

What this shows me is that Americans aren't willing to roll the dice on an outsider like the Republicans did with Donald Trump in 2016. It was a huge gamble and it paid off. I have stated many times that the reason Mr. Trump was chosen was that people were tired of the status quo.  Mr. Biden IS the status quo and that's a shame because there are better candidates out there. Status quo doesn't cut much anymore, in my opinion. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT CRITICS AND NAYSAYERS

I don't go about concerned about what my critics say about me. First of all, they aren't living my life and me not theirs. If me being who I am is bothering them, it's not my concern. If they have questions about me they can ask. What they do with the answers is up to them.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

I think that a church should be setting the pace for social justice.


~Max Lucado

Lucy Hicks Anderson

Lucy Hicks Anderson: An illustrated compendium of queer people in the 19th and 20th centuries

CRAZY WINTER

This has the strangest winter I ever experienced. It's snowed only once and only a few inches. Used to be that we would get at least one big snowstorm every winter. No more.  

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I won't divulge anything about the movie. What I will say is that it resonated with me on many different levels. I thought about the 1980 case of the Central Park 5 who was accused of rape. When the real criminal came forward, the men were released. They received neither an apology or any kind of help. 

Just Mercy touches on injustice, institutional racism in the criminal justice system, class, corruption, and identity. I related to the LGBTQ+  and how poorly we are treated. I've said a lot in just a few sentences. When you see the movie I'm sure it will be clarified.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves-we find it with another.

~Thomas Merton, Author, Trappist monk (1915-1968)

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

Nowhere in the bible does it say that one is to trash our neighbor because they are a difference race,gender, or sexuality. The bible tells us to love, period.

GO! GO! GO!

Thus far anti-trans bills have been defeated in South Dakota and Alabama. Keep it up, people!

COMMENTARY

After a wild week of Democratic tomfoolery, it's time to get back to the real business of resolving the problems which ail us. President Trump won the election in 2016. Here it is three years later and people are still ticked off. I won some and lost some. I also learned from mistakes made and correct them. 

There's plenty of concerns people can work on. Education, the environment, homelessness. substance abuse, and numerous other issues. I wish that people could work on these things instead of raising their blood pressure over something that happened three years ago. 

One of my concerns is the attempt to erase trans people from the conscience of the people. Many states are proposing anti-LGBTQ that will greatly affect this segment of people of which I am a part of. Working on this is so much better than crying over spilled milk. It's time to move on.  

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon. 

~Franklin D. Roosevelt, President (1882-1945) 

DISASTER

What happened in Iowa, I believe, sealed the fate of the Democrats for 2020.

IOWA

The Iowa caucus is happening now. Will have a clearer picture as to who the Democratic contenders are for the highest office.

SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS!

REPUBLICANS PUSHING ANTI TRANS BILLS

A number of states are proposing bills that will greatly affect the transgender community. The South Dakota legislature overwhelmingly approved a bill that criminalizes medical procedures that address gender dysphoria in children under 16. If passed through the Senate and signed by the governor, trans youth will be severely affected. Some states will assess fines and jail time if doctors and medical personnel help trans people.

This is a sad commentary of what our fearless leaders are doing to our community. They are doing this in the trans community because we are less in numbers. Don't think that they don't go after gays and lesbians. It's on their agenda. Time for us to step up 

LET'S BE ADULTS

One hope I have for 2020 is for differing groups to begin talking and listening to each other. Nothing will be solved if people are hollering and screaming at each other. Tribalism just creates more tension and angst. There are numerous problems that need to be resolved. It is time for people to act like adults find solutions.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Patience is not simply the ability to wait-it's how we behave while we're waiting. 

~Joyce Meyer

ANTI TRANS BILLS

Many states are proposing bills that would limit trans people's access to medical care, counseling, and public accommodations. In one case some treating a trans person is subject to a felony. It's time for activists and people of good will to see that these bills don't get passed.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

FCS CHAMPIONS

Congratulations to the North Dakota State University Bisons on winning their 8th FCS championship.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

You must do the things you think you cannot do.


~Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady (1884-1962)

ONE GOAL FOR 2020

Each year I list some goals I will attain. Last year I wrote much poetry (between 150 and 200 poems). This year one goal is to write a full-length play. I have written small plays in the past. I have a few ideas as to what I will write. Still thinking of a few other goals.

TRANS AND PROUD

The new year was just two days old when the news of a transgender person in Oklahoma was murdered. The attacks on trans people have been ramped up in recent months. The media, in my mind, is complicit in fomenting some of the anti-LGBTQ bigotry. Trans people are being made to become invisible because of policies that wish to deny our existence.

It is time that we stand in solidarity for the right to be who we are. No one can tell us how to live our lives. I will not go into a closet because someone feels uncomfortable being around me. That's not my problem. many have sacrificed much to have what we have now and I'm not going to relinquish because of some bigoted politician, preacher, or anyone else.

COMMENTARY

The troubles in Iran, the brush fires in Australia, and the craziness in our streets, and anti-semitism signals more trouble times ahead. The so-called leaders are either powerless, lack a spine, or just out for themselves. The bible talked about these troubled times and it"s happening right before our eyes.

As a Christian I must 🙏 pray. It is time to do what is right. I don't know what will happen in the future but it is important not to be fearful. I am concerned but not fearful. Christian everywhere need to pray for our world. People, do whatever you can to resolve the concerns we may have.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

New Year's Day. A fresh start. a new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. only dreams give birth to change.


~Sarah Ban Breathnach

2020

FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS

DIVISION II

DIVISION III

North Central Cardinals

NAIA

CONGRATULATIONS!

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you! Let nothing be lost upon you. Be always searching for new sensations. Be afraid of nothing.

~Oscar Wilde

A SPECIAL MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MY LGBTQ+ SISTERS AND BROTHERS

I wish a Merry Christmas to folks who are estranged from their families just because of who they are.  

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS!

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.


~Aristotle (384BC-322BC)

NUMBER TWENTY THREE

Nikki Kuhnhausen, 17, of Vancouver, Washington, is the 23rd reported murdered this year. She is the second teenager killed.

DINNER FOR LGBTQ+ YOUTH

Tonight the Beyond Labels ministry hosted a dinner for LGBTQ+ youth. A number of people of various ages came. I had a wonderful conversation with a transman who remembered me from a panel I was on back in November.  There were games, food, music, dancing, and fun.

I would do another one of these and pray that it happens again in the future.   

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

~Oscar Wilde, Dramatist (1854-1900) 

STANFORD WOMEN WIN NCAA SOCCER TITLE

The Cardinals won their second title in three years with a hard-fought victory over the University of North Carolina (0-0; 5-4) on penalty kicks. 

PUSH BACK

The way I see it if the government is going to push back on denying trans people their rights, then we need to push right back. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.

~Winston Churchill

FIELD HOCKEY CHAMPIONS

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHAMPIONS


DIVISION I

DIVISION II

DIVISION III

LIVING MY LIFE

It's early for me to give my thoughts about the past year but I'm breaking with my tradition. The bias against transgender and non-conforming people has been ramped up. Combine that with the current administration undoing the rights we fought for and there may a storm coming. I'm not going to let anyone stop me from living my life I refuse to be invisible.  

COMMENTARY

Thanksgiving festivities will conclude tonight. People returning home from visiting family in other places. Thankful for getting together with people we love. I am mindful of people who spent the holiday alone. Some have been estranged from their families for years for various reasons. Others have no living relatives. 

Will hearts of thanks continue in our daily lives? I surely hope so. There's so much to be thankful for. There are people around the world who wish to have what we have: the freedom to worship and live and enjoy life. Let us not complain about what we don't have. Be grateful for the things you do have.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Thanksgiving is a time when the world gets to see how blessed and how workable the Christian system is. The emphasis is not on giving or buying, but on being thanking and expressing that appreciation to God and to one another.  

~John Clayton, Clergyman (1709-1773)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

THE WORK CONTINUES

Another Transgender Day of Remembrance has come and gone. The work continues. Many trans and non-conforming people are killed every day just because of who they are. There have been many positives, one of them being more visibility. A negative has been the increased attack on trans and non-conforming folks from numerous quarters. Would like more discussion about suicide in the trans community. 

I pray that people were encouraged and challenged. Continue the fight for our rights. I certainly will. We have every right to life, liberty, and happiness.

ADVISORY COUNCIL

I completed a two-year term on the advisory council at SAGE, my senior center. I served as part of the meal committee. I've never before served on any committee as such. I learned much in the time I was on the council. I was educated on the purpose of bylaws and procedures needed to run an effective council. I will continue to be active on the meal committee. 

The main point is that if people want to see and affect change, they need to become involved. whining and complaining don't do anything. Meetings on your particular concern are a great place to voice opinions and come up with solutions. When enough people voice their concerns, change can happen. Many folks have said that the meals have improved since I've been on the council. I'm pleased that they feel that way. It was them that helped affect the improvement. 

I hope to run again next year. This is from a person one could say is a reluctant activist.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come. 


~Henri Nouwen, Clergyman (1932-1996)  

TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE-HONORING DECEASED AND LIVING

I attended Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremonies yesterday at the senior center I go to. Celebrated were the lives of 'transcestors' such as Marsha P. Johnson, Storme DeLaverie, Leslie Feinberg,  Christine Jorgensen, and Sylvia Rivera. Also noted were trans activists who are living such as Miss Major Griffin-Gracy (79 years young), Renee Richards, Janet Mock, Jamison Green, M J Rodriquez, Kate Bornstein, and many others.

My names of the 22 known trans women who were murdered this year were read. One of them, Bailey Reeves, was just 17 years old.  The oldest person was 40 years old. The real number of trans people murdered is much higher. Many cases go unreported or the person is often misgendered. Today is the actual date of TDOR. 

Days like today will trigger strong emotions in some folks which I do understand. Take care of yourself first. I pray that someday we won't have to have Trans Day of Remembrance but a day of celebration. 

TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

I will be participating in Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremonies tomorrow night at the SAGE center. I will be reciting a poem of which I'm fine-tuning. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Goodness is about character-integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is how we treat other people.


~Dennis Prager

NIKKI ARAGUZ-LOYD

I was saddened by the passing last week of Nikki Araguz-Loyd in Texas. A transgender activist who fought successfully for her late husband's benefits, she opened the door for other trans spouses to receive benefits from a deceased partner. Araguz-Loyd was very active in the trans community. She was 44 years old.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Do not give back to his master a servant who has gone in flight from his master and come to you: let him go on living among you in whatever place is most pleasing to him.


~Moses

CALIFORNIA

My heart goes out to the folks in California. I have watched the news reports of all the devastation by those fires. So much loss of property and people's lives disrupted. I pray that they will receive the aid desperately needed. Is California sustainable? That's a question that will need to be answered.

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes. 


~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Poet (1803-1882)