Hurricane Irene

We here in New York City survived Hurricane Irene. It was a lot of rain and wind where I am. My wife and I went outside yesterday afternoon and we didn't notice any physical damage. The mass transit system was shut down and many establishments were closed. We're okay.


~Genevieve

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Be as smart as you can, but remember that it is always better to be wise than to be smart.


~Alan Alda

Being A Good Neighbor

One of my thoughts this weeks was from a bible verse; Love your neighbor as yourself. My neighbor is anyone would is around me or who I see everyday. I seems that those who opposes us LGBT people are not being very neighborly. It's one to disagree with some one on, say, politics. It's quite another to deny someone of their right to live happy and productive lives. To me, this reeks of hyposcrisy. I have been reading more about this, espcially among some politicians, organizations, and even in the clergy.

At present, I'm working on an article about this subject which I will post at a future date. I just wanted to post this much because it's a burning issue .

~Genevieve

Small World

Last Wednesday I read some poems at an open mic at a bookstore. After the reading I met a bisexual woman who I discovered writes for a online site that I write on. I shared with her that I was trans (I was dressed as male because my wife was with me). I read one of my poems about my transition to her and she liked it. She told me about a place where LGBT people gather for an open mic.

I just moved here to Washington Heights in late June and I'm finding some contacts already. There is an LGBT community here though not quite as open as it is downtown. Hopefully, I wll establish some relationships with other transgender people. I feel very excited.

~Genevieve

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Change your thoughts and you change your world.

~Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)

Standing Up

There has been an increase in attacks against LGBT people, and women of color in particular. Camila Guzman, a transgender woman, was murdered in her apartment in East Harlem, which is just a few miles from my home.

While I'm not surprised by what's happening, with the increased visibility of transgender people, justice to pass equality measures have been slow to come. I have found a place where I possible could be more involved in seeing that transgender people are cared for. You would think that, with all the injustice and violence in some respects, I would be afraid but I'm not.

All over the nation, and the world, transgender people are standing up. In my mind, this is a matter of life and death. I pray that LGBT organizations will see that what happens to transgender poeple will affect them.

~Genevieve

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

~Buddha

I have added a few new websites on my sites list. I heartily recommend. www.progressiveradionetwork.com


~Genevieve

ENDA and GENDA Must Be Passed Now!

The passage of ENDA (and GENDA here in New York) is of utmost importance in light of attacks of transgender woman in Washington, DC. On Monday, a transgender woman was brutually murdered in East Harlem, a neighborhood just 2 miles from my home.

It's also important that these laws are ENFORCED! I was appalled when the police in DC wouldn't even write a report after five lesbian woman were harrassed and attacked. With transgender people more visible, I am not surprised by these occurences. Still we must be viligant because our foes are wrong.

~Genevieve

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

No matter how many people may be against you, there ae just as many people in your corner.


~Genevieve

Gender Questioning-Liberation!

On July 26, 2005, I came out to myself as a crossdresser. Almost immediately, all the struggle ad ension inside disappeared. What surprised me is that I felt no shame or guilt about it. I was liberated from what society says that I should be. I was completed because I finally discovered who I really was. When I read about the meaning of 'transgender', it connected with me.

Today, I am a happy transgender woman. I have made some good friends, bee out in public may times, and do the activities that I normally do. There's nothing like being authentic. I've never been happier in my life.

My journey is ongoing as I discover and experience new adventures. I love encouraging others to be who they are and that they havethe right to be happy.

~Genevieve

Breaking Through The Clouds

I'm coming out of my dry period. I have come out with some new thoughts and ideas that I'm putting into practice. Tonight, I will be attending a open mic session at a bookstore. I may read a poem but I'm still deciding.

Over 400 gay and lesbian couples were married this past Sunday here in New York City. The media covered it pretty well. I pray that we transgender people will secure our rights very soon. I admit that I was annoyed the ENDA and GENDA weren't passed but I will keep working until it is.

~Genevieve

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

I believe all Americans who believe in freedom, tolerance and human rights have a responsibility to oppose bigotry and prejudice based on sexual orientation.

Coretta Scott King (1927-2006)

Dry Period

I've hit a dry period in my journey. Been out a few times but haven't had much time or finances to do what I would like. I've been able to see where I am now and like where my journey has taken me.

Dry periods can be a time of refreshment, searching, assessing, and changing. I never look at it as dead time but time to make the postive changes that will improve my life and help others. if there's one thing that I fear, it's becoming irrelevant. I always believe that I can encourage someone to see that they are important and that they matter.

~Genevieve

Gender Questioning, Part 4

The tension I felt inside was excrucitating. I just wanted this urge to go away. I felt like running away and hiding in some dark hole. Every day I kept saying that this urges will go away, but it didn't. What I feared most was lashing out at others for something that was inside of me. I started this blog to write down my feelings and release a lot of this tension.

Every day I wrote something down. It could be a few sentences or several paragraphs. I was open and honest about my feelings; something that never was easy for me. Now the screws were tightening. I didn't know how much longer I could take this.

~Genevieve

To be continued.......

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Everyone has people in their lives that are gay, lesbian or transgender or bisexual. They may not want to admit it, but I guarantee they know somebody.

~Billie Jean King

While I was happy that marriage equality passed here in New York State, I was disappointed that the Gender Employment Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) was not. It was on the same agenda and had enough votes to pass. In my opinion, the groups that are supposed to represent transgender folks didn't press it hard enough.

It seems to me that trans activists were always the stepchild to the gay and lesbian lobbies. We had to constantly prove our mettle and we did. I may remind some that transgender people were at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Later, we were pushed to the margins by the predominantly middle class, white gay male leadership. If you look at the boards of many of the mainstream LGBT organization that paradigm still exists. The fact is that the vast majority of transpersons killed, in jail, or unemployed or underemployed are people of color.

While I'm disappointed, I'm not deterred from working to see that the best bill possible that benefits transgender people will pass. The state assembly had a golden opportunity to pass both marriage equality and GENDA at the same time but they passed on it. Perhaps, it's time for us transgender people to carry our own banner and march.

~Genevieve

Back In The Saddle

I'm finally settled in my new place. Feels good to be in a place you really like. The neighborhood is changing for the better. I have walked through the neighborhood and discovered that there are plenty of restaurants, clothing stores, parks, and cultural events.

I read about a bookstore opening in the neighborhood in the local newspaper. I dropped later and found it to be so. I couldn't find any bookstores around so this is a welcomed addition. The community has responded positively to this new arrival. There will be readings, story telling, music, crafts, and other activities.

I have been feel my way around the neighborhood regarding dressing up. I've done it twice so far. It will take time but I'm up to the challenge. Need to if there are activities for LGTQ folks.

~Genevieve

Moved In

I moved into my new place last Friday. I was pretty excited, as was my wife. Later on, my son saw our place and he liked it. We purchased some things for the place. We are deciding what colors to paint the rooms.

We walked around the neighborhood browsing in stores. We ate dinner out then returned home. I remember when this neighborhood was being destroyed by drugs. That was a decade or so ago. They have cleaned it up and now you have many ethnic groups living here. I really love the parks nearby as they are very peaceful.


~Genevieve

Moving

On Friday I will be moving to a new apartment. I will be living in Manhattan after 53 years in Brooklyn. I'm pretty excited and can't wait.


~Genevieve