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Dragster
06-29-2005, 07:35 PM
There are signs that society’s attitude to TGs is beginning to change, at least in the UK. A full page article appeared in my local newspaper (Knutsford Guardian) today concerning the recent MtF transition of 59 year old Femina (what a great name for a T-girl) Street, formerly David. It describes her former life as a bullied schoolboy, a realisation at 7 that she was different to others, trying on mother’s and sister’s clothes, Royal Navy at 20 to escape, a career as a builder, lorry and bus driver, married with 3 kids in her 20s, but still wanting to dress in women’s clothes (doesn’t that sound familiar!). Her wife allowed her to wear some of her clothes, but was not pleased by her complete ensemble, that was too much. Divorce followed after an affair with another woman (!!). Years later, the internet opened up opportunities and she realised she was not alone. Dressing was not enough, and after hormone replacement therapy, she had the op 3 months ago. She’s been living with her partner, another TG girl, for 3 years now, and in spite of speech therapy and learning many female traits she’d spent a lifetime hiding, she’s still taunted in public, being called a paedophile and a pervert. She sometimes gives them back something daft like “What do you want, a photograph?”

Unfortunately, most of her family have disowned her, and some of her grandchildren have been told she’d died, but in the end, now she’s a full time woman, she thinks, “Yeah, this is how it should be”.

The article was very sensitively and sympathetically written, which makes a change in this prejudiced society. There was also another news article in the same paper about problems with sewage overflow into a garden belonging to Femina Street. It referred to her as “she” and “her” garden without once mentioning sex change or transgender, so perhaps the attitude of the UK press is beginning to change, at least as far as TGs. I wonder whether the same applies to CDs?

Tony

Julie
06-29-2005, 08:06 PM
I'd say it depends on who is writing the story. The media knows that sensationalism sells and their job is to sell their story and make money. There was an article posted here recently where a CD applied for volunteer work at a hospital. All references to her were in the masculine. She was also arrested.

When I'm out I've had some people be very kind to me but occasionally I get idiots in my face too. As I wrote in the TS section, we represent something that flies in the face of age old ideals our society is built upon. Society needs big strong men to protect them from the bad guys. Men wanting to emulate women is contrary to that. So while we will see great stories like what you spoke of, we will aslo see stories of CDs, TGs and TSs being referred to as sick and perverted.

Our best tool is education. As long as we keep portraying ourselves in a positive light and work to educate the masses, that will happen.

Dragster
06-30-2005, 10:01 AM
There was no sensationalism in the article Julie, but now I think about it, there was a banner on the front page referring to it, on page27, so maybe you're right.

Tony

Rachel_740
06-30-2005, 11:07 AM
There are signs that society’s attitude to TGs is beginning to change, at least in the UK. A full page article appeared in my local newspaper (Knutsford Guardian).Tony


Here's a link to the Guardian (http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/cheshire/knutsford/news/KNUTSFORD_NEWS4.html) if you want to read it.

Anne

Dragster
06-30-2005, 08:28 PM
Where did you get that from? I didn't even know the guardian was "on-line", and I live here. Do you too, or did you find it by surfing?

Tony

Deanna2
06-30-2005, 08:44 PM
There was an item on Australian TV about a week ago of a woman playing competition soccer. The big deal was she had played soccer in a men's competition as a male about twenty years earlier.

The item also made mention of a number of other women who had played sport as men.

JoAnnDallas
06-30-2005, 09:03 PM
You mean, you don't remember ....Rena Richards..... She was the FIRST TS pro tennis player. I remember when she got her SRS and wanted to play in the womens circuit. the official did not know what to do at first. They finailly let her play, because her laywer pointed out that it was NOT in the rule book that she could not play in the ladies circuit, she was now a female, and they even had to let her use the ladies locker room and bathrooms.

Rachel_740
07-01-2005, 11:06 PM
Where did you get that from? I didn't even know the guardian was "on-line", and I live here. Do you too, or did you find it by surfing?

Tony

I live in the south west. most of the papers are available online now. Just type the name on Google.

Anne