Do you ever feel like a Mermaid?

[Sejd]

You may know the story of the little Mermaid. It's all about transition from modality into greatness and life ever after. Hans Christian Andersen surely knew how to cook up a good story. I am going to the land of H.C.ANDERSEN this coming August. This is a small place. A tiny nation of 4.5 million people who has a reputation of being very liberal and educated. However, when it comes to knowledge of Trans people, this country like so many others are completely in the dark. To make things more complicated, this is my culture, my tribe, my people!!!!! When I grew up in Copenhagen, the concept of sex was on everyones minds. It was the roaring 60ties and Sex was everywhere. Walking to grade school, I would pass movie houses which would have pictures of scenes from the films shown in the theater. Films with titles like: I'll *** in your mouth" etc. etc. Hard core stuff. then there would be the sex stores with display windows you would not believe existed. A free for all, so called sexually enlightened culture. With one exception. I never saw anything about Trans people. So when I realized I was different, how would I know what I was? I never knew what a Trans Gender person was when I grew up because I never saw one. Not on the streets, not in movies, not mentioned in my parents conversations, not among the topics we discussed in school amongst ourselves. Yes, Denmark was and is a so called "Sex friendly" country, but not educated when it comes to the issue of GLBT. It's getting better, but slowly and not as far as we are here in the US, or maybe I should say, as here in the Pacific North West. I am going to visit my country in "male" mode since I am traveling with my spouse, but I am still feeling very ambivalent about how to relate to this old culture of mine, with all their education, all their social welfare, their wind mills, recycling and such, when there is such an ignorance about people like myself. For sure, it will be interesting. If you know this story about the little mermaid. Do you ever feel like making those sacrifices?http://www.Sejs2spirit.blogspot.com

[Persephone]

Very interesting, Sejd! I had no idea that transgender was so relatively unknown in Denmark.

Especially interesting since some of the first attempts at transsexual surgery were attempted on Danish painter Einar Wegener in the 1920's-early '30's and Christine Jorgensen's early 1950's transition was performed in Denmark by Danish endocrinologist Dr. Christian Hamburger.

So, in some ways, it is a country particularly rich in our history.

Try your best to have fun!

Hugs,
Persephone.

[Melody Moore]

It's interesting you mention Mermaids because when transsexual children are asked to draw themselves how
they see themselves they often draw mermaids. I personally always had a deep fascination for mermaids that
led me onto a life eventually where I became a Divemaster working on the Great Barrier Reef after I left the Army.

But I never really knew what this meant until I got older but according to pyschologist this fascination with mermaids
relates to the fish tail covering up what causes us lots us shame & embarrassment over what is between the legs. I
always dreamt of being a mermaid & had a deep fascination with TV shows like flipper because I wanted to have a tail
& be able to swim just like flipper.

Here is a video about young Jazz who was 8 years old when this video was produced. In one part of this video at about
4:05min you will hear a professional talking about this type of obsession with mermaids that some of us had as children.

Watch the video here: http://www.sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com....my-secret-self

[Rianna Humble]

I am going to the land of H.C.ANDERSEN this coming August. This is a small place. A tiny nation of 4.5 million people who has a reputation of being very liberal and educated. However, when it comes to knowledge of Trans people, this country like so many others are completely in the dark.
...
To make things more complicated, this is my culture, my tribe, my people!!!!! When I grew up in Copenhagen, the concept of sex was on everyones minds.
...
A free for all, so called sexually enlightened culture. With one exception. I never saw anything about Trans people.

I think it is dangerous to draw conclusions about how enlightened any country is based on what was happening in popular culture half a century ago. As others have said, several landmarks in the support of transsexuals were achieved in that same country before the period of which you speak.

It would be possible for me to make similar generalisations about the country where I live based on what things were like when I was a child, yet I live in a country where it is possible to have medical support for Gender Dysphoria at no charge provided that you are prepared for the waiting involved with getting to see a specialist.

When I was a child, discrimination against many sectors of society was rife, but today we have equalities enshrined in law. When I was middle-aged, you still could not get your true gender recognised legally, yet today I am treated as a woman, and when I get far enough through my transition will be enttiled to have my Birth Certificate corrected.

If I were to paint a picture of the UK based on what it was like half a century ago, anyone coming here today would not recognise it.

[Gina X]

Do you ever feel like a mermaid

Of course but catching the little blighters is very trickey

[RADER]

You bring up a point; I have always had a desire to get my wife a mermaid out fit.
maybe I should get one for myself.
Rader