MstrssPassion
Posts: 2444
Joined: 1/1/2004
From: West Palm Beach, FL
Status: offline
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It seems that there may be many differences between the Two countries. In the states, it is not so easy to transition on the job. Some companies are coming around & are more open minded, but sadly many people are fired or made to feel so uncomfortable that they choose to leave. The thought of one losing their livelihood is stressful enough. My girl was fortunate enough to work with a company that accepted here transition & actually came to her for advice on how to handle it internally with other employees & such. Early on some of the women put up a fuss about her use of the women's restroom, but that was handled (but it took a few threats of bringing in the ACLU, a lawsuit & pointing out precedents of a case that ruled in favor of a transsexual teacher in school who was able to use the target sex bathrooms, so long as a bathroom was provided with the individual who had an issue with it)
It is apparent that many people are simply ignorant as to the truth about transsexuals. The old saying goes, people fear what differs from them. Not enough education is available to the masses. With the internet they only get a grossly distorted view as to what transgendered people are like & who they are. Transgendered persons & those who are either family or involved with them are still threatened or even worse, killed because of their connection. Just look at this site:
http://www.rememberingourdead.org/
(yeah, I know, I've posted it before)
Much of this is described in another site:(home page http://transsexual.org/)
http://transsexual.org/What.html
excerpt: There is tremendous social bigotry -and often outright violence- expressed towards the transsexual, and this often makes the life of the transsexual very difficult. Some transsexuals who have completely successful in transition to the appropriate sex therefore choose varying degrees of secrecy about their state and history. Other transsexuals never succeed in transforming physically to the point of being undetectable as transsexuals, and tend to suffer accordingly.
Transsexuals suffer many hurdles to achieve their required correction of the error of their birth. They must face society, the medical establishment, the common loss of all family and friends, the cost of treatment, the extreme difficulty of the required 'half-way' phase of transition which may last up to two years, and the inner turmoil of self-doubt and conditioned self loathing of their condition. It has been estimated (in 1981) that about 50% do not survive the malady, ending up dead by the age of 30, usually by their own hand. Almost all of this morbidity is attributed to the additional burden caused by the violent nonacceptance of society, the rejection of family and friends, and the inability to find decent care.
misspiggie, when you said this: That includes a (1) full year LIVING & WORKING as a woman in society (and believe me, it's easy) I'm assuming that Canada, or at least your area is much more open minded & accepting of transsexuals.
quote:
Note that it's a different path from one person's story, to another. No two Trans are completely alike. Some will choose not to get surgery and live half-man, half-woman. The medical programs can also be different from one hospital to another, from one province to another. I believe that in the States or some of them, it's much more strict regarding medical in- vestigations and assesments.
There are varying degrees of transsexualism/transgenderism. A crossdresser may not wish to change their gender. A transsexual may not have the same level of intensity in their desire to change as the next person. Many do not have the financial means to change. So many different scenarios are involved with this. Also there is a commonality between transsexuals & gay & lesbian population. Often a person tries to exist in a lifestyle that is considered accepted or normal. They marry, have children, go to work & pay bills... often later in life they cannot hide from these strong inner feelings so they "come-out" late. This can be rather upsetting for the whole family, not just the individual.
I'm hopeful that a day will come when this is not something people feel they have to hide. That they will be able to find support early in life so that they can have a chance to live a happy life. The mortality rate is extremely high for many. Mostly because of self destruction due to all of these obstacles & oppositions to their being who they are, not who they just woke up one day & decided to be. (I can think of many more ways to have lives turned upside down)
From my many long talks with my partner & with many other transsexuals I have known in my life, I have found some common factors that apply to my being who I am... a dominant woman, it just took me a lot longer to find out what the heck I was. The transsexual seems to know from an early age, hey I supposed to be a girl, not a boy (or visa versa) I should be in a dress, not a jacket & tie. With my difference... I had no idea why I thought differently than others. I had no one to talk to about these thoughts & images in my head. Even, when I tried to talk about it, I would have to hurry up & save face by concluding the conversation with... yeah, I was just messing with you!
Tomorrow night my partner is taking over a group that we have both been active with for some time now. We will be meeting every other Thursday to offer support & advice or just listen to other trans persons.
The best thing that can be done is help one person at a time & hope that this idea will catch on in many other communities.
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MstrssPassion
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RE: are there any cd or tg message boards? - 
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