GRISHNO.com

The results are in and, to me at least, they're not entirely surprising.  From my basic experiences of talking with other transfolk, it seems like most people began to act or notice acts that were contrary to their assigned gender in the early childhood or pre-teen age ranges.  But while the results may not be surprising to me, the conversation that came up around it was.

It was pointed out to me on the forums that the question for this past weeks poll was very vague.  When did you KNOW that you were the wrong gender?  That can be interpreted in may ways.  I'd initially meant it to ask when you first started to feel/identify with the gender opposite your birth, which to me would be early childhood.  However, when I KNEW that I was in the wrong gender happened when I met my first transsexual friend at the age of 19.

The point here is that while I may have wanted to be a girl from a very young age, I didn't realize that I was in the wrong gender until I realized I could change genders.

The other interesting point that came up is that, for a lot of trans people, it was a much more gradual process of realization than simply waking up one day and saying "Whoa, I'm in the wrong gender!".  For many people they began to realize that something was different when society began to force gender on them (aka, preschool/kindergarten).  From there there is a gradual realization that what they're feeling isn't in line with the gender that's been forced on them, which culminates in the eventual realization that you are in the wrong gender.

Overall I think that this was a very interesting topic to explore, and I appreicate the 238 people who took the time to take the poll (including the 30 cisgendered people who took it).

I am a big proponent of prison reform in this country.  I believe that prison shouldn't just be about punishing someone for doing something wrong, I believe that it should be a place where we help people get better after they've done something wrong.  When prisons around the country started taking away funding for inmates to get their college degrees I was appalled.  How are you supposed to better yourself after getting out if you aren't given the tools to succeed while you're in prison?  But when I heard that a convicted wife murderer in Massachusetts was petitioning a judge to have the state continue to pay for her electrolysis, I had to question how far I was willing to take those beliefs.

The same inmate, one Michelle Kosilek, has also been petitioning the state to pay for her SRS, and while I believe in a prisoners right of self expression, I don't know that I support the state eating the cost of a convicted murderers vaginoplasty... especially when I'm struggling to scrape together enough savings to pay for my own.

According to the AP, a lawyer for the Massachusetts Department of Correction says Kosilek has had significant hair removal already through laser treatments and seven earlier electrolysis treatments, while a lawyer for Michelle argued that having facial hair is "intensely personally stressful to her."  I'm sure that it is very stressful for her, but maybe she should have thought about that before murdering her wife?  Opps...

Read more about this issue and add your own thoughts after the break.

I wouldn't call NY my home state, but it is where I truly began to find myself, and as such has a special place in my heart.  So when I heard yesterday that the NY State Senate rejected the marriage equality bill 38 - 24 I was filled with a miriad of unpleasant of emotions, and like many people I began grasping at straws trying to find a silver lining.  Well, Alan Van Capelle, executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda did some digging around andd found one; but it is really a silver lining, or just trying to make the best out of a bad situation?

After the vote, Alan is quoted as saying: “We are pleased that the issue of marriage equality at last was debated in the New York Senate,” and, “We had long called for a public debate on this matter so we could determine who was truly on our side. … Now we know where we stand, and where we need to concentrate our efforts in the future.”

Now, I'm all about looking on the bright side, but this seems more akin to saying something like, "sure the bully at school beat me up, but at least we seemed to make some kind of physical connection and now know that he doesn't like us".  I understand that without knowing where particular senates stand on the issue it is hard to know where to consintrate your efforts, but does the best way to find out where people stand have to involve killing the bill that you're trying to pass?  Maybe I'm just being bitter though?

On the bright side we have New Jersery's vote on the same issue to look forward to next week.  And may I say that if New Jersey beats New York in the passage of gay rights legislation then all of New York will have to hang its head in shame... that's like your own armpit beating you in a game of tennis.

You may have seen my reaction video to this news on youtube yesterday (if not, click the link! ...or else), but what you don't know is that there were nearly 5 minutes of video that was left on the editing floor because being struck speachless just doesn't translate so well to a youtube video.  When I recorded the video I'd literally just read the article in the NY Times and found it hard to do anything besides sit in front of the camera and stare blankly into it, hoping to wake up (no such luck though).

Each week Grishno.com picks a video from the Youtube Transgender Community to feature.  If you've made/seen/know of an awesome video on youtube don't hesitate to send them our way: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Enjoy.

It's been a while since I've featured a video that might be described as "Bat-shit-crazy", so I thought I'd throw this one at you.  This video comes recommended by one of the sites Guest Authors (Holly Anna), who linking it in chat one day.  It made me smile so much that i simply couldn't resist the urge to feature it on the site.  So without further adu, I give you "Strange Strange 'Disease'", by Elija Montgomery.