Wild and tame; the primary duality. We all need to be wild enough to be unique and special, we all need to be tame enough to fit appropriately in the group, following decorum and traditions. ShamanGal just felt this reality play out in her workplace. She arrived there two years ago as a well assimilated … Continue reading Crunch Me
The one question I would ask at a trans consciousness raising group is this: “Since your emergence, which of your former beliefs have you discovered that you were wrong about?” To create change first you have to create doubt. Doubt lets you question your assumptions and expectations, your beliefs and your dogma in a way … Continue reading Start With Wrong
You have taken so many hits, I told TBB the other day, and have gotten up again after them to continue the good fight. She just keeps trying to do the work and that work has served her well, especially with her family. Even after incredible attempts of others to drive a wedge between her … Continue reading Battered and Tattered
Here is a big secret about me: I am a fantastic date. I know, I know. I don’t look like I would be a good date. I’m smart and challenging, big and intense and queer as hell. I’m not the person you would pick out of an app to go out with, whoever you are. … Continue reading Respect The Bubble
People, on the whole, don’t like to change their minds. Always, transsexuals were told, let someone see you full face before you speak. If they see you as a woman, your voice will be a woman’s voice. If they don’t see you — like talking on the phone — that choice may well go the … Continue reading One Or The Other
Every transperson needs emotional support. That’s true of every human, of course, but transpeople face emotional challenges different than their family of origin, different from their peers. In fact, those challenges often include having to help those around them negotiate the emotional issues that this culture builds around transgender issues for everyone. We don’t just … Continue reading Emotional Support
Maybe, the best way to know any given transperson is to know where they are stuck. It’s what we can’t seem to get away from of that defines us. There are many reasons why we can’t move forward. One important reason is because we love other people and want to stay connected to them, even … Continue reading Stuck
You want my simple formula for being an ally to transgender people? Easy. 1) Listen. 2) Repeat. Transgender people are not a class of people all trying to share their own identity. We are each an individual trying to claim and express our own truth in the world, a truth beyond what convention assigns based … Continue reading Listen. Repeat. Ally.
TBB asked me to think about what workshop I might give at the Creating Change conference in Houston this winter. NGLTF wants sessions that offer activists experiences with tools they can use rather than just offering a venue for people to give their stump speech, at least one version of which all activists carry around … Continue reading The Power Of Trans Narrative
You know what the worst torture implement might be for me? A neck brace. You know, just one of those regular orthopedic neck braces that people wear to keep their head up and supported, to keep their neck long and aligned. When I walk in the world as a transwoman, I tend to keep my … Continue reading Heads Up
To my mind, Groundhog Day may well be the best theological movie ever made. The parable of living the same day over again, the only thing changing being our own choices, is just plain powerful. “Is this how you would spend eternity?” Rita asks, and Phil stops just throwing cards and starts making better choices that help … Continue reading Ground Hog Day
From: Callie <CallieXqueerbitch.com> Date: May 30, 2006 10:05 PM Subject: Frontline: The Age Of AIDS PBS had a fine special, and WMHT chose to play it in the offered time period tonight. It's called "The Age Of AIDS" and takes you through the 25 years of AIDS. Gosh, that seems like such a short period, … Continue reading Talking Community
It makes me crazy when people talk about calling like it is some nice, pleasant thing. Calling is a bitch. Life is a struggle between your acorn and your forest, between the expectations of the community and the voice of your heart, between tame assimilation and wild individuation. Too many people think that calling is … Continue reading Calling Is A Bitch
Are You Ready For Community? by: Callan Williams Tribes exist when people share a heritage. Religions exist when people share belief stories. Communities exist when people share priorities. Through most of human history, we have lived in groups where all these three were shared — heritage, belief, and priorities. We had common ancestors, common beliefs … Continue reading Are You Ready For Community?
Callan 