Psych!

I try to watch a new show, this time Psych, because the trailers always seem funny, and what do you know? A man is being haunted by someone who keeps redecorating and leaving long red hair everywhere.

It turns out he has multiple personality disorder and one of his personalities is a woman trapped in a man’s body. She’s been going to a shrink to find out about SRS.

The third personality is homicidal and doesn’t want his genitals changes. So first he kills one shrink for helping the trans female identity, and is about to kill another, when the two guys of Psych figure it out. The name of the show was “Who Ya Gonna Call?

I can’t escape trans. I can’t. I want to watch a stupid show & it’s still about gender expression. Though I do appreciate that the homocidal personality and the transgender personality weren’t the same. Is that progress? Maybe.

Another Reason I Love Crossdressers

Erica Foley, a blogger on TGB, recently decided to do a photo shoot that was inspired by the first few pages of My Husband Betty. If you remember it, it’s about why a woman wearing her husband’s shirt is considered sexy, while a man who’d put on his wife’s slip, isn’t.

So here he is being the girl enjoying her guy’s clothes- though of course the girl & the guy are one & the same:

Just love genderfuck like this. Love it.

RIP “Foole”

George Carlin died tonight, in LA, at the age of 71. I don’t even know what to say: he is probably Betty’s all time favorite comedian & one of mine as well. There are so many of us who grew up influenced by his worldview, but more than that, by his observations on the ridiculousness of human behavior. In a good way.

My favorite bit of his, which I refer to more often than I would have ever expected, is from a routine he did not too long ago, where he’s talking about the whole “save the planet” activism, & then points out, “The planet will be fine. We’re the ones who are going somewhere. The planet’s going to shake us off like a bad case of fleas.”

Indeed. Thanks for a lifetime of laughing so hard my sides hurt, Mr. Carlin. Maybe they’ll give you that ass, at long last, in the heaven you never believed in.

Crap Skin, Good Products

I’m not much of a product review type, but I’ve happened upon a couple of products that make me happy, so I thought I’d share.

First, there’s now generic Zyrtec available, and it’s called Cetirizine. Half the price. Works just as well.

Second is all about skin, especially for the summer, especially since I’ve always had crap skin, there’s Aveeno’s Clear Complexion products, namely the Foaming Cleanser and Daily Moisturizer. Believe me, I’ve had crap skin for forever and *nothing* works. I’ve been using these for a while and continue to be impressed with how well they work (when I remember to use them.) It IS expensive, but being one of the cheapest people alive, I still find they’re worth it.

In addition, Almay makes a pressed powder compact for oily skin that has 5% Salicylic Acid, too. I love it. I know all the pressed powders say they don’t clog pores, but I don’t believe them. Whenever I wear foundation, or powder, or some combination, I always break out a day or so after. I haven’t tried the liquid yet, because I just don’t wear foundation in the summer, but I’ll give it a go this fall.

Caveat Emptor

Having worked for NYPIRG long long ago, I’m pleased to see internet consumer advocacy, like www.mouseprint.org, covering standard consumer issues.

They update every Monday on issues like how big that jug of OJ really is, to the fine print for car rentals. Lots of useful stuff.

The Other Hand

The AMA passed a resolution attempting to make home births illegal, and yet in the same session, they also passed Resolution 114 (MS Word .doc):

Whereas, Gender Identity Disorder (GID) is a serious medical condition recognized as such in both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International Classification of Diseases; and

Whereas, GID, if left untreated, can result in clinically significant psychological distress, dysfunction, debilitating depression, and, for some patients without access to appropriate medical care and treatment, suicidality and death; and

Whereas, The medical literature has established the effectiveness and medical necessity of mental health care, hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery in the treatment of patients diagnosed with GID; and

Whereas, Many health insurance plans categorically exclude coverage of mental health, medical, and surgical treatments for GID, even though many of these same treatments, such as psychotherapy, hormone therapy, breast augmentation and removal, hysterectomy, oophorectomy, orchiectomy, and salpingectomy, are covered for other medical conditions; and

Whereas, The denial of otherwise covered benefits for patients diagnosed with GID represents discrimination based solely on a patient’s gender identity; and

Whereas, Our AMA opposes discrimination (AMA Policies H-65.983, H-65.992) and the denial of health insurance (H-180.980) on the basis of gender identity; and

Whereas, Our AMA opposes limitations placed on patient care by third-party payers when such care is based upon sound scientific evidence and sound medical opinion (H-120.988); therefore be it

RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association support public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder in adolescents and adults (New HOD Policy); and be it further

RESOLVED, That our AMA oppose categorical exclusions of coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder in adolescents and adults when prescribed by a physician. (New HOD Policy)

Which doesn’t do the job entirely, but it’s certainly a good weapon in a trans person’s arsenal when arguing for why their transition related costs should be funded.

(thanks to Veronica for the news)

No Habla Felina

Do you see that belly? Our downstairs neighbor – soon to depart for IN – calls her Butterball, now. And whenever I take her out on her leash, someone invariably asks me if I take her out so she can get some exercise, or they ask if she’s pregnant. I’m glad she can’t speak English.

On the One Hand

The AMA just passed a resolution to outlaw home births. Astounding. As if women haven’t been giving birth for eons at home, with the help of midwives. My own mother was born in her family’s home in PA with the help of a midwife (and she had to fight for the right to have natural childbirth when she was giving birth to her own children in the 1950s & 1960s).

This is baffling, and unfair. For a lot of poor women, the increased costs of health insurance, the debilitating recovery needed from the over-prescribed C sections, and just the sheer cost of a hospital delivery, make it nearly impossible for these women to do anything BUT give birth at home.

& Here I was cheered by the news that the AMA resolved to support the treatment of GID by health insurance coverage (more on that tomorrow). I feel like I’ve just been spun in a revolving door.

(via Feministing)

The Mississippi

My thoughts, and condolences, and best wishes for all of you in the midwest who are worried about the Mississippi’s levies breaching (or who are dealing with the ones that already have, in IA).

Recently it’s been as if Mother Nature has decided to show us exactly who’s boss.