Comments on: TransOhio Keynote: The Metamorphosis of Us http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/2009/08/17/transohio-keynote-the-metamorphosis-of-us/ helen boyd's journal of gender & trans issues Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:17:33 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Véronique http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/2009/08/17/transohio-keynote-the-metamorphosis-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-62755 Véronique Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:59:09 +0000 http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/?p=8844#comment-62755 This was wonderful. I would have loved to have heard you deliver it. I transitioned because I had to, knowing I might lose the only good part of my life. I tried to slow down, but I know I went too quickly for my beloved. Still, with help, we both made it through. I feel doubly blessed to be a woman, at last, and still to be with my soul mate. Wishing you and Rachel -- and others -- the blessings you seek! This was wonderful. I would have loved to have heard you deliver it.

I transitioned because I had to, knowing I might lose the only good part of my life. I tried to slow down, but I know I went too quickly for my beloved. Still, with help, we both made it through. I feel doubly blessed to be a woman, at last, and still to be with my soul mate.

Wishing you and Rachel — and others — the blessings you seek!

]]> By: Melissa http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/2009/08/17/transohio-keynote-the-metamorphosis-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-62740 Melissa Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:26:18 +0000 http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/?p=8844#comment-62740 I remember your talking about publishing a book, and wondering if it would even sell. I remember coming out on MSNBC, and what a big deal it was to admit it all in public like that. (you only ever saw trans people on "Jerry Springer" making fools of themselves) The community as a whole has come so far in 10 years, I feel priveleged to have been observing from the front row. We all have seen and experienced advances and setbacks. Mostly, I hope the lesson has been to keep true to ourselves, to keep helping others learn, answering questions without embarassment, living our lives openly, honestly, respecting family and friends while they struggle to understand what we have lived with all our lives, things we have tried to protect them from. That we've tried to protect ourselves from. Thanks Helen, and thanks Betty (oops, Rachel) for everything you've done, and all the things you've inspired the rest of us to do. I remember your talking about publishing a book, and wondering if it would even sell.

I remember coming out on MSNBC, and what a big deal it was to admit it all in public like that. (you only ever saw trans people on “Jerry Springer” making fools of themselves)

The community as a whole has come so far in 10 years, I feel priveleged to have been observing from the front row. We all have seen and experienced advances and setbacks. Mostly, I hope the lesson has been to keep true to ourselves, to keep helping others learn, answering questions without embarassment, living our lives openly, honestly, respecting family and friends while they struggle to understand what we have lived with all our lives, things we have tried to protect them from. That we’ve tried to protect ourselves from.

Thanks Helen, and thanks Betty (oops, Rachel) for everything you’ve done, and all the things you’ve inspired the rest of us to do.

]]> By: Kieran http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/2009/08/17/transohio-keynote-the-metamorphosis-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-62739 Kieran Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:27:50 +0000 http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/?p=8844#comment-62739 Thank you. I am glad I read this. Thank you. I am glad I read this.

]]> By: Osa Morena http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/2009/08/17/transohio-keynote-the-metamorphosis-of-us/comment-page-1/#comment-62738 Osa Morena Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:55:01 +0000 http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/?p=8844#comment-62738 "I was weird for being supportive, and occasionally felt like I was a minority of one." I almost forgot about that feeling! Fifteen years ago "Gender Outlaw" was newly published, and we attended a reading Kate Bornstein gave, just as we were starting to decide if my spouse would transition. It was a great evening. A good thing too, since there wasn't much support available, especially for spouses. I wish I had had your analogy of the bucket of cold water, and those six ideas, for myself as well as our relatives and friends. Some days during transition it was too much to hold myself together and hold up my part of day to day life and then be enthusiastically supportive about my spouse's self-discovery too. Those ideas would have helped us both adapt, and mitigated the pain and the grief over various losses. But I like where we are now, and I'd do it again. Thank you so much, Helen, for the personal and community perspectives and the encouragement. “I was weird for being supportive, and occasionally felt like I was a minority of one.” I almost forgot about that feeling! Fifteen years ago “Gender Outlaw” was newly published, and we attended a reading Kate Bornstein gave, just as we were starting to decide if my spouse would transition. It was a great evening. A good thing too, since there wasn’t much support available, especially for spouses. I wish I had had your analogy of the bucket of cold water, and those six ideas, for myself as well as our relatives and friends. Some days during transition it was too much to hold myself together and hold up my part of day to day life and then be enthusiastically supportive about my spouse’s self-discovery too. Those ideas would have helped us both adapt, and mitigated the pain and the grief over various losses. But I like where we are now, and I’d do it again. Thank you so much, Helen, for the personal and community perspectives and the encouragement.

]]>