Living Transgender In American Society Today: Blank Spaces and Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Blank Spaces and Thanksgiving

Greetings everyone,

I must apologize for being so silent this month and leaving a big blank space. I have been so busy with everything I'm involved in and then I had a very bad cold for several days and now the rush to get things done for the holidays has it's hooks in me. The turkey is in the oven now with apple-pecan stuffing and all the fixings.

I just wanted to say the TDOR service went very well and I will post the video as soon as it is edited. If anyone is interested in the text of the sermon e-mail me at evagenevieve@yahoo.com and I will gladly send it to you.

This picture is of me laughing while trying to swallow too big a piece of the communion bread. Having never actually prepared a communion service all by myself before I thought it would be nice to use bigger pieces of bread -- you know, making it seem a bit more substantial than just a tidbit. Well, I broke it up into fairly big pieces but the bread turned out to be quite tough and chewy. By the time we were all served we were all chewing and chewing and chewing and chewing and chewing and chewing and... Until we were all busting up. So it is back to tidbits or wafers this Saturday. You live and learn and sometimes you just gotta laugh about it.

I wish everyone the best Thanksgiving possible. One thing I am thankful for is the freedom we are gaining to be ourselves openly, and I am thankful for all of my T-sisters and T-brothers who are out and making their way in the world and I am thankful for all those who have suffered and died in order that we are better able to stand - let us never forget them.

Thank You all very much!!

Hugs and Blessings,

Eva-Genevieve!

5 comments:

Soumya RanjanNovember 26, 2009 at 4:43 PM
South Asian feminist thinker and writer Sarojini Sahoo proves T is alien from LGB.
Sarojini Sahoo tells that gender is a social creation, not a natural function of sex. Sex is related to our biological sexual make up and uses certain biological markers whereas gender is a common social expectation which puts borderlines for each sex.LGB are related to SEXUAL ORIENTATION and T is related to GENDER IDENTITY.
Is transition required any way for the people who feel their soul remain in the wrong body?
A very interesting discourse in this rarely discussed gender topic.
You can access this from her blog SENSE & SENSUALITY at http://sarojinisahoo.blogspot.com/
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Justine ValinottiNovember 26, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Eva: This year I feel very thankful that I have simply arrived to this day and place. After molestation, beatings and decades of depression and self-loathing, I am finally creating a life for myself as the person I am. I had my surgery in July, and I've just begun to learn about this new life I'm living.

Though I've never met you, I'm thankful to have encountered you here.
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Eva-Genevieve!November 28, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Thanks Soumya, for the link to Sarojini Sahoo's blog. It is a very in depth and insightful discussion - much food for thought there, and at a cursory glance I see gender and sexuality in much the same way.

For myself, as one who is trying to make the message of my faith relevant to those that have been traditionally marginalized over the years (regardless of who they are or why they are, or how they self-identify) this is a very important topic. It is a challenge to promote Faith without Prejudice to people who have vastly different perceptions of self and of the world around them. To do so I have to constantly challenge my own views and understanding.

Justine,
thank you for being out here too! At the start of my sermon for last weeks TDOR service I said very much the same thing - that simply my being here today, alive and happy is truly a miracle.

We must not forget what we went through to get here. I don't mean dwelling in the past and being bitter, bur rather remembering and celebrating the fact we made it in one piece and we can actually be ourselves out under the sun. Feel free to e-mail me at evagenevieve@yahoo.com

Hugs and blessings everyone,
Eva-Genevieve!
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Nikki FataleNovember 30, 2009 at 2:14 PM
Eva,

I was going to post a small list of the things I am thankful for but got side tracked and now there is something more important to address.

I'm sure you as well as everyone else is aware of the tragedy that has taken place in my area. My wife & I live about 20 minutes from the coffee shop where the 4 officers were killed yesterday.

I know you are a woman of great faith and I would ask that we all pray for the families of these fallen heros. Since we pray to different gods I was just hoping you could get in touch with yours and ask for help. This event is devistating to our community and my wife & I have cried until we can't anymore. These were good family people doing a hard job and it a great loss.

All My Affection,

Nikki
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Eva-Genevieve!December 2, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Of course I will pray (and I just did). Thank you, Nikki, for reminding me about the human side of this news.

Hugs,
Eva-Genevieve!
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Any Body, Everybody, Christ’s Body…

…was the theme at this years National Gathering of the UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns this year in San Diego (July 14 –17). There were about 125 attendees from all across the US and we even had folks from other countries. Several topics were discussed including ways to make Church accessible to all – many physical and mental challenges were included in this discussion as well as LGBT concerns, Mentoring Queer youth – the emphasis being the need for all of us to be mentors as we are able and that we all have something to teach others, Advocacy & Empowerment, OnA Next Steps: Telling Our Stories, and also a panel discussion on including “transgender” and gender expression more specifically in OnA statements, and immigration issues too – far more issues and information than one person could take in or even list here.

Starting Wednesday afternoon we jumped right in with a very lively worship service with wonderful music and through the course of the gathering we heard many inspiring speakers and participated in several “breakout” workshop sessions. We broke into small discussion groups daily, heard many points of view on important topics, and made many friends in the process. On our last evening the General Minister and President of the UCC, the Revered Geoffrey Black was the keynote speaker at the banquet. My favorite speaker at the conference was Felix Carrion who often contributes to the UCC’s “Stillspeaking” on-line daily Devotional. We ended the conference Saturday morning with another lively worship service and dismissed just in time for several of us to rush over and march in San Diego’s Pride parade with the Mission Hills UCC Church and Bloom in the Desert Ministries (also UCC affiliated). I brought back lots of things to discuss in upcoming Mission Board meetings, but more than anything else it is the personal connections that made the conference very worthwhile. I feel a part of something much larger now – there was so much positive, hopeful energy shared there. I felt so very warmly welcomed by everyone and I believe that my input there was greatly valued as well. And, of course, I made an impression with my array of colorful dresses and hats too! (Would you expect anything less)? I was so blessed for being allowed to represent First Congregational Church in Riverside at this Gathering.

Follow this link to pictures from the event -the photos are in no particular order and a few shots of the fire that broke out behind the motel where I was staying.

Hugs and Blessings,

Eva-Genevieve!