Living Transgender In American Society Today: On the Way to Re-Union... I hope

Saturday, April 28, 2012

On the Way to Re-Union... I hope

So far this has been an interesting trip. (I'll be adding more pictures to this post as time permits) Pardon me for "burying the lead" but it gives me the opportunity to do the travelog...

My BF and I left California Thursday April19th. We made it to Gallup New Mexico the first day and had a wonderfully delicious dinner at the Badlands Grill. One note about Gallup should you find yourself there - the water tastes really awful and makes nasty coffee because most of it is recycled - bring bottled water to drink and make coffee with.

The next day we made it to Colorado Springs though we stopped in Trinidad Colorado and took an extended rest stop there to poke around the town and have a nice lunch in the historic downtown at The Corner Shop Cafe (107 East Main St. Trinidad Colorado 81082). The town is undergoing some major reconstruction of several very old buildings that are too deteriorated to keep but it remains nice, friendly town worth visiting. It is in a beautiful location with some snow capped peaks. And for the uninitiate Trinidad is a place well known for Gender reassignment surgeries.

Trinidad is the first town in Colorado. Bat Masterson served there as Marshall for a short time.

Saturday we Got to Omaha Nebraska and were so tired we simply crashed. Sunday we got up and went to Church at one of the two Open and Affirming UCC churches in Nebraska - First Central Congregational Church and were very warmly received by everyone we met there including the Pastor and his husband. The church building itself was absolutely gorgeous on the inside too.

Then we went sightseeing to the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland a few miles west of Omaha and got to see (and touch) some of the most awesome planes. I even got to sit in a cockpit trainer for a B52 bomber.

Monday night we arrived in Naperville, Il and we have been spending some time here with my mom, visiting a cousin of mine in Evanston and resting up from lots of driving. Tomorrow we head out for Cleveland OH to see my two sons who I have not seen in 10 years. I have talked on the phone with them and sent pictures so they are somewhat prepared, but the acid test of acceptance will come when they meet the new me Saturday Morning. At this point I hardly know them because I have had so little contact with them ever since they were dragged away from California in Contempt of Court at Christmas of 1997. We had one really good summer -7 weeks together in 2002 but since then we have not seen each other.

I am hoping for a good reunion, the details of which will be coming in a few days or maybe a couple weeks as time and emotion permits me to type at you all.

Hugs and Blessings,
Eva-Genevieve!

4 comments:

genevieveApril 28, 2012 at 1:13 PM
Pray all goes well.
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klatonioApril 29, 2012 at 2:47 PM
Enjoying your blog!
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UnknownMay 3, 2012 at 4:40 PM
Hope all goes well for you.
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Bud CassidayMay 16, 2012 at 6:19 AM
Glad you stopped for a visit to First Central. Bud Cassiday
ps. I painted the banners in the sanctuary.
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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!