Brush with "Redefining Realness"

Maybe God wanted me to eventually discover my womanhood. I do believe in positive omens in this world. There just happened to be signs for which way the Lord wants us to go. You just have to listen. For example, the motto of the United Church of Christ tells us that "God is still speaking". In my case, I hope that I am still listening when He talks to all of us. He gets to communicate with us in a way that we "get it".

As you may recall in an earlier blog I posted some time ago, I had wondered what my late mother would say about her only son becoming her third daughter. Should you take a closer look at a picture of her primal years side by side a recent picture of me, you may see some resemblances around the nose, eyes and mouth region. The recently golden-bronzed bouffant of mine would change everything. My mom wore short-haired wigs most of the time that I can remember. She left a few of them after her passing from cancer in her kidneys in 1979, along with a good number of muu muus, nursing outfits and lingerie. I'd probably guarantee my hair has currently outgrew hers over the years! 

Yesterday, I posted about how my transition into full-time womanhood is going in the first few weeks. They are a blast, blending into society like retired superheroes' true identities.  I know that there may be some struggles ahead, knowing God will be there to help me through them. So I may want to make a few "life changes" along the way (getting in shape, working on being a successful business transwoman with my home-based online travel agency, becoming an inspiration to others in my community, etc.). My mom only lived to age 49, meaning that time is of the essence to make something of myself while the Lord above allows me to do so. I don't wanna "go home" right now!!!

I was checking on facebook to see who has left me a message or comment about yesterday's commentary when I got to notice that one of my literary heroes, Janet Mock, had done an interview video following the success of her New York Times' bestselling memoir, Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity,Love & So Much More (http://f-st.co/Q8Jo4zU). I got watch Janet speak not only about her book, but the meadia's slower-than-the-Mississippi-River acceptance to the transgender community than the way it's accepted people coming out as gay or lesbian. Just remember how Laverne Cox and Victoria's Secret model Carmen Carerra both put Katie Couric in her place earlier this year. Or how Janet was criticized by Piers Morgan, and all the negative Twitter rants following the taped interview. The list is endless, yet both Mock and Cox have begun to put being trans in a more positive light. 

Janet was speaking to an off-camera interviewer about her story, opening her twitter feed to other trans people for them to express themselves the way she did. Then, I noticed something at 2:44....HOLY SHIT!!! I saw my pic holding Janet's book via webcam! I was so psyched I screamed out loud like a schoolgirl watching The Exorcist!!! OMG!!! OMFG!!!! The video piece had my fb pic with Janet's book. I did a double-take to make sure it was me. WOW!!! I re-posted my giddiness to all my fb friends about this. They did feel like I was a little bit of a celebrity. What Janet has done was basically become a modern-day torch bearer for acceptance of transpeople everywhere. Here in 2014, society may be more acceptable towards being openly gay, but being a transperson has been met with frosty reception. Blame those damn talk shows for bringing out all the negativity about us. I am glad that there are people out in this world who have fought the odds and have come out on top. My own journey towards my own realness has already gotten a wonderful kickstart.