My parents had a fair number of books that I used to look at and go through. One book that was in our family's book collection was a biography of Christine Jorgensen. Jorgensen was one of the first people to combine hormone therapy with surgery to reassign gender. For me this book seemed like the most natural topic and was totally a normal part of my childhood and upbringing. Exposure to this womans story was one of the reasons I grew up with a huge interest in human rights and tolerance and alternative ways of looking at the world. When I was a kid I thought I would marry Michael jackson and be friends with Chastity Bono. It seemed that seeing children on tv meant that they would be in my life in some manner. Funny perspective of children, ya know? I was very sad to hear that some extremists reacted so crazy to the casting of Bono on Dancing With The Stars. It just seems this typical kind of acting out of outrage is so backward. I still love seeing Chaz Bono on tv and have remained fascinated by his life over the years. I am pretty excited with this seasons line up for the dance show. I think a lot of the cast is going to be a lot of fun. I used to watch the Ricki Lake talk show (and of course the classic movie Hairspray...I once saw Divine perform in Toronto EPIC!). So Ricki Lake, Carson Kressly, Hope Solo (like most soccer fans I fell in love with her this summer) David Arquette and Chynna Philips are the dancers I'll be especially rooting for, but most of all Chaz Bono. I just think this whole exposure of him on the popular show is so healing and healthy for a bitter world.
These pictures really spark memories for me. I just loved the Jorgensen book and remember being about 8 years old and really being into looking at these photos. Last week I was channel surfing and fell upon a cool new reality series called Sex Change Hospital. Wow, what a great program....I landed up doing a marathon. The hospital is in "the sex change capital of the U.S." in Trinidad Colarado and the stories of the people transitioning are really well covered and wonderful.
2 comments:
"elle" vit donc l'andropause et la ménopause en même temps.
Hi La Gll, I don't know if I can say this in French, so forgive me....I will have to use English. BUT...menopause is cultural. Different cultures and many different economic factors play into menopause. My family didn't get menopause. Japan tends to not get menopause. Not like we perpetrate the concept in North America and pop culture. Often menopause has to do with economic status. Anyways long story to write to you in english...basically, menopause is a social construct and associated with income levels and stayus and several other cultural factors. Its not all women get menopause.
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