Sigh. Becoming a woman practically overnight, that would be one of my worst nightmares. It took me a good ten years to be any good at it, and I'm one of the best, babies.
No lectures on the transgen process, please, I'm well familiar with it.
It seems she had difficulties that outpaced gender issues. She thought changing genders would help with that, but sadly, it did not. Docs should do intensive work with people who think undergoing a change will save their lives. I don't know if it will help all the time, but it might. RIP.
@plasticene: If you listen to the NPR piece that is linked in this post, you will understand that the medical community has formal standards and tests for people who desire to transition as Ms. Daniels did. What they can't treat is the relentless undercurrent of doubt and anxiety that must have dogged this poor woman from the moment she realized her true gender, well past the time she was able to make a break from her false life as a man to a life that at least paid more than lip service to her true essence.
Listening to that piece, you hear the most touching combination of relief, fear, sadness, hope, and, to my ear, exhaustion. One can't help but think that sense of weariness played a major role in the tragic outcome.
I wonder what happened. In addition to the difficulty of being accepted in his field, I wonder if his age had anything to do with it. I've read accounts of middle-aged M-T-F transsexuals who said they weren't prepared for the lessened respect they received as women after having had successful lives as men.
@Lysergic Asset: Please let's not have a deck-chair-on-the-Titanic race. All of those things are intimately linked. Trying to rank them is a mug's game. The point is to try to do away with them, not argue amongst ourselves about who's the most oppressed.
God this is so very very sad. I followed this when it happened and was so amazed and impressed by his candour pre-op and hers, post. In the coming-out LAT article, he describes the struggle to figure out being transgendered: "We are born with this, we fight it as long as we can, and in the end it wins." That takes on such dark, sad new meaning here. RIP.
I hope his suicide is unrelated to his switching genders, but somehow, I doubt it, especially considering his profession.
I hope that someday, humanity evolves enough (in the spiritual/emotional sense) that all people are free to be whomever they want to be, love whomever they desire, worship - or not worship - whomever they choose. It may never happen, but... I can imagine it.
How sad. I seem to remember he tried to change back at some point? What a difficult situation, regardless, and not one that is very supported in general.
No one has found anything from 'Bad Taste?' It's a Peter Jackson gem! Chainsaw through the body, and when he comes out the other side, he declares "I've been born again!" #halloween
You guys missed on the Italian classic "Cannibal Holocaust." It was banned in a bunch of countries because the producers convinced authorities it was a snuff film. People getting impaled, crucified, eaten by piranhas, etc ... what's really creepy is that its shot on 16mm film and it *looks* like how you'd expect a snuff film to look. #halloween
On the other hand, there's the best way: Sexed up by an alien and/or monster disguised as a hot human. Jennifer's Body Species Liquid Sky
etc. #halloween
@Airvault: Jumpin Josephat Jesus! That movie is on the all time worst way to die list. Just the whole thing. In its entirety. Like for forever. The dogs, the dudes tied together, that guy with the tentacle head, yeah, could. not. sleep. for. two. days. Yearrrhgh. #halloween
07:48 PM
Mike's death made me think of her again. She had a sex change at age 21. Greer later said she'd wished she'd been allowed to straddle the line a bit.
07:42 PM
Sigh. Becoming a woman practically overnight, that would be one of my worst nightmares. It took me a good ten years to be any good at it, and I'm one of the best, babies.
No lectures on the transgen process, please, I'm well familiar with it.
03:44 PM
03:53 PM
Listening to that piece, you hear the most touching combination of relief, fear, sadness, hope, and, to my ear, exhaustion. One can't help but think that sense of weariness played a major role in the tragic outcome.
May peace be finally yours, Ms. Daniels...
03:10 PM
This is so sad.
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02:48 PM
I hope that someday, humanity evolves enough (in the spiritual/emotional sense) that all people are free to be whomever they want to be, love whomever they desire, worship - or not worship - whomever they choose. It may never happen, but... I can imagine it.
02:43 PM
03:12 PM
I found this:
"Penner later took back his original name and resumed living life as a man a year later..."
[www.sbnation.com]
11/01/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
Jennifer's Body
Species
Liquid Sky
etc. #halloween
10/30/09
10/31/09
11/01/09
10/30/09
10/30/09
10/31/09
10/31/09
10/30/09