Monday, June 25, 2012
TransGriot Ten Questions Interview-Tracie Jada O'Brien
Posted by Monica Roberts at 12:00 PM
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2012/06/transgriot-ten-questions-interview.html1. You're another person that has seen a lot of our community history in terms of watching the rise of the trans community. What was it like 'back in the day' and being a part of that?
TJO-We were chased a lot by people in the neighborhood and sexually objectified at the same time. It was quite scary, yet exciting ( 14 years old until I left St. Louis in 1970)
San Francisco in the 70's was an excitingly dangerous place, so free and open.
As a teen I imagined myself in college as my female self (hair in a larger afro and wearing a maxi-skirt) but my reality showed me a different landscape.
I went to San Francisco and began my transition, began experimenting with drugs, and sex work (all the activities was what I saw my peers doing )
I also had the opportunity to go to school but I lacked the drive and confidence at that time .
San Francisco was pretty liberal when it came to living free and open but on the other hand if you were a " working girl or hung out at bars and discos , you ran the risk of being arrested for Female Impersonation.
