Going home again
A hometown visit brings back the struggles of growing up black and transgender.
DANNIELLE KING
Friday, May 23, 2008
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2008/5-23/view/columns/12645.cfmI RECENTLY HAD the opportunity to return to my hometown of Camden, N.J., a city relatively unchanged since my childhood.
Camden, at times, has had the dubious distinction of being named the nation's most dangerous and poverty-stricken city. With a crime rate that rivals larger cities like Atlanta and Detroit, growing up as a "->-bleeped-<-" in the town was no walk in the park. But today I am grateful for all of those experiences that caused me to appreciate growth, look toward the future and reflect upon my past.
I remember the first time I encountered a transgender woman there. She was wearing tattered jeans, a faded shirt exposing her midriff and chalky make-up. I recall being taken aback by her assertive air. She wasn't the most "passable" trans person, yet she had an unwavering conviction about who she was and how she wanted to be perceived.
