Hi, Lisa, public education on ->-bleeped-<- and transsexualism I think, unfortunately, will not happen for some years to come, least ways not until we can get around the cave man mentality of the fundamentalists and Ku Klux Klan mentality preaching that we are evil and take it upon themselves to save satan the effort of having to reserve our parking place in west hell for us. 

Doing it alone would be detrimental to one's mental and physical health as well as a waste of time. But I do believe that the general public's perception will remain blurred for as long as we ourselves are unable to  identify the growing gender variations which should be documented in such a way that one doesn't infringe on the other. To have our own unique identity, sadly enough, as much as many don't like labels, while in this 3D reality we need a form of labeling in order to come up with a better system of classifying the many variances under the transgender umbrella.

Until a more clearly defined system of labeling is developed and agreed-upon, transgendered and transsexual people will only get this blurred presentation of the gender variances from unprofessional sources. 'taint gonna happen, me dear Mrs Applebee, Maryjane has plumb went and eloped with the milk man again.

My partner and I continue to gently press this view.

Cindy     

On the contrary, grassroots and political education are useful, but we do have to be careful about framing it on our terms vs. cissexist terms. Sadly, most of the education comes from people who hate us.

Getting into schools is a ways off, though.

Oh but don't I agree with the outdated educational system, quite analogous to the outdated power grids that carry the power between Canada and US which is still to a greater degree being transmitted on early 1900's technology. "Wow!" Imagine that, talk about blowing an intercontinental breaker. One big surge turning the grids into a knot and turning out the lights of both countries. Well sooner or later I inclined to believe through my own observations that for every system that resits change will sooner shoot all of it's own toes off with it's own six shooter.

You are quite right a different way of delivering education the new kids on the block has to be raised soon. It is out dated and obsolete and has become just as cumbersome a juggernaut as our own governments, sooner or later when something gets that massive it will eventually blow it's own fuse. Well that's neither here nor there for the time being, but I do agree that another systems of education needs to be put in place, the newest trend appears to be home schooling.

But then that is another horse of a different color, I am not all that good at being the head cheese to kick start any given operation, I am just the idea person here, as a healer I call myself the band aid girl, my mate does a much better job at doing the head cheese thing.

Thank you, it's been a pleasure having this challenging conversation with you

Cindy 

Quote from: Lisa Harney
And when trans people tell you "If you want to know about this, check out these books and maybe these websites" are you going to tell them that?

Absolutely not. Because, in that case, my question has been answsered by someone I can trust to give me a reliable resource.

And, I never said that I refused to do research, and I never condoned interrogation. I have done research. There's a lot out there that claims to be objective, and is actually quite judgemental instead. Susan's was the first serious site I came across from Google. Many links in my searching went straight to porn. Refinging my search strings led me here.

What I was talking about was trying to ask questions out of respectful curiosity. But, I did say it was probably a bubba question.

Quote from: Shades O'Grey on October 26, 2008, 11:39:53 AM

Quote from: Lisa Harney
And when trans people tell you "If you want to know about this, check out these books and maybe these websites" are you going to tell them that?

Absolutely not. Because, in that case, my question has been answsered by someone I can trust to give me a reliable resource.

And, I never said that I refused to do research, and I never condoned interrogation. I have done research. There's a lot out there that claims to be objective, and is actually quite judgemental instead. Susan's was the first serious site I came across from Google. Many links in my searching went straight to porn. Refinging my search strings led me here.

What I was talking about was trying to ask questions out of respectful curiosity. But, I did say it was probably a bubba question.

That's fair, then.

And I agree that a lot of what's out there is judgemental, which is why I do believe in at least recommending reading instead of just saying "go look it up yourself."