During my orientation at Cal, we were told that Cal has the most Nobel Prize winners of all the universities in the world and that any one of us could become a Nobel Prize winner. Like everyone, at one time, I was worried about trying to achieve the ultimate body and attractiveness. Then, slowly, I began to realize that there was much more to just being accepted as "a woman" and being attractive. I realized it was just a beginning, a rebirth...and now anyTHING is possible. Will I win a Nobel Prize? Probably not but doesn't mean I won't try.




Stupid girl, stupid girls, stupid girls
Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back
Porno Paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl

Go to Fred Segal, you'll find them there
Laughing loud so all the little people stare
Looking for a daddy to pay for the champagne
(Drop a name)
What happened to the dreams of a girl president
She's dancing in the video next to 50 Cent
They travel in packs of two or three
With their itsy bitsy doggies and their teeny-weeny tees
Where, oh where, have the smart people gone?
Oh where, oh where could they be?

Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back
Porno Paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
Baby if I act like that, flipping my blond hair back
Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl

(Break it down now)
Disease's growing, it's epidemic
I'm scared that there ain't a cure
The world believes it and I'm going crazy
I cannot take any more
I'm so glad that I'll never fit in
That will never be me
Outcasts and girls with ambition
That's what I wanna see
Disasters all around
World despaired
Their only concern
Will they **** up my hair

Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back
Porno Paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
Baby if I act like that, flipping my blond hair back
Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl

[Interlude]
Oh my god you guys, I totally had more than 300 calories
That was so not sexy, no
Good one, can I borrow that?
[Vomits]
I WILL BE SKINNY

(Do ya thing, do ya thing, do ya thing)
(I like this, like this, like this)
Pretty will you **** me girl, silly as a lucky girl
Pull my head and suck it girl, stupid girl!
Pretty would you **** me girl, silly as a lucky girl
Pull my head and suck it girl, stupid girl!

Baby if I act like that, flipping my blond hair back
Push up my bra like that, stupid girl!

Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back
Porno Paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
Baby if I act like that, flipping my blond hair back
Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
__________________________________________________________________

Perhaps, president is a little too ambitious for a transwoman but we are teachers, lawyers, judges, police commissioners, doctors...are you becoming a woman to become a sex object...or do you want to be a real woman and help be the change you wish to see in the world?

i laughed wen i watched that music video cause all the girls that she calls "stupid girls", i act exactly like they do lol

I presume that is one vote for column A.

wel, I just wanna be me. Im not interested in conforming to any stereotypes to fit in.
Ive had enough of that allready.
That behavior does seem forced to me, over exagerated.
I dont see any grown women doing it, so maybe its an act that is dropped as those women grow up? Otherwise loads of 20 and 30 something women would still be at it.
Reminds me of a girl I know who ate salad every day cos in her words "its fashionable to eat salad"

QuotePerhaps, president is a little too ambitious for a transwoman but we are teachers, lawyers, judges, police commissioners, doctors...are you becoming a woman to become a sex object...or do you want to be a real woman and help be the change you wish to see in the world?

I got my doctorate awarded last month and by that time I didn't feel that it meant very much to me any more, I still don't. Now the whole thing seems an empty epitaph on my past life of constant study and ignoring the world around me to avoid seeing what I didn't want to see. During the time period leading up to this I felt myself for the first time becoming more attractive to myself and others. That meant a lot because I used to hate looking in the mirror at my old male exterior. I find it intensely satisfying to be attractive to others in this way as well. In the past I never quiet believed that anyone would find me attractive. 

Some time in the future I feel I may come to appreciate my doctorate , but nowadays I tend to think of the costs involved. I wasted years thinking and learning things that have no practical application to the world I now find myself in. I was in bed every night before ten, I rarely left my office or house except for food or book shopping. I thought and worried about things I could do nothing about every day.

It's too late to apply any of that knowledge to any of the jobs you describe above, except perhaps for teacher, but that would involve some more time at school that I am no longer willing to spend.

I like how my breasts are growing...I like my hair. I like being attractive.
I'm tired of thinking about things.

Mark me up for A too, at least for the time being.....

Quote from: Siobhan on July 03, 2012, 02:08:52 AM
wel, I just wanna be me.

This, basically. ^^ I just want to be who I am, and I think that incorporates a little from both columns. On one hand, I do want to look like a pretty girl rather than a man, and will pursue makeup, surgery, nice clothes et all to that end. There's also the fact that... well... women's fashion is fun! I've always been interested in it, and freely being able to express that interest now is nice.

On the other hand, though, I've always been a shy, bookish type not because of my gender dysphoria, but because that was who I genuinely enjoyed being. So even if I wind up being quite an attractive woman post-transition (doubtful, of course~), I don't think my personality, interests and the way I carry myself around others will change in any great way. I can see myself being less anxious and nervy once my dysphoria becomes less of an issue, but male or female, I don't think I'll ever be the sort of person that song talks about. I've always been more or less exactly who I wanted to be on the inside anyway. It's just the outside that needs to change.

Quote from: UCBerkeleyPostop on July 02, 2012, 07:41:16 PM
I presume that is one vote for column A.

The OP seems more like a statement than a question.

I dated someone who was very book-smart but in practical situations she was an idiot.  She had several degrees.  I have an AA in art.  Chances are slim I will win a Nobel Peace Prize and I don't really give a rat's hindquarters. 

My life isn't about being accepted or recognized as special, my life is about exploring my desires and my potential.  I'm not interested in anyone who is trying to be something.  I am only interested in people who are interested in being someone.  There is a huge difference and the former tends to be pompous and narcissistic.  That said I don't seek the company of bimbos either.

Kadri, I think you are correct in saying that we don't appreciate many of our achievements until months or years afterwards.  What is your Ph.D. subjest field?  Do I understand you want to teach in an university?  Congrads on your achievement.

Quote from: UCBerkeleyPostop on July 02, 2012, 06:33:06 PM
Perhaps, president is a little too ambitious for a transwoman but we are teachers, lawyers, judges, police commissioners, doctors...are you becoming a woman to become a sex object...or do you want to be a real woman and help be the change you wish to see in the world?

My first response was to say that this seems like a false dichotomy, to me.

Years before I began transition, I was the primary source of income for my family. But, my dream career at that point was to be a house husband. I was surprised by the number of people who erroneously interpreted this as a lack of ambition. My goal was to serve my family.

Why is serving one's family not considered to be noble? Why is this seen with such little respect in society? I see many spouses and parents who work for their own self-aggrandizement. Their careers are their raison d'etres.

These days, I am a tech writer and support analyst. But, this is not really by choice. It's what I do to pay the bills. My kids are turning into adults. My son is preparing to launch himself, and my daughter no longer lives with me. My life partner is now a friend I see upon occasion.

Who are my family now?

Why does wanting to have a life partner, and hoping to be attractive enough to attract one, have to be reduced to "becoming a sex object?" Perhaps there are those who are better suited to serving the world at large. It's not a lesser thing to be one who supports them.

Quote from: Connie Anne on July 03, 2012, 01:56:32 PM
My first response was to say that this seems like a false dichotomy, to me.

As the lady says.

I prefer to be hot AND brilliant, but to each their own.

The funny thing is know I can play the stupid girl card when I don't wanna _______ fill in the blank, never could get away with OH I'm sorry I don't know anything about that as a guy....

I want to be a smart and hot girl, but without being so shy or embarrassed about looking stupid once in a while.  I just graduated as an applied and pure mathematics and economics major with a minor in computer science. I will be starting on my M.S./Ph.D. degree in statistics this fall.

 I want to be me. Without a doubt, I would like to be pretty, and I have a certain preference about my appearance - for my own happiness - but I don't particularly care for the massively-pervading consumerist attitude that tends to come with being pretty. One causes the other... to be pretty these days, you have to pay people, and the price is not merely monetary, but vital as well. You pay with your health.

(I reference make-up primarily, in this case, but there are other products and procedures that fall under the same.)

Furthermore, I dislike the attitude that the above is required to be 'competitive' in the search for partners, and dislike more how overemphasized hooking up and having sex is in today's culture.

When I come across someone who will love me for who I am, then that will be wonderful, but I don't need to overly conform in order to make that happen, and I would resent myself if I ever compromised my intelligence or esteem to be more like the capitalist-inspired image of what the perfect woman should be.

The perfect person is the person who spends lots of money, after all.

... Now, where did that come, I wonder...?

I just want to be myself.  People are going to think what they want to about me.  I mean, maybe having a piece of paper will convince some people that I'm smart - those people that put faith in pieces of paper.  I went from my mom's house to my own apt and forty-hours a week.  I worked my way up from retail to office environment, from PC tech to senior software analyst.  I opted to start gaining experience immediately in my chosen field - IT.  No one that works with me or knows me personally would call me a stupid girl - no matter how ditzy I may act at times.   What I did, I did on my own merits, and so far, people have respected that.  And I'm also proud to be able to say that.

Quote from: mm on July 03, 2012, 01:25:11 PM
Kadri, I think you are correct in saying that we don't appreciate many of our achievements until months or years afterwards.  What is your Ph.D. subjest field?  Do I understand you want to teach in an university?  Congrads on your achievement.

Thanks very much mm I wouldn't have minded teaching in university, but the humanities are a constantly shrinking field, and there are plenty of people around who are more ambitious than I am when it comes to looking for jobs. What I really need to do is work out how to transfer the skill set I acquired to some other occupation. I wrote on the very early history of the ancestors of the Thai and Lao people who lived in southern China about 1500 years ago. One useful outcome I gained from this was being able to read Chinese quite quickly,

Quote from: Connie Anne on July 03, 2012, 01:56:32 PM
My first response was to say that this seems like a false dichotomy, to me.

Actually, I thought that a bit later on. Of course one can have both...I just need a rest from all the intellectual stuff for a while. 

I heard the anecdote from another trans woman once that "Trans women are either IT experts or sex workers". She began as the first and used to tell me that she would prefer the second.

It is interesting how many trans women from more privileged backgrounds end up working in IT. I think some of it may be due to the fact that some of us hide out amongst the geeky group at school and have more contact with computers earlier on. The whole thing passed me by some time in the late 80's when our home computer broke.... I don't even know how to use an iPhone!

I've only ever been attracted to brainy women, and the same is true for all of my straight guy (admittedly geek) friends.  Own your degrees, I say!  Brainy is sexy, even if academia is more and more difficult to work in these days.

Btw, off-topic but since I can't send PMs yet:  Cadence, your hair is gorgeous.  What is that cut called?  I think I might want to do something like when I transition, since my hair has thinned quite a bit.

Quote from: Kadri on July 03, 2012, 06:39:18 PM
I heard the anecdote from another trans woman once that "Trans women are either IT experts or sex workers". She began as the first and used to tell me that she would prefer the second.

It is interesting how many trans women from more privileged backgrounds end up working in IT. I think some of it may be due to the fact that some of us hide out amongst the geeky group at school and have more contact with computers earlier on. The whole thing passed me by some time in the late 80's when our home computer broke.... I don't even know how to use an iPhone!

Speaking as a IT person leaving the field ASAP, I can say that some of what you said is true.  Sort of a hide in plain sight, as a geek it was easier to avoid most of the social functions that would imply a gender.  And on a computer you can escape to a world where there is no risk to being yourself.  For those "expected" to go to school (I guess a privileged background), it is socially acceptable to enter IT.  My (grand)parents really only had a small set of careers that would have been acceptable for me to pursue.

As far as "prefer the second" at least in that case you are honest that you are selling yourself.  In far too many companies today IT has become a common cog and all individuality is suppressed.  Companies complain of poor work/life balance when the employees only work 60 hours.  In all but a few rare cases today you are selling your mind and life to your employer.  Some are lucky enough to find a good employer, but even good companies can change over time as the market pressures of a bad economy weight upon them.  I'm just a bit bitter because I'm having to walk away from 6 years of education and 15 years of work and all I have to show for it is an empty soul and damaged mind.

Now that I'm not controlled by my family anymore, I'm going back to school.  I am getting my intro level prereq out of the way in the last short summer term (starting Monday the 9th) and hopefully with a full Fall/Spring term I'll have finished a second BS in Psychology so I can get into their 5 year MS/PhD program.  I'll have at least 15 years then to refill my damaged soul by helping others.

I don't live in a world where being intelligent and caring a lot about your appearance are mutually exclusive. 

Quote from: pretty on July 05, 2012, 09:00:32 PM
I don't live in a world where being intelligent and caring a lot about your appearance are mutually exclusive. 

+1 I mean wth? Smart people can't look good?

Somebody is relying wayy too much on stereotypes.