Being

This is being typed while it's very wet outside, practically too wet to be out walking far without getting drenched as much as I'd sooner be out  enjoying the fall so instead I'm listening to Elgar's Cello Concerto.

That's more what I'd sooner of been doing as we've entered October just out enjoying the tree canopies exploring on foot.

That's just me, liking to be out exploring when not being bitten by things and that may not be you.

Because I may do things differently doesn't make me any less valid, any less who and what I am from those who may not for having strong tomboyish streaks anymore than a male who has an interest in dance or gymnastics is any the less who he is because you are you. 

We own who we are, exploring how we express that as ourselves not needing anyone's or any groups  validation or approval.

To me gender equality means being treated equally regardless of gender and how you express that as you are.

We are US.

 

Gender Spaces

Another week and one update to Pale Moon and that still hasn't cured the browser of freezing over so we're still in Firefox which as much as I don't like the interface does work very well.

Spaces are a contentious issue as anyone on Tumblr knows only too well and some of that also applies into off line life too as well as what people do when we allow them into our own.
One area I think worth talking about is gender spaces where yes most of us say people should be free to mix with whoever they want, take part in activities together and not be barred from an activity just because of their gender. 
This you might think is the end product of decades of arguments won when it comes to equal opportunities and as such the very last word but today it's not.
Unlike perhaps a few of you I've been in the work place and it isn't uncommon for female employees to actually have their own social groups that they keep to just women going out together or spending time at each others places.
Even in 2018 here in Great Britain there are Universities that only accept women being founded expressly for female higher education and women have voted to keep them that way because they prefer a all female ethos and under English Law at at least a private members club can be all female only too.
Part of the argument is it is nice to have a place just to talk and share things with without men around who as nice as they are would  change the feel by just being there and maybe inhibit conversations people needed.
There is a chunk of me that goes with that, indeed in my area Secondary Education is organized on gender lines unless you go out of town because that's what people here prefer feeling it's less distracting to study and children do better academically with girls feeling more able to show an interest in things like the sciences not trying to be a 'bimbo' or letting the boys take a dominate role and boys more able to express feeling in say both English's without feeling either a 'nerd'  or a 'sissy''.
If you accept the idea that some spaces should be able to be gendered if females wish, then we have to bear in mind we cannot then object if boys and men may also prefer a few   themselves to kept that way such as men's clubs where they may socialize and talk about things that wouldn't happen if a women was there.
That's different than arguing that say a woman shouldn't be allowed to a sports club that runs competitions such as golf clubs where teams are mixed.
Perhaps more give and take on gender spaces rather than battle cries might better suit our needs?

A Mars Bar is can be claimed for anyone spotting the typo in the illustration. 😁

What is a Girl?

I noticed more by accident the other week, something I talked about several years back was being discussed at a site with links back here so thought I'd write something about about it here a few years on.
Being a girl is...being how her feels in you, as it comes out of your own feelings as expressed by you in dress, interests and play.
In so far as being an adult little girl goes, it doesn't matter if you're in a relationship or not, if you have a sexual side in your life or the extent to which you are able to let this side of your life out at home or around your local area.
Being either transgendered or gender fluid/variant and of any and no sexuality does not make a  difference  to being and your ability to let the adult little girl you feel out so long as ...you feel Her in you.
There is no one model you have to confirm to.
You may prefer to dress more like a younger child or 'Baby' , a young child which may be dresses, dungerees or shorts or more Middlish looking Tween or young teen.
You might do more party or school type attire if that's you (I like sitting behind a desk in school attire doing exercises) depending on circumstances such as the ability to spend time with a few others.
You may have a Caregiver in your life.
It really doesn't matter as little girl you is...You.
Some people do find their younger side may have a different gender presentation to their "Big" which may seem odd (and kinda threw me a few years back to be honest) but actually it's okay.
If that's you then please come presenting as that  Little Girl for the period - a little consistency during play helps - bring something with you and you know we'll share teddies, dollies and play even if your "Big" presents as male.
Those of us who aren't super frilly won't kill you if your presentation  goes out that way.
The only thing we aren't so keen on is people who take being a female, especially a little girl and project an overriding sexual side to it (We appreciate Adults often have a sexual side but that stay's in the bedroom and never at little girl playtime!).
It was my experiences elsewhere with "sissies" who tended to push a very full on sexual side linking femininity with subservience, ritual humiliation, who also by clearly linking being a girl as an insult, insulted our sense of being,  co-opting part of our identity for that whole "humiliated as a girl" thing rather than them being a girl if frankly they rather liked it even in short doses or enjoying their maleness if that was them, that troubled me.

Skirting around the issue

Oh my brain hurts from a migraine but here goes.
It's not often I talk much around gender identity at least in part  because I've known mine for eons so it's kinda old hat to me plus I got tired of snarky debates around who was really what what in various trans forums because to me I'm just that-me, being me. I mean, if it said girl on my birth certificate you wouldn't  care.
Also as a number of you have actually seen me for real, you know cos you sensed it, we didn't need to say anything.

Overlooking the wrong uniform colours, this could of been so easily me had at the age of ten had I had been allowed to wear a skirt to school and I still can't see what was so wrong with that idea. Gee, I always draw myself as girl back then, something the psychologists I saw for other issues did pick up on so why the heck not?
Ironically some schools from time to time attempt to ban skirts today!

Getting by

I saw this manga drawing a few days ago and liked it a lot although I'd of written the first speech bubble as "I started out as a guy" had I been any good at drawing because our girl is showing sensitivity to how she is perceived in her new role among the other girls.
I think one of most important things is having respect for your inner girl, that's to say you don't put her in crass or otherwise crude situations if you wish to hold your own in the company of those born and raised as girls from the outset.
Those of us who started out as guys can't just demand the right to accepted and be granted it; we may have to earn our right to be wear our uniforms as part of being regarded as the girls we truly feel.
It's also important to understand females have spent ages fighting discrimination in the home, in school and in work.Girls of our sort arguably need to both accept and embrace that same struggle fighting with our genetic sisters  for equal treatment in the workplace and supporting those who even in today's world get a bullet in the head for supporting girls education as fundamental human right. If you can, learn about those struggles and support our genetic sisters in practical ways.
The path to our acceptance isn't easy but we need to take responsibility for making it as smooth as possible.

Childhood co-operation

 When I think back to my days at Junior School, it is images like this that go through my mind, the time we spent out of doors not just playing although that was fun but also of our trips out to various places where we went to learn things although our teachers cared enough to build in some play time and treats to keep our interests up.
Inevitably we were in teams usually one boy paired up to a girl having to co-operate as the reality of those days was and in many still is of rigid gender lines not so much by school design but more from within the classes you were in themselves so we did learn more about each other and while we lack the language for it, each others assumed gender roles and identity.
I passionately believe in the idea that boys and girls need to value each other and their own identities in a more co-operative and less gender denying way than the tendency to make it very much girls versus boys every time.
That as a transgendered child and now adult  I feel would be in our best interests too.

Too shy? [Pre-blog]

It's February  in my last year at school and our new pin up group from England, Kajagoogoo first 45, Too Shy has hit the UK #1 spot this week.
They are give a special including the front cover slot in this weeks Smash Hits magazine a teen colour pop publication from England we read.
There are however other things very much on my mind right now such as gender identity as for a long long time I've always wanted to dress as a girl because I've always seen me  as a female.

 

I'd loved to have worn such cute dresses like the one on the right but for a long period lived in fear of harsh cutting words not from just boys but also other girls although I've been very lucky to have sympathetic girls at high school. Will I find others like that when I leave in July?