Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Omaha

Tonight I'm in Omaha, Nebraska. I'm staying with friends here in preparation for the US World Team Trials across the river in Council Bluffs, Iowa over these next few days.

Today was the first "down" day in quite a while - if you can call getting up at 3:15am, catching a 6am flight, and flying halfway across the country "down" time. But it was the first day that I haven't done a sit-up, gotten a bruise, ended up on a stair-climber or a treadmill, climbed a mountain, or otherwise done something physical in quite a while. I needed the break.

At some point this afternoon I lay down on my bed in the fetal position and woke up several hours later. Now THAT was much needed.

I brought my scale with me and just before dinner I was almost exactly on weight which is where I want to be. We'll see how it looks in the morning, but I'm already planning to do a light workout workout in the morning so dropping a pound or two if I need to isn't a big deal. These last two nights I've gotten home from my workouts and have been totally exhausted. It's nice to NOT feel that way tonight.

I've got a headgear that I didn't use in the last tournament but usually use during practice. Last night I sparred for a while without it and the guy I was wrestling with kneed on my hair and a big clump of it came ripping out. Ouch. I''m thinking that there will be a headgear in my future from this time on.

My goals for this tournament are relatively modest, I think. First and foremost I hope that neither I nor any of my opponents get hurt. If you watch the video of the finals at the Nationals you'll see people all taped up and bloody. One of the women finalists separated her shoulder during her match. It can get pretty messy to force someone's body into positions it doesn't want to go in.

As with the Nationals I'd like to win a match. Or better yet - two. But they key to this entire thing is that (a) many of these athletes are very, very talented (b) having to compete several times in the same day is harder as you get older and (c) I'm a realist. It's cliche to say "just being here is a victory" but in this case it's very true. I can think of so many reasons why I shouldn't be here. But here I am.

And, I hope that things stay low-key. I thought they did a great job with things in Cleveland so if they can do similarly here I'll be thrilled.

From the "It's a BIG DEAL" Department, the US Government today announced that surgery is no longer a requirement to getting your gender marker changed on your passport. (Details here). This is a huge deal and is bound to have all kinds of repercussions. It's another of those things that tend to somehow get overlooked in the bigger scheme of things but as far as I'm concerned this is as significant a move as anything currently road blocked in Congress. Congratulations and thanks to all those who worked behind the scenes to make this happen. Make no mistake - this didn't happen by itself.

Time for bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.


9 comments:

Melissa said...

I love it! I lived in Omaha when I was a little kid (2nd & 3rd grade). I had my picture taken on a pony, and went to my one and only rodeo there!

I wish you the best of luck in your wrestling match, but honestly Donna, I don't know how you do it! I once watched a high school wrestling match, and a guy got dumped on his face! His nose broke, and blood began to gush from his nostrils! Instantly, I knew that would never be a sport for me!

Melissa XX

Melissa said...

P.S.

You're so pretty, I don't want you to get hurt! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Melissa XX

Barbara said...

I don't think I could have gone this far in my transition if it weren't for you as my role model. You are accomplishing your dream, win or lose and I so much admire that. I'm sure as long as you have a breath left in you, you will accomplish even more. Thank you for showing us all the way. Good luck to you and God bless and use the head gear!

sweetbrandigirl2004 said...

Donna best of luck in Omaha I like you hope your passed is again a non issue. As for the Passport change.This is my response to someone who wrote to me to tell me of the change Ted while I'm sure you and many other "Transgender" Individuals see it as a win ! I see it as further dilution of the Standards. As you clearly stated yourself.

"If you're top surgeon wrote the letter vaguely enough (which they usually did) you could get things changed without having bottom surgery."

This is just another way to scape goat the standards and violate the requirements just as so many transgender people do now by using Internet hormones without ever seeing a doctor or without being under a doctors care, likewise most transgender individuals never seek counseling and many going to Thailand for surgery do so simple because they don't need the two letters of recommendation.

"If you're top surgeon wrote the letter vaguely enough (which they usually did) you could get things changed without having bottom surgery."

This is just another way to scape goat the standards and violate the requirements just as so many mtf transgender people do now by finding doctors that will write vague letters claiming that sex change surgery has taken place when what really happened was serialization surgery. they using Internet hormones without ever seeing a doctor or without being under a doctors care, likewise most transgender individuals never seek counseling and many go to Thailand for surgery do so simple because they don't need the two letters of recommendation. These are but a small sample of how the transgender community can and does do what they want and ignore doing things the correct way....in the end those actions serve No purpose except to fulfill the desires of the individual and destroy the Integrity of the Diagnosis. In my opinion this change is further going to widen the gap between those WBT and those in the transgender community who Insist on creating a third gender and forcing it upon society, and cause more post op women of history to avoid the cause and choose to live stealth lives not wanting to be associated with such violations of both the WAPATH and APA Standards.

Gwen said...

@ Brandi --"This is just another way to scape goat the standards...and many go to Thailand for surgery do so simple because they don't need the two letters of recommendation."

No longer valid as of 29NOVEMBER2009

sweetbrandigirl2004 said...

@ Gwen No longer valid as of 29NOVEMBER2009 Not sure what your trying to sya or referring to here,but many still go to Thailand for surgery without letters even DR Suporn scape goats the requriements. If you come there for surgery and DON'T have the required letters he'll stick you in a rooom with a Therapist he keep on staff who will in one hour diagnosis and wa la you got letters. So YES Many do this simple so they can do as they please regardless of if it doesn't fall within the SOC requirements.

Melissa said...

@ sweetbrandigirl2004

I'm not so sure those "standards" that you speak of, were set up for the benefit of the patient, so much as for lending an air of credibility to the professionals who deal in Transgender care. The fact is, if you are an adult, and you are sane, you have an inherent right to do whatever you wish with your life and your body. If you want to jump through the hoops the TG care professionals have set up, fine, but no one should be required to.

Melissa

sweetbrandigirl2004 said...

Melissa In our society we have laws that prevent people from harming themselves likewise we have laws that keep people from having unneeded surgery this includes GRS, breast augmentation if your a male as well as a host of others. so while you may feel someone should have the right to do whatever they pleased I don't I think people have to be protected from themselves, or they can do and would do things that are half thought through and end up costing society in general to clean up. I feel the SOC standards were set up with the patients best interest in mind but so many who choose to go around them do so because they know their condition doesn't qualify as GID but falls in some other category of fetishism. Those that truly seek to find out about how they have felt since childhood and truly seek to correct it will seek counseling regardless of what it uncovers

Melissa said...

I understand how you feel, and if you think that's the way to go for yourself, that's great. My own self-diagnosis of being transsexual was confirmed by a psychiatrist, so I'm certainly not knocking getting help if you think you need it. But I'm also far too much of a libertarian, to treat sane adults like children who need to be protected, and require them to follow a set of arbitrary rules. I also don't believe in a transgender hierarchy. Gender identity is extremely subjective. While one's legitimacy as a transsexual may be formally recognized by a professional, it is determined by the individual their self, not by some therapist, who has never lived a day in their skin.