Fine days

Some days are just good days.  Yesterday was one.  Today was another.  Various components were actually pretty unremarkable but at the same time it all added up to a wonderful time.

I had a friend visiting yesterday and we spent the afternoon getting a mani/pedi and doing some shopping.  The first Friday of every month is the Gallery Walk where all the local art galleries have wine, munchies, music, and artists on hand to chat. It was a blast.  We went out for drinks and live music afterwards and didn't get home until almost midnight.  Thankfully I said "no" to those last Chocolate Martini's, but my friend was paying for them this morning.  :)

Today included spinning class and some time at the gym this morning, a wonderful afternoon kayaking along some of the local waterways, a long walk downtown, and some time just laying in the grass with Maggie at a nearby park.  The weather was pristine.  All things considered - good "soul" days.

To revisit my comments about Chaz Bono appearing on Dancing With the Stars, I reiterate my strong support for him and for the importance that these kinds of things play in the cultural war for validation.  Fox News published an outrageously transphobic but sadly predictable op-ed urging parents to avoid letting their kids watch it (read it here).  ABC News published a much more supportive piece on how to talk to kids about Chaz (see it here).

NPR did a story on it, too, and there's a line in it I find particularly interesting:

...One of the things that makes this an interesting development is that ABC — and its parent company, Disney — apparently decided that it's safe to cast a transgender person on a show that appeals largely to middle-aged affluent women.

There's an audio segment (listen here).  One particular quote:

MARTIN: You know, Eric, there are certain moments that are seen as breakthrough moments in television, like for example "Julia," the series "Julia," where Diahann Carroll was the star, you know, the first African-American to kind of lead in a mainstream television show. Is this that kind of moment?

DEGGANS: Yeah, I think it is. "Dancing with the Stars" is the second-most-watched show on television. When it airs, it's usually the most-watched show on television, depending on whether "American Idol" was on. And that is an audience that's mostly middle-aged, affluent white women. And this is a message that hey, a transgendered person is equal to everyone else, get to know this person.

I agree.

People can argue with me all they want about whether or not this is a good thing but the fact that it's happening at all is indicative about how things are changing.  I mentioned in my last post about how I feel regarding those who are opposed to it specifically because of his "surgical status".  Anyone who has read my blog for any length of time will know that I do not share those reservations or feelings and I'm not about to change now.  I'm comfortable with how I feel, and I'm still thrilled to see this....

I'll go a step further and say that any time I have an opportunity to talk in public - I've got some training events coming up, I'm speaking at Fantasia Fair, I'm doing a thing for CNN, I'm speaking at a dinner in Denver later this month to name a few - I will reiterate my support for the tide of transpeople of all kinds stepping up and taking active, visible roles in society.  That includes Chaz.  And that includes my wrestling....I'm actively training to qualify for the US Olympic Team Trials next April.

The last thing that comes to mind as being as big as this on the Culture Meter was the Newsweek Cover Story in May 2007 titled "The Mystery of Gender".

Pause:  As I was typing this I something caught my eye up near the ceiling and I noticed that there was a bat flitting around the room.  I opened the back doors and tried to "herd" it out - it finally found it's way out after 5 minutes of flying back and forth around the room.  Sheesh.

In closing - good day today.  I'm looking forward to another good one tomorrow.  TLM and the Posse are out doing a pub crawl in AZ tonight.  Wish I could be there with them....