I AM CAIT .. I'm pleasantly surprised

To be very honest when I first heard about the upcoming program about Caitlyn Jenner I wasn't going to watch. I'm not into all those silly celeb "reality" shows which are enough to nauseate anyone except those who like to stand and watch the remnants of  a motor vehicle accident. But this being Monday evening and nothing else on I figured I'd give it a go and most likely change the channel in 10 minutes as all it's going to be is one big poof (no pun intended) piece about Jenner deciding what wardrobe to wear on any given day.

I didn't watch the Diane Sawyer interview at all nor Jenner receiving the ESPY award on ESPN until after it was aired. Well  I Am Cait was one of the most enjoyable programs I've watched.

Behold The Champion Caitlyn Jenner

In 10 minutes Caitlyn Jenner has done more for persons of transgender than has ever been done in all these many years I've been writing about LGBTs.

She used her spotlight on ESPN's The ESPYS to bring hope and understanding to countless many, young and old, who identify as T.

She got applause in all the right places and a standing ovation at the end. Tears in the eyes of some and near tears in others. I was struck by the expression of Kiefer Sutherland when the camera happened to be on him in what can be best described as taking it all in and truly understanding that what Jenner and others go through to be who they are is not an easy road to hoe.

There was much speculation and criticism that this would be one big publicity stunt on the behalf of Jenner what with a new reality show upcoming and ABC/ESPN as a ratings pusher. And well it could have turned out that way but the winner in all this is the community of the T.

Minds will not be changed overnight, some will never change, but a more graceful champion of transgenders has not been seen before. No brow beating, no chest beating, no controversy for "the cause". Just an eloquent display of humanity, from one person to another person.

Caitlyn Jenner Welcome To The "T"

The accolades flowed when the long awaited first look of Bruce Jenner transcending to Caitlyn Jenner came to view. But as she soon found out the accolades of congratulations can quickly turn to mean spirited comments from none other than the "T" which on many occasions devour their own.

One has to wonder if there is a "T" God or Goddess one has to bow to before "coming out" and in the case of Jenner in all her makeup and airbrushed glory.

If history has shown us .. the collective LGB  us .. while there are a great many in the world of "T" who are supportive of each other, there are those and usually the ones who are lucky to pass as ugly men in drag, it is the latter which have the highest degree of nastiness against their own.

To wit I say to Caitlyn when being assailed by them ... fuck 'em ! ... and enjoy your life from this moment forward with nary a look back. And if you can make a buck or two along the way hats off to you.

With your fame both now and pre-Caitlyn comes responsibility as your "reality show" can open many an eye and at the same time offer hope to those who are in need.

You've come a long way baby ... now go for the gusto which your life now offers.

American Horror Story's Special Lady

Well I guess it takes a pretty woman to bring me out of blogging retirement and introduce to you, if you haven't already met one of the "stars" of the new season of American Horror Story.

In the new run of AHS titled Freak Show there is this rather tall gal who towers over everyone in the cast and whose rather homely look hides more than the real beauty beneath but also her very nature of being a woman.

Erika Ervin also know as Amazon Eve in the modeling world stands well over 6 feet tall and has in this writer's opinion legs which just never stop.

Ervin who is also a fitness trainer began life in Turlock, CA as William and transitioned from male to female in 2004. She appeared in the TV show Funny or Die in 2011, Family Tools in 2013 and the Netflix series Hemlock Grove also in 2013. Now she plays one of a group of performers with special attributes in AHS because of her "less than natural" height.

It's not often a trans person has been cast in film or TV and it's refreshing to see that FX and the producers of AHS are "pushing the envelope" by casting Ervin. It will be interesting to see what the overall public reaction will be as folks find out that this gorgeous she was once a he. Hopefully we have come along far enough to see an actress other than what those with narrow minds would call "a freak".

Probation In War Of The Hoses Case

Hunky former FDNY firefighter 29 year-old Taylor Murphy got a five year probation sentence in his he-to-she slap fest of alleged hooker Claudia Charriez (in photo) back in 2011 during a tryst in a NYC Times Square hotel.

Murphy who once posed for a calendar photo shoot and likes his ladies with a little bit more between the legs beat the rap of choking Charriez but got a misdemeanor charge of slapping de bitch with a $400 fine and a felony conviction for contempt of court when he called and text Charriez 1,000 times even though contact was a no-no.

As a result of his alleged abuse of Charriez and conviction he lost his job with the FDNY in December.

During the trial which the NYC media dubbed "The War Of The Hoses", Charriez while on the stand claimed she "ain't no ho" despite having at the time an online ad for her escorting services to the tune of 400 bucks a pop or date if you prefer.

Charriez who is reported to be by the NYC media a pre-op transsexual did not attend Monday's sentencing but did offer a written statement which was read into the record before sentencing.

The T's no doubt will have their pantyhose and knickers all knotted up over the probation sentencing and also the article in today's edition of the New York Post owned by Rupert Murdoch which uses the sub-headline for the article "Bravest gets off easy on she-male beat".

For those who wish to offer their displeaure of the use of she-male in the newspaper article can send an email to the New York Post article writer via laura.italiano@nypost.com .

James Bond's Transgender Bond Gal

As you probably know this year marks the 50th anniversary of the mega-blockbuster movie saga known as James Bond ... good grief do I feel old !

What some may not know is that in one James Bond flick, For Your Eyes Only, Caroline Cossey aka Tula was one of the James Bond girls albeit in a small walk-on shot and the first and only as far as we know transgender Bond Girl.

Born Barry Kenneth Cossey, she was diagnosed as being intersexed and at age 17 began hormonal therapy and in 1974 had sex reassignment surgery. Cossey identifies herself as transsexual rather than transgender.

As a model using the name Tula she wowed those her saw her and was featured in a Playboy magazine shoot in 1981. She had appeared in several magazines such as Harper's Bazaar as a top rated glamour model.

However she was "outed" by the UK rag News of The World after her appearance in the Bond film and with the headline, "James Bond Girl Was A Boy".

So upset was she with the outing she contemplated suicide.

But to her credit she fought back and came out with her best selling book, I Am Woman in 1982 followed by a second book in 1991 My Story. She appeared in Playboy a second time in 1991 with a pictorial spread.

Cossey has been married to Canadian David Finch since 1992 and lives near Atlanta, GA.

On June 23, 2015 Cosmopolitan magazine wrote an article about Tula and her thanking Hugh Hefner for "giving her a platform" and being Playboy's first trans model.

Jeff Lewis GLAAD Is Over Sensitive

Ah another voice of common sense has spoken.

Jeff Lewis of the Bravo shows Flipping Out and Interior Therapy was threaten by GLAAD if he did not apologize for his description of a transgendered person as a he/she and crack addict they would "disassociate" him from the org.

Lewis refused and he was booted from the often overbearing and zealous "how dare you" group and "protector" of all things gay.

This happened in 2011 but is making the rounds again thanks to an interview Lewis did with Larry King.

In the rehash article from On Top magazine, Lewis is quoted as saying towards the end of the interview with King, and just like the smell of napalm in the morning I love this, “I feel like some people are unnecessarily attacked by GLAAD. And I think they're a bit overdramatic and oversensitive. And I think that alienates people. And I think that negates the cause.”

Military Service Over He Is She

The Chapel Hill News has a great article (part 1 in a series of 2) by Tammy Grubb about Sam Taylor, Army soldier, chaplain assistant and transgender woman.

There is too much to the article to give it any justice in this short posting but it and I'm sure the followup are worth a read.

Briefly Taylor's journey takes him from identifying and living as a woman then having to put that part of his life back in the closet as he serves in the Army including service in Iraq.

Re-assuming a male identity was hard, but being openly transgender isn't an option in the military, Taylor said. You live a long time in close proximity to others, and every email or Facebook comment can be scrutinized. Daily attacks only add to the stress.

Last month Tammye Nash of The Dallas Voice wrote about the lifting of Don't Ask Don't Tell allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly but with transgenders still having to stay in the closet and shadows while in military service.

“Trans people still have to be deep in the closet. They can’t talk to anyone about their lives, or they risk being discharged and getting something other than an honorable discharge,” Monica Helms added. “Because the kind of discharge you get can make a huge difference in what kind of benefits you can get.”

Helms is president and co-founder of Transgender American Veterans Association.

Transgender Wins Gender Discrimination Lawsuit

Vandy Beth Glenn who was a legislative editor for the Georgia General Assembly and was dismissed because of her transition from male to female and subsequent gender reassignment surgery has won her case against the state and a federal appeals court has sided with Glenn in her reinstatement to work for the State of Georgia.

Among the judges who supported Glenn in their decision was Conservative judge William Pryor who was appointed by George W. Bush in 2005 and was among one of the most Conservative federal appeals judges.

In part the ruling read, "An individual cannot be punished because of his or her perceived gender non-conformity". "Because these protections are afforded to everyone, they cannot be denied to a transgender individual."

You can read the full story as reported by CNN here and a background report from TIME here.

While transgender groups are heralding the ruling, all in the LGBT community should also and speaking out and fighting injustice with regards to discrimination against workers both in the private and public sector when it comes to sexual preference and identity.

Boycotts as have and will continue to be suggested by the LGBT elite and bloggers against businesses who perpetrate such discrimination as a "feel good" solution is by no means enough.

Your voice needs to be heard in governmental reprimands to change discrimination laws and if required with your vote on election day.

We as a community have come so far in recent years but still have far to go when it comes to total Equality.