Comments for TransFormation Ministry

Comment on A Difficult Question To Answer by Kynthia Alice

Kynthia Alice — Sun, 27 May 2012 07:09:50 +0000

One would be “When I act as if I do not wish to answer allow me not to”

I try and be nice sometimes, cause I get so tired of trying to explain my sex life or my surgeries or lack thereof. So I smile and switch subjects. Please, I am trying to avoid unpleasantness and lets face it, NO ONE likes hearing no. Basic human nature, I get it. And really, there are times when I am in the wrong place, time or emotional state to discuss such things.

Comment on A Difficult Question To Answer by David Ayliffe

David Ayliffe — Sat, 26 May 2012 08:11:22 +0000

Excellent advice all inspired by the word Empathy. This is very helpful both to those who are by the grace of God transgender or otherwise….

Comment on A Difficult Question To Answer by nelle

nelle — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:12:18 +0000

Good advice. I try not to remember my crossing, so much damage, from my own hands.

Comment on Going Stealth by Chloe

Chloe — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:54:58 +0000

I have been recently looking at these issues for some reason. I have been living as me for the past 7 years. The only people that know are my friends from before and family. I like it that way. Who needs to know? It doesn’t hurt anyone not knowing. My partner didn’t know until 4 months into our relationship. I only told her because we were getting serious. The idea we are somehow being deceitful is wrong. I am a woman, my body is female, my documents say female, I live as a female (including the discrimination and sexism). So how I am being deceitful? Not telling people I am female would be lying and deceitful. That aside, I remember in my early days I was somewhat involved in the community and I got more shit from within then outside. Why was it my straight or gay (although I didn’t know anyone gay then), non-gender special friends could get over it and treat me normally and people in the community had to be mean and non-supportive. Just because I didn’t want to wave a flag, I was outcasted. Why? I can be supportive and not wave a flag. Like I am for different races, religions, genders… on and on. I don’t have to be something to be loving, kind, gentle, respectful. We have a right to identify as we choose. That is what we fought for, wasn’t it? I seem to remember it was the women who didn’t fit in that were the most mean. I think sometimes it was jealousy. I am sorry I got lucky. I am sorry I had a better time with it. I am sorry I was super young when I started. But it doesn’t mean I should stop my life and wave a flag and ruin my life (which it probably would). I didn’t go thru this crap to be always different. I did it to fit in and move on in my life. Not have to worry or think about it. After spending a day reading about this issue, I now remember why I left the “community” in the first place. We don’t only face crap from the outside, but I think sometimes the worst hate and judgements come from within.

Comment on Transgender: Vegetarian and Gluten-Free by gary

gary — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:55:39 +0000

Where did you get your definition of transvestites and cross dressers from – doing it for sexual pleasure? That is nonsense. I suggest you google and read information from Trans people before you make statements that are just not true and use your personal ‘view’s to exclude and alienate people.

Comment on Taking My Own Advice by karenjtibbals

karenjtibbals — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:12:29 +0000

Because Quakers believe in continuing revelation, they are pretty far along in developing a discernment process. It definitely starts by listening to your inner self- your own desires,needs and yearnings- as well as listening to the still small voice of God within you, which may be saying something different. Then you need to sit with a small group of trusted advisors and test that leading. Parker Palmer has written a summary of how to do that which has been included in the following website:
http://www.couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/clearness-committee

Comment on Taking My Own Advice by cloakedmonk

cloakedmonk — Mon, 14 May 2012 03:37:04 +0000

I think the way my tradition would say to test the authenticity of the “voice” is to: (1) does it hold with the general arc of scripture? (2) is it reason-able? intelligent? (3) does your experience tell you that it is within the realm of possibility? (4) do traditional voices speak to the issue and is your “voice” consistent with tradition?

Of course, any one of these four things can be a yes/no (or all, or some). The less we can say yes to any one of these things, the more we need to take care. Working out our next step with fear and trembling. It is possible to say no to everything and still to be hearing God’s voice.

Comment on Going Stealth by Niklas

Niklas — Sat, 12 May 2012 14:49:49 +0000

Well said!

Comment on Taking My Own Advice by lemonhenry

lemonhenry — Sat, 12 May 2012 03:33:14 +0000

I agree that so much lies within us and we often ignore that. People tend to rationalize that if someone else tells them to do it, they can blame that person when they fail.
But my question is a little beyond this scope. How do I know if the “voice” is me I’m listening to or God? Is it God saying I should/should not follow this calling, or is it me trying to rationalize why I should/should not do it?

Comment on Transgender: Vegetarian and Gluten-Free by TransFormation Ministry

TransFormation Ministry — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:31:58 +0000

Hi Cam, This blog is not actually about diets and food restrictions. Vegetarian and gluten-free diets are used as analogies for the various reasons people might not be able to or might not choose to undergo complete physical transition. Just as some people choose to be vegetarian for certain health or ethics reasons, some people choose not to transition due to certain health or ethics issues. Folks who must avoid foods with gluten do so because of a doctor’s order – that diet was imposed on them for medical reasons; they didn’t choose it. In the same way, some people must avoid complete physical transition due to medical restrictions. The fact that they couldn’t transition is not something they chose. So the point of the blog is that it’s unfair for someone who has fully transitioned to look at someone who has not and make judgements about whether they are really transgender since they can’t or won’t undergo the amount of physical change we would expect them to.