Introduction

I was sitting, in my local branch of the Toronto's Public Library, located right, beside my apartment building, wondering, how do I share with you, that all transpeople, whether a woman or a man, is no different from the rest of society, in our need to be love, to dream or embrace life, on the whole. Yet, we continue to hit all kinds of barriers, whether visible or invisible, erected by a fearful and ignorant society, who views us, as some type of freak show that has escaped from a mad scientist’s secret laboratory, like the "monster", in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

In many ways, the Gay and Lesbian community’s experiences, are very similar to Transcommunity, until the 1980's, when many western countries started to repeal their laws, which in the past, had criminalized all same-sex sexual relationships, like what is happening now, in many parts of Africa. Or lock us away deep, within the bowels of the mental health system, on a since discredited belief, that we are serious mental ill, and need to be treated. Used as human guinea pigs, to experiment with a particular idea, that a researcher may have, in advancing the medical community's understanding of, how the human body and brain works, which by today's moral standards, would be viewed as torture, like electro-shock treatments or hormonal level trials.

Globally, no one knows the exact size of the Transcommunity, with varying studies contradicting each other, with their rough estimates. One estimate, from the Nederland , by the Amsterdam Gender Dysphoria Clinic, based upon their 40 years of research, calculates that 1:30,000 males, are viewed as transsexual females, while 1:10,000 females, are viewed as transsexual men, whether or not, they undergo the sexual reassignment surgery (SRS), because of financial or medical reasons. But, not all transgender people consider themselves, as being Trans, like the Drag Queens, who view themselves, as gay men, in women’s clothing.

Personally, I think these numbers are, on the extreme low side, given the hidden and toxic cultural shame, of going again the societal norms and definitions of, what constitutes a man and a woman. Not unusual, to hear horror stories of childhood abuse and later, shunning by our parents, friends and/or partners, when we come out of the gender closet, showing our true inner self. For some, they cannot cope with this type of pressure, as they fall into a very deep and depression, often ending with a suicide attempt. One stat, I have seen lists the odds as being 30 %, but no one has accurate statistics, as many of the victims may have not come out of the closet, or misdiagnosed for the contributing reason for the suicide attempt. Many of these attempts occur before the age of twenty years old.

While I had this idea, bouncing around my head for almost two weeks, I was not sure, how I could approach you, the society-at-large, with my community's story. Providing you, a very honest and sometimes, very painful account, of struggles, to survive and thrive. Should I follow the path blazed, by Eve Ensler, in her one-person play, The Vagina Monologues? Or take an entirely different approach, by sharing selected parts of my own personal story, like a one-on-one counselling session, which the narrative follows its own unique and quirky pathway. Through the struggles, we face, as a community, to find acceptance and our own inner peace. I know, there will be subject matters that some people will find offensive, due to for their religious and political point of view. So be it, but they still, need to be expressed and discussed by the wider population.

Through offering, a bridge to cross, the vast divides, which separates our various communities from each other. In igniting, the flow of healing and compassion, to begin, between both sides. Without the painful awkwardness, that usually accompanies these fragile moments, when we cannot find the right words, to fully express our thoughts and feelings, while limiting any further damage and pain, from happening.

Am I looking, through techno-coloured lenses, probably, but for too long, us dreamers, have yielded our responsibility to others. The time is now; to stand up and spread out our voice, and be heard far and wide, by all. About the existing needs, that has long been ignored, by those, in a position of power, but no longer, by any of us. Too long, the bleeding has occurred on both sides, none the stronger, as a result. Would you care, to share this journey with me? Learning about, an often forgotten and misunderstood segment of society, who want to treated, as equals and not a person, pitied or despite by others, as equal citizens of the world.

* * *

The next monologue, deals with the importance, we place upon names and how they can, help to define, who we are, as a person. Especially, within the Transcommunity, when our new name, marks a complete psychological and oral break, from our past, to the present, we share with others. Sometimes, these changes, are not accepted by our love ones, as my bitter experience with my mom, demonstrates, that symbolic changes, can create rifts within the family. As the family splits, into multiple camps, which each side is unable to talk to each other, without serious tension between them.

Reviews

[TL Boehm]

I am so glad you sent this my way, Therisa. I will continue to read and I am glad you found these and brought them back to share.

[therisa]

Thank you, Tammy. It was a fluke, I was looking for something else, in my Google Drive account, when I found these abandoned monlogues. I hope to finish them.