Grease

We had made plans to meet a friend from India. He and his wife were over on a business trip. Unfortunately due to a breakdown in communications, we were unable to meet the couple on this occasion. We had already made it to London when the meeting was called off. So we decided to get something to eat from "Ed's Diner". We enjoyed our meal of beef burgers, chips and onion rings. The 50's style diner added novelty value, which made the meal all the more interesting.

Suitably refreshed we purchased tickets or the evening performance of "Grease" at the Piccadilly theatre. Then we took a stroll around the National Gallery, where I tried my best to learn the history lessons, in-between sneaking a perch on the benches! My feet were not at all in favour of all this walking around.

We still had a bit of time before we were due at the theatre, so we wandered down to Covent Garden as watched the street performers for a while.

On the way to Piccadilly we popped into Mc Donald's for a Mc flurry. I had hoped to get a seat there but it was standing room only!

We all enjoyed seeing "Grease". Unlike many musicals I have been to, there was no dancing in the aisles, but there was plenty of hand clapping from the audience. After the show we hung around at the stage exit so that the young one could collect some autographs. She was particularly pleased to get "Ray Quinn's" autograph.

My poor feet finally made it home at stupid o'clock, but it was worth it.

Hate Crime Unit

I attended the Hate Crimes Unit at Bishop's Park Community Centre today. Is it good news that no member of the public attended, because presumably they are not affected? Or is it a travesty that the public are still unaware of the centres or unwilling to attend?

Maybe the advertising was not sufficient to spread the word! Maybe the units will be made more use of if they can be run more regularly.

The feedback I got from posting the events on transgendered website forums was very good, so if nothing else at least some people feel a little reassured that some good work is being done.

To pee or not to pee

The Church Of Light- Spiritualist Centre For Healing and Awareness

Apton Centre, Apton Road, Bishop's Stortford




Clairvoyance and healing every 1st and 3rd Friday each month at 8pm, awareness development 2nd Friday at 8pm


I have been regularly attending the above mentioned group for over a year. In that time I have introduced family and friends to that group. I have even offered to set up or administer a website to help promote them.

So it came as quite a shock when on my way to join my family at the group, I was stopped by (Mike) the only male healer on the committee. His mission was to tell me to refrain from using the "Ladies" toilet. Apparently at the last meeting two women that also used the lavatory complained about me using them!

I expressed my dismay at being asked not to use the toilet, so he again asked me not to use the "Ladies" and suggested that I make do with the Disabled facilitates! He went on to say that the group have welcomed me, his inference being that they have tolerated me!

I should never have been asked not to use the Toilet in the first place, but to make things worse the committee dispatched a male to ask a transgendered-female not to use a Ladies toilet! Such an act could be seen as sexist bullying at the least and in my personal opinion is could be seen as hate crime. I will be seeking the advice of the police in regard to that.

I am no different to anyone else in that I am a human being, so what is there to tolerate! The fact that he did not suggest I use the "Mens" clearly points to either himself or other males being less than comfortable with me using that toilet. I do not have any disabilities so using a toilet designed for disabled people is not very practical. And it would also mean that any disabled person seeking to use the toilet would have to wait while an able bodied person used it!

What if next a disabled person was to complain that I was using the toilet! Would that mean that I would simply have to piss in my panties and if so which room should I do that in? Would it not represent a health hazard?

I pay the same entrance fee to the group as everyone else. As far as I am aware the cost of that goes towards renting the facilities including the toilets, so why should I be denied use to the toilets! I have supported the groups raffle to raise extra funds, introduced friends and family to the group. I have been a good ambassador for the group. I have helped clear away furniture at the end of the evening and even offered my services to build and maintain a website for them.

A precedent has been set in my opinion by the fact that I have been using the ladies toilets for a year already, so how can anyone justify my now being asked to use the disabled just because a couple of transphobic women expressed a concern about my using it!

As far as I am aware the facility is rented to various groups, so I will shortly be writing to the council and asking them if there is any legal recourse to such bigoted use of their hall, after all is the council not supposed to be actively seeking equality for all!

Mothers Day

I was pleasantly surprised to receive chocolate, flowers and a heart balloon today. I was even more surprised when I was told that it was because "you are a Mummy too"!

My Guy

After my rather anxious day yesterday, it was rather nice to be spoilt toady. I spent most of the day watching "Blade" DVD's with my guy. Then he treated me to a takeaway meal, before presenting me with the silver heart of my very own Vampire! :O)

Oh yes, and the man from Del Monte! He said the same as I did! :O)

Charing Cross

Suzanne accompanied me to Charing Cross Gender Clinic for my first appointment with them. We decided to let the train take the strain, rather than drive through London.

We travelled by over ground train to Tottenham Hale and the by underground train to Charring Cross. At Charing Cross we stopped for a coffee and a burger in Mc Donald's. The young girl serving us was quite polite and pleasant, but I was quite annoyed at her closing with "enjoy your meal, sir"! If I had more time I might have had a word with her manager it. I am sure she meant no harm in her statement. However, it is likely that other transsexual women use the store on there way to the gender clinic. In my mind it is pretty simple to get right. Either don't state the gender in the closing speech or use the gender that the person in front of you is portraying!

Suzanne was allowed to come into assessment room with me, which was a help as I would never have remembered all the details asked of me. Or remembered enough of what was said to relay it all to her afterwards.

As I suspected they are going to make me wait another three months for a second opinion and only after that will they consider prescribing hormones. I was assured that at least in my doctors opinion there is no reason why I should not receive the hormones though. My doctor has recommended me for speech therapy as he felt it might help me. I voiced my concern at not wanting to end up sounding false. However, I have agreed that if the therapy is geared towards me simply softening my masculine tones then it may be of some benefit.

I was rather happier to hear that my doctor will backdate my gender trial as I have enough documentary evidence that I have lived my life full time in the female gender role. So, I have already completed the first year.

A case can be made for breast augmentation if growth on hormones is deemed to be inadequate, but this seemed to be a little vague. One thing that might go against me there though is that I self prescribed for a couple of months in the past. I would argue that I followed a pretty standard regime offered to transsexual patients. My interpretation of the Harry Benjamin Guidelines is that I am more likely to receive hormone treatments as I had already self prescribed. So, it is a bit of a duel edged sword.

Hate Crime Reporting

OPPORTUNITIES TO REPORT HATE AND RACE CRIME

By Corporate Communication Dept

Following a number of successful surgeries, where members of the public have been able to meet their local Police Community Support Officer, several more have been planned for the coming year across East Herts.

A number of joint agencies have come together to tackle hate crime in East Herts and further surgeries have been planned for victims and members of the public to report it and seek advice.

Hate crime is harassing, victimising, intimidating or abusing someone because of their race, faith, religion, disability or because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans-gendered.

It is a crime where the perpetrator’s prejudice against any identifiable group of people is a factor in determining who is victimised.

Police Community Support Officer Adrian Pomfrett from the Hertford and Ware Safer Neighbourhoods Team, has set up a series of surgeries across the area including a number of surgeries to address the problem.

The surgeries and initiatives are also supported by Victim Support, Neighbourhood Watch, People In Partnership, Riversmead Housing and East Herts District Council.

Adrian said: “Hate crime can come in many forms and this is an ideal opportunity for members of the public to report it and seek advice about it.

“I would urge anyone who wants to report a crime or seek advice and / or support on hate crime to visit us at one of the surgeries or to contact us on the non emergency number 0845 33 00 222.

”The dates and locations for the surgeries are as follows:

Sat 9th Feb - St Michaels Mead - between 12 - 2pm

Saturday 15th March - Bishops Park - between 3pm - 4.30pm

Saturday 19th April - Markwell Centre - between 1.30pm - 3.30pm

Saturday 10th May - Parsonage Community Centre - between 1pm - 3pm

......................................................................................................................................

Hate Crime Posters in adobe pdf format Hate_Crime.pdf


There will be members of the following agencies available to offer help and support in tackling Hate Crime....

Hertfordshire Constabulary

Victim Support

Neighbourhood Watch

East Herts District Council

Riversmead Housing

The PIP Project