Now for the Hard Work

President Elect Joe Bidden

I've just heard the news that Joe Bidden is the USA President Elect, whether you think this good news or bad news will of course depend on who you were supporting, however, I strongly suspect that if you are reading my Blog you will have been rooting for Bidden. I was very pleased to hear him making all the right noises about reconciliation, governing for the whole of the Country, and re-engaging with other Nations. If he can carry this off then that will be great.

But was Trump a cause, or a symptom? There is so much antipathy around the World, so much strife within countries, my own is no exception. We have still to negotiate Brexit, even our own governing party appears to be fundamentally split on how to manage the pandemic, who to support? how? and how much to lock down. Of course we have always expected differences, what seems to have changed is the vituperation expended on opponents ~ I was so pleased to hear Joe Bidden say "they are our opponents, not out enemies" we could do with a lot more of that!

Of course I have my own areas of interest, I have lost a couple of big fights, and I expect that I will lose some others as well, in general I try to understand my opponents point of view, and once I have lost I will try to work with them for the best possible outcome. Brexit is an example I will not ostracise my Brother because he voted the other way to me. I, and the parties I support accept that that battle is lost, we now need to work to ensure that our fears are not realised ~ human rights, worker rights, freedom of movement for both people and trade, and of course the peace of Northern Ireland.

There is another issue that has raised it's very ugly head over the last few years, this one I find it harder to reconcile myself with, or indeed to understand my opponents point of view;- I mean transphobia and homophobia. We thought this war had been fought and won, but there has been a back lash, a back lash that becomes quite personal when it your own very right to be yourself that is being challenged; when it is your own personal rights to live life honestly and to the full that is under fire; when it is your own fundamental rights to life, a family life, freedom of expression, and if you happen to be American the pursuit of happiness! I hope and pray that with this election, the Brexit Referendum, we can put these passionate divisions behind us and once again work collectively to promote the rights and welfare of all citizens, here in the UK, in the USA and around the World.

As we approach the International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), the day when we commemorate the hundreds of trans people that we know of who are murdered simply because they are transgender, let us remember that it is nice middle class presentable people like those nice young people pictured above who encourage this violence, it is they who are bent on creating a society that will force people to lie simply to protect themselves, to be subject to oppression, violence and s even death!

The Best of Times

There is a lot to worry about at the moment, the UK's decision to leave the EU has lead to a lot of uncertainty, what ever your expectations of the outcome it is not going to be an easy process.   The process has not even started and all ready we are beginning to see some negative financial indicators, but then again some better ones as well.   At the moment the only certain thing is the uncertainty!

Then on Friday over in the USA there will be the inauguration of their 45th president, Donald Trump.   Now, many people seem to think that this is a bad thing and that he is a bad man (reference 1066 and all that!) others of course think he is a good man and a good thing.   Just like Brexit does here, he divides the country in twain, once again it appears that no one truly knows what to expect and that we have another very uncertain situation.

Then when we add in The Gambia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and, Yemen it can very much seem as though the World is "Going to Hell in a hand cart".   However on sober reflection I'm not so sure.

I am currently reading C J Sansom's novel" Dark Fire", a great who done it tale set in reformation England, at one stage Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk is reported as saying

'Not just apprentices, even silly little women fancy they can read the Bible now and understand God's Word.'
'It won't be long. The king plans to restrict Bible reading to heads of households, I'd restrict it further - I'd only permit it for the clergy. I've never read it and never will.'

It is on reading something like this that I realise just how privileged we are to live in 21st century western democracies.   There may be ~ and indeed there is ~ much that I disagree with and will argue with, but at least I can.   I can also read my Bible in freedom and can even draw my own conclusions, even though I may just be a "silly little woman"!   As a practising Christian (one day I might get it right) it is more of a concern to me how few people actually do, now they can.   This is a privilege that people quite literally died to allow us.

It is those same people who died and their successors who fought for freedom of worship, freedom to elect our governments and freedom to express our opinions that won us all these freedoms that we now enjoy.   It is because of those people that I can not only go to the Church of my choice on Sunday morning but that I can read my own copy of the Bible, and I can go there authentically as the person God made me to be.   Let's remember that they also bought the freedom of my neighbours to go to the Mosque, Temple or Synagogue of their choice.   They bought the freedom for people to be able to love, and now marry who ever they wish, the freedom to choose our representatives, and indeed to make unwise choices, if we so choose.   I am sure that some of those Martyrs, Soldiers and Protestors would disagree with some of the things that have been done with these freedoms, but at least now they would have the freedom to disagree.

All in all I am very happy that I happen to be alive now, and not at some period in our history, just as I am very glad to be living London, one of the most multicultural, inclusive cities in the world.   Although there is much to worry us, and much to complain of for those of us who don't fit in with society's traditional norm, these really are the best of times.

A bit of Excitment

I was going to write a post about the Gun Culture in America, my perplexity that these things can continue to happen in an otherwise apparently civilised Country.   Surely the basic human right to life is more important than any right to carry arms. I simply cannot understand what is going on, and frankly I never want to understand the workings of a mind that thinks it is OK for anyone to be able to have assault weapons.   I was going to write all this and a lot more, but frankly there are so many more eloquent and powerful voices who are struggling with this that I see little point in my humble observations.

Instead I am going to make a, possibly introverted, observation on my own transition.

When I considered myself a Crossdresser any excursions I made were very exciting, I would worry about all sorts of things ~ most of which never happened, and the ones that did weren't as bad as I feared, yet I loved doing it. I loved the feeling of otherness, I will admit I rather liked the attention I would sometimes get. I enjoyed the sound of my heels on the floor, I enjoyed the feeling of the air on my legs, I enjoyed the swish of a skirt.   I still be able to enjoy all these things; yet they are a little more commonplace now.   I am out and about a lot and generally now just blend into the scenery.  The thrill is missing, without the fear, without the extraordinariness, without the naughtyness, the excitement has gone, to be replaced with comfort, ease, and acceptance.

Don't get me wrong, I would not go back! I am comfortable with the person I am becoming, I feel as though I have retained most of my good points, but added a few more, now I am being honest with myself and others I have more integrity, I suspect that this shows.

Having said that the other day I did feel in need of a little naughtyness, and went out to do a little shopping dressed to attract attention!  Both the hem of my skirt and the heels of my boots were high, I knew I was attracting attention I am I liked it!   I had some complimentary remarks from a few people, and even a couple of approaches from men.   I am not seeking any sort of relationship (or indeed physical encounter) but it was nice to dress up attract a bit of attention , and be noticed.

I will not be making a habit of this, but every now and then it is fun to "Strut your Stuff"

Americans

I'm not usually a great one for special days to commemorate events or to celebrate specific people.   A case in point is the recent Veterans day in the US.   I found some of the comments made by some of my American friends on a forum rather offensive, when I mentioned this I became subject to a diatribe of invective, most of it inaccurate and extremely insulting to anyone who is not a citizen of the USA.   I am very careful not to refer to them as American as that would be to slight Canadians and Mexicans a simple fact overlooked by the majority of people from the USA.   The USA is not America, America is a continent not a country.

 

Likewise I have upset a few people by wondering about the motivation of our Government here in the UK in arranging lots of events and spending lots of money on commemorating the centenary of the start of the First world War.   I wonder how much of this is about celebrating our armed forces to disguise the fact that we are reducing our expenditure on those self same armed forces.   We are failing to live up to our side of the forces covenant while promoting charities that will fulfil our commitments for us.   It feels cynical to spend millions celebrating the centenary of the start of this war when we are no longer able to engage in even a small war.   It feels wrong to celebrate beating the Germans (because that's what it is really about) when so many (within the government as well as without) are pressing to withdraw from the EU.

 

The EU, the EEC before it and the Common Market before that have been all about co-operation in Europe, if we are commercially interdependent then we will not go to war with each other, and it seems to have worked for the last 60 years so there must be something in it.   Still, whatever I think and what ever the effect it may have on our European partners we will be celebrating 100 years since the start of the first world war, and out of interest to my American readers we will be doing that in 2014 not 2017

 

Anyway some of this is just a preamble to explain a new page I have put up in response to some exchanges on a forum I have been part of.   Over the last week or so I have been checking to see if there had been any apologies made, but no the insults have been left to lie, so I will now be posting a copy of my new page on the forum, and keeping a copy of it here on Paula's Place.   It is a great shame but in the modern parlance "it is what it is"   I am sorry that this little spat has fallen over on to Paula's place, but on the simple basis that I have control here I will be posting it here to make sure that my feelings are clear to anyone who is interested, and cannot be removed or altered without my permission.

 

One day I am happy to celebrate is Fathers day, which is of course today, I am happy because I got a great card and a great present from my daughter.   A pot of Patnum Pepnum "Gentleman's Relish" anchovy paste may not be every one's idea of a great present, but I will enjoy it greatly, and I know my daughter thought about it carefully and realised that this is something I will enjoy, that's what a present should be

 

 

Leading the way

In the UK we don't have a tradition of cheer leading in the same way that they have in the USA, on the whole I think that is probably a good thing.   It seems to me to be anther area where gender stereotypes are imposed.   At a time where sports, music, and so many other activities are becoming more and more open to either gender it seems silly to have any bastions of sexism embraced by schools of all institutions.

I found this picture on newmalefashion as far as I ca tell from the photo there are both male and female cheerleaders here, all in the same uniform.   I can imagine that some parents and fellow students might not be overjoyed by this, but I think it looks like they are having fun.

America Votes

So we are coming up to that time when Americans vote for their President.   The post holder is widely viewed as the most powerful man in the world, certainly they will be the commander in chief of the most powerful armed forces and the political head f the most powerful economy.  

Here in Europe we tend to think that which candidate wins will make a big difference to how the world will be, we also tend to look at the candidates that emerge and despair, to us the choice often looks like being between the right wing, and the extreme right wing, and worry what will happen if the "wrong" man wins.   Well sometimes the USA do vote in what we might think is the wrong man, and, well I'm not sure how much difference it makes to us.   George W was obviously the worse candidate yet for a number of reasons (not least the bazaar electoral college system) after a series of Court cases won, and what difference did it make to the rest of the world, we will simply never know.   Bush's time will be remembered for events out of his hands and how he reacted to them, maybe he did lead the world into war, but would Al Gore have reacted with any difference?

I hope the USA will make the right decision tomorrow, from my point of view that means the candidate who wants a progressive sustainable economy, will resist international armed intervention, and looks to support the Country's weakest and most marginalised citizens.   Thoughts on trans rights of course would influence my choice, but would not be the sole critical factor, but then I don't have the choice.   Maybe I should hope that whatever choice Americans will make will be made the right one, that whoever takes up this high office will be worthy of it.   What we do know is that it will be a man.