Update on the Julie Burchill article

After my initial complaint to the Torquay Police was filed, I suspect, in the waste-paper bin, I took the matter up with one of the Diversity team at a recent Independent Advisory Group meeting with the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority where I serve as a member of the Gender Committee.  He assured me that even though the slurs and derogatory language were not directed at any one person in particular, it still could be regarded as a hate crime and that he would make further enquiries.

He has just contacted me to inform me that as several other Police Authorities have received complaints over the article, he had contacted the Head Diversity officer in London wanting to know if there was going to be a national response or if PA's were to proceed individually and he has volunteered to be the collator of information if the police decide to take action nationally as he was as appalled by the article as many people were.

He also apologised for the lack of action by my local police station and I shall be following this up as well shortly.

My reply to Julie Burchill

Julie Burchill (a radical feminist journalist) recently wrote an article in the Observer online (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/14/1 - which was later withdrawn by the editor - but was later published in a blog on the Daily Telegraph web site http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyyoung/100198116/here-is-julie-burchills-censored-observer-article/).

In the article she attacked trans women (but not trans men) in vile disgusting terms and ranted on about us demanding greater privileges than natal women.  She describes herself as a working class journalist (but nevertheless dines out and tries to impress her more illustrious colleagues in the rad fem movement by buying them lobster and champagne dinners.

She did this in support of a colleague (Suzanne Moore) who wrote an article that, amongst other things, women were angry about "not having the ideal body shape – that of a Brazilian transsexual".  It was a throw away line for which she has since apparently apologised (not realising that the murder rate of trans women in Brazil numbers many hundreds since records started to be kept a few years ago).  The article caused concern amongst the trans community and she was "driven from Twitter" by the storm that she had unwittingly unleashed (although why a seasoned writer was driven from Twitter is rather beyond me).

So in steps Julie Burchill all guns blazing on behalf of her 'friend' and produces one of the most hate filled and crude articles I have ever read and which was published by the Observer.  Besides being crude, it was also factually incorrect and just the slightest amount of research would have shown her this.

Her long introduction about her 'friend' showed her up as a sycophantic wanna-be worshipping at the feet of the woman that she has put on a pedestal, craving for a word of thanks for supporting her against the 'trannies'.

I probably know more transsexuals than she does, and the vast majority of them are caring, compassionate people - many having had to give up everything (family, friends, home, career) just to be true to themselves.  None of us demands greater privilege than any other woman - in fact it is often a fight to get any rights whatsoever.  If she really thinks that we are over privileged, she really should spend a few months walking in our shoes, she would certainly come away feeling very different.

We do not do this through choice (nobody would willingly put themselves through all the losses that we have to go through, the mental anguish, the physical pain of electrolysis and surgery), we do it purely to be true to ourselves.  An horrendous 84% of people who identify as being transsexual contemplate suicide and an astonishing 42% have actually attempted suicide on one or more occasions - which puts transsexual people as a group as one of the highest at risk anywhere in the world.

Maybe, by her bile she hoped that as a group, we would commit genocide and thus rid the world of what she regards as a problem.

Louise McCudden (a feminist journalist) wrote a much more reasoned piece in the Independent criticizing Julie Burchill's original article which can be read here http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/to-julie-burchill-suzanne-moore-and-all-feminists-the-absence-of-trans-people-in-the-media-is-as-important-as-the-absence-of-women-in-the-media-8450401.html

Thank you Louise for your understanding and compassion, it is good to know that there are people out there who can think more deeply about what we have to go through to be ourselves.

To celebrate the first anniversary of my blog

An introspective look back at 2012

Well, that was quite a year for me, starting in January with my journey to Peru to finally get my FFS done - then with a visit in the Autumn to Istanbul in Turkey for more surgical procedures you might well describe it as a cutting edge year for me.  Sandwiched in between I took on some voluntary work, working with other 'protected status' groups on the Independent Advisory Group which works with our local Police Authority with the aim of stamping out hate crime.  I was also put through an intensive training course in the Summer and early Autumn for my other voluntary work which involves telephone support on a national suicide helpline - which can be very challenging, sometimes desperately sad but other times extremely satisfying and uplifting. 
This has also brought about a number of new friendships and also made a few more people aware that transsexual people are just ordinary people much like themselves, it's just that we had a struggle in our past in order to become our true selves.
One of the nicest things somebody said to me this year was when I met an old friend (who knows about my past now and who has read this blog) and upon the initial greetings hug, whispered in my ear, "Carol, you really are the bravest woman that I have ever met".  I, personally, have never considered it a brave thing to do, a necessary one indeed and the only choice that I did have at that long distant point in my past was to either transition or die - not really much of a choice for any person to make as I suspect the vast majority of people would choose to live.
So what new challenges await us in the New Year??  No doubt there will be plenty although with the public becoming more and more aware of trans issues, I have a feeling of great optimism - yes, there still many countries where we can still be imprisoned and even executed for trying to be our true selves, but there does appear to be increasing acceptance and understanding of our plight and with legislative steps now taking place in other parts of the world to secure equality in employment and other rights, then people will not have to face the terrible discrimination that those of us who transitioned many years ago had to face.
As this blog rapidly approaches it's first anniversary, I am heartened by the sheer number of views that it has attracted (well over 11,000 at the time of writing), so I would like to thank all those who have taken the time to read all or even just selective parts of it - and especially to those of you who have taken the time to leave comments or ask for more information.
A happy New Year to all my readers, may all your dreams come true at some point in 2013
Thank you
Carol xxx

Boxes, litlle boxes

I had an interesting discussion in an online group this evening where people were complaining about the trans label and hated being put into boxes.

My argument is that that boxes or labels are important - but we all have a million boxes, we cannot be placed into just one box alone. You could have a box/label such as 'Sports orientated' where an athlete or a gymnast might be best described, you have others labelled 'Intelligent', or 'House Proud', or 'Psychotic' or 'Blonde', 'Beautiful', 'Fat', 'Thin' etc etc. They are all boxes which help define or describe who a person is - even 'Male' or 'Female' are boxes.
There is nothing wrong with boxes per se, it is just our attitude to them.  Nobody would object to being put into a box which described them as beautiful, or witty, or intelligent or caring.
Labels are just there to give more definition as to the type of people that we are - they are merely adjectives which help to describe or elaborate on a particular noun.
It is only when those labels are used in a pejorative way as a means of insulting or demeaning a person that they become objectionable.

Christmas Greetings

First pics after tummy tuck

Well, after a long deliberation, I decided to put up my first pictures after my abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) so that  you can see the new waistline.  At this moment, because the scars are still showing I have decided to cover up a little and therefore I have a basque on to cover my modesty lol
I have shown this image to a few of my friends and they were amazed at what the tummy tuck has achieved (as have I lol) compared to my shape previously.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Transgender Day of Remembrance - 20th November 2012

Quote (from Trans: The Movie)
"Horrid things happen to us, we do not make it up"

Remembering those who had horrible things happen to them where they paid with their lives just for having the courage to be themselves
The photo on the left is an old friend of mine who died by being pushed off the platform in front of an incoming train on the London underground
Sonia died 25 October 2010, but is still remembered.
Please visit the link below for a list of people who were known to have died this year as a result of transphobia
 http://www.transgenderdor.org/memorializing-2012

What is so sad is that other than the senseless loss of live, these people never  had the chance to become the whole person that they knew themselves to be.  Even in the UK and despite our equality laws giving transgender people protection from dismissal on grounds of gender identity, the lack of employment opportunities for transgender people is huge and many are forced into the sex trade in order to put food in their stomachs and a roof over their head.  Their families and friends have frequently disowned them and quite often as a result of their gender dysphoria during their school years, many lack a good education.
It is quite easy to dismiss the brutality and violence as a case of "well they deserved it, going into the sex trade and not having had an GRS", but for many who are so desperate for surgery, this is their only means of getting together enough money to be able to afford it - especially in countries that do not have access to free health care.  How many other prostitutes are murdered so brutally - often shot, not just once, but multiple times, the victims are often burned and their bodies mutilated by frenzied knife wounds.
So, on 20th November each year, events are held around the world where transgender people, their families and their allies can come together to remember those that have died that year (and in the years before) due to ignorance and hatred of us.
To date the latest figures from the Transrespect web site show that 267 murders of transgender people (almost 100% transwomen) have taken place since the last TDoR, the vast majority in the central American belt and in South America - although 15 of them (6%) have taken place in the country that proclaims itself as being the home of democracy and freedom - the USA (see here for the list of names and full details of their murders).

Transphobia on national television

I came across this video yesterday which is full of transphobic bile - I cannot believe that some of the views expressed in this video are for real.  Transgender children have to go through enough with bullying from both other children and the other children's parents, it is never something that is undertaken lightly and something that isn't done on a whim that one day they will 'be' a girl and the next day 'be' a boy.
To actually broadcast this bile without having done the proper research is vile and insidious and will result in far more bullying of transgender children - they need to be prosecuted for inciting hate crime in my humble opinion.



On reflection I would like to point out that I only know of one case where a 45 year old student flashed 'her' equipment to younger girls at a college (see here) and I have doubts if that person was a transsexual.  That person should have been prosecuted for that in my humble opinion.  Every person that I know that is transsexual has a loathing of their body and would never, ever display their body in public such is the shame and embarrassment that we feel.
However, every transgender child has to undergo a terrifying amount of bullying - and this will include other children trying to lift their skirts and pulling off their undergarments, this is a common story amongst trans children who have transitioned.  So we have to ask ourselves who is more in need of protection here and programmes on national television like the one above will actually increase this type of misunderstanding and rejection of trans children.

Party time last night

I was invited to one of my friend's 40th birthday party last night and had a really good fun evening - lovely to see a lot of my friends there last night, and nice to see Di and Terry there too (thank you for the drinks Terry).
What I find increasingly strange is why men do not like to get up and dance though - all night long it was just the women who were dancing (except for one guy, who kept at the fringes).  Answers on a postcard to:- ............... (or just use the comments box below, it might be easier lol)

Elections for Police and Crimes Commissioners

These elections are important for transgender people as it could affect how the police deal with hate crimes in your local area.  So far there is a sense of total apathy towards these elections and so it is likely that only a small number of people could be voting in the area of your police authority - so your vote could be crucial in who gets elected and what the policy and priority is given towards transphobic hate crime.
Now that the list of applicants has been published for all police authority areas (See here for the list), I would urge you to send an email to each candidate in your area asking them what their policy is towards hate crime and transphobic hate crime in particular and how they would prioritise this.
I will publish the questions which I posed to all the candidates in my area (Devon and Cornwall Police Authority) and their responses here.

Removal of my stitches today

Just getting ready to go down to see the nurse at the medical centre where I am registered.

Just got back in and I was pleasantly surprised - the tummy ones didn't hurt at all, or the belly button ones.  I must admit though a few of the ones in the labia did sting a little.
I was a little embarrassed though, it is all well and good doctors in Turkey examining you down there - you won't see them again, but I know the practice nurse quite well and she is always taking blood samples and such for my diabetic checks etc.  However she was quite sweet about it all and helped put me at ease.
My tummy wouldn't stop rumbling though all the way through the removal process and in some ways this made it easier as we had a laugh about what my tummy was trying to vocalise lol.
Still it is all over now and she said that everything looks good and is healing fine.

Surprise, Surprise :)

Just measured my new tummy first thing this morning - and I am extremely pleased to report that my waistline is a trim 27" (down from 32") - and there is still a little bit of swelling still there.
Thank you Dr. Ergin xxx

My Review of Comfort Zone Cosmetic Surgery

I have just completed my initial review of Comfort Zone Cosmetic Surgery which you can find in the pages section in the right hand panel of the page - or by clicking here.

Journey Home

The old and the new in Istanbul

I didn't sleep very well last night and I didn't want to take a sleeping tablet, just in case I overslept and had to rush around and possibly miss my flight.  I must have dozed off at around 4 am though as the Imam woke me up with his call to prayer.  I felt a bit down about leaving - not only the weather and what the surgeries have accomplished, but I will really miss the companionship of the lovely Clare and the mad Ukrainian woman, Allah.  She's not mad really, but just crazy in the loveliest sense of the word.
Finished my packing and went to say bye bye to Mischoo and her sister, who I christened Tishchoo - she's practically identical except in the eyes and she is quite a bit smaller than Mischoo - and very timid, although she was taking food from my hand towards the end.
Clare knew that I loved the bracelet she had bought from the Grand Bazaar - and because I hadn't been able to go because of the delays the day before - she surprised me when she came down for breakfast as she said that she wanted me to have it - and she would get another one when she went there next.  What a wonderful special person to do that.  Thank you Clare, it meant an awful lot to me.
Arrived at the airport in plenty of time, that's the worst thing about flying - all the hanging around and then the only really exciting bits are the take off and landing.  It was hot and boring on the plane (which was full) and we landed at Luton at around 2:50 pm (UK time).  After going through Customs and collecting my luggage, I caught the shuttle bus that runs to the Long Stay Car Park and collected my car and then the long drive home back to Torquay.  When I got home it was raining quite heavily and COLD, almost turned the car round and drove back to Luton lol
Tummy and hair are fine but I have to see my GP early next week for him to remove the stitches - not looking forward to that one little bit.
Right, I'd better go and unpack some of my stuff and sort out the things for the washing machine tomorrow - back to reality with a bump.

Last Day

Allah

Scorching hot last day today which is turning out to be a bit of a farce. Engin was going to pick us all up at 10:30 am to go to the hospital, but ended up coming at 11:45 and then told me that the surgeon couldn't fit me in until this afternoon - so my intended last day shopping spree has disappeared up in smoke.
However here is a photograph of the wonderful Allah, the Ukrainian lady who looked after all the guests here, cooking all our meals, cleaning our rooms and doing any washing that we needed doing.
I will start packing some of my stuff in a moment in readiness for leaving early tomorrow morning (I will have to be out of the apartment by 9 am in order to get to the airport by around 10:30 to 11 am.  My flight back to the UK is at 12:45, so should be back in the UK by around 3pm (UK time), then the long car trip back to Torquay.
Finally went to see the two surgeons at 4pm and Claire met me at the Estethica Hospital - had a sandwich and a cup of cappuccino before going in to see the surgeons.  The first one was the surgeon who did the labiaplasty and he said it looks far better than it did before so I am really pleased about that and then I saw Dr Ergin (the surgeon who did my tummy) He was very pleased with how it is healing.  Both of them prescribed some ointments for application afterwards.  I have to see my GP when I get back to the UK as I have a mixture of dissoluble and non dissoluble ones.
Next followed a comedy regime when Claire and myself caught a taxi to meet up with Engin. He drove us a quarter of a mile and then stopped in front of a taxi kiosk, got out and was in consultation with 5 other taxi drivers as to the location he was supposed to be taking us.  In the end we had to transfer into another taxi who drove us to the general vicinity and then he had to ask another driver for final directions whilst we were in a traffic jam.  Claire and myself were laughing our heads off at the Monty Pythonesque  of it all.
Engin met us at the clinic and then took us both out for a meal as it was my last night there.
Claire and I then went back to the apartment and we sat chatting  together until just turned 10 o'clock before we decided to turn in for the night.  Engin just popped in to give me my medications to take home with me. 
I really will miss Claire when I return home as she was really lovely and a genuinely nice person to know, in fact I will miss all of them, but Engin told me if I ever fancy a short break, then they would love me to come back and spend a few days with them as they will all miss my company too - and he really meant it, so who knows, maybe in a few moths time when I am sick of the English winter I might pop back to Turkey for a week to renew my friendships that I have made here.
This is me then, signing off from Turkey - a separate review will follow shortly xxx

Day 5 Post Op

Took another sleeping tablet last night and again slept like a log until about 7:45 am.  Took my restraining band off and finally got into the shower - pure bliss, I must have been in there at least 20 mins luxuriating in the flow of clean fresh water washing over my body.  Came out feeling fresh and alive and still marvelling at my new tummy, it's incredible, no bulge any more, just a beautiful flat tummy.
Went down to breakfast with a smiling Alla - saved some of my omelette for Mischoo (who seemed to love the bits of tomato ketchup still left on part of it.  It was a little cloudy when I got up, but the sun has soon chased those clouds away and it is glorious sunshine once again.  I love it here.  I plan to go down to the bazaar later on this morning as Diane told me that there is some beautiful jewellery down there - but she warned me that the vendors do expect to haggle over prices, as they seem to enjoy that here.
Went to try and find the bazaar, but it was either closed or I had got lost, but I had a nice walk round the many beautiful small shops in the town, but decided against buying anything until I have had a chance to visit the bazaar.  Must ask Engin where it is again.  Fruit has been not available since I got here, so bought a large bunch of grapes on my way back to the apartment - about twice the size of what you can buy in Sainsbury's for about 60 pence.
Clare was back from her weekend break with her boyfriend (with a sparkle back in her eyes lol).  In the end it was just far too hot to sit out on the patio - must be reaching 30ºC out there at the moment, so dreading coming back to the UK a day after tomorrow, just 1½ days left to go, can't believe it has passed so quickly.
Engin later informed me that the bazaar is only open on a Sunday (so I can either stay and have some more surgery and go to the market on Sunday or give up on the idea.
Lisa's nose job did look terrific - hmmmmmm (lol)
The new people from Switzerland arrived this afternoon (a brother and sister) to have their rhinoplasties done - this will probably be the last time that I see them this evening as they will be in the hospital tomorrow and I leave the day afterwards - shame as they seem to be fun people.  Another married couple are arriving this evening for slim lipo, so I will probably get to know them far less - although we will probably travel to the hospital together tomorrow when I will have my final consultation with the surgeon

Day 4 Post Op

Took a sleeping tablet last night - and after 10 mins I was fast asleep and didn't remember a thing until I woke up (with a clear head) at 8 am this morning.  A day of rest and relaxation.  Engin mentioned that Diane and Lisa were going back to the hospital this evening for their last post operative checkups, so I asked him if I could go along as well as the liquid from the drain tubes was running a pale straw colour this morning and he said it would be fine for me to go as well.
The traffic was the worst I have yet seen in Istanbul - it took us 2½ hours to get there.  I swear that I will never EVER complain about traffic jams on the Newton Road again lol.
The surgeon had a look and said that I was healing extremely well and that that he was happy to remove the drains for me (YAY!!!!) and I had a good look at what he had done to my tummy - it is AMAZING!!!!!!!  All the ripples and pock marks were gone and the incision lines are well below my pantie line (except for one small vertical line running up from the tummy tuck button where he had removed my old belly button and sutured it closed - yes, he must have removed a tremendous amount of skin).  My new tummy was flat and smooth as a sheet of glass and he said it would improve a lot more over the next 6 to 8 weeks once the swelling had gone.  To say I am thrilled must be the understatement of the year.

Day 3 Post Op

View from my apartment window today

Good morning from a gloriously hot and sunny Istanbul in Turkey.  Already around 25ºC and forecast to rise to around 30ºC for today until Wednesday when I leave on my flight back to the UK.  I didn't sleep very well last night, not because of any pain from the operation sites, just a bit of back ache from having to sleep on my back all this time.  Got up at about 4am for an hour then back to bed and I then slept through until around 8am - even the Imam's call to prayer failed to wake me lol.
Finally able to get my wig back on and Alla greeted me with a "Beautiful" comment and a broad smile - and then proceeded to take photographs of me during breakfast.  I have noticed that she does this with people that she likes and doesn't bother to do so with people that she doesn't really care for, so I must be in her good books for some reason.
Had a peek at my labiaplasty this morning, but can't really see what the effect is as it's covered in plasters at the moment and I haven't really seen what the tummy tuck is like at the moment as I have to keep this elasticated "waspie" on at all times day and night - so I can't even shower at the moment.  I hope the surgeon gives me the OK to shower on Monday otherwise I will be sat alone on the plane on Wednesday.  More Later