10,000 views as of today! thank you for reading my blog!

I want to thank everyone who has read this blog as well as particpated with your comments. I never dreamed that I would average over 200 views a week around the world from all the continents. I have gained a lot of pleasure knowing that my blog is being followed not only by a North American audience, but also by western and eastern Europe, a vast expanse of Asia, South America, Africa and Australia as well as the sub continent of India. It has transcended, various religions of the world. Some of the religions of the continents represented besides my own Christian faith include Islam, Hinduism, Judiasm, Buddism, and other spiritual beliefs that I am not aware of as well as those who are Agnostic or Atheists. I am glad all of you have been reading my  blog and I would hope that if you feel free from persecution, to please comment on the articles that I write. We will all learn more about the world and each other if you feel free and welcome to comment here.

I have so much to learn about what it means to be a transsexual in each of your countries and I hope in the next year that I will see more diversity of opinions from various cultures. It is as much about your comments as what I choose to write about or disclose about myself that makes this forum useful.

Again, thank you so much, I am humbled that so many of you find value in what I write!
Sherri Lynne Tancyus

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to My Forum!

When someone posts a comment to my blog site, I get an email notifying me that the comment was posted. I have had a policy of open posting on my blog since its inception and appreciated dissenting posts as much as those who agree with my position on the matters that I choose to write about. 

Last week I wrote about a close friend’s announcement of her divorce. I was quite surprised Tuesday to find an ad homonym attack on me based on where I am in the process of transitioning and whether I “conflated” changing secondary sexual characteristics, specifically my “genitals” with changing my “gender presentation”.  This person also hid behind the cloak of anonymity which is usually the way people with a malignant agenda make these remarks. They lack the courage of their conviction to list their name or email address. I replied that I found the inquiry to be crude and because it was intrusive to my privacy. I stated that I would not answer this verbal assault. I was quite taken aback by the inappropriateness of the comment on this particular article more than the insinuated challenge of my integrity. I wasn’t particularly surprised that someone would make such a comment. I’ve experienced people like that before. Generally, they tend to be angry people and are bitter.

I discussed this comment with my niece Allie. She advised me that I needed to set my blog to moderate comments and I took this advice. I don't like having to do it as I appreciate the exchange of ideas openly. After all, I do believe in the principle of free speech. That is one of the principles that the internet was said to founded on and it is the cornerstone of Democracy. However, free speech does not extend to personal attacks in my opinion.

On the next evening I got another post to my blog from this anonymous person, this time moderated and not allowed to post without  my review and approval. Anonymous asked why was I "unable to or unwilling" to answer the original question and further challenged my “inability and hence refusal” to answer. Anonymous further escalated the attack by challenging my professional integrity. After all, “In light of my representation as a therapist a bit of candor would be in order… is not trust the cornerstone of your alleged profession?”

At this point, Anonymous no longer had a public forum for this intrusion. I chose to respond to this person off the blog. I stated that Anonymous and I do not have a therapeutic relationship, therefore this line of questioning is moot. A patient of mine asking the question where I stand in my transition is due an answer, provided it is in a context that benefits the patient therapeutically, but an anonymous person does not enjoy the privileges due between patient and therapist.

Then I asked Anonymous some questions of my own: Because Anonymous wishes to intrude upon my privacy and it is my personal decision as to what I choose to disclose about myself and what I deem personal and not open for discussion with my readers, I queried Anonymous about this person’s need to hide behind the cloak of anonymity to challenge me? Why does this person have a right to avoid revealing who they are or their email address while demanding me to answer extremely personal and intimate questions in a public forum?

I also made the observation that when an attack such as this is made, there is usually a hidden agenda. I asked if Anonymous would share that agenda openly with me so that we might discuss what it was. Hidden agendas originate from people who are passive- aggressive. They aren’t able to address conflict in a forthright manner, preferring to attack with innuendo.

I closed in responding by saying that I would be happy to discuss this with Anonymous politely and perhaps we could both learn something from this exchange, but I would not give Anonymous a public forum for this dialogue. Predictably, Anonymous chose not to respond in the last 24 hours. I doubt if I will hear from Anonymous again or learn this person’s identity.

I do have a fair idea as to the identity of this person based on their writing style and the ideological stance that was indirectly expressed, though I’m not absolutely sure who this person is. I have extensive experience in forensic mental health and I have profiled professionally for law enforcement. I am qualified as an expert witness in the judicial system at the Federal courts as well as the Upper and Lower courts of Alabama and Virginia, as well as the Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts.

 I would like to add that anyone who has followed this blog, attended my workshops, or has actually been a patient of mine pretty well knows the answer to the questions Anonymous asked. I am transitioning. It isn’t complete, though I have every intention to complete my transition as circumstances allow. No woman of transsexual experience enjoys being in transition. She feels even worse without the opportunity to transition, something that takes more than courage, it takes a lot of resources.

Those of us who are of transsexual experience generally do the best we can to become who we are if we have the opportunity. Some of are blessed with that opportunity and some of us will never have that chance for intrinsic and/ or extrinsic reasons. Those of us who transition, whether completely, or remain suspended in their transition to one degree or another, and those of us who never have the opportunity to transition because of whatever circumstance are no less than those who are blessed to complete their transition. None of us are less than women who were born and raised as girls and women either. The biological evidence mounts that this is not something we choose to do merely because of psychosocial reasons.

Taking a Break and Updates

I just wanted to take a moment to let you know I have added a blog on the list I have. It's written by Briann Austin. She has a lot of interesting articles that she has written about that I and Cyrsti Hart have written about in our blogs. Frequently, I get my inspiration to write an article from reading blogs like Cyrsti's and Briann's. I hope you enjoy both of their blogs.

I am going on vacation! (whew, finally!). I'll be at Virginia Beach next week.

One thing I will look forward to there is going to the spa for a nice day of relaxation and detoxing my body. The spa is a part of the Edgar Cayce founhttp://www.edldation. They have many wonderful services to enhance your quality of life and well being. Edgar was a very interesting person. He was known as the sleeping profit and was known for giving instructions for healing treatments while in a trance. These treatments were effective for illnesses that medical science at the time could not cure. For more information about Edgar Cayce, click on this link: http://www.edgarcayce.org/edgar-cayce1.html

Updates to the Website

I just wanted to make you all aware of some good blogs I've added to my list of blogs I follow. Several have to do with wives of male to female transsexuals: The Transgentle Wife; Transmarried, Transgender Couple and Happy About It;  and Yes, She is My Husband. I hope that you will take time to consider the viewpoint of our wives who walk by our sides through this journey. It's easy to forget that they go through as much stress as we do, even when things seem to be going well in the transition process. Those who read my blog who are married to women like me, I hope will find resources of support and inspiration for their lives and relationships.

The other blog I have added has to do with the reconciliation of the Christian church to people who are trans, repairing the past hurts and embracing them to the body of Christ. It's called TransEpiscopal.

I hope you will enjoy these blogs too.

Updates to the blog....... 12/11/12

In addition to the new post on Transitioning, Stealth and Passing, yesterday and today I have added some new links to transgender conferences that I regularly give workshops at and a link to the Canadian Professional Association of Transgender Health. I've also added to the list of blogs I follow. Fiat Luxe is the blog of the Rector of St. Paul's Memorial Church where I attend. I also added the link to the blog of my friend from Facebook, Katherine Bradford. Its called Crumbs From the Cosmic Muffin Top. Finally I added a book to the list, Sandra Samon's When the Opposite Sex Isn't. I hope that these additions will make your visit to my blog more enjoyable!

I've Added Some Useful Information!

For those of you who want to learn more about the history of Transgender Care, I have added a bibliography at the bottom of the blog. Some of these books are well worth the trouble to seek out even though they are out of print and may be difficult to find, particularly the "foundation" books from the late 1960's through the mid 1980's. This list is not complete and will be updated periodically, so please check back if you are interested for your own edification or you are a serious scholar of the subject. I really hope that you will find this useful!

You will also find a list of blogs that I am following and I encourage you to visit them often as they are updated.

Either by the end of today or tomorrow, I will add some links to some resources that I think you will find informative and helpful.

As always, I am very thankful that you take the time to read my blog!