Rachel asked me to document a day in her life as a transsexual. Yes. This has all been done with a cellphone purely because it's simply the easiest camera to use and it's always available. Uploading the images - while not spectacular - to the blog is easier than pie. They're instantly accessible via Android. If one day digital SLRs come with wifi compatibility or even Android compatibility, there may be a winner in the marketplace.
One of the main fears of most transsexuals aside from mockery by peers and strange looks by people who think there may be something amiss, is the fear of violence. In many countries, transsexuals are routinely subjected to police beatings (Russia is a prime example) or subject to dismissal by employers for their trans-sexuality. There was a law passed recently in the US Congress against this kind of thing in order to put transsexuals on an equal footing with everybody else. Thus, many transsexuals have in their drawers (pun not intended), the means with which to defend themselves should such an event be necessitated. Thus, nestled amongst all the make-up in Rachel's drawer is a loaded gun. She is afraid of everybody because she is not seen as being a woman by her peers but rather as some strange, loathsome entity - a danger to public morality. Rachel has to live with a gun in every room with the constant stress, fear and apprehension of sudden attack. (It is hard to imagine how Rachel can live like this - editor)
One of the most loathsome aspects for ordinary women is having to shave their legs and their armpits - it's just the same for transsexuals save for the fact their hair is thicker and harder to remove. They also have beard hair to remove. This is even harder than genetic women's hair as it grows thicker and faster. Thus, a transsexual sometimes has to shave their face twice a day just to maintain a smooth appearance.
I haven't seen very many women with stubble or even beards. I have seen a few though but this is due to a hormonal imbalance. Women sometimes get hirsuitism from genetic or other hormonal conditions and largely it is treatable. The only treatment for a transsexual is a sex change which takes a lot of money and surgery. Many transsexuals such as Rachel tend to be classed as cross-dressers as they don't live their entire lives as women. Rather, like Rachel they are Samuel in the day and Rachel in the evening when nobody else can see them. It's a rather sad, lonely life for them. Many are divorced and live alone as their former partners normally couldn't stand their feminine aspect. Shaving is the same for both men and women otherwise - it's a case of a razor and elbow grease. The only difference is that women's razors are designed to look more feminine.
As with women, transsexuals use the same cosmetics - lip gloss, eyeliner, mascara, blush, foundation. There's nothing special there. Probably the only differences are the physical. Transsexuals being somewhat stouter of the waist and taller than genetic women. There are other differences but those are the most obvious. Thus, after the normal rising, ablutions and cosmetics, Transsexuals like Rachel then put on their clothing just as genetic women do. The difference is that afterwards about 90% never leave the house. They get all dressed up and have nowhere to go. Hence the high number of ridiculous pink dresses on sale on eBay.
There is a huge variety of gender expression. Rachel is a transsexual that is a woman trapped in a man's body. Thus, Rachel buys ordinary women's clothes so she does not stand out. Back to the pink dresses on eBay and those are the preserve of pantomime cross-dressers who Rachel assures me do it for very different reasons.
Not many women have rifles and gun oil in their homes. In general genetic women are much less disposed toward owning things that make loud bangs and can be used to kill people. Transsexuals because of their male upbringing often have them because they've been taught to always be prepared. The fact that a sudden breakdown in society that leads people to having to go and hunt for food in the forests and engage in street warfare is highly unlikely to happen outside of the third world seems to be lost on the preppers or those rendering boys their male upbringing.
Transsexuals have such major issues to overcome. Rachel is an example of such. After getting dressed, Rachel has nowhere to go and ends up sitting at home, reading a book all day. Rachel is terrified to leave the house and be seen for fear it might have negative repercussions on job prospects, might experience violence from unknown people that might not like the fact that Rachel's biological gender differs from her internal gender.
Thus, the day draws to a close with Rachel able to do most of what a genetic woman can do save for leaving the house, imprisoned by fear.
What do you think people like Rachel should do and do you think it's right that they should live in fear?
