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Let’s Talk (My?) Gender

A photo of Theo on stage with a questioning look on their face. It says "Gender?"

Or maybe your gender? Our genders?

Last summer, my neighbors in my political group asked me to speak to them about my gender, gender journey, and also the current state of trans rights. (The latter’s not great!) This is a modification of what I discussed with them.

Header photo by Lindsay Ladd of Ginger Fox Photography.

Before I share my own journey: Leveling setting

If you do not believe that trans people are real, please hit “x” to close your browser. If you believe your sky daddy deity of choice is against transness, you have bigger problems and attend to your own house before throwing rocks at others. If you believe trans people don’t deserve human dignity and rights, to quote the late David Lynch on this topic, change your heart or die.

Terminology and concepts to discuss gender (so we’re all on the same page)

Transgender (trans) is an umbrella term that simply means you don’t identify with your gender as assigned at birth. It is a value-neutral word.

Cisgender (cis) is a term that simply means you identify with your gender as assigned at birth. It is a value-neutral word.

Nonbinary is a term that simply means you do not identify as strictly male or female. It is an entire spectrum with outliers and currently ever-evolving. It is a value-neutral word.

Transition means that a person has changed something about their gender presentation, usually to the outside world. Social transition contains things like changing your name or pronouns or dressing differently. Usually things that are completely reversible. Medical transition contains things like using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or getting surgeries, and may be less irreversible (but not always!).

Gender and sex are different terms. Gender is your expression and internal identity (how the world sees you and how you see yourself), and sex is your biological characteristics expressed through genetics that can be modified through modern medicine.

Gender and sex are both social constructs. This means that our culture and society dictate what that means. Continue reading “Let’s Talk (My?) Gender”

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Following the Paths of Grief

(kick me under the table all you want, I won’t shut up)

Grief has kept me away from this space, away from engaging in the writing I love, and away from what seems like the barest minimum of human connections. A grief that shuts down, just as much as it can hone.

I didn’t write here, but I did write a lot about organic electro-optic materials in photonic computing, coming to a website near you. Even in grief, you must pay the bills.

My cat Hermione died. Her cancer came back, and there was nothing we could do. Hermione knew it was time, even if I still don’t want it to ever be time.

Me, Hermione, and Jacob
My precious baby Hermione

Continue reading “Following the Paths of Grief”

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Food Myth: Are Brown Shelled Eggs Healthier?

Eggs by Magalie L'Abbee
Eggs by Magalie L'Abbee
I’m not sure how only white shelled eggs being sold in supermarkets came about. Probably something to do with white equaling purity in the psychological minds of America. But until maybe 15 years ago, the supermarket shelves were only lined with white shelled eggs.

However, since the “organic” and “free-range” labels have come along, brown eggs are now synonymous with healthy and organic. (The organic label itself is problematic; but that’s another complete blog post.)

But science be told, brown and white eggs and green eggs — yes, green eggs — are all equal in nutritional value. Well, that is if the hens eat the same food. Hens eat everything from grass to insects to commercial chicken feed. Healthy chickens require a far more diverse diet than massive factory farming provides and that’s one of the reasons why those brown shelled eggs often have thicker shells. Those small farm hens get better nutrition.

So what determines the color of the egg? Continue reading “Food Myth: Are Brown Shelled Eggs Healthier?”

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Back in the Kitchen

Actually, I never left the kitchen. I’ve still been creating new things in my kitchen and making some old favorites. Just have been atrocious at updating this blog. My bad.

Me caught in my natural environment by Jason
Me caught in my natural environment by Jason

Anyway to get your mouth watering for some delicious food, here’s some upcoming recipes: savory pies; updated photos on eggplant enchiladas; bread, bread, and more bread; baked leeks; and more chickpeas than you can count. Not to mention, I’ve gotten myself some new gadgetry.