Phillipa and Linda....

[MissCreant]

Some months ago, the small area in which I live, acquired it's first openly transexual resident, Phillipa. Phillipa just kind of arrived, no-one really knew her, or what the story was, but it soon became common knowledge that the rumours were true. Phillipa was not just an extremely ugly woman, she had once been Phil, father, husband and tradesman.
To this areas credit, she settled in without incident, people had a laugh, but that was about it. No-one wanted to kill or maim her or anything, before long she could be seen chatting with the neighbours and such like.
Then came Mr.Manly, (no shit, that was his name), who is now Linda and sharing a house with Phillipa, both are pre-op.
Last week, they had a letter published in the local paper. It was inspired by a TV show about this guy http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/30/1062194756832.html?from=storyrhs and the general gist of the letter is that they are most unhappy about the way the media has portrayed their condition whilst covering Alan's story.
I've started this because it has become very obvious that it's a hot discussion topic. The whole towns a buzz, everyone's got an opinion.
I tend to be of the opinion that if they're not bothering me, what difference does it make? But, deeper thinking, and reading Alan Finches story, makes me feel almost concerned for these two because I rekon, it's only going to end in sadness. Furthermore, these two are in their 50's, why any man would wish to become an old woman is beyond me. And at this stage of the game, that's about all they've got to look forward to.
I also, as a woman, feel deeply sorry for them because no matter how much surgery they have, they'll never really know what it is to be a woman. Being a woman is about more than skirts and vaginas, at least I think so. They'll never have the experiences of a woman, no matter how much surgery they put themselves through. Basically, I think it's extremely sad, and I think this quote from the article about Alan Finch sums up why...." He was angry at himself for having been so gullible that he was sucked into the fantasy that becoming a woman would solve his identity crisis."....Becoming women is not going to guarantee these two happiness, and by then it's gonna be too late to do anything but regret it....
I'm just curious as to what others think.

[jillamanda]

So true. I suppose we'll never really be able to understand it fully, and that doesn't make us lesser people. No one can understand what it's like to be schizophrenic, or an alcoholic or even clinically depressed unless they've actually experienced it.

I believe in the 'live and let live' adage too, but sometimes I have to wonder how much tolerance the so called objects of our intolerance have. It seems we have to tolerate more and more these days, and in theory, I guess it's the right thing to do, but more and more we're being asked to tolerate things that once were intolerable eg. child abuse ( both in and out of church). We are asked to tolerate this on occasions because the perpetrator was abused as a child etc. I'm not referring to Phillippa and Linda, they're easy to tolerate. And in this country 20 years ago, we had institutions for people who were suffering serious mental illnesses. Then psychotropic drugs came along, they medicated all these people, shut down the institutions and let them all out. I actually worked with a 65 year old Aboriginal woman who'd been institutionalised for 38 years. She had admitted herself when she was 27, an alcoholic who was frightened of how violent she became when she was drunk. Then they closed all these places down and just sent her to relatives she didn't even know. When I worked with her, she couldn't even get her own breakfast. She just sat there and waited for it to be put in front of her. She actually did OK in the end, but there's many, many examples of people having psychotic episodes and killing others, in fact we personally know of at least one. These people were once institutionalised for their own protection and for the protection of those around them.
This is off thread, I know, but I suppose what I'm trying to say is, their lives would be so much worse if it wasn't for the tolerance of the communities they live in.

[micron]

Originally posted by jillamanda
, but I suppose what I'm trying to say is, their lives would be so much worse if it wasn't for the tolerance of the communities they live in.
The tolerance bit I agree with but carrying out these mutilations on these deluded people is like giving a child that thinks he can fly a superman cape and a ladder.
Most psychiatrists I have met are as mad as their patients.:sure:
Let them dress up and take litle pink pills by all means but what is the merit in mutilating their genitalia?The surgeons ego maybe?

[Pistol Pete]

Tolerance aside, I agree it's very strange they would try a "new look" this late in life. If they feel that getting sagging boobs will make them be happy, then there is nothing that is going to make them happy.


They should have gone this route, years ago...;)

http://bushwhacked.net/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=46409

[jillamanda]

I just hope it's not contagious. Phillippa was there first, and now there's Linda, who was a straight pest exterminator until quite recently. Linda has only recently 'come out', according to local gossip, so I think he's jumping the gun a bit, saying he's 'pre - op'. I'm not sure, but I don't think you can just march into any hospital and ask for gender reassignment, from what I can gather, it's quite a long process.....

[Pistol Pete]

Originally posted by jillamanda
I just hope it's not contagious.

If you feel the urge to write your name in the snow...RUN!! :laugh:

[RicardoHead]

I'm part of the old "it don't affect me so I don't give a shit" crowd. That doesn't mean I'm above cracking jokes though.

Still MissCreant, when I say I really don't give a shit, I mean it - in that if they want to make themselves unhappy, that's their problem. I really don't care and wish them the best in their unhappiness. And should they ever bring up their issues with me, I will tell them "I don't give a shit." Verbatim.

Now, that point aside, RicardoHead himself actually has a cousin who got his wad and accompanying nuts sliced off and became a woman, and a rather horrifying looking one at that. He wasn't a stud before but did himself no favors by getting op'ed. As far as any of us could tell he did this because he fell in love with and consistently hounded a woman who was a lesbian. He got axed, they had a relationship, and then she dumped his ass, and now the dude is totally depressed. I know you're supposed to go thru massive psycho tests before they do this op, but it doesn't appear today that this dude is happy in his womanhood - going by what his sibling tell me. I say TS for him, and also for "Phillipa" and "Linda."

WTF kinda name is Phillipa anyway. Sounds like a trapeze act.

[jillamanda]

I totally agree....I don't know any women called 'Phillipa'.....and you should see the clothes they wear. Not like drag queens, who go right over the top with all the trashy glitzy stuff, feathers and sequins etc. These two dress like Sunday School teachers from the 60s. I saw Phillipa in town one day and she had a really daggy, watermelon pink, crimplene skirt and blazer on. With a white nylon blouse and the biggest pair of white sandals I've ever seen!!!!! Her hairstyle was right in line with the rest of the outfit. She can also be spotted working around the house in a mini skirt, long boots and a nail bag!!!! When real women do that sort of work, they wear practical clothes, like jeans.......

[Seaman Stains]

Yeah but once their ballbag has been cut off it could be used as a purse or tobacco pouch, although it might be a bit hard to find matching shoes 'n handbag!

[jillamanda]

.....with a gonad necklace to complete the outfit.......nice :), all in 'bell end mauve' .....:D

[jillamanda]

Originally posted by Seaman Stains
.....although it might be a bit hard to find matching shoes 'n handbag!

Phillipa would need a scrotum like an elephant to make shoes big enough for those feet anyway........ :scary:

[bearfoot]

Originally posted by Seaman Stains
Yeah but once their ballbag has been cut off it could be used as a purse or tobacco pouch, although it might be a bit hard to find matching shoes 'n handbag!

lmao.....


Dam I was going to take this subject seriously. :rolleyes:

I feel sorry for people with this gender confusion thing...as if life can't be hard enough already. It would be be such a difficult lifestyle and one would always be a topic of conversation. I wish them the best of luck with whatever they need to do in their efforts to find peace with who they are...thank fuck I'm not in their (really big) shoes.

[bearfoot]

Originally posted by jillamanda

I totally agree....I don't know any women called 'Phillipa'.....

She can also be spotted working around the house in a mini skirt, long boots and a nail bag!!!! When real women do that sort of work, they wear practical clothes, like jeans.......

I used to know a girl called Phillipa....everyone called her Pippa or Pip.

Personaly....when I do the DIY thing I go nude....with the nail bag as my only accessory.....there's just something about a nailbag that says 'this is all you need'. :rolleyes:

[MissCreant]

The more I think about it, the less I like it. As micron pointed out, it's like they dressed up as girls a couple of times when they were three, and that makes them women. It's an insult to women. I also think that there are just some things that we have to deal with, some things we have no choice over, and gender has gotta be one of those things.
It's not like they're going to be able to get straight boyfriends, so I've gotta wonder what the point is.
Seriously weird shit.