Mostly I read such announcements and I am very sympathetic and happy for the correspondent but generally I am so, “Bleah!”, moody and slothful that the best I can manage is a weak, “That’s nice.”
But these events do have the cachet of a ‘one small step’ in something significant. Climbing up Everest! Climbing down a ladder! That sort of thing.
In spite of my sense of jaded cynicism I cannot feel that male femininity is on the verge of becoming something more than a freak show for every media outlook looking for that easy money. I think it is about to be expected if not always accepted for one thing. That eventually the, “Hey! Look there, there’s one!” (not shouted but sub voce) reactions will diminish.
Another thought is that the setting described (sunshine and flora) sounds interesting as a venue for a fashion show featuring the gender variant. That makes me think of one reason that cross-dressers, or anyone augmenting their femininity, are of such entertainment value. It is because the persons involved are often more attractive or make a genuine effort to be so.
Taking that one, small step is a huge matter for that person and is a deserving of being lauded as much as a step backward is worthy of concern. Since this small step affects all of us, it may be liberating but carries with it a balancing responsibility. People judge by appearance and the judgement they place on one of us affects all of us.
But!
The more of us who can live our lives openly and answer the same questions again and again as honestly and as accurately as possible the more we become just another, everyday (if slightly flamboyant) segment of the mosaic of our society.
Perhaps, aside from the benefits of community beautification, we may become a major segment of that social mosaic. Those portions of humanity whose fascination with beauty and style support a significant slice, (Or should I say ‘tranche’?), of the service and goods industries.
Any way, I thought I’d just take a moment and say:
“That’s very nice!”
Araminta.
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