GI's Anatomy

I uploaded a post about the GI's Anatomy art exhibition happening in London and it was picked up by someone on Facebook. This person had since been to this exhibit and found it enlightening and made them think about themselves more. This exhibit is certainly one to visit, sadly I live to far to go but I am glad that other people can take the opportunity of this experience. 

If you have been, send me your pictures and I shall upload them 

Email: hellofreespirits@live.com

Enjoy

 Photographer: Claire Billie Butler

What does it mean

This is going to be an ever growing list of terms and phrases which one should know 

LGBT,  LGBTQA 
This is an acronym meaning, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gender and Queer. Many would not put Trans-gender into this acronym as this is about gender, where as all the other are about sexual orientations. Others may say the same for Queer, as this is an umbrella term to describe those who identify outside societies gender norms of male/female and heterosexual. There are many other letters that are added to this acronym such as P for pansexual, but the most widely known are LGBT or LGBTQ.

Gay
A male person who is, emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to males

Lesbian
A female person who is, emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to another female

Bisexual
A person who is emotionally, physically and/or sexuality attracted to both males and females.

Transexual
A person who's gender identity does not fit that of their biological birth gender. Usually a transgender person would go on a very long struggle to reassign their bodies to match that of their gender. Some trans-gender people are happy with their bodies and choose to live as they are, however this is rare. Trans-gender is often used as an umbrella term to also describe transsexuals, cross-dressers, genderqueers, drag kings, drags queen, two-spirit people. As some feel that they don't fit into one of the two categories "male" or "female" and this describes to transition between the two, living beyond the gender boundaries.

MTF
This is used to describe a transgender person who was born male and now identifies as female

FTM
This is used to describe a transgender person who was born female and now identifies as male

Transition
A word to describe moving or reassigning ones body through hormones or/and surgery to fit that of a persons true gender.

Pansexual
A person who is emotionally, physically or/and sexuality attracted to everyone. Pansexual people do not distinguish gender. You may call this bisexual but this usually refers to being attracted to males or females whereas pansexual people are attracted to all, such as queers, drags, genderqueer, gender-fluids etc.

Non-gender, gender-fluid, genderqueer
Words that usually describe a person that does not or wishes not to conform to any gender category. People believe that they neither fit into any gender type and wish to be known as neutral.

Transgender 
A person who has a long-term discomfort with the feeling that their assigned gender does not fully fit with their identity. Because many only express a discomfort they would usually choose to live life as the opposite sex without hormones and surgery. Once hormones and surgery are assigned one then becomes known as transgender. Many would mix transexuals and transgender people as the same. However transexual is to dress and live as the chosen gender, transgender is to transition (through surgery and hormones) to the true gender 

Transvestite/Cross-dressing
Person who would dress in the opposite genders roles for many reasons such as relaxations, fun, sexual gratification etc.

Queer
An umbrella term to describe those who live outside the heterosexual male or female stereotype.

Cisgender
A person whose gender identity and expression is the same as assigned at birth (biological gender)

Coming out
To identify to yourself and others your sexual orientation or gender that one may now identify

In the closet
To hide a persons true gender or/and sexual orientation from themselves and mainly the public

Outing
To point out to others the gender or sexual orientation of a person who does not wish anyone to know

Androgynous 
A person who has elements for both masculine and femininity.

Asexual
A person who does not experience any sexual attraction.

two-spirited
A term used to describe those who have qualities or fulfil the roles of both genders. They would be both female and male.

Tomboy
An old term to describe a straight female born that looks and acts like a male. Some times this word would be used to describe a lesbian who dresses like a "boy". This is not to be confused with Drag kings.

Metrosexual
A word to describe a straight male born who has feminine qualities and does not fit into your stereotypical masculinity.

It is important to note that gender identity, biological sex, and sexual orientation are not necessarily linked.

Queer Until Death

Working on some new stickers!

QUEER UNTIL DEATH!

COMING SOON

Order 01

Thank you to Puck who ordered these badges, they will be on there way to the Netherlands soon!

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Nobody Passes Perfectly

A beautiful short film looking at 2 peoples lives and what they do to discover themselves and their gender identities.
I can relate to a lot in this film, like many others, there are things to which we think about when we are learning about who we are. The stages we go through, straight, lesbian, gay, androgynous, genderqueer, masculine, feminine, queer, trans. There are many stages we pass through in hopes that one would fit us…

We think about how people see us and what they say, why do people tell us ah that person didn't even know you were anything other than a man or a women, that is simply who we are as trans people, how we want people to see us, it shouldn't be seen as a shock. Queer people will rediscover themselves once dating a transperson, does that then make you straight any less queer. Do you want people to see you as queer more than a relationship you're having with someone.

There are many issues in this film I know a few of you can relate to, so I say give it a watch, let us know who you are and what you think.



Director: Saskia Bisp

Quotes from the film I found interesting

"When I was binding and packing, I thought to myself is it fake, until I realised the feelings inside me"

This is interest I know we all thinking to ourselves, that what we do, binding, packing etc, are the public going to see us as someone covering something up. Will the public notice what we are doing.

"Since I feel I am a man, I am a man, I just might express it physically right now but I could require those attributes gradually"

Yes agreed, its what you feel, what are those feelings inside telling you. The rest will come, the changes, the hormones and surgery. Its about connecting with your inner self that makes you whole.

"My voice was betraying me, getting me found out and into trouble on the streets"

This I know a lot of us come across, not just our voice, individually we have something about us we feel gives us away and yes it is like betrayal. I think for trans people mostly their whole body betrayed them from birth.
Its sad to think that we have been betrayed by ourselves, the only thing you want to rely on doesn't fit to what you imagine. I suppose people outside may say the same, one breast is bigger than the other, my nose is not straight etc. This I think are more about vanity striving for the perfect image, which is purely incorrectly projected through the media. Having one voice not fit to the image of how you are as a person is betrayal, you then get seen as someone else and not you!

"You're societies queer dispenser, I'm a new born gender monster"

I love this…What a way to end it…It's prefect, I am a new born gender monster

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Badges

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CREDIT TO - Liorak Photography (C)

Amen we are all equal!

GI’s Anatomy - The science of sex and gender through art

Please attend the Private View for the second GI’s Anatomy exhibition at the Tavistock & Portman Clinic!

Where:
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust Library
Tavistock Centre, 120 Belsize Lane, London NW3 5BA (map)

When:
10th January 2014 6-9pm (Private View)
exhibition continues til 19th February

GI’s Anatomy is a unique life drawing project from Gendered Intelligence exploring the science of sex and gender through art. The project aims to use life drawing to engage with complex ideas and scientific practices around sexed and gendered bodies. The project is run in collaboration London Drawing and the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and has been funded by the Wellcome Trust. For more information about the project visit our tumblr sitehttp://gianatomy.tumblr.com/

Dr. Sarah Davidson from the Gender Identity Development Service, Tavistock & Portmanand Jay Stewart from Gendered Intelligence will share a few thoughts about their experiences of the project.

New year new start?

So many people talk about how the New Year will bring them changes for good and how they've left the bad things behind. For me I think this year has been the best yet, I will not be leaving any bad memories behind. I had 2 jobs which I enjoyed, I have a group of close friends, tied up some family issues, then I found love, moved abroad, became self employed, had my first meeting with Charring Cross Gender Clinic in London and then finally a letter from my GP to change my gender marker on my passport.  So many things have been going on keeping me busy and moving me forward through my transition and life. It's taken over 2 years and now in my 3rd year things are slowly coming through. So I've decided to write my list of things to do this year to keep me going.

2014

Travel

Paris

New York

Maybe book Australia

Transition

Have a second visit at Charring Cross Gender Clinic

Start Testosterone

Change Passport and personal details to match gender marker 

Work

Blog more

Create more

Write letters

Start business moving 

Love

Love always
Make friends

If I complete my list this year I could without a doubt be able to say again in 2015 I had the best year. 

I will be a new man, Having started testosterone and traveled abroad with my real identity. My partners will be able to see and be with me as I truly should be, I know this will make me more confident. I also would like to think my business would have taken off and I could live working for myself.