on being SEEN, not stared at: Call to South African trans communities to participate in fine art exhibition by Michael Meyersfeld #transgender #genderdiverse #gendernonconforming #photodocumentary #fineartphotography

on being SEEN, not stared at A call to trans (transgender, gender non-conforming and gender-diverse) people living in South Africa to participate in photographic essay project & exhibition by award-winning South African photographer, Michael Meyersfeld Michael Meyersfeld is an award-winning South African fine art photographer, and author of “Gaze” | Website – http://www.meyersfeld.com | Facebook …

Don’t tell me, any man, trans or not to “man up” #DontBroMe #Feminism #Misandry #Misogyny

Apart from the fact that I am not a man (or a woman)*,  THIS patriarchal "bro"ing, "dude"ing, "bruh"ing has to stop in general - for ALL men. My queer feminism (as opposed to Germaine Greer feminism), believes that men and women are pushed into oppressive gender roles that buy into the Men are from Mars, …

Process for top surgery at Helen Joseph, Johannesburg, South Africa #topsurgery #transgender #bilateralmastectomy

Process for top surgery at Helen Joseph, Johannesburg, South Africa Remember: I am only the second person (we know of in the trans community), that went to Helen Joseph for top surgery. A trans friend went a year ago, and the processes have changed COMPLETELY from his experience. I had to go through endless different …

The trans/mental healthcare Catch-22 #topsurgery

Tomorrow, I make the now weekly pilgrimage to the hospital, where I (should) now, having met ALL criteria, be given a top surgery date (realistically, within the next three months). The most common question: how are you feeling about all of this?  Excited! is the expected answer. And yes, there's a measure of that. This …

Top surgery: Crowdfunding update

Including money raised offline (paid into my bank account), people have raised 72% of my fees! I realistically expected less than a quarter, but clearly underestimated people's generosity of spirit. Thank you, ALL! SO exciting to be able to go and buy the pillows, creams, bendy straws and everything else I'm going to need, knowing …

Mental health and the mind:body relationship

Sick. Not surprising, though. After the palpable relief of the end of the rollercoaster of emotions of the last few top surgery process weeks where my body was in constant fight or flight mode, exacerbated by the adrenal fatigue of the hypomania, my body has had enough. I know myself and how things affect me …

Don’t “dude” everyone: Misogyny, transmisogyny, nonbinary erasure & toxic masculinity

So much hostility towards nonbinary people and disrespect of words that trigger people. I am SO SICK of toxic masculinity within the FTM community. There is also so much emphasis on 'passing' which erases people who cannot pass, who cannot access hormones or surgery, or those who don't want to pass because they are nonbinary …