Hey everyone Living as a woman has definitely improved my quality of life. There is not nor can there ever be any doubt about that whatsoever. I couldn’t care less what Germane Greer thinks as though she is entitled to her opinion I know I am a woman and I neither nor seek her permission to say so. You see not only have i always supported every move towards gender equality, i have also faced my fair fair share of abuse both intentional and unintentional since finally after years of personal struggle deciding to live in my acquired gender in December 2008 and believe me that has included sexism from both sexes but more especially men who seem to believe they have the right to comment on every little detail with regards to my personal appearance.
Now granted i am no J-Lo nor for that matter any other super model. To be honest the only superstar i have anything in common with is Kylie and that has more to do with height than with looks. or musical talent. However, had Kylie been told by a male admirer that he wanted her to get breast enhancement because he preferred what he referred to as bigger busted ladies. it would not only have made all the papers it would also have created a media frenzy, a social media meltdown, and a global outcry from her legions of loyal fans.
I however, am afforded no such luxury when something like this happens to me as it did last Wednesday evening as i walked from the Mitchell Library to the shelter and eventual safety of Buchanan Street bus station. It was during this walk in the cool of a late evening I gained an unexpected and not completely welcome companion who despite my attempts to put him off kept on walking alongside me and asking me for a date. Now i will admit i played the trans card early in the hope it may dampen his ardor . Unfortunately, instead of putting this would be Romeo off my scent, it merely served to increase his interest.
At first I was a wee bit flattered though i still tried as hard as i could to shake him off. I had hoped if played the age card by telling him my real age which is 54 he may have backed away but believe me this was a man who had staying power and that at least in some respects is to be admired. My next trick was to say, again totally truthfully that i had no money well in this age of equality a woman has to pay her way. However this potential Prince Charming was having none of it saying only that he would pay for everything and I could make him smile later with my kisses. This line almost weakened me, but after blushing like a teenager i regained my composure and told him i would terrify him.
Ok I’ll admit that might have been pushing it a bit but i had to say something to get rid of him and nothing i said previously had managed to do the trick. Needless to say this didn’t do it either and then he started with the flattery. Claiming he knew i was a trans woman he said that as i far as he was concerned i was still a woman and that as far as he was concerned was all that really mattered. He then went on to say that he liked the fact i was a more mature lady as he wanted a woman rather than a girl. By this stage he was beginning to win me over and i was thinking about getting his phone for a later date. Well the fact he knew i was a trans woman and not only that but a woman of a certain age and he was still keen was starting to make me think that he could be worth a trip to Ann Summers after all.
It was at this juncture as we neared the end of the journey, you know the point where in all decent fairy tales the phone numbers are swapped just before the kissing that he made his fatal mistake. This was to bring out his inner sexist by telling me that I should consider breast enlargement as he liked big busted ladies. I politely but firmly told him that any decision i made on this matter would be mine and mine alone as no man has the right to tell any woman trans or otherwise to get surgery to please him. I then informed that my breasts were exactly that, my breasts and i was perfectly happy with the ones god and my hormones had provided for me. Trust me there is nothing like a bit of sexism to remind us that attitudes towards women haven’t evolved quite as far from the cave as we would sometimes like to think.
Making this statement not only angers me, it leaves me feeling genuinely sad that some men still view women as second class citizens they can objectify on their terms for sexual gratification. This is almost the end of 2015 and attitudes like those should have been left in the dark ages. The fact is however, that even in countries like Scotland or the UK they are still all too common in our society and not enough is being done to tackle them. This has to change and change quickly if the the girls of today are to be as valued as their brothers or male friends and true equality is to be achieved both in the workplace and in our everyday lives. To me this is completely non negotiable, it is if you like a deal breaker. You see as far as i am concerned there can be no room for sexism in the Scotland of tomorrow and if that means busting a few macho dreams then we have to start doing it now, The women of future Scotland will judge us by the actions we take today.
Love And Best Wishes
Gayle X
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