hmmmm....

I've mentioned before that I spent my formative years in what, at the time, was THE "sex change capitol of the world".  My hometown no longer bears that distinction, but here in Colorado, it's still what it is best known for. 

I'm not sure what the overall perception of the place is, but sometimes it seems like many expect to go there and see a bunch of really big, broad-shouldered people in dresses and bad make-up.  I can say, having lived there during its heyday, most of us residents never even noticed.

Sure, there were the ones whose work required that they notice - the pioneering surgeon himself and others of the hospital staff.  Then there were the peripherals, like the floral shops and hotels.  My last four years living there, I worked at a hotel, the last two of which, I was a guest associate (desk clerk).

It was there that I met a few patients, and I can say that, had they not told me, I would have not known.  In fact, I'm sure I met many others who didn't feel a need to mention it, and I never knew.

I remember one in particular, who came wafting in through the front doors, just basking in the fact that she had arrived.

"GAWD, I've waited three years to be here!", she announced as she approached the desk.

Now, this was a small coal mining town with about five Catholic churches and about thirty bars.  I was thinking, "She's waited three years to be here??"  Then she explained.  OH, of course.

Last week I came upon this story about Jenna Talackova who was ejected from the Miss Universe Canada Pageant because she was born a boy.  Somebody did some pretty decent surgery.

There are, of course, opinions on both sides.  Is she really a woman?  Should she be allowed to compete? 

To me, I say yes, she's a woman, no matter what her chromosomal make up.  Of those few that I've met, I can say that many of them would probably have committed suicide or something similar if not for their surgeries.  It's definitely not something that's taken lightly.

Should she be allowed to compete?  Magnum and I were discussing it because I said I felt that those against her competing had valid arguments. 

"She's got less fatty tissue.  She doesn't have the cyclic bloating-water retention-skin eruptions.  In a competition based on physical beauty, this unlevels the playing field", I intelligently laid out.

"Ah, let her compete", he said, "She looks good, let her go for it"

Maybe he's right.  I don't give much attention to beauty pageants anyway, so it's not worth fretting over.  But if nothing else, she's getting some good press.

Thoughts? 
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