I've just learned about a trans documentary named Beautiful Daughters, which once aired on Logo, and is now available on Netflix. It covers an all-transgender production of Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues (which also happens to be a discussion item in one of my writing classes).
Another item to add to my Netflix queue, for sure, alongside Soldier's Girl, the story of Barry Winchell and Calpernia Addams. Lots of trans stuff to watch from now on!
Links from Andrea James' blog
30 May 2008
My Church on Marriage Equality
Here is a special page from Neighborhood Unitarian Church in Pasadena, regarding the legalization of gay marriage in California. Included on the page is a May 20th ad on the local newspaper, from the church, supporting the decision.
Neighborhood Church
Although I am still not able to visit this church on a weekly basis, I already consider it my spiritual home. And just as likely, I may bring Sarah and Kirsten here, when they relocate to Southern California.
Most importantly, Neighborhood Church has been at the forefront of marriage equality - to a point where all members' name tags are all rainbow-colored. I really appreciate this support.
I look forward to the day when I can belong to this church as a full-fledged member, complete with financial commitment.
Neighborhood Church
Although I am still not able to visit this church on a weekly basis, I already consider it my spiritual home. And just as likely, I may bring Sarah and Kirsten here, when they relocate to Southern California.
Most importantly, Neighborhood Church has been at the forefront of marriage equality - to a point where all members' name tags are all rainbow-colored. I really appreciate this support.
I look forward to the day when I can belong to this church as a full-fledged member, complete with financial commitment.
26 May 2008
Personal Updates
I've been having some more experiences that bring me closer to the world of Sarah, as well as the LGBT community in general.
- Visited the Palms lesbian bar in West Hollywood, on its transgender night - Mondays. It appears that with the apparent closing of Club 7969, the working girls all migrated there. It was full of male admirers too, and didn't feel like a relaxed lesbian bar at all; I had too many guys hitting on me - then going away upon finding that I'm a lesbian. This is a failure on the part of the Palms bar, and I've had enough of cut-rate drag shows and unrestrained male chasers.
- Meanwhile, I continue to enjoy Shine at Oxwood Inn in Van Nuys. Genetic women are hitting on me - a very good sign!
- I also joined the Neighborhood Unitarian Church's LGBT family picnic late afternoon yesterday, where I was able to chat with several lesbian couples, some with kids. They were all excited about the prospects of legally getting married, though I didn't like it when they started sounding like straight couples, complete with complaints about the marriage penalty (which hits gay couples even more, because of its nature of penalizing dual-income couples, which most gay couples tend to be). However, I definitely loved the conversations about their experiences with the public school system, including anti-bullying and anti-discrimination laws in force throughout the state of California; one of the attendees was a public school teacher. I contributed my own feedback from the conservative Arcadia school system of the 1990s. In any case it was nice to actually spend time with gay families - something I've never done. (Sarah and Kirsten will have kids too, but they are beyond the scope of the novel.)
25 May 2008
Sarah's job security
I've read several reports regarding the financial health of the airline industry.
The conclusion seems to be that while the major airlines in the US currently have some cash reserves to weather the high fuel prices and economic downturn, these reserves will start running out later this year to early next year, and bankruptcies will once again be likely. If current fuel prices and economic downturn persist, *every* airline in the US can expect to file for bankruptcy by next year.
Sarah's airline, United, is considered one of the more vulnerable. It is already grounding most of its 737-500s and laying off about 1,000 (I don't know how many of them are flight attendants).
The business model is not sustainable, analysts say; for things to work out right, fares will have to skyrocket, but that will decrease demand for air travel. Capacity will need to be cut, at least by the equivalent of taking the largest airline, American, completely out of the picture. (I have a feeling that it could be bad enough to take both American and United out, and still have an oversupply.) The saddest part will be that air travel will once again be an exclusive domain of the rich and the business people, like the days before the jumbo jets brought down the cost of flying.
What does this mean for Sarah? She has lost her job once already, as United nearly liquidated several years ago. Seniority will keep her less vulnerable this time, but United may collapse for good this time, and that will be the end of Sarah in the aviation industry. And even if she survives, the evolution of air travel back to a luxury will mean more sexist/elitist customers, and she will have to work in a more hostile environment - one she may simply be too old/unattractive for.
I really hope it doesn't come down to this, for Sarah (and for all my frequent flier miles at United as well).
The conclusion seems to be that while the major airlines in the US currently have some cash reserves to weather the high fuel prices and economic downturn, these reserves will start running out later this year to early next year, and bankruptcies will once again be likely. If current fuel prices and economic downturn persist, *every* airline in the US can expect to file for bankruptcy by next year.
Sarah's airline, United, is considered one of the more vulnerable. It is already grounding most of its 737-500s and laying off about 1,000 (I don't know how many of them are flight attendants).
The business model is not sustainable, analysts say; for things to work out right, fares will have to skyrocket, but that will decrease demand for air travel. Capacity will need to be cut, at least by the equivalent of taking the largest airline, American, completely out of the picture. (I have a feeling that it could be bad enough to take both American and United out, and still have an oversupply.) The saddest part will be that air travel will once again be an exclusive domain of the rich and the business people, like the days before the jumbo jets brought down the cost of flying.
What does this mean for Sarah? She has lost her job once already, as United nearly liquidated several years ago. Seniority will keep her less vulnerable this time, but United may collapse for good this time, and that will be the end of Sarah in the aviation industry. And even if she survives, the evolution of air travel back to a luxury will mean more sexist/elitist customers, and she will have to work in a more hostile environment - one she may simply be too old/unattractive for.
I really hope it doesn't come down to this, for Sarah (and for all my frequent flier miles at United as well).
22 May 2008
Sarah's car
I've always thought that the ultimate chick car - the VW New Beetle - would work well with Sarah's perky personality, especially in bright green. This is despite the fact that the Beetle is built in Mexico, and carries some of that Latin American machismo and homophobia. The flower vase on the dash, especially, is irresistible.
At least she does better than Kirsten, who will trade in a homophobic Hyundai only to end up with a homophobic BMW.
Some facts on VW New Beetle, its engineering, its design, and its history by model year:
How Stuff Works
21 May 2008
Old news but...
I don't think Sarah was too happy about this.
When United's finances improved, late last year it paid out dividends to shareholders. Unions, including Association of Flight Attendants (which represents Sarah), balked, citing the sacrifices made by the rank-and-file in reviving the company and its reputation.
Even though I've been very loyal to United as a customer, I've never been a fan of its management, and have always supported the rank-and-file employees, who have been very good to me almost all the time. I sincerely believe Sarah and her coworkers deserve a better management than what CEO Glenn Tilton has delivered.
BBC
On another United Airlines related item, tonight is the 20th anniversary of my first-ever flight on United (or ANY airline for that matter). Time to put on Rhapsody in Blue and think about all the air travel I did over these 20 years.
When United's finances improved, late last year it paid out dividends to shareholders. Unions, including Association of Flight Attendants (which represents Sarah), balked, citing the sacrifices made by the rank-and-file in reviving the company and its reputation.
Even though I've been very loyal to United as a customer, I've never been a fan of its management, and have always supported the rank-and-file employees, who have been very good to me almost all the time. I sincerely believe Sarah and her coworkers deserve a better management than what CEO Glenn Tilton has delivered.
BBC
On another United Airlines related item, tonight is the 20th anniversary of my first-ever flight on United (or ANY airline for that matter). Time to put on Rhapsody in Blue and think about all the air travel I did over these 20 years.
20 May 2008
Flight Attendant Firsts at United Airlines
I've long known that the very first flight attendant, Ellen Church, worked for Boeing Air Transport, which is United Airlines today.
But what I also found out, during a check on Wikipedia, is that United was also the first airline to unionize its flight attendants, back in the 1940s.
Sarah resented being represented by a labor union at first, due to the seniority system and union dues. But now, she really appreciates the work by Association of Flight Attendants, which made the profession less sexist and less objectified, improved working conditions, and most importantly, allowed someone like Sarah to become a flight attendant at all. AFA also played a role in getting Sarah's job back after layoff, as United Airlines exited bankruptcy and improved its finances in 2005-2006.
I recently wrote an assignment for a writing class where Sarah elaborates further on her unionized job, so it's nice to know about Sarah not only being the successor to the very first flight attendant, but also being the successor to the first unionized flight attendants. Good thing I picked United as Sarah's airline - though the transgender-friendly management at American would've also been an excellent choice.
But what I also found out, during a check on Wikipedia, is that United was also the first airline to unionize its flight attendants, back in the 1940s.
Sarah resented being represented by a labor union at first, due to the seniority system and union dues. But now, she really appreciates the work by Association of Flight Attendants, which made the profession less sexist and less objectified, improved working conditions, and most importantly, allowed someone like Sarah to become a flight attendant at all. AFA also played a role in getting Sarah's job back after layoff, as United Airlines exited bankruptcy and improved its finances in 2005-2006.
I recently wrote an assignment for a writing class where Sarah elaborates further on her unionized job, so it's nice to know about Sarah not only being the successor to the very first flight attendant, but also being the successor to the first unionized flight attendants. Good thing I picked United as Sarah's airline - though the transgender-friendly management at American would've also been an excellent choice.
19 May 2008
Becoming a Flight Attendant
No, not me. With my kind of temperament, it'll never happen. :)
However, I bought a flight attendant career guidebook from FlightAttendantCareer.com (see aviation links on the sidebar) anyway, and read it today, because I wanted to give Sarah the most authentic experience I could get. It detailed a typical monthly shift for a flight attendant (bidding for routes, flying reserve, etc.), as well as the application and training process.
I am realizing that Sarah could write a memoir just using the application and training process, because the application process will showcase not only Sarah's past, but also her personality traits. Trying to put up a truthful face about her past, as a pre-operative transwoman, will definitely take a lot of nerves. (I'm also looking forward to writing about her physical prior to training.) And honestly, she won't even have to actually go to work as a flight attendant, and the memoir will still work.
I am thinking that instead of covering Sarah's entire career through now, the memoir could even concentrate on her early career, and the relevant developments at United Airlines at that time (i.e. recognition of domestic partners of employees, new route to Shanghai, re-opening of the Seoul route, etc.). Particularly, the devastating pilot strike of 2000 could really play a role here. I still want to write the whole career out, covering 9/11, bankruptcy, and other later events (not to mention relationship with Kirsten and marrying her in 2004), but at least I have other options for tackling this project.
One thing that the guidebook mentioned is that roommates during training become close friends - and roommates again, as new flight attendants often get based in cities far away from home. (In fact, willingness to relocate is a job requirement - though relocation itself doesn't last long.) I will reflect this by having Sarah and Martha room together, as the two token transwomen of the training class, and move in together after training (though they will still be in San Francisco). Martha's background is still up in the air though, as I need to come up with 10 years of legitimate work history (or legitimate time off work).
I used to be a strict believer in having a structure upfront first. But now, I'm just writing whatever I can, and I guess I'll let the structure follow later. Whether it'll cover Sarah's entire career, or just a part of it, I'll see what I can do.
However, I bought a flight attendant career guidebook from FlightAttendantCareer.com (see aviation links on the sidebar) anyway, and read it today, because I wanted to give Sarah the most authentic experience I could get. It detailed a typical monthly shift for a flight attendant (bidding for routes, flying reserve, etc.), as well as the application and training process.
I am realizing that Sarah could write a memoir just using the application and training process, because the application process will showcase not only Sarah's past, but also her personality traits. Trying to put up a truthful face about her past, as a pre-operative transwoman, will definitely take a lot of nerves. (I'm also looking forward to writing about her physical prior to training.) And honestly, she won't even have to actually go to work as a flight attendant, and the memoir will still work.
I am thinking that instead of covering Sarah's entire career through now, the memoir could even concentrate on her early career, and the relevant developments at United Airlines at that time (i.e. recognition of domestic partners of employees, new route to Shanghai, re-opening of the Seoul route, etc.). Particularly, the devastating pilot strike of 2000 could really play a role here. I still want to write the whole career out, covering 9/11, bankruptcy, and other later events (not to mention relationship with Kirsten and marrying her in 2004), but at least I have other options for tackling this project.
One thing that the guidebook mentioned is that roommates during training become close friends - and roommates again, as new flight attendants often get based in cities far away from home. (In fact, willingness to relocate is a job requirement - though relocation itself doesn't last long.) I will reflect this by having Sarah and Martha room together, as the two token transwomen of the training class, and move in together after training (though they will still be in San Francisco). Martha's background is still up in the air though, as I need to come up with 10 years of legitimate work history (or legitimate time off work).
I used to be a strict believer in having a structure upfront first. But now, I'm just writing whatever I can, and I guess I'll let the structure follow later. Whether it'll cover Sarah's entire career, or just a part of it, I'll see what I can do.
18 May 2008
Odds and Ends
I've used my solitude to the fullest to celebrate my 32nd birthday, and in the process, explore things relevant to Sarah's story. Here are some things that happened:
Saahira's Gypsy Soul performing
One bad news though - I tore the crotch on the inner liner of my favorite pair of slacks (part of a 3-piece J. Crew suit), just before I took them off. I guess I don't have a pantsuit anymore...
- Hung out at Oxwood Inn's Shine transgender nightclub, where I socialized with lots of people - including a Los Angeles Gender Center based group named Social Butterflies. I signed up for their email list.
- Collected information on TransUnity events coming up at the end of the month.
- Enjoyed LGBT-themed humor from Margaret Cho.
- Attended service at Neighborhood Unitarian Church in Pasadena, which had been very vocal about its support of gay marriage. In fact, today's service felt a lot like a wedding in itself, in honor of marriage equality.
- Went to belly dancing festival in Glendale. Belly dancing doesn't have much to do with my novel, except that my mentor Gayle Brandeis was one of the performers (see the blurry iPhone photo below). We caught up on our life stories, and talked about our current class together. Gayle's suggestion: send Sarah to a belly dancing festival (even though she won't dance herself), to work on her distrust of homophobic Middle Eastern cultures. I'll give it a try - when Sarah's airline starts flying to Dubai and Sarah works the route. I truly enjoyed the experience myself.
Saahira's Gypsy Soul performing- Gayle also told me that her sister-in-law is working on a transgender novel of sorts, herself, centering around a baby with ambiguous genitals who is "corrected" to be a girl. I'd love to read that someday.
One bad news though - I tore the crotch on the inner liner of my favorite pair of slacks (part of a 3-piece J. Crew suit), just before I took them off. I guess I don't have a pantsuit anymore...
15 May 2008
Gay Marriage Legal in California
This is a topic dear to Sarah's heart, so I will discuss it...
The California Supreme Court has declared Proposition 22, the gay marriage ban, unconstitutional, in a 4-3 ruling this morning. In 30 days, same-sex couples will be able to get marriage licenses throughout California.
I do not know if this ruling applies retroactively to the 2004 San Francisco gay marriage licenses, which Sarah and Kirsten got. (They entered a heterosexual marriage anyway.)
However, it bears remembering that federal law still does not recognize gay marriages, so these marriages have no federal benefits.
Also worth mentioning is the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, which may appear on the November ballot, and will have strong support from Southern California's immigrant communities. Unclear is whether this year's legal gay marriages will be voided by this new ban, if passed; it will need a court ruling later on.
SF Gate
The California Supreme Court has declared Proposition 22, the gay marriage ban, unconstitutional, in a 4-3 ruling this morning. In 30 days, same-sex couples will be able to get marriage licenses throughout California.
I do not know if this ruling applies retroactively to the 2004 San Francisco gay marriage licenses, which Sarah and Kirsten got. (They entered a heterosexual marriage anyway.)
However, it bears remembering that federal law still does not recognize gay marriages, so these marriages have no federal benefits.
Also worth mentioning is the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, which may appear on the November ballot, and will have strong support from Southern California's immigrant communities. Unclear is whether this year's legal gay marriages will be voided by this new ban, if passed; it will need a court ruling later on.
SF Gate
14 May 2008
Working/researching in peace
I am all alone - both at home and at work.
This will allow me to do some backed-up classwork for my two writing classes, plus do my rounds in the LGBT and activist communities. Also, I will get to read some more transgender memoirs, for some inspirations as I write my own (and Sarah's) story; I am in the midst of Aaron Raz Link's memoir, and will read Calpernia Addams and one more.
I will be picking up my wardrobe later today, and do some long-overdue laundry, as well.
It will be a wonderful three weeks. I look forward to it.
This will allow me to do some backed-up classwork for my two writing classes, plus do my rounds in the LGBT and activist communities. Also, I will get to read some more transgender memoirs, for some inspirations as I write my own (and Sarah's) story; I am in the midst of Aaron Raz Link's memoir, and will read Calpernia Addams and one more.
I will be picking up my wardrobe later today, and do some long-overdue laundry, as well.
It will be a wonderful three weeks. I look forward to it.
07 May 2008
More foreign homophobia for Sarah
In my Writing for Social Change class, I've now been asked to write a scene either (1) from the POV of someone completely different from me, or (2) from Sarah's POV, but interacting with someone very different from her. My original plan was to write from a Moonie POV, but I'd rather write about Sarah...
Then I found myself checking my frequent flier miles after my Indiana visit, and found that Sarah's airline now plans to fly to Dubai and Moscow, as if Kuwait (and Seoul and San Salvador) were not enough homophobic destinations for Sarah to serve already. (Do Kuwaitis even allow female flight attendants?)
It looks like I may have to write a scene where Sarah's patience is really tested by a hostile crowd of passengers, as she heads for a hellhole of a destination. I've already done it on the Seoul route, so I'll look for another destination this time. The key is for Sarah to keep her composure and continue working, which will be extremely difficult, and which could make or break her career.
The challenge here will be to accurately reflect the homophobia and machismo of the destination culture, without turning anything into a stereotype. It'll be a tall order for me. I'll probably go for either Guatemala City or San Salvador, as those cities are served from California, where Sarah is based, whereas Europe and Middle East are primarily served from Washington-Dulles. I also know Central American homophobia much better than Russian or Arabic ones, so that should help too.
Then I found myself checking my frequent flier miles after my Indiana visit, and found that Sarah's airline now plans to fly to Dubai and Moscow, as if Kuwait (and Seoul and San Salvador) were not enough homophobic destinations for Sarah to serve already. (Do Kuwaitis even allow female flight attendants?)
It looks like I may have to write a scene where Sarah's patience is really tested by a hostile crowd of passengers, as she heads for a hellhole of a destination. I've already done it on the Seoul route, so I'll look for another destination this time. The key is for Sarah to keep her composure and continue working, which will be extremely difficult, and which could make or break her career.
The challenge here will be to accurately reflect the homophobia and machismo of the destination culture, without turning anything into a stereotype. It'll be a tall order for me. I'll probably go for either Guatemala City or San Salvador, as those cities are served from California, where Sarah is based, whereas Europe and Middle East are primarily served from Washington-Dulles. I also know Central American homophobia much better than Russian or Arabic ones, so that should help too.
02 May 2008
Coming home
Although my business in Indianapolis was supposed to last till midday today, and I had counted on sightseeing in the area as well, the absolutely sorry nature of my business contacts dictated that I call off everything the first thing yesterday morning, and fly back to the "land of dirty hippies" - California - on the first available flight.
(Perfect Girl will certainly not be intended for an audience like the morons I had to deal with in Indy, for sure.)
Needless to say, I was very unhappy on my flights home, but I managed to make a few observations anyway.
The first leg was operated by an Airbus A320, staffed by a crew coming in from Denver and returning there. They were having a hard day for sure, thanks to a freak snowstorm in Denver that caused de-icing delays. But they kept a smile on their faces, and were looking forward to a 2-hour break back at the Denver hub before heading off elsewhere. Keeping a smile yesterday was a challenge for me, certainly! I wonder how Sarah will pull it off.
The second leg, a Boeing 767, brought me back to Los Angeles; it also had to be de-iced, but the crew kept me well-informed and as close to happy as possible. Otherwise, it was a pretty ordinary flight, except for the rather large aircraft. I was finally relieved as the Grand Canyon, then Palm Springs and Inland Empire, unfolded under me.
United Airlines runs a survey site at ualsurvey.com, where I can submit my thoughts within 7 days of my flight for a chance to win 100,000 frequent flier miles. I gave both flights very high marks. And of course, I want Sarah to consistently get high marks - even if she is doing domestic duty and flying routes to Indianapolis or some other forsaken place. (Of course, by now, Sarah should have enough seniority to hold a line rather than flying reserve.)
(Perfect Girl will certainly not be intended for an audience like the morons I had to deal with in Indy, for sure.)
Needless to say, I was very unhappy on my flights home, but I managed to make a few observations anyway.
The first leg was operated by an Airbus A320, staffed by a crew coming in from Denver and returning there. They were having a hard day for sure, thanks to a freak snowstorm in Denver that caused de-icing delays. But they kept a smile on their faces, and were looking forward to a 2-hour break back at the Denver hub before heading off elsewhere. Keeping a smile yesterday was a challenge for me, certainly! I wonder how Sarah will pull it off.
The second leg, a Boeing 767, brought me back to Los Angeles; it also had to be de-iced, but the crew kept me well-informed and as close to happy as possible. Otherwise, it was a pretty ordinary flight, except for the rather large aircraft. I was finally relieved as the Grand Canyon, then Palm Springs and Inland Empire, unfolded under me.
United Airlines runs a survey site at ualsurvey.com, where I can submit my thoughts within 7 days of my flight for a chance to win 100,000 frequent flier miles. I gave both flights very high marks. And of course, I want Sarah to consistently get high marks - even if she is doing domestic duty and flying routes to Indianapolis or some other forsaken place. (Of course, by now, Sarah should have enough seniority to hold a line rather than flying reserve.)
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