Though it officially launches on Monday, The Gazette’s latest blog went live today (and this morning’s paper includes a small pointer to it). It’s called Patent Pending, and it’s the blog of a veteran Gazette copy editor who is undergoing the transition from male to female.
It varies from other Gazette blogs because it’s personal. Very personal. In fact, you can’t get much more personal than this.
The editor is Jillian (formerly Bill) Page, whose service at the paper is measured in decades more than years, and whose long-time coworkers were shocked to say the least when they got an email one day explaining that Bill was now Jill.
Coming out in this way is a challenge in itself. It’s still a bit awkward for me to override my habits in the use of personal pronouns, and I’m one of the youngest ones there. You can imagine how difficult it is in an environment where the average age is about 174.
As the inaugural post explains, expect the blog to vary between seriously discussing the social, political and health aspects of such a transition and humorously discussing some of the unexpected quirks that sitcom-like awkward situations that arise when you try to get everyone to switch from “he” to “she.”
3 Comments
Very nicely written, Steve. I would be honoured if you would contribute to my Gazette blog.
I like your blogsite, too. Nice.
See ya at work.
Cheers
Jill
Actually, Steve, it’s not all that personal. I didn’t share my bank account number with anyone — not that there’s anything in the account to be shared with anybody but bill collectors.
Seriously, the blog will look at more than my situation. It will also look at transgenderism in general. The majority of MtF transfolks out there will never fully transition to the point of gender reassignment surgery. They will stay in-between official gender designations. It’s a very tough place to be. Society more readily accepts MtF people if we are fully transitioning. More on this in my blog eventually.
Cheers
Jill
Wow Steve, you now know 2 transesxuals. How many people can say that? Well, you do not really know me but thats close. You have got to come to one of our Yulbiz some day. Say Hi to Jillian for me…
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