What do you see?
Submitted by B. Renee Blatchley, the model and photographer.
“Am I a Woman?
Am I a Man?
Could I be Either?
Could I be Both?
Could I be Neither?
I know who I am;
Is that what you see?”
( Submit A Photo )
Posted by Sarah on March 29th, 2014 at 10:00 am
Category: faces 11 comments »
March 29th, 2014 at 3:06 pm |
Hey B. Renee! I’ve known you on Genderfork for a longgg time, and I just wanna say that the person I see and know you as is someone who is very beautiful, kind, loving, and sensitive! And those are some of my favorite traits in anybody. <3 <3
I hope you're well.
radical self-love,
radical/rebel
[Reply]
March 29th, 2014 at 8:07 pm |
Goodness!!! Radical/Rebel!!! Oh, how nice it is to hear from you again!! You are *so kind*… I hope you are well too!! <3 <3
Genderfolk has seen me through my whole transition so far. Sometime over two years ago, I gently moved through the blurry boundary between being a comfortably open as a transgender *person* to being a "simply open" as a woman of transgender experience. I wasn't trying to convince people I was a woman, but as I changed, people simply decided "she must be a woman" and when I realized this, I relaxed into my identity, changed my legal name and gender-marker. Sooo, I am in my third year living *intentionally* as a woman…
…But, of course, I have more than a couple of dashes of genderqueer about me! I now realize that I have been functionally genderqueer for most of my life, but never really understood it (nor had a word for it). I have also realized that not only was I not born a natal female, I was not really a natal male either: rather I was born trans, and that's perfectly okay.
…By being "simply open," I am just a tall, boyish woman in casual encounters, but get to know me a little better and the fact that I am trans will become apparent in natural, relaxed, unassuming ways. I am comfortable in my skin, at ease, and my gender dysphoria is past (though I still have some body dysphoria).
*Thank You So Much* Radical/Rebel – your comment has done my heart so much good!! <3 <3
Blessings & Joy!!
Renée
[Reply]
radical/rebel replied:
March 30th, 2014 at 5:28 pm
Renee,
I want to thank you SO MUCH for your participation in the Genderfork community, your vulnerability, and your openness about the steps you’ve moved through along your journey to understand yourself as a woman.
I think part of the reason your presence on Genderfork has been hugely affirming and important to me is because I’m also a transgender person of faith. I do feel like my struggles with my gender have both been about accepting the right-ness and the holiness of myself and my body as I am right now, and about being responsive to the call that I feel God has placed on my life to be a proudly transgender and queer person. That is, I don’t feel that my gender identity is just about what I *personally* might want, but is also about what God wants for me!
I so rarely encounter other trans people who have a spiritual understanding of themselves or their gender and place in the world, so your words and your conviction about your religious beliefs have been hugely inspiring to me!
You’re a truly beautiful person inside and out and seeing you and that beauty reflected matters a lot to me. <3
Thank you and god bless you.
radical authenticity
radical/rebel
[Reply]
Brettany Renée Blatchley replied:
March 31st, 2014 at 5:45 am
You have been a blessing and inspiration to me also, and for similar reasons: I very much see the “radical authenticity” in you…
…AND I think that this is a big part of the point behind GenderFork – to be a place were we can catch glimpses of each other’s lives, be encouraged, inspired, challenged and growing through what others have shared, and to stretch also in the vulnerable act of sharing our own selves. This is a *safe* place to practice these crucial life skills, but more than safe, it is a pleasant place to be ourselves. :-)
Thank You So Much, and may God bless You as well!! <3 <3
[Reply]
radical/rebel replied:
March 31st, 2014 at 1:55 pm
awww! what a perfect comment to read on this sunny monday! you make me smile and then keep me smiling, Renee! I’m never more proud to be trans than when I’m in the company, whether virtual or physical, of other trans people like you. <3
take care, my friend.
radical
March 30th, 2014 at 1:40 am |
Hey, (I think) I have always been a fan of you and your words here on genderfork, too. You look and you sound so at ease, which is a state I hope to reach within the next year. (What means: I am just waiting for T) I am in therapy and it is going well, but very very slow….
You beeing so relaxed is a good thing, for you. But also for me because it shows me that things can turn out to be ok one day. I am keeping my faith and I learn to wait for my true self to grow out. I am waiting for the day I can peel of my not so true self and become this guy with transgender experience.
Thank you for sharing this all with us, you look great and beatuiful!! I hope you know how this…light… of yours affects others!
[Reply]
Brettany Renée Blatchley replied:
March 30th, 2014 at 10:12 am
Oh, German Dude, that’s *so sweet*!! Thank You!!
The reason I am so open about my journey is because I hope to encourage others just as you have shared. YAAAAY!!! :-)
The GenderFork folks have been very indulgent of me, allowing me to post an updated picture and “speak” at intervals. (They even protected me from a relative who was being verbally abusive to me on my old profile: THAT’S how special and protective the GenderFork admins and family are.)
I think that everyone who comes and shares a bit of themselves adds to our mutual blessing, helping us all to become “at ease” with ourselves and the myriad of different people in our world. Hey, why satisfied with vanilla icecream when there are soooo many different flavours to try and appreciate?
Joy!! :-)
[Reply]
March 31st, 2014 at 3:12 pm |
one last thing, renee—this is MY profile on Genderfork! I don’t think I ever explicitly came out and said that I was radical/rebel with this profile. :)
http://genderfork.com/2012/profile-jed/
[Reply]
Brettany Renée Blatchley replied:
April 1st, 2014 at 7:30 pm
YAAAY!!! *Thank You* for making the connection for me!!
It’s great to see you and learn more about you!! :-)
Blessings!! <3
[Reply]
April 1st, 2014 at 8:08 pm |
Renee
I’ve read your postings over quite a long time and I admire your serenity and sense of purpose in your transition. You provide an inspiration for others to follow.
With my best wishes
Davina
[Reply]
Brettany Renée Blatchley replied:
April 2nd, 2014 at 5:57 am
That’s *so kind* of you to say Davina, and it really encourages me…I want to be a blessing to others!!
Take Care Davina!! :-) <3
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