A Trailblazer From Birth

Nearly thirty years ago I was blessed to watch two women as they fell very much in love. I was subsequently honoured to be present at their wedding, and then later at the birth of their very special child. Caitlyn/Aiden had two of the best "moms" in the world. No child was ever wanted more than he was, and my heart and prayers go out to Patty and Cathy over their devastating loss. ~ mary

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Up The Flood Without An Ark

The Big Question and why ask it? First, about the questioner. I am not a doctor of any order, not a therapist and not on an epic journey. I am a high school dropout, ex-military functionary seeking only guidance on the path of least resistance. I was born in a house of cards and found myself so busy watching for the walls to come tumbling down that I got very little else done in the first fifty plus years of my time in this particular existence. Well, you can knock it if you want, but it's kept me alive for nearly 60 years now, so something must be said for it.

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A Lesbian in Nigeria – Disowned By My Family

by Rizi Timane

RiziI am originally from Nigeria, West Africa, where homosexuality is completely forbidden and illegal. I was also raised in a Christian home and faced great conflict when I realized that I was a lesbian.

My family tried praying it out of me 🙂 and later on, we fell out completely. They basically told me I was disowned and would only be allowed back into our family when I decide to go straight. They were all so angry, so let down and so hurt and I was so brokenhearted. I packed up my stuff and moved to the USA by myself with no family contact at all.

Almost a year later, they reached out to me to make amends and we are still healing right now.

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When Matt Became Jade

Matt - JadeMany at Northern Secondary School were surprised when Matt H. announced last year that he was running for student council president. A somewhat lonely boy, he didn't fit the model of the popular, extroverted student leader. Everyone seemed to know the outgoing president. Matt was more reserved - he liked playing on-line games and writing. He was on the ninth revision of a fantasy novel.

Everyone told him he didn't have a hope of winning. But he got the signatures needed for a nomination. For his election campaign that spring, he made a funny video, an instant teenage classic that showed him drinking a smoothie made from everything in his refrigerator. On stage at an assembly, where he stood tall, at 6 foot, 4 inches, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, he made a short satirical speech that parodied campaign promises: "I'll prevent a gigantic meteor from crashing into the school," he boasted. He won a standing ovation. It was a narrow margin - 16 votes - but he won the election.

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Un-sync-able

...it starts with a niggle in the deep recesses of your soul that all is not quite right with the world as you know it and from there it grows... and there was I... one day I realised I was no longer in sync with my world, my family and the church culture I'd been brought up in. Put simply I felt I had become un-sync-able! This blog is to work through some of that seasoned by honesty, grace and love...

What about me? (no not the Shannon Noll song)
A little background on me ... I might include some more detail in later posts on certain parts but to keep this kinda short I'll give you a summary.

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Trans Books

An Unspoken Compromise... My Story of Gender and Spritual Transition
by Rizi Xavier Timane, PhD (2013)
Rating: 4.2 stars from 25 customer reviews

Rizi Xavier Timane, PhD, ASW, is a Nigerian-born transgender Life Coach, minister and certified grief counselor residing in Los Angeles, California. He is also a singer/songwriter and an actor who uses his music and movie productions as an outlet to promote Transgender inclusion, equality and affirmation.

Rizi grew up in an extremely religious traditional Christian home in Africa and was subjected to multiple exorcisms and other reparative attempts by his family and the church to “pray the gay/trans away.” An Unspoken Compromise takes you through his journey of self-discovery and spiritual exploration including:

Coming out as a trans boy at eight years old
Identifying as a lesbian in homophobic Africa
Transitioning while facing societal and family rejection
The religious persecution and bullying he has suffered all along

Rizi’s message to the LGBT community is twofold. First, be your authentic self—it’s the only way to inner peace and happiness. Second, if you are in search of a relationship with God, a spiritual path to unconditional love and acceptance does exist for you free from condemnation and negative judgement.

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