Trans Canada Coyote

Chick Flicks and the Altered Male

2012-02-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

The good old days of being able to put on a sappy movie and have a good cry are over. It's true men will never understand why women watch so-called chick flicks, or even what it means to have or need "a good cry". The reason women don't understand why men just don't get "it" is because women don't have testosterone. Now I would be really interested to hear from my trans sisters who have opted in

Transgender Math: Counting up and Counting Down

2012-01-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

Counting has seemed to take up a lot of my time since I started transitioning. First it was counting the days to the psychiatrist, then to the endocrinologist. Counting how much it was going to cost to change my name and then how many places I would need to contact to have my new name on all of my identification. I counted down the days to graduation and another arm surgery, then counted down

Scavenger Hunt Binder Giveaway Part 1

2012-01-22T17:17:00.000-07:00

I know you've been wondering what the hell happened to me. I promised you I'd write more and I have neglected you a little haven't I? So to make things a little more fun than what you're used to, I've devised a fun little plan for the next couple of months. I am hoping that you will play a little game with me. I have been really busy at work and with trying to get my art career off the ground.

Looking Back, Looking Forward.

2012-01-02T21:42:00.000-07:00

The first Christmas I celebrated after I started my transition was spent away from home as a newly single guy. It was pretty lonely. I didn't feel anything but miserable and that feeling lasted well into the new year. I was a pretty sad sack this time last year and even though I had a lot to look forward to I couldn't see past the immediate misery of everything I was lacking instead of realizing

'Tis the Season...

2011-12-11T23:35:00.000-07:00

Christmas is coming! I am so excited that I will be back home for the holidays. Every year we have a family gathering that rounds up a bunch of aunts uncles and cousins for a day of food, fun and catching up. Unfortunately I haven't always been able to make it. This year it comes too early for me to attend but I do hope that while I am in the neighbourhood that I will get a chance to visit with

A Pair of Giant Glittery Dancing Christmas Balls

2011-12-05T23:16:00.002-07:00

So I have a brand new addition to my list of men I admire: Preston Leatherman, (probably not his REAL name), but how do you not love a kid that calls himself Leatherman! I am a super chicken shit when it comes to doing anything in public. Public speaking, or an art demo or even a workshop I am ok with but being a total goof like singing forget it and dancing well I am terrified of it but deep

Time for a Little Catching Up!

2011-12-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

I must apologize for neglecting the blog for so long. It has been a busy year and now that winter has descended upon the arctic in the most miserable way I will finally have some time to write again! So here's to a little catching up. I haven't had too much to say about the influence of Testosterone, but will give you a peek at how 18 months is looking and how the chest is healing up this

Myths of Male Privilege

2011-11-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

Men's rights activist Herb Goldberg[24], for example, claimed in 1976 that "the myth that the male is culturally favoured ...is clung to, despite the fact that every critical statistic in the area of longevity, disease, suicide, crime, accidents, childhood emotional disorders, alcoholism, and drug addiction shows a disproportionately higher male rate." He sees males as "oppressed by the

The Darker Side of Transition

2011-10-20T20:36:00.001-06:00

The Ice Road I changed my name almost 2 years ago, have been on testosterone for over a year and had top surgery just a few short months ago. I am happy to finally have some dominion over my emotions, to feel comfortable in my own skin and lately even think I might have some control of my own destiny. My transition has been difficult, probably more difficult than I have let on. I want to

A Bachelor's Thanksgiving

2011-10-10T23:44:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is a great time of year and a welcome holiday. Usually it means filling up on great home-cooked meals just in time for mid terms and long overdue visits with family. This year I am spending it single and sharing the event with my cats who frankly don't give a shit about the great meal I prepared and are pissed off that it's snowing. Looking back at the past year has given me some

Reader Challenge #1: WIN Coyote Books!

2011-10-02T13:18:00.002-06:00

Ivan Coyote is a writer from Whitehorse Yukon who writes about her experiences navigating the world as one of us gender variant individuals. She goes into schools and educates youth on queer and gender issues and participates in workshops for gender variant youth. One of the workshop programs is called Camp Fyrelfy and is run out of the University of Alberta. It is a great opportunity for

Three Months Post Surgery

2011-09-27T22:50:00.001-06:00

Three months ago I went under the knife to have my breasts removed and while I was less concerned about how it would look than I was about finally getting them off my chest I am excited about how things are progressing. The puckering and swelling has gone down considerably and the area I was most concerned about has definitely healed up better than I was anticipating. Recovery has been a lot

Visibility and the Big Gay Parade

2011-09-21T09:02:00.000-06:00

I read a post the other day by Native Son a transguy from Kentucky and he said something that really hit home for me: ...one can either be proud of their identity as a trans person or they can deny it and spend their time enforcing their legitimacy in the binary that brought us here in the first place... I am having a really hard time deciding whether or not to be "out" at work. Some days I

Clouds and Rainbows

2011-09-13T23:10:00.000-06:00

For the last eleven months I have been a single guy. I don't go out much, I stay home and don't really socialize too much. There are a few people who's company I enjoy but for the most part I have become more of a loner. Part of the reason is I don't want to have to explain myself all the time. I don't want to have to answer questions about my genitalia or sexuality or feel like I am satisfying

Mind your Ps and Qs

2011-08-29T23:02:00.000-06:00

It had to happen eventually and thank goodness for comment moderation. While I try to keep this blog honest about the challenges of being trans, I also strive to keep a fairly positive outlook on things. So when some strager comes along and posts a comment that is intended to help/save/piss me off I try to see the lesson in it. Or I just laugh hysterically. I received one such comment this

Eight Weeks Post-Surgery

2011-08-28T23:39:00.002-06:00

Eight weeks have passed since I had my breasts removed and every day I am thankful they are finally gone. I have hated them since they started growing like tumors in the 4th grade. They always made me feel awkward and I had an incredible amount of dysphoria related to them. The past two months without them has been incredible. I love how I look in my dress shirts. I love how I look in my

One Year, Three Months on T

2011-08-21T23:58:00.000-06:00

15 Months on T I can't believe how fast this second year has gone. Summer is nearly over once again and come spring I will have been taking testosterone for two years. It seems far now but I know it will be here in no time. It's been a crazy busy month kayaking, fishing, visiting, and of course the big boob-off. As for the rest of the month, this is how it shaped up: Acne: Well this is

Calming Top Surgery Recovery Anxiety

2011-08-12T08:30:00.000-06:00

I have been worrying a little about how my chest looks and yes I know it is still early in the game. I haven't really been able to get answers to all the questions I had about how long things take to recover. I have been massaging my scars and I have one spot on my right side that is particularly chunky with scar tissue. I have been worrying about whether or not my right pec will ever return to a

...And Now Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Summer

2011-08-07T11:43:00.000-06:00

It's official. I can now return to my regular activities. The six week recovery flew by and although the first couple were difficult the last week was probably the hardest. I say that because I felt great and summer is short so every moment that I couldn't be out on the water fishing with my new kayak was frustrating. To make up for it I am going to kayak a LOT from now until one of two things

The Tranny's New Clothes

2011-08-04T00:34:00.000-06:00

I went for a walk on my lunch break. It was a beautiful sunny day with a nice breeze and I as I wandered along the street I felt it: contentment. My body finally felt normal....well different but normal. I could feel the wind on my skin without the burden of breasts or shame. I ran up the stairs to the library without my chest bouncing. I bent over to pick up my pen and didn't feel the weight of

One Year, Two Months

2011-08-03T00:46:00.000-06:00

I know I have been neglecting this a little recently. There has been a lot going on and I'll of course get to it eventually! I am already fourteen months on T and there are still changes to be noted! It's true the changes come fast and furious in the beginning and the first year on T is definitely a whirlwind of changes: your body, your voice, your relationships. It really is like a second

One Month Boob-Free!

2011-07-20T23:56:00.000-06:00

To be honest, my recovery from this surgery has been more difficult and painful than I anticipated. I was in quite a bit of pain for the first three weeks though not enough to warrant taking pain meds. My skin is still very sensitive and some days it makes wearing shirts absolute torture. But ice is great and works wonders for the burning sensation and when the aching gets to be too much I will

Three Weeks Post-Op

2011-07-13T09:18:00.001-06:00

The three week mark passed and I am now officially on the down-slope of my six week recovery. I have Been dealing with a lot of surface pain, wearing clothes hurts my skin and the only way to describe it is like rubbing sandpaper on a sun burn. The right graft is nearly completely healed now and looking good, the left is not and I have been keeping it covered with an advanced healing bandage

Back to Work

2011-07-12T23:25:00.000-06:00

I have been back home for less than a week and at work for only a couple of days and already I am getting really tired of feeling crappy. I was expecting that I would not be in any more pain but my body apparently has other ideas. Wearing a shirt is like having someone rub sandpaper over a sunburn. Parts of my chest are numb to the touch yet can still experience sharp pain like an electric shock.

Two Weeks Post-Op

2011-07-07T00:16:00.003-06:00

My cross-eyed Beauty, LiLu Two weeks down and four to go till I am back fishing from my new kayak, sleeping on my stomach, playing and enjoying the rest of the summer. I have got to remember that no matter how good I am feeling I need to be careful and take it easy. I have been doing everything my surgeon told me when I saw him to have my drains out. I called his office yesterday to ask a