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The monthly e-magazine of the River City Gems
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November 2009
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Join Our Email List!
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Upcoming Gems Events
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Monthly Social-Nov 14
Thanksgathering-Nov 28
Drab Gab-Dec 11
Holiday Party-Dec 12
New Year's Party-Dec 31
For more information, visit our upcoming events page!
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We are pleased to welcome new members Roben L, Michelle E, and Allison R to our River City Gems family!
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Join Us!
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Support the River City Gems by becoming a member today! As a member, you'll be entitled to a $5 discount on the door fee at all Gems events. You'll also receive a membership card, library
privileges, an entry in each month's member drawing, and even a
special card and cupcake in the month of your birthday! Most importantly, your support will enable us to continue serving the
needs of our community through social events, education, and outreach. You can join or renew your membership at any Gems event or online. |
Community Calendar
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It's holiday season in Genderland! Visit our Community Calendar to find out about all the parties, gatherings, and other events taking place in your area.
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Greetings!
Welcome to the November issue of Facets. This month, in recognition of Veterans Day, we bring you a report on America's Transgender Veterans, including insights from Gems members who have served in our nation's military forces. We hope you will also enjoy reading Rachel M.'s report on the second annual River City Sparkle, and a recap of last month's "spooktacular" Halloween party by Tilda A. Carollyn Olson is back this month with a new "Tricks of the Trade," full of helpful advice on how to look your best in photos. And Stephanie R. shares the story of how she attended a professional conference in Las Vegas as her femme self. November's guest author is Asha Hawkesworth, whose thought-provoking article "Your Body, the Car" argues that our physical bodies do not define who we are -- they are merely a vehicle for experiencing the world. If you have a story idea for an upcoming issue of Facets, please email facets@rivercitygems.org. We'd love to hear from you. Warmly, Marla Morley Editor
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Transgender Veterans: Invisible No More
by Marla M.
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 Veterans Day, November 11, is a day set aside to thank and honor all
those who have served in the U.S. military, whether in wartime or
peacetime. But few Americans who observe the holiday are aware that
an estimated 300,000 veterans and active duty military personnel are
transgender.
This Veterans Day, the River City Gems would like to
recognize our members who have served in the armed forces. It is
hoped that their stories will help to shed light on the shared
experiences of a group that has been called "the forgotten
veterans."
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A Rendezvous to Remember by Rachel M.
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130 Celebrate Transgender Unity at River City Sparkle
A year of planning and it was all over in one night .... but what a
night it was!
On Saturday, October 3, Northern California's transgender community
came together for a "Ruby Rendezvous" in Sacramento, as the River
City Gems hosted the second annual River City Sparkle.
130 wonderful people, from seemingly everywhere, including travelers
from Oregon, Nevada, Kentucky, and Wyoming, attended the transgender
event of the year! Sparkle was an elegant formal ball and
celebration of transgender unity. Whether you were CD, TG, TS, MtF,
FtM, a partner, a family member, a friend, or an ally -- everyone
was welcome to share in the evening of dinner, music, dancing, and
entertainment.
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Gems Enjoy Thrills, Chills, and Frills at Halloween Party by Tilda A.
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'Twas the week before Halloween, and all through the house...many
creatures were stirring! Stirring, mixing, matching,
gathering, eating, drinking, dancing, chatting and making merry. Oh
and what creatures these were!
Where does fantasy end, and reality begin? It's often hard to know.
On Halloween, at least, it seems that nobody much cares, either!
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Transgender Day of Remembrance
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November
20 is International Transgender Day of Remembrance. In cities around
the world, transgender people and their allies will gather to
remember those who have lost their lives to anti-transgender
violence and prejudice. Marches, candlelight vigils, and services will
be held in several Northern California locations.
TDOR Sacramento - Nov 21
TDOR Stockton - Nov 22
TDOR Oakland - Nov
20
TDOR San Jose- Nov 20
TDOR Fresno- Nov 20
TDOR Chico - Nov 17
TDOR Santa Cruz County - Nov 20
TDOR San Francisco- Nov 20
TDOR Shabbat San Francisco - Nov 20
Additional TDOR events will be added to our Community Calendar as the information becomes available. |
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Tricks of the Trade by Carollyn Olson
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 Taking Perfect Pictures
At first glance, posing for a picture should be easy. Smile and
click. However, there's much more that goes into making the picture
"perfect."
Fashion photographers can take hours, if not all day, working with a
subject. Besides makeup and clothes, primping, posturing, posing and
much more is required to get the ultimate picture.
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What Happened in Vegas by Stephanie R.
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This year I had a great opportunity to mix business with a little
pleasure by attending a professional conference en femme.
As some of my close friends and sisters know, I am a licensed
Electrician, and I work for one of the largest contractors in the
State of California, but my employer does not know about my
alter-ego, Stephanie. At least, I hope not. I certainly
haven't told anyone per se! Many of you might be
thinking, "WOW, YOU DID THAT?" Some might say I was taking a
very big risk, or even making a mistake, while others might see it
as a great adventure. What follows is my story.
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Your Body, the Car by Asha Hawkesworth
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Asha Hawkesworth is a writer, psychic, and energy healer whose main focus is
healing and spirituality. She is a Reiki Master, the co-owner of Brighthill (a healing
center in the Portland area), and the editor of
LightWork Magazine. This article originally appeared in the
Portland Energy Healing Examiner.
One year for Halloween, I and my boyfriend at the time decided to cross-dress
for a party. He wore a dress, heels, makeup, and hairspray. I slicked my hair
back, colored it, created a 5 o'clock shadow with some mascara, and donned a
suit and tie. We did a really good job. So good, in fact, that it made a lot of
people really uncomfortable. Why is that?
Most people identify with their physical bodies and assume that their body
defines who they are. Because of our body, we think that we are white, black,
Native American, Hispanic, or any other ethnicity you can name. Or we think that
we are male or female. Or we believe that we are beautiful or ugly, disabled or
not, sick or healthy, weak or strong. Truly, we have limited ourselves by the
boundaries of what is just a vehicle to experience the world with.
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The River City Gems is a nonprofit organization with a mission
to improve the lives of transgender individuals and their
families by providing education, resources, peer support, social
networking opportunities, outreach programs, and services
focused on the specific needs of the male-to-female transgender
community. Contributions are fully tax deductible under section 501(c)(3)
of the IRS code.
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www.rivercitygems.org | info@rivercitygems.org | facets@rivercitygems.org
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