25 November 2022

Madoka no Himitsu (Madoka's Secret) (manga)

When we first meet Madoka, it is a little bit saccharine.  However, it's well worth the wait of getting through.  Madoka is a longtime transgender girl (In Japan, the word 'he' is used)  [full name- Yamada Madoka]  The first clue is not something we, as English-speakers, would take note of. Madoka uses 'he', but the name, Madoka, is a girl's name.  After she is introduced by the teacher, she takes her seat.  Itsuki snubs her.  Madoka picks up an eraser, but still Itsuki is very curt.  Rather than take offense, she thinks it's manly and cool.


Later,  when she goes around distributing kairanban  (neighborhood newspaper)  she crosses the Tanokana house.  When she is greeted by a black Shiba Inu dog, she falls in love. (By the way, I had a Spitz cross - very lovely!)  Then, Itsuki walks up, and is miffed by Madoka's dress.   Madoka slaps Itsuki, and Itsuki slaps Madoka.  Shortly thereafter, Hiroto (known early as 'big brother') sees Madoka, takes pity on her, and invites her in.  Itsuki takes note, and Hiroto introduces him... as a transgender boy.


I won't say too much more, other than to mention two other characters.  The first is good, the other, um, not so good.  The first is Mai, nemesis of the first two (and especially that of Itsuki).  She is very realistic,  understandable - if not heroic.  She's kinda like the Green Goblin in the Spider-man movies. You get her, even if you don't condone her.  The other is Takato, twin brother of Hiroto.  He swears revenge on Madoka... but does practically nothing.  'Throwaway' is defined here.


All in all, despite the hiccups, a good read.       


19 November 2022

just ONE vote...

 


Southington, CT


Just one vote.

No, it wasn't in far-off Nome, Alaska.  Nor was in a large state such as New York, California, or Florida.  It was just one town away, in Southington.  When we imagine small states such as Connecticut, we think erroneously of uniform legislatures.  True, Connecticut leans Democratic, but Southington doesn't fit this profile.  In fact, Southington has had some true knuckle-draggers.  

But not this time.

If one or two voters had stayed home this would be a different story.  What I'm saying to you is vote.  From President down to dog-catcher. I'm not saying this will an ironclad guarantee.  But you never know...

13 November 2022

Past Future (manga)

Well, perhaps it's from seeing that stinker 'Naisho no Otome Revolver' previously, but seeing  'Past Future' is a damn sight better. Let me explain.


The scene opens with Akari Kako and Akari Mirai (in Japan, the names are reversed) with Mirai just about to attend a soccer match.  Upon her leaving, Kako starts to do some chores...  and starts to do some laundry.  Well, things are inevitable, so Kako tries Mirai's clothing.  Of course, Mirai forgot something, and is 'horrified' with Kako wearing girl's clothing.  I say 'horrified' because Kako isn't waving a magic wand around, where suddenly he's a girl.  Kako tries Mirai's clothing, but there are hints long before... and (his) classmates know.


As I said before, there are flaws.  One glaring flaw is a total absence of parents.  Unless both parents croaked, they can't be explained away.  However, the struggles they all face are more realistic and truer.  It might be nice if things are all pat, but that would be false. 

12 November 2022

See Law & Order: SVU this week

 


Mariska Hargitay
(as Olivia Benson in Law & Order:  SVU)


This past week I was watching Law & Order:  SVU (yeah, I'm a junkie for this show) and I took note for the upcoming show.  It involves the investigation of a murder of a transgender person.  There's not much more to go on, but Mariska Hargitay has shown forth sensitivity on this subject.

05 November 2022

Naisho no Otome Revolver (Secret Maiden Revolver) (manga)

Wow.

I don't know if 'Naisho no Otome Revolver' is absolutely the worst  manga ever seen. But, gawd, it lies among the bottom o' the barrel.  At the beginning, Tachibana Hinata wants to be a boy.  Understandable. But in almost every scene, we get a crotch shot.  Again. Again. And yet again.   A little later we see hir little sister, Tachibana Hinata.


No, this ain't a typo.  Only halfway (!) is the name changed.

Haryuki, do anything but manga.  You'll make the world a better place.






23 October 2022

A, A' (manga)

 



      At a time when transgender people were just stepping their toes in the water (1984) Moto Hagio was a fresh air.  And she still is.  Despite what Michelle Smith says, we have to remember what 1984 really was.    It was a little  better... but things were really bleak.

      A, A' is set in the future.  The earth was moving out to the various planets and moons (Mars, Jupiter, etc.).  Also, humans developed Unicorns.  Unicorns were engineered to replace people.  The people who worked out found they worked... almost.  In a seemingly innocuous mention, Adelaide (clone) wants coffee - but she wants it black, rather than have it with cream and sugar. (original Adelaide)

     First, let's look at A, A'.  Unlike the newer manga which show a single  sheet , the older ones show two pages, therefore showing a double sheet. There are three interrelated stories:

A, A' 

4/4

X+Y

       The first two stories don't seem to be transgender related.  However, Mori is important in two of the three chapters.  In the end of 4/4, Mori is grieving over the death of Trill.  Fast-forward five years (X+Y), we meet Tacto, a seemngly male unicorn.  He meets up with Merimé, who is nonplussed at Tacto's lovemaking - until he might  be winning an award.  Suddenly, she 'loves' him.  At first, Tacto is interested in Merimé, until a professor throws a really big wrench.  Tacto is really a woman.  And in comes Mori.  

     I won't tell you any more, but Moto Hagio is prescient in 1984 than most Americans (especially middle and Southerners) are aware.  Hopefully they'll learn a little.



08 October 2022

N.G! (manga)

This is the first in a series of manga.  If you are unfamiliar with manga, it was a form of Japanese comics. Although it started in Japan, it moved on to China (manhua) and South Korea (manhwa).  It then moved on to the USA, Canada, and France, to name just a few.  The first were translated, but artists from the Western countries went on to create their own manga.  For more details look up 'manga' under Wikipedia.


Some people don't consider manga art.  That's your problem. 


N.G! is one-shot. There are more strips, but since they are separate pieces, I'll only consider the first.  Nakatomi is a high-schooler, but since they have good art books, a nearby university bookstore is where she is shopping.  As she moves to the racks, Okasabe eyes her.  After hesitating, Okasabe her to a fancy restaurant.  Even so, she's still creeped out a bit.  So she talks to Rin, her twin.  By the way, Rin is TG.  Hilarity ensues. End of story.


Since N.G! is a relatively short story, this will be brief.  Good side - N.G! is true to form, with Okasabe being kind.  Bad side - translation fairly poor, with the viewer being somewhat confused about Rin's identity.


31 August 2022

New Hampshire - Trans NH woman says she was targeted with 'voodoo doll' left on her car

Kristina Rex

CBS News



Rochester, NH


please press:  www.cbsnews.com

Boston Children's Hospital receives bomb threat following harassment over transgender care

Kiara Alfonseca

ABC News


Boston Children's Hospital


please press:  abcnews.go.com

ezs note:  Greater Boston area - if you know of anyone who threatens Boston Children's Hospital, please call the Boston police department at 1-800-494-TIPS. Thanks.

No, Trump didn’t declassify everything; it’s barred by the Nixon tapes decision

Philip Allen LaCovara

The Hill


Nixon tape recorder


please press:  thehill.com


15 August 2022

West Virginia - Judge: West Virginia Medicaid must cover transgender care

Press

CBS News


Huntington, WV (1888)


please press:  www.cbsnews.com

WBC statement on transgender atheletes

Nithi K. Sethi

World Boxing Council


Boxing


please press:  fightnews.com

Rudy Giuliani told by prosecutors he is a target in Georgia 2020 presidential election probe

Sara Murray, Jason Morris

CNN


Rudy Giuliani's ass


please press:  www.cnn.com

14 August 2022

Iowa - Iowa school district sued over transgender student policy

Brooke Migdon

The Hill


Linn-Mar Community School District (Iowa)


please press:  thehill.com

Longtime ESPN reporter M.A. Voepel comes out as transgender

C Mandler

CBS News


ESPN headquarters (Bristol, CT)


please press:  www.cbsnews.com

Presidential historian says he's never seen a former president 'take ultra-classified documents, stick them in his basement'

Taylor Ardery

Business Insider


Trump's basement


please press:  www.businessinsider.com


11 August 2022

Proposed 'Transgender Policy' would allow students to use pronouns, facilities at Canon City Schools

Mayo Davison

KOAA


ñ


please press:  www.koaa.com

Pope Francis meets transgender guests of Rome church

Nicole Winfield

ABC News


Vatican City


please press:  abcnews.go.com

Attorney General Merrick Garland set to make statement, days after FBI raid on Trump home at Mar-a-Lago

Dan Managan

CNBC


Palm Beach, FL (Mar-a-Lago)


please press:  www.cnbc.com

06 August 2022

New York (state) - New York AG Takes Action to Protect Transgender Students’ Rights

Lucas Day

Finger Lakes dailynews.com


North Tonawanda, NY



note: please note that Connecticut's AG filed an amicus brief.

Parents of transgender 3rd grader sue the state over Tennessee school bathroom law

Hannah Sarisohn

CNN


Williamson County, TN (Franklin)


please press:  www.cnn.com

Senate on track to take key vote Saturday to advance Democrats' sweeping health care and climate bill

Clare Foran, Ali Zaslav

CNN


Sweeping!


please press:  www.cnn.com


05 August 2022

New Mexico - EOS, Title IX Director Advises Assistant U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services

Press

Albuquerque Public Schools


Atrisco Heritage Academy High School
Albuquerque, NM


please press:  www.aps.edu

'Social contagion' isn’t causing more youths to be transgender, study finds

Jo Yurcaba

NBC News



It's spreading!  It's spreading!


please press:  www.nbcnews.com

White House summoned Chinese ambassador to condemn provocations after Pelosi's Taiwan visit

Natasha Bertrand, Kate Sullivan, Jennifer Hansler

CNN


Amb. Qin Gang


please press:  www.cnn.com/

02 August 2022

New Jersey - N.J. advocacy groups say U.S. courts are ‘turning this country back’ on transgender rights

Tennyson Donyéa

WHYY


Essex County, NJ (Newark)


please press:  whyy.org 

Transgender woman says she's not allowed to work at Durham Catholic school

Amanda Rose

Spectrum


Durham, NC


please press:  spectrumlocalnews.com


Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan will not trigger World War III

Richard Javad Heydarian

Aljazzera



Taipei, from an earlier visit

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/U.S._President_Eisenhower_visited_TAIWAN_%E7%BE%8E%E5%9C%8B%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E8%89%BE%E6%A3%AE%E8%B1%AA%E6%96%BC1960%E5%B9%B46%E6%9C%88%E8%A8%AA%E5%95%8F%E8%87%BA%E7%81%A3%E5%8F%B0%E5%8C%97%E6%99%82%E8%88%87%E8%94%A3%E4%B8%AD%E6%AD%A3%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1-2.jpg


please press:  www.aljazeera.com