Simmons College

Home » CASGS » Programs » Gender/Cultural Studies » » Student Blog

If I had to pick only one book--absolutely no wiggle room for additional helpings--as my favorite, my default is always "Les Miserables" by the immortal Victor Hugo. Although I'm familiar with some of his other works read years back, Les Mis stands as a massive influence and inspiration on my own writing; character development and interplay, timeline detail, the art of political fiction itself, and a multitude of other things. The play is even an appropriate musical version in a condensed variety. Just a few years back, I was privileged enough to see the Broadway revival as my only present; third row, dead center. I sat transfixed for those 3+ hours, never budging. In both book and musical, no character, situation, or song outshines another; they're virtually all equally amazing. That's how you know when a piece of work stands above most others.

My other idol is far more modern. Satoshi Kon, the God of anime. (For the record, I don't even particularly like anime. That's how awesome he is.) His medium completely irrelevant, he's a master of turning madness into beauty. While he's marked as doing in the heads of others, I find him a personal comfort. Morals he portrays, such as that in Paranoia Agent predictably lost amongst most viewers, has kept me going in my hardest times.

Unfortunately, I was informed a matter of weeks ago that he died on August 24th, 2010. When I found this out by sheer fate in the middle of the night, I began grieving to a rational extent. I continue to do so. A brilliant man taken way too soon; diagnosed with late stages of pancreatic cancer earlier this year and dying a matter of months later. From his posthumous last words, it seems one of his bigger regrets was his inability to finish his current project. This simply causes me to hold him in even higher admiration.

*ahem* Now where were we...

Dr. Puri today has successfully laid to rest virtually all of my current anxieties, both aforementioned and never spoken. And for that I can't thank her enough. I think I've recovered since two entries ago and have gotten my second wind regarding this semester. Which is good because I was seriously starting to need it. For anybody in GCS that somehow doesn't know this: If you have issues of any sort, go to Dr. Puri. She'll help you out.

To my homies in GCS 403: Be prepared for a year-end presentation by yours truly on the phenomenology of trans-based dysphoria. You know you love it.

The name change chores continue to go smoothly enough; I'm proud of myself for figuring months ago that preparation is key. It's also easier when I expect little from New Jersey. Sure, even my Bostonian endeavors thus far have received a bit of snippery, particularly when I've had to deal with individuals face-to-face, but 'tis life. The last few chores--the most massive and important being the end result of a stealth license--must be done in Pennsylvania. Already I can tell this will be fun. Every last place I contacted unsurprisingly goes as follows:

Them: A name change? Okay, ma'am, please bring in the marriage certificate.
Me: It's my first name, not my last. It's just a legal name change through the courts.
Them: And what is it you're changing it to?
Me: Milo.
Them: *extremely long pause* Okay, ma'am, please bring in the marriage certificate.

Can I get a facepalm smiley over here? Despite the problems I know I'll have in PA, I'm still thankful that my home state recently took a page from MA and now allows gender changes on driver's licenses without GRS. Otherwise, I would have been set back a few hundred dollars that I don't have and it would have otherwise simply been a much longer and more agonizing process. I hate to say I choose eyeball abuse if it means it'll ironically be that much easier on me. Funny part is I plan my first surgery this coming summer anyway; I'm too antsy of a young whippersnapper to wait those few extra months.