Reflections

by Melissa Barrett, a.k.a. Melissa Chandler

(The Gender Centre advise that this article may not be current and as such certain content, including but not limited to persons, contact details and dates may not apply. Where legal authority or medical related matters are cited, responsibility lies with the reader to obtain the most current relevant legal authority and/or medical publication.)

Hello to the many women, men and various others I know and those I am yet to meet.

It has been a few years since I have involved myself in the transgender/transsexual community as a result of the political games between previous staff and management committee members, but enough about that. For the most part, I applaud the restructuring that has taken place since then.

Those of you who have had a long association with 75 Morgan Street Petersham will, no doubt, remember those heady days when it was not only residential but also an "open house" where at any time during the day (and in some instances the night) we could drop by for friendship (if we were lucky) and/or community.

But times have changed so the place is now more efficient, more effective (less of a zoo), and sorry staff, but more sanitised and clinical. Yes people, sacrifices have had to be made to maintain funding for our mutual benefit, but lost is a lot of the ease and comfort (???) of the place which we all need given that we don't get much from mainstream society.

Now, I really wish to convey my thanks to everybody who is now running the Gender Centre for their recent kindness. It is greatly appreciated and I hope that I can pass on the goodwill and ultimately help and support.

Over the recent weeks I have been attending the the Support Group (see Directory Assistance in your copy of Polare) also, Sophie's Social and Support Group and the weekly Wednesday morning group and I can't help but feel that not enough people are attending. Where are some familiar faces? You can't have all died. How about coming along and offering some support to the new people.

I would also not mind seeing a few of the girls who I used to believe were friends but have lost touch with. In closing I would like to plead with the truly nice people to come and spend some time there and give the new people a go. Let's enjoy each other's similarities, respect each others differences and each others transitions. After all, isn't that what our community needs?

Take care and I hope to see you all very soon.

Polare is published in Australia by The Gender Centre Inc. which is funded by the Department of Community Services under the S.A.A.P. Program and supported by the N.S.W. Health Department through the AIDS and Infectious Diseases Branch. Polare provides a forum for discussion and debate on gender issues. Advertisers are advised that all advertising is their responsibility under the Trade Practices Act. Unsolicited contributions are welcome, though no guarantee is made by the Editor that they will be published, nor any discussion entered into. The editor reserves the right to edit such contributions without notification. Any submission which appears in Polare may be published on our internet site. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, The Gender Centre Inc.I, the Department of Community Services or the N.S.W. Department of Health.