Independence Day

Today in the US it’s Independence Day; one of the most important of the nearly monthly nationalistic holidays we have. This is evidenced by the fact that it is actually celebrated on the actual day and not moved to the nearest Monday to avoid fucking everyone up schedule wise. Yes, I felt the need to explain this because through the magic of Wordpress I can see hits coming in from other nations. And I say ‘the US’ as opposed to ‘America’ out of respect to our Canadian friends who get all miffed when we make the whole America thing just ‘aboot’ us. Sorry, I had to do that after the sly clerk at 7-11 managed to slip me yet another quarter that no vending machine will take.

“Getting a little low on ideas there Michelle? Ooo! A post about the day of the week... riveting!” Shush you, if I can put a trans spin on forgotten old tertiary comic book characters, a major holiday is cake. I’ll even resist my overwhelming urge to be positively goofy and sling out some schlock about how we ought to call it “Transdependance Day”. That doesn’t even make sense. Disclaimer aside and conveniently forgotten, I’m pretty much going to talk about exactly that, but without coining a new term no one will ever remember or use.

Independence is a meaningful word to us. When you think of all the descriptions we tend to use pre-transition – ‘black hole’, ‘trapped’, ‘caged’, ‘bottom of the barrel’, ‘Turkish prison’ – well, they all tend to bring to mind situations one tends to wish for independence from. This isn’t a big reach. I mean who likes to feel stuck in an unending onerous situation where the probability of ever getting comfortable without significant change is nil? Here in the US we have co-opted the whole concept of freedom (valued just behind Jesus and unlimited corporate power), but in reality it’s everybody’s thing, and for a good reason.

So, although here in the US we will be setting off dangerous explosives to commemorate our resounding victory over the nefarious Brits (who since retaliated by sending us Piers Morgan and Benny Hill reruns – touché old chaps!), the trans people of the world may also take a moment to appreciate either the glorious independence found, or may kindle hope that it does in fact exist. Lord knows, it doesn’t come easy, and as much as I hate to agree with a bumper sticker plastered just above the rubber scrotal sack dangling from a Chevy pickup, freedom ain’t free. I would suggest adding ‘ – I mean have you seen the price of vaginas lately?’ to the end, but you know people would just take that the wrong way.

Happy Independence Day my US and international brothers and sisters. No matter what glorious or truly heinous situation you are n right now, be happy that at the very least you know who you are. All freedom starts in the head and heart; something to truly rejoice when found and deeply appreciated when earned. The fight for the rest may be long over, or the first shots have yet to be fired, but nothing can take away that moment you knew you were you.