Tales of an op/ed activist

There are some unbelievably brave folks in the world. People like Phoolan Devi, the “Bandit Queen” a personal hero of mine (sorry self-indulgent blogging!), a survivor of untold abuse who became one of the most badass freedom fighters around.

Sometimes I wonder if these people are driven to change history by their realities or if they’re just dealing in their own extraordinary way. I fantasize about what I would do in their situation. Would I hide, fight, nut out, or, perhaps write an Op/Ed column?

So, todays hero kudo go to Mike Penner, a 23 year employee of the Los Angeles Times sports department, who in an incredibly brave maneuver, ‘outed’ himself as a transsexual AND revealed his plans to transition from mtf (male to female), in an opinion piece in yesterdays LA Times.

By making the personal public, Penner presents a rare opportunity for us to learn a little more about transexuality and does it in a way that neither alienates people nor sensationalizes the issue.

There is a dire need for education on transsexuality and transitioning and I would argue that this piece by Mike/Christine could bring this discussion to the mainstream.