"Thanks for all your great work, but we're not renewing your temp assignment due to some changes in the org structure and business priorities." Hmmmmmmm, so much for what was supposed to be a safe and secure job that was going to be made permanent. So much for the suggestion that i go out and get a mortgage and buy a house.
Perhaps we'll never really know for sure, how much of a factor my coming out as a transsexual was in the decision for the phasing out of my job as a Senior Policy Analyst. Two weeks later, not surprisingly, it was front page news that Government had suddenly let go of the transsexual. As I predicted, finding work at the same level in the future would prove practically impossible given the stereotypes in society about transsexualism and given our lack of human rights protection.
well, three years later, i find myself having spent one year out of work and two years in a job paying half as much. I suppose i am not alone in this world in the category of underemployed. I should also feel fortunate that i have managed to not only retain this job, but earn a reclassification to a slightly higher level - something almost unheard of in 2012 in any public service.
For three years, i have had to go back to basics and essentially prove myself all over again, starting pretty much from scratch. i have had to stick my nose deep into volunteer work to re-invent myself and build up a resume and reputation as a leader in business development, policy writing and compliance, community engagement, and change management. A detailed look back through this blog will give you an idea of the many great things i have done. Now i am hoping that this will finally open some doors for me.
Let's hope year four of my post pre-transition employment, turns out to be the year that provides the break-through opportunity i have been waiting all my life for.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
March 30, 2012 - Hamie the Hamster
3 weeks later, there were 6 baby hamsters, and I was fortunate enough to obtain one of them. Scooter was a spitting image of mommy. Although I only met Hamie once, I received countless updates over the phone as I learned about the amazing process of how Hamie mothered her 6 babies. It felt as if she was a part of my family. Hamsters are very small rodents, but they have a rather sofisticated brain. Scooter has adjusted very well to being in my home, and sharing it with two very curious cats, Danny and Dasher.
Hamie's human family all feel quite saddened and devestated by her sudden death, but the fun memories will last forever, and her spirit will live on with my Scooter. (depicted here is Scooter at a young age).
Thursday, March 29, 2012
March 29, 2012 - McCreath to help launch Troy Adams Cross Canada Run for Brain Injury Awareness
Troy's Run (Cross Canada Run) - For Brain Injury Awareness
Kicks off in St. John's on April 1, 2012, 10 am
Cabot Tower, Signal Hill, St. John's, NL
Brain injury is the NUMBER ONE killer and disabler for people under 44, and an estimated 1.3 million Canadians are living with an acquired brain injury. Troy Adams is running a marathon-a-day across Canada to get people talking about the silent killer - brain injury.
Photo Opp / Interviews:
- Troy Adams, 30 foot branded RV (backdrop)
- Troy Adams' parents
- Special Guest Appearance: Jennifer McCreath (local | 30-time marathoner)
Troy's official Media Advisory Here
Troy's interview on Rogers Out of the Fog
Troy (right) with Josh from Rogers Television
March 28, Out of the Fog TV in-studio sit-down interview!
So i arrive at the tv studio an hour early to give myself some time to get cleaned up and put on the make up. Then the interviewer, Anna Delaney meets me in the lounge for a brief chat about the logistics and the framework for the interview. Only 8 minutes to jam in about 10 questions. Anna is really good. She did her homework and her list of questions and my pre-written list of suggested comments were almost perfectly in concert.
The other guests were nearby and I had a chance to speak with Randy Edmunds the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament in Labrador who was involved first-hand in the Burton Winters search and rescue mission. Burton was a teen who got lost while snowmobiling and ended up breaking down and having to walk.. 19k and several freezing hours later, he died, government entities have been harshly critisized for not being there to save him...
Poor Randy. I knew I recognized his name but didn't honestly remember who he was.. so one stupid question after another (revealing my lack of knowledge about who the MHAs are in lab, and I finally realized I was chatting with a very important person who's trending these days in the province.
Anyway, Rogers had several student interns in there learning the ropes of the tv business, and part of their job was to serve as my assistants as I get ready. Of course i'll never turn down a chance to chat trans 101, even before doing television for trans 101. So here we are 20 minutes deeper into the conversation, and we are chatting about orgasms. lol ahhh, being trans can be so much fun. It is so easy to break out into deep intimate sexual conversations with people you just meet!
Anyway, then Anna Delaney reappears, all dolled up in her new make up and outfit, and wow, I was stunned! If you want a beauty contest or beauty demonstration, look no further that watching Anna every day on this show! But anyway, we got down to business and entered the set and went over a few things, and away we went! Realizing that I only had 8 minutes and 20 seconds to answer all the questions and make all the points I wanted to make, I was very poignant in my responses.
The interview covered general things, such as difference between sex and gender, transsexual and transgender, and the medical aspects of transsexualism; then dug deeper into societal myths about trans people and the truths. then we talked about the beauty pagaent industry in general, and how they have so many rules to focus in on the type of contestents they want. I spoke about how it is unfair to have rules that don't affect the contest and rules that are not published. I spoke about reaching out to Jenna to make sure she knows she has allies across the country who are here to help her and support her. Then I spoke about the lame excuses that we have been hearing, such as Jenna is 6'1 tall and has an advantage, and that she lied about being a 'natural' woman. Well, I ripped into these policies and pointed out that there was a double standard all over the place. In closing, I spoke about how getting this issue in the media is a good opportunity for dialogue so we can all find ways to understand and accept each other as a society.
So home I go and watch and well, wow! I sounded better than i thought. the interview seemed too lecturish, but seemed like a more casual conversation. the worst thing was noticing how heavy I lookedTVtv does make you look fat but geeze, I thought I looked awful.. then again, tough to feel beautiful when I am sitting beside Anna Delaney and looking at pictures of Jenna Talockova.
Guess what matters most is that we are all decent people. beauty is only skin deep and it's ridiculous for these pagaents to put pressure on young women to be skinny.
Anyway, a stressful but successful interview for me, which should add to my already huge public profile as a respected citizen who takes an interest in community issues and human rights issues.
The more I do this type of work, the more I am convinced that I was born to be a politician!
Anyway, thanks for reading..
Here's a video archive of the interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASPkWZkwfAc
Jenn
The other guests were nearby and I had a chance to speak with Randy Edmunds the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament in Labrador who was involved first-hand in the Burton Winters search and rescue mission. Burton was a teen who got lost while snowmobiling and ended up breaking down and having to walk.. 19k and several freezing hours later, he died, government entities have been harshly critisized for not being there to save him...
Poor Randy. I knew I recognized his name but didn't honestly remember who he was.. so one stupid question after another (revealing my lack of knowledge about who the MHAs are in lab, and I finally realized I was chatting with a very important person who's trending these days in the province.
Anyway, Rogers had several student interns in there learning the ropes of the tv business, and part of their job was to serve as my assistants as I get ready. Of course i'll never turn down a chance to chat trans 101, even before doing television for trans 101. So here we are 20 minutes deeper into the conversation, and we are chatting about orgasms. lol ahhh, being trans can be so much fun. It is so easy to break out into deep intimate sexual conversations with people you just meet!
Anyway, then Anna Delaney reappears, all dolled up in her new make up and outfit, and wow, I was stunned! If you want a beauty contest or beauty demonstration, look no further that watching Anna every day on this show! But anyway, we got down to business and entered the set and went over a few things, and away we went! Realizing that I only had 8 minutes and 20 seconds to answer all the questions and make all the points I wanted to make, I was very poignant in my responses.
The interview covered general things, such as difference between sex and gender, transsexual and transgender, and the medical aspects of transsexualism; then dug deeper into societal myths about trans people and the truths. then we talked about the beauty pagaent industry in general, and how they have so many rules to focus in on the type of contestents they want. I spoke about how it is unfair to have rules that don't affect the contest and rules that are not published. I spoke about reaching out to Jenna to make sure she knows she has allies across the country who are here to help her and support her. Then I spoke about the lame excuses that we have been hearing, such as Jenna is 6'1 tall and has an advantage, and that she lied about being a 'natural' woman. Well, I ripped into these policies and pointed out that there was a double standard all over the place. In closing, I spoke about how getting this issue in the media is a good opportunity for dialogue so we can all find ways to understand and accept each other as a society.
So home I go and watch and well, wow! I sounded better than i thought. the interview seemed too lecturish, but seemed like a more casual conversation. the worst thing was noticing how heavy I lookedTVtv does make you look fat but geeze, I thought I looked awful.. then again, tough to feel beautiful when I am sitting beside Anna Delaney and looking at pictures of Jenna Talockova.
Guess what matters most is that we are all decent people. beauty is only skin deep and it's ridiculous for these pagaents to put pressure on young women to be skinny.
Anyway, a stressful but successful interview for me, which should add to my already huge public profile as a respected citizen who takes an interest in community issues and human rights issues.
The more I do this type of work, the more I am convinced that I was born to be a politician!
Anyway, thanks for reading..
Here's a video archive of the interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASPkWZkwfAc
Jenn
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
March 27, 2012 - Jenna Talackova story going VIRAL!!!
Well, it seems every week, a story breaks about somebody discriminating against a transsexual. and likewise, it seems mainstream international media picks up on the story! this is very good for the trans community as media has finally overcome their own internalized transphobia and finally sees us for who we are, human beings facing oppression for no good reason.
It didn't take very long for the entire world to take notice when myself, Josie Harding, Christin Milloy, and Mercedes Allen blogged about a controversial trans air travel ban policy created by our Federal Government. Within 48 hours, it went from twitter feeds, to blogs, to mainstrean newspapers, to all four of us getting interviewed on tv or radio.
well, same thing is happening again now that news has broke about Donald Trump's so-called Miss Universe pageant kicking out Jenna Talackova as a contestant because she was born trans. today, Jillian Page, a transwoman journalist and blogger for the Montreal Gazette was interviewed on CBC radio. Mercedes did TV, and tomorrow, i will be on TV.
while filing human rights complaints and law suits helps force change, gaining sympathy from the public via mainstream media sympathy is a very strong way to push for change. Donald Trump, shame on you and your company! I would have expected better from a so-called world leader. Sorry to learn that your "universe" is not universal!
Catch me on Rogers TV's new journal show Out of the Fog, Wednesday March 18, 2012 at 7.30 pm, available all across Newfoundland, i do believe!
It didn't take very long for the entire world to take notice when myself, Josie Harding, Christin Milloy, and Mercedes Allen blogged about a controversial trans air travel ban policy created by our Federal Government. Within 48 hours, it went from twitter feeds, to blogs, to mainstrean newspapers, to all four of us getting interviewed on tv or radio.
well, same thing is happening again now that news has broke about Donald Trump's so-called Miss Universe pageant kicking out Jenna Talackova as a contestant because she was born trans. today, Jillian Page, a transwoman journalist and blogger for the Montreal Gazette was interviewed on CBC radio. Mercedes did TV, and tomorrow, i will be on TV.
while filing human rights complaints and law suits helps force change, gaining sympathy from the public via mainstream media sympathy is a very strong way to push for change. Donald Trump, shame on you and your company! I would have expected better from a so-called world leader. Sorry to learn that your "universe" is not universal!
Catch me on Rogers TV's new journal show Out of the Fog, Wednesday March 18, 2012 at 7.30 pm, available all across Newfoundland, i do believe!
Monday, March 26, 2012
March 26, 2012 - McCreath denounces Donald Trump's Pagaent for Transsexual Discrimination
It's been widely reported that Miss Universe Canada recently disqualified Pagaent candidate Jenna Talackova, of British Columbia, because it was revealed that she was a transseuxal woman. The Pagaent, apparently owned by Donald Trump, has a discriminatory policy that indicates that all contestents must be genetically born females. Talackova was born male but underwent a complete transition to become female, including genital sex reassignment surgery.
She had apparently indicated on her application form that she was born female. The pagaent is trying to say she was disqualified for lying on the application form. However, this policy clearly points to discrimination.
McCreath has reached out to Jenna and encouraged her to file a Human Rights Complaint on the grounds of sex (gender identity is not currently listed as an explicit grounds for discrimination in any of the human rights codes in Canada).
If you are planning to run a news story on this matter and would like a comment from Jennifer, the most-recognized transsexual in the province of NL, please get in touch.
Jennifer McCreath
M2F Transition Consultant
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador
info@jennifermccreath.com
http://www.jennifermccreath.com/
709-753-9529
Thursday, March 22, 2012
March 22, 2012 - Jennifer McCreath Endorses Niki Ashton for NDP Leadership
Well, for what it's worth, (probably not a heck of a lot, but you never know), I have decided on who I think should be the next leader of the NDP Party of Canada, and who I feel can lead the NDP to a majority Government victory in the 2015 Federal Election.
All 7 leadership candidates have an amazing diverse resume of work experience both in and out of politics. Since we are voting on March 23, I have made a list of 23 reasons why I am voting for Niki.
In no particular order:
- Her vision for Canada
- Her vision for the NDP party
- Her proposed strategy on how to revolutionize politics
- Her proposed strategy on how to lead change
- Her balance between familiarity with big cities, while living in a small town in a rural setting
- Her balance of experience and youthfulness
- Her ability to reach out to youth and make them take an interest in voting, and voting NDP
- Her knowledge and experience on Human Rights
- Her knowledge of LGBTT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual) issues
- Her specific knowledge about the difference between LGB and T, and her knowledge of T issues
- Her education (politics, global economy)
- Her poise and assertiveness when speaking
- The fact that she speaks four languages fluently, including french
- Her experience with volunteer and non-profit work
- I think Canada is ready to elect a woman Prime Minister and she's got what it takes
- I think Canada is ready to elect a young Prime Minister and she's got what it takes
- Her demonstrated ability to understand and push for issues that affect her constituents
- She recognizes and understands the issues close to the heart of NDPers
- As leader, I feel she will restore public confidence in government and the governance system
- As leader, I feel she will revitalize politics and connect with all demographics
- I think she is the candidate who I can best relate to
- I think she is the candidate who could best relate to me
- and well, she's kinda cute!
for more information about Niki:
http://www.nikiashton.ca
http://nikiashton.ndp.ca
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Niki-Ashton/186856648056251
https://twitter.com/Niki_npd
to vote: http://www.leadership2012.ca/
I am voting for Niki Ashton!
All 7 leadership candidates have an amazing diverse resume of work experience both in and out of politics. Since we are voting on March 23, I have made a list of 23 reasons why I am voting for Niki.
In no particular order:
- Her vision for Canada
- Her vision for the NDP party
- Her proposed strategy on how to revolutionize politics
- Her proposed strategy on how to lead change
- Her balance between familiarity with big cities, while living in a small town in a rural setting
- Her balance of experience and youthfulness
- Her ability to reach out to youth and make them take an interest in voting, and voting NDP
- Her knowledge and experience on Human Rights
- Her knowledge of LGBTT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual) issues
- Her specific knowledge about the difference between LGB and T, and her knowledge of T issues
- Her education (politics, global economy)
- Her poise and assertiveness when speaking
- The fact that she speaks four languages fluently, including french
- Her experience with volunteer and non-profit work
- I think Canada is ready to elect a woman Prime Minister and she's got what it takes
- I think Canada is ready to elect a young Prime Minister and she's got what it takes
- Her demonstrated ability to understand and push for issues that affect her constituents
- She recognizes and understands the issues close to the heart of NDPers
- As leader, I feel she will restore public confidence in government and the governance system
- As leader, I feel she will revitalize politics and connect with all demographics
- I think she is the candidate who I can best relate to
- I think she is the candidate who could best relate to me
- and well, she's kinda cute!
for more information about Niki:
http://www.nikiashton.ca
http://nikiashton.ndp.ca
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Niki-Ashton/186856648056251
https://twitter.com/Niki_npd
to vote: http://www.leadership2012.ca/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
