I changed my mind.
In response to my plans to shut down the blog, I received over 125 comments and 40 emails. Most of them thanked me for the blog and urged me not to shut it down.
As a result, I hemmed and hawed about my decision. Some of your comments/emails were very moving… in one of two ways. Some convinced me that I made the right decision to shut it down, while others convinced me to restart the blog.
So I was on the fence until Monday morning when I remembered that it was Veteran’s Day and I thought about the only veteran in my life, my father. He joined the Marines during World War II, fought in three battles and took home two Purple Hearts for his troubles.
My father and millions of other veterans fought our foreign enemies to preserve our freedoms. They did not run and hide and that convinced me to not give up and instead, fight the enemies within who are trying to eliminate our freedoms.
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| Wearing Ronny Kobo |
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| Joe E. Brown femulating in the 1942 film The Daring Young Man. |
IMHO, this is the right decision. I've doubled-down on "visibility" since Tuesday, idiots be damned.
ReplyDeleteI agree we can not just give it but all take care and make plans on what to do if things get ugly. Violence against crossdressers and trans will be on the rise and we need to support and protect each other. Love and take care!
DeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteLast Tuesday evening, I was contemplating my future and life as Heather. My wife said that maybe I need not present as a woman in my conservative town ever again out of fear that the yokels might have untoward thoughts. I replied, "I don't yet know the answer. It could be a return to the safety of my closet or the situation might require a better effort and further advances toward becoming the woman I really am."
A week later, I haven't decided. The emotions are real. The anger is real.
I'm thinking maybe the time to sit in the corner has passed. I need to stand up and be counted. The closet was a lonely place.
Will I post to my blog? I haven't decided. It gets more traffic than my regular social media feeds.
I offer my thanks to those who served our nation. The promise of the American Dream should still be an inspiration to the world.
Heather
Thank you
ReplyDeleteXmas on Veterans Day! Thank you for being there
ReplyDeleteThank you Stana! There’s always strength in numbers!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back.
ReplyDelete"...and that convinced me to not give up and instead, fight the enemies within..."
That's the spirit. ❤️
Ah, you changed your mind ... spoken like a true woman!
ReplyDeleteYour father is to be thanked for his service and sacrifice in preserving freedom. And that's the point: it's our turn to be the front line now if it falls to us. Your blog is a bulwark of fabulousness that defies the enemies of freedom. Thank you for all you do.
Warm wishes, Sue x
Welcome back, Stana. I've seen many people realize the same thing about their visibility. Let's fight this together!
ReplyDeleteHi Stana, First of all, thank you for reconsidering. What brought you to the latest decision is one that we all must remember whenever someone it trying to take away any of our freedoms. If we do not fight, then they have won. We must fight if we are to win.
ReplyDeleteLeann
Welcome back Stana, and thanks for reconsidering. Whatever lies ahead, we are much stronger sticking together as sisters than we are going it alone. We can all make a difference one positive interaction at a time.
ReplyDeleteHappy Veterans Day to all who served as well.
Norah
Stana, thanks for reconsidering. Thanks to all the veterans that have served our country. I have socially and medically transitioned, and I am very happy that I have done so. There are many "haters", but we must continue to move forward, regardless of the obstacles.
ReplyDeleteGood, I'm pleased you're back.
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear that you're not leaving.
ReplyDeleteNever give up the good fight, Stana!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all you do!
Hugs
Suzie Petersen
Thank you for your change of mind. Yes, join the resistance—we need everyone on board!
ReplyDeleteNot having your blog to enjoy would have taken away one of the joys in my life. Thank you so much, Stana, for not abandoning your loyal fans!
ReplyDeleteLike others have posted, so pleased you have decided to continue, Megan, Canberra.
ReplyDeleteI would have supported your decision (like my opinion matters) but having shut it down would have let the bastards win. Societal change is slow and it happens one encounter at a time. So we do need to be visible, obviously doing so safely. But sadly there is risk anytime anyone walks out the door, regardless of their attire. Happy to see you back!
ReplyDeleteGood for you! I knew you'd find the wisdom and the courage to continue!
ReplyDeleteSissy Dani
Welcome back Stana! This veteran is happy that you decided to stand your ground. Hugs, JJ
ReplyDeleteI love you sister
ReplyDeleteI love you sister
ReplyDeleteIt was good to take a few days off after the election to process what happened. Many groups that feel it was a setback are gearing up, getting ready to fight back.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. As Winston Churchill said, "If you find yourself going through Hell - keep going!"
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Stana, Yay! For all the reasons, and like many, many others, I am absolutely delighted that you changed your mind about continuing your superb, inspiring, informative, and entertaining blog. The election outcomes, from the national to the local, have, for sure, caused so many people to feel disgusted, angry, even frightened, et cetera but the spirit and the intellect that you present, that gets shared far and wide, is very, very important. You are valued by all of us! Have a fine autumn morning.
ReplyDeleteBest to you,
Marissa in Ohio
Welcome back Stana. I was missing you already! Side note: Joe E. Brown of course, was in one of the greatest femulation movies of all time: 'Some Like It Hot"!
ReplyDeleteHi Stana, while I understand and supported your earlier decision to quit, I'm relieved that you changed your mind! You are a stronger person than I am!
ReplyDeleteOak
Jim Opecko here. I did comment on your decision to retire. I won't say goodbye to me because of the orange one. Every day, your post is the first thing I look at when I open my computer. I don't believe you understand how important you are to people like me, like us. So glad to see you back.
ReplyDeleteSo delighted you changed your mind. I am not from US, but from a much more unfriendly place, where it is a punishable offence. I know that i maybe of no help in the fight if push came to shove, but i hope you dont give up. To make this world a better place, for a multicoloured world.
ReplyDeleteThank you Stana, you are abrave girl
Love you. mona
I'm so glad to see the lights will be staying on at Casa Stana❤️ Community is more important now than ever!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you changed your mind, Stana!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you didn't give it up! Eighty year old vet here, we fought for individual freedom even if we didn't have it back then. WE can't just roll over to these misogynist, he-man women haters! I have been Deloris inside (and a little outside) since high school. Keep up the good fight for those just finding their selves.
ReplyDeleteStana, I applaud you for standing up to the BS! After the CF of this election, I was terrified that now I'd have to back off in going out en femme. When I heard you were shutting the Casa down from your contributor JJ Atwell, who happens to be a dear friend of mine, I was distraught. But JJ and I belong to a support/social group in Orlando. I derive much strength from the group and have decided to be as visible as possible and the yahoos be damned! Thanks for changing your mind and giving me a fun place to visit daily! Casa Stana forever!
ReplyDeleteStana -
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're back. Shutting down the blog would have been the type of anticipatory capitulation that dictators want from the population, so that the abnormal becomes normal in the average person's mind. If they want to sweep us up in a pogrom, the damning information to identify us and our readers has long been out there on the internet. Tools such as the "Wayback Machine" are easy to use - I can only imagine what tools our government has and would use.
So the best form of resistance we can do is to keep publishing our blogs, and keep going out where we feel safe. Right now, I feel much safer visiting Canada, Bermuda, and other places in the UK and EU than I do in much of the US. It's been years since Kim (traveling transgender) has published her blog. I hope she's safe in Texas, hunkered down for the duration.
As for me, I'll keep traveling and using my rights to appear as I desire, to interact with people as a woman, and tell the Christian Nationalists who wish to persecute us where to stick it. If we don't stand together, we will hang together. So, don't give up the fight!
M
Late to this, but just, again, to join the chorus: I am very selfishly pleased you have decided to keep going. And pleased in a wider sense because, well, victories against darkness are always small and hard fought - they're the lasting ones - and a light like your blog may serve as a beacon to others (like me) as well as gaining small victories every day.
ReplyDeleteSolidarity!
Welcome back Stana. WOOT!
ReplyDeleteThe best news of the day for me was discovering that you had returned. This blog is really important to me.Thank you again for everything and a warm hug from Spain!
ReplyDeleteI am beyond ecstatic, it truly genuinely devastated me the thought that this life saving support system might have been gone in the snap of a finger. Thank you Stana for all the community you have provided for so many years and hopefully many more still to come!
ReplyDeleteBravo Stana. Your courage, readiness to keep going, and precious inspiration from your dad is so important in our times and will be a great help to many. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteWow now I wish I had checked sooner and found that you did re-consider. Applauding your courage and commitment to those of us who are not as fortunate as you and need to live vicariously thru you. I look forward to again being a reader and follower. THANKS!!! Hugs, Lisa
ReplyDelete