What It’s Like to Be Transgender in This City
New York City and I’m transgender, male-to-female and I’m having a great time!
But read on and I’ll tell you more of the adventure: I first moved to The City in 2000 as a male but that soon changed as I made my way to Crossdressers International near Port Authority. I met many of my future friends at CDI and I made my way around The City in heels discovering all of the different places to hang.
Hell’s Kitchen is a wonderful adventure no matter where you are in LGBTQ or not. The bars and restaurants are most welcoming, and I have spent many hours in the 9th Avenue Saloon, Industry Bar, Mercury Bar, Boxers and more! Head south for a change of venue but not in hospitality. Greenwich Village is a playground of places for us transgender women to drink and eat, in that order.
I am the den mother for The NYC Area Transgender Meetup Group and we meet every Thursday at The Stonewall. It’s a fitting place and most appropriate for us at the birthplace of the LGBTQ Movement. We have a great time there every Thursday night conversing over drinks and pool playing. Then we head out to The Monster, Pieces and Marie’s Crisis.
Marie’s Crisis is a hoot if you enjoy show tunes as the live piano and lively voices really kick things up. Fear of being transgender in The Big City? No. Just joy and fun as I make my way around the five boroughs. I know that this isn’t true for all of us and my heart and efforts go out to all of those that have been discriminated against or worse.
Keep your head together and make sound decisions and The City can be kind to you, too.
Rita Renner
Previous posts from theOUTfront series, “Generations of Pride”
Memories fade, apathy grows… who will tell Our story?
Celebrating STONEWALL 50 with Generations of Pride
Be part of STONEWALL 50 wherever you are by telling your story of Pride on social media using
