Tweet
I knew Christine Daniels, and considered Christine a friend. She faded out of my life this time last year — I had no idea why she didn’t return my calls or emails.
Well, L.A. Observed is reporting in their piece Mike Penner returns to Los Angeles Times. The gist of the story is that Christine Daniels is retransitioning back to Mike Penner. According to LA Observed‘s Kevin Roderick, the Los Angeles Times‘ sports editor Randy Harvey said this:
We’re looking forward to Mike’s byline appearing in the paper and on the website with increased frequency. He continues to be a valued member of our sports staff.
I expect a lot of reprocussions from this bit of news about Mike — some headlines I’ve seen already:
I already know I’m not going to be thrilled when the conservative “Christian” media gets a hold of this story.
Frankly, I’m overwhelmed…I’m reeling from this news, both from a personal and a professional perspective. I imagine that when my feelings are a bit more settled about this news, I’ll write about this from a very personal perspective. I hope Mike won’t mind.
Perhaps I should should let y’all know though, I’m taking this news really hard. I miss my friend a lot.
~~~~~
Related:
* LA Times’ Penner: “I am a transsexual sportswriter.”
* Check out LA Times sportwriter Christine Daniels’ transition blog (Autumn note: The blog is gone.)
13 Comments
For what ever the reason he decided to go back to Mike, I wish him well. This is one of the reasons for the RLT. To make sure your sure. I guess some have to start to find out transition is not the problem solver for them and there is something else.
As long as Mike does not trash other people who are or have transitioned, I wish him well. I have seen the born in the wrong body, Change of Heart, and the one person transitioned MtF, had GRS andlived for 10 years, than only to decide he wasn’t happy and transitioned back FtM. And a year later ne wants to go back through MtF but now can’t afford it.
I know the cost of going one time MtF is expensive, the cost going back can’t be cheap either, but it made that poor dude broke.
Hugs Autumn, Hugs
I echo this sentiment
I don’t know the person, so I have no direct insight into what led to this decision. I can only imagine what sort of personal turmoil was involved.
And, at this moment anyway, neither I nor anyone else has any place to trash the person solely for retransitioning. One is what one is in the same way that one loves who one loves. The mere fact that someone who once had same-sex relationships finds oneself in an opposite-sex relationship is not what makes one an ‘ex-gay’; its the corporate christianist self-loathing trashtalk against gays that does.
If Mike Penner, sportswriter, is simply Mike Penner, sportswriter, then no one should have any issue with him; if rightwing media-oids decide to screw with transsexuals as a result, then our beef is with said rightwing media-oids.
However, if Mike Penner, sportswriter, decides to do double-duty as Mike Penner, heir to the throne of John Paulk, then we all have the right – and duty – to react accordingly.
I know that I will.
I’m sorry that you’ve lost your friend I can’t say that it has never crossed my mind to transition back, it would have certainly been the easier road. Let’s face it, transition is not for everyone and doubly so in any male dominated profession. I had to completely re-educate myself to be succesful. This is the reasoning behind the real life trial and though it has proved to be the right choice for me, I can empathize with Mike. I wish him luck and Autumn, I wish you the very best. I have known several people, both male to female and female to male who had a very smooth and easy transition but those are the exceptions in my experience. As a general rule and certainly it was true in my case, it’s the hardest thing that I have ever done both in professional and personal aspects of my life.
I’m sorry AutumnThe very public story of Christine’s/Mike Penner’s very personal issue has to be very difficult to deal with, given we may never know what guided Mike’s decision to retransition, and the fact that this one case will be flogged by the right to assail all Ts. Penner has chosen so far to be private about the matter of retransitioning; it will be interesting to see whether he even wants to go public about this decision. I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t; doing such a personal thing so publicly guaranteed media scrutiny and that in itself creates issues to deal with outside of transitioning.
LIfe HappensThere is a lot that happens when transitioning, sometimes the dream is more than expected. Sometimes the dream is less.
But, to not try to reach for a dream is to not know what it really is.
OMGI just keep wondering what happened. I mean for a while it seemed like everything was going wonderfully. And then she dropped from sight; I thought she was trying to be more assimilated. I’m speechless…..
Just so you know where I’m coming from I transitioned 3 years ago.
Transitioning, Detransitioning and RetransitioningI wonder if genderqueers might hold an answer to some of this. People who can’t seem to make up their mind might be better served by a model in which male and female aren’t the only options. Maybe these people belong somewhere in the middle.
not an easy decisionAs a person who did RLT for over a year and then re-transitioned, I truly understand the difficulty of this decision. There were many factors that informed my path, including my need to make a living and safety. I didn’t return to male, although that’s what it looked like to the outside. I now identify as neither gender, androgyne, that’s what works for me. I continue to work for the day in which a person doesn’t have to be one or the other, that it will be possible to live anywhere on the continuum that feels right for each of us. I wish Mike/Christine all the best in her journey.
Can tell it is a shock….for you Autumn.Sorry for your loss, especially as it seemed you were good friends. I do hope you could be friends with Mike Penner too. Reading all posted to this point I truly like zythyra's comments.It would surely be best to be able to live freely and openly on a continuum of gender identity in general life and occupation, private relationships aside.
I’ve had friendswho transitioned, un-transitioned, re-transitioned, etc. I know it’s a very hard choice to make and a tough thing to do. For someone like this, who was very public about it, it’s got to be even more of a burden. I only hope he(?) ends up happy.
Why should you loose a freind ?Still the same person inside. Or can’t we see the person and not the exterior trimmings ? Never have understood how when someone transitions or detransitions or what ever. People say they are going to miss their friend they havent died. When nothing has changed but what they wear, or how long they grow their hair.Or weather they have a innie or an outie .
I know i have lost a few people cause they cant be friends with a woman or a transsexual to that i question were they ever a friend indeed?
Autumn The person remains the same. If Christine was your friend Mike i am quite sure needs to know friends from the community they met wont be like people were when they transitioned to Christine.
Maybe a hug an empathy in a obviously troubling time would serve your friendship well
I lost my friend not because of detransitioning……I lost my friend because my friend just stopped talking to me about a year ago.
I still want to be Mike’s friend — we’ll see what happens.