survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 15, 2015 - 07:43am PT
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Last night a good friend pointed out how many different kinds of duality struggles there are.
The example he used was sexual duality, and how many people committed suicide because of the abuse they were subjected to about their sexuality.
Of course I knew this, but it wasn't a consideration when I started this thread. It shows how narrow I can be in my own thinking at times.
Who knows who Chris Beck is?
Navy Seal, 20 years.
13 deployments, 7 combat deployments
*Bronze Star, with Combat Distinguishing Device
*Purple Heart
*Defense Meritorious Service X 2
Now Kristen Beck.
The first thing Lawrence Shaw noticed about the congressional candidate in his driveway were the medals — a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star with a “V” for valor, and a Joint Service Commendation decoration — clipped to her blazer.
“Are you retired military?” Shaw asked, taking a break from his lawn work to walk over to the broad-shouldered woman.
“Yeah, 20 years, Navy SEAL,” Kristin Beck said. She brushed back her long blond hair and showed him the silver pendant on her necklace, an eagle clutching a trident, anchor and pistol.
“Wow, I didn’t know there was a woman SEAL. That’s amazing,” said Shaw, a retired Army colonel.
“I’m the first one,” Beck said. What she didn’t say was that at the time of her service, she was Christopher Beck.
She didn’t think she needed to mention it. Two years ago, Beck publicly came out as a woman, but by her account she still “looks like a dude in a dress.” Even on a day when she was wearing jeans and a black jacket with white trim.
And anyway, she’s running for Congress — not so much as a transgender candidate as a candidate who happens to be transgender.
That’s why she didn’t bring up gender issues as she walked through Shaw’s upper-middle-class black neighborhood in Maryland, seeking votes in her long-shot primary bid against Steny H. Hoyer, the second-most-powerful Democrat in the House of Representatives. Beck, 48, almost certainly isn’t going to win. She doesn’t have much name recognition or money. She doesn’t even have the backing of the major gay and transgender advocacy groups. They have hesitations about her propensity to offend parts of the community and take issue with her attempt to oust Hoyer, a staunch ally for LGBT rights. But what Beck does have is an incredible life story, a slightly jumbled platform of about 70 issues, and a message that the district is ready for a change.
“This is good!” Lawrence Shaw’s wife, Yvette, said, leaning on a rake. “Another female in Congress — that’s what I’m talking about. Give it to the women!”
Lawrence and Yvette gamely posed for photos with Beck and promised to check out her campaign Web site. Their 15-year-old daughter, Lauryn, grabbed three “Beck for Congress” bumper stickers and pasted them onto the family cars.
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