Sona Avedian: Former US Marine of Armenian origin chronicles coming out as a trans woman on YouTube

Via BuzzFeed, this personal story of former US Marine of Armenian origin - Sona Avedian, who chronicles her coming out as a trans woman on YouTube.

“I was born in 1982, in a boy’s body,” recalls Sona Avedian. “Ashamed of myself, I hid behind the mask of a U.S. Marine”, trying to “man up”, then marry and start a family [“I met my bride while visiting family in Armenia…"], to live “normal life”…

Feeling isolated and alone, Sona requested to be stationed in Japan for 4 years. It wasn’t until 2001 that Sona stumbled upon the term “transgender” on the internet. Although the discovery was an immense relief, the urge to live a “normal” life was even stronger. “I was taking it to my grave,” Sona recalls.

Finishing up with the U.S. Marine Corps in 2005, Sona worked as a contractor overseas and even started a family. “I thought getting married would help me cope.” […]

In November of 2012 Sona finally came out to her friends and family, making the decision to begin transitioning.

Sona’s parting message: “This is not about passing, it never was. It’s about being YOU, no matter what society thinks – and that is beautiful.”

*Sona Avedian’s Facebook page; YouTube channel
**thanks to Katy for the link.

"Nkarichner" ('Painters') - short film

This is too good. I'd say, my discovery of the day. That's why I love social networks - Facebook, Google+...



...and YouTube channel of PurpleSona from Armenia is definitely worth checking. Arty, experimental, exciting.

Armenian transgender guy starts video blogging to document his physical transition

In what is truly an unprecedented and very brave step, the author of Hye Trent blog, Lebanese-born Armenian and Middle Eastern transmale activist (raised in Cyprus) decided to start a video blogging (vlog) via YouTube to chronicle his physical transformations while undergoing surgery and other procedures. On my behalf, and I am sure on behalf of many readers of this blog, I'd like to pass my greetings to T.J., wish him Good Luck!!, and to assure him that we will be thinking of him, follow his journey of transformation and unreservedly support him.

From his bio:

"T.J. Jourian is a Lebanese-born Armenian and Middle Eastern transmale activist, raised on the Mediterranean island-country of Cyprus, and cast member of the Sundance docu-series TransGeneration (2005). Produced by World of Wonder and aired on the Sundance Channel and LOGO, TransGeneration chronicled an academic year in the lives of 4 trans-identified college students as they grapple with issues of transition, academics, family, relationships, and discrimination."

From his blog post:

"...I am a month away from having top surgery and possibly a couple of weeks away from starting testosterone. And while blogging about it is one option, I wanted to also be able to document the physical changes more visually, and be able to see for myself how things like my voice, my face, my chest and my body change over time. I probably won't be posting "before" pictures of my chest, but you get the idea.

So if you're curious to follow along, my YouTube channel is http://www.youtube.com/trannytrent"



From his first video diary entry:

"This is the first entry of what I'm hoping will be a sort of diary of my physical transition. I have been living as male for about 8-9 years now and at one point was casted for the Sundance and LOGO TV Series "TransGeneration" chronicling an academic year in the lives of 4 transgender college students. I am finally at a point in my life where I am both ready and financially able to start the physical process of my transition.

I may also use this forum to vlog about other things in my life and won't be just focusing on transition, so if you have questions comment on here and maybe I'll incorporate it into a future vlog. It doesn't mean I will address everything, as there are a ton of spaces online for people to be asking Trans 101 type questions, and I will also not spend/waste time on ignorant comments and will probably delete comments that have a negative impact on myself or others on youtube."

'Gay Ataturk': a year without YouTube for Turkey

Reporters Without Borders marks one year anniversary of blocking the access to YouTube in Turkey.

Reporters Without Borders condemns the fact the video-sharing website YouTube has been inaccessible in Turkey for the past 12 months. Access has not been restored since it was blocked exactly one year ago today as a result of three orders issued by Ankara magistrate courts without any specific reason being given.

UK based The Register provides further details:

"The clip believed to have originally sparked the YouTube controversy in 2007 was a parody news broadcast by Greek football fans taunting their Turkish rivals by declaring "Today's news; Kemal Ataturk was gay!"

Turkish law lets prosecutors seek a court-ordered shutdown of any website deemed liable to incite suicide, paedophilia, drug usage, obscenity, prostitution, or attacking the memory of the republic's founding father.

Critics note the law opens the door to many abuses — such as letting a couple soccer fans effectively shut down an entire country's access to the world's most popular video-sharing website.

After the offending video was taken down by Google and YouTube users, Turkish prosecutors objected to dozens of other videos allegedly insulting Ataturk or other Turkish sensibilities. The latest barring was the result of three Ankara magistrate court orders on the grounds that Google hadn't obtained a license from the Turkish authorities."

The Register then goes on by listing countries which have barred YouTube, mentioning Armenia too: "Turkey is just one of several countries to have barred YouTube, including China, Armenia, Morocco, Pakistan, Thailand, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudia Arabia, and Syria."

I have to clarify here that the Armenian authorities have blocked the access to YouTube, along with some other websites, for a short period of few days only during the declared state of emergency following last year falsified presidential election. Before that and since then there have been no other incidents of Internet censorship in Armenia.