We noted on October 21st that an early detection plan for breast cancer is a wise option and greatly improves your chances of survival.  Well, one key task in that plan is a self exam.  And we have a treat for ya

Way back in February, 2006 Beck’s Cafe ran an article entitled, “Breast Cancer Self-Exams Just Got Easier“.  In that article we noted some of the latest developments in breast cancer exams to make the whole proecess nicer, easier and less painful.  We’ve re-perked it up for this 2009 Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  The dead links have been pulled and the existing ones on that post updated, so all that material is ready to go, like your morning coffee    Click here to get to our article “Breast Cancer Self-Exams Just Got Easier”

Transgender Health Access in Massachusetts: A Community Health Care Survey

MTPC is creating a plan in order to advocate for resources, support,and further services for the transgender community that will hopefully lead to eliminating transgender health disparities in Massachusetts. The findings from the survey and our state wide health care community forums will inform MTPC’s health care advocacy plan.

Purpose of the Survey:

• Gather experiences and needs of the transgender community when it comes to access of health care and quality of care.
• Inform MTPC, policy makers, and key stakeholders about the needs,gaps, and current access to health care and social services of the Massachusetts transgender communities.

To take this anonymous survey please go to: MTPC Health Care Survey 2009

For more info or questions please ping:

Gunner Scott
Director
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
PO Box 301897, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-778-0519
gscott@masstpc.org
http://www.masstpc.org

Femulate is the center of the known blog universe.

This, dear readers, is a fact.

Not, I AM Transgendered, en|Gender, Beck’s Cafe, or a host of other well known, well read, nails broken whilst typing, brows furrowed in focused writing, and dog eared blogs….no….as well honed as these others may be, Femulate is indeed Queen.

This realization dawned on many of us two weeks ago.

(overheard whilst I drank goblets of cheap wine with dear, super smart, beer chugging chica, Michelle at a local run down dive inhabited by drunk truckers, out of work physicists, and dangerous women)

Becki: “Did you see that article on Tall Women on Femulate? That Staci has a great list. She makes me feel so normal”
Michelle: “So true Becki, so true. You know, I think she’s just like me actually the way she glides effortlessly through both genders. I just love her.”

I didn’t think anything of my interaction with Michelle. I mean, we had been drinking afterall.

Then it happened, again, amongst a group of women who were both well heeled and well known and I realized something cosmic was happening.

As many of my jittery, caffeine addicted, readers know, Beckscafe was in Provincetown for Women’s Week ending and Fantasia Fair’s beginning. That’s a cosmic nexus by itself. But then the real planetary alignment happened. Sitting at lunch at the Crowne and Anchor in Provincetown, with Miqqui Gilbert (yes THE Miqqi Gilbert) and Jamie Dailey, my colleague in marketing crime on the conferenc scene, and two new friends, Robin and Abbey.

Becki: “Well Miqqi I write a blog, as you may know, and I found your name on the web as I did research on various and odd topics.” (I smile my best Ms. Sophisticate Smile; New England clam chowder smeared across my MAC lipsticked lips)
Miqqi: “I read your blog; on occassion”
Becki: (me beaming) “Why thank you SO MUCH Miqqi. You know, another great blog is that Femulate blog. Great reading. I get so much traffic to Beck’s Cafe from her too.”
Jamie: (light dawning on her face look)“Femulate blog…(she turns to Miqqi)…You know, Miqqi, I think our Fantasia Fair web site gets all its traffic from Femulate too!”

Jamie and I stare at each other and we realize that Femulate has become the center of our known blog universe!

So go have a look. I mean, EVERYONE gets their traffic from her so go ahead…just pick up your ice espresso, mocca thingy a gogo and go ahead…go see Femulate; you’ll see for yourself…she really IS the center of the blog universe

TED (technology, entertainment, design) bills itself as a forum about ideas worth spreading.  It’s actually a real, live in person conference held in Long Beach, California and Oxford, UK.  And, it’s online.  Many of the proceedings of short, to the point, information packed and thought provoking talks are recorded and posted on their web site.  This is really good stuff and given the lack of anything decent to watch on TV (except, maybe, re-runs of the original CSI with Gil and Sarah and  What Not To Wear) this is information and inspiration worth your time.  TED, ideas worth spreading to get you thinking (with or without that afternoon espresso

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month as you know.  Early detection of breast cancer is all of our best defense against this menace.  And this is true for genetic women, trans-women, trans-men who have not had top surgery and genetic men!    While this whole concept may sound daunting (“who has time for this!  What is Becki thinking!”) there’s a handy and free tool on the web to help you.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation Early Detection Plan Tool (or NBCFEDPT) can walk you through the process on-line to get your very own plan.  Here’s some reasons why all of us should do this:

• Nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
• 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.
• Over 30% of women are diagnosed after breast cancer has spread beyond the localized stage.
• When breast cancer is detected early (localized stage), the 5-year survival rate is 98%.

So take that cup o’ java (the coffee not that pile o’ code on  your server begging for your love) and go give it a try  
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Early Detection Plan Tool