I spent almost a week away - originally I had planned three days. After two Covid-ruled years that have kept us so much in isolation, I was pretty desperate for company and although I am used to working for myself, and therefore to a degree of solitude, there was always plenty of social time in the evenings and at weekends before Covid came.
Although the person I stayed with is unwell and has the oddest lifestyle - sleeping much of the day and running about very actively at night, cooking burgers at 4 in the morning or eating breakfast cereal mid-afternoon - it was vital for me now to have someone to talk to, share (odd) meals with, watch TV with, and feel connection with. The stuff we normally take for granted.
I am now fully dosed up on vaccine and have my Super Green Pass which is the European Union's passport in these Covid times. It lasts nine months across the European Union, but only six nationally. Go figure! By February 1st you will need it to do anything or go anywhere in Italy. The unvaccinated will be fined and will be able to buy food, newspapers and medicines and that's all. The crackdown on no-vaxers is pretty draconian.
I hope to get out more now as I miss the cultural events and sightseeing and socialising I used to do. I have a friend in Florence and will try to visit her as soon as the latest situation has settled down. At Easter I may even get to see the friends in France I missed at Christmas when the French closed their borders.
I am happy to be vaccinated but I am troubled by the loss of liberty that carrying certification results in, even though it's meant to be temporary. I was hoping to start going out as Sue again, especially as there is a big Pride event planned locally for April, but having to show certification literally anywhere indoors is a worry as, of course, all my ID and certification documents are in my official name. My actual national ID card has a photo and an 'M' marker, neither of which correspond to my feminine appearance. The Green Pass has no gender indicators and my name is foreign here so it may not be a problem. But I don't trust some cop or official not to be a jerk about a TGirl in town apparently not being what is on her documents. There are false certificates about and the authorities are dealing with those severely. I guess it's time to get in touch with the (thankfully quite vocal) local LGBT group here for advice, support and, if need be, protection against prejudice.
People who aren't transgender have no clue about the stuff we have to ponder and worry about and negotiate.
A dip in the archives
It's anniversary time again. That first trip out back in 2010 to the Angels Party at Pink Punters. I wrote about it on the tenth anniversary in 2020 but forgot that I'd written about it on the third anniversary, too. Yes, the event is indelibly stamped in my mind but I lose track of the hundreds of posts I've written here!
In days gone by, young ladies of noble families, once they were of marriageable age, would be officially introduced to their sovereign and to high society and be known as débutantes (or just debs), a special occasion for them. This was my deb ball!
Sue x
Nothing wrong with eating cereal in the afternoon, especially if it stops you opening another bag of crisps. (The bit I dislike about nibbling crisps or doritos while reading is that my fingers get covered in grease and mark the edges of the pages when I want to turn over. Bad habit.)
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about the problem of name/gender identification on Covid passes and documentation, but yes, there's a potential issue there if you are out and about and presenting in a different gender.
Thanks, Susie. It's OK to eat cereal whenever you like, although I guess you wouldn't cook burgers at 4am! Or mayeb I lead a sheltered life!
DeleteThe ID issue is a real worry. The authorities are cracking down hard on no-vaxers here and doing spot checks all the time. I've had my vaccine certificate checked several times already in restaurants or at the station. It just takes one transphobe to ruin your day.
Sue x
Wow, that vaccination situation seems very firm. Still, they do things differently in other countries. Any thoughts as to what's lead the government to take that option?
ReplyDeleteThe Jones lot are night owls, but I'm not sure we've achieved burgers at 4am. I did manage cheese and biscuits at 3am last week, but I think that was the medication. Twitch twitch 🙂
I hope that you don't get any bother and while the name may not match your appearance, you are vaccinated. Fingers crossed no Jobsworth will try and challenge the paperwork.
Hi Lynn, thanks for commenting. The government has got firm because three quarters of Covid patients in hospital beds and intensive care are no-vaxers. This is reducing the health service's ability to do other stuff like replace hips or treat cancer. No-vaxers promote the disease and therefore restrictions on life and movement become more necessary on all of us. The Italian constitution (i.e. the basic law - which, incidentally, is something the UK now desperately needs) provides for national health treatment programmes, compulsory where necessary, but for some reason the government is preferring a carrot and stick approach to simply passing a law making vaccination compulsory. The thinking is not wholly clear but parliamentary consensus, which is always an issue with proportional representation, has something to do with that.
DeleteAs for going out, I've never yet been out in full Sue mode here, mainly because of lockdowns, not being quite sure of my ground and not even having a proper girl coat and handbag. Andro mode is my norm, even though it's not 'me'. I'm sure you know what I mean.
Hope you feel better very soon.
Sue x
Yes, I think I know what you mean about 'not me' and, FWIW, can I say I feel your pain? To feel good about oneself - as in correct, valid, right, or even simply okay; what more can you ask? Well, maybe a voucher off a good coat, but that's another story.
DeleteThanks for explaining the health situation. I don't know enough about the numbers in the UK and Italy, although listening to Mrs J's research folk, the evidence is very clear. I think we may see a spike in infections as more of the world pushes for less restrictions and that'll expose the unvaccinated to a greater risk.
Thank you.
DeleteI think we're a long way from defeating Covid and the unco-ordinated approach across the globe is the best way of ensuring a global problem continues.
Sue x