Category Archives: Health and Self-Care

Posts about my health and taking care of myself.

Transgender Day of Visibility 2025

A Transgender Day of Visibility 2025 banner, with the words in the trans pride flag colors and the background in the pride rainbow.

Hello. My name is Jen Dantes. I am:

I am all these things. All of them help to define me.

This is me being visible in the face of a government that wants to stifle me, deny me, say I don’t exist or am mentally ill (well, I knew that part) or am some kind of horrible person for the sheet reason of what I am. I am standing up and telling them no, in this little way.

Doesn’t matter what the press says. Doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world — “No, you move.”

– Captain America

No, transphobes and MAGA and TERFS and all the rest of you who hate me for claiming my own identity.

You move.

If you don’t like it? Go to hell.

Transitions: It’s been a while. And what a while it’s been.

I know it has. I haven’t posted in a few years.  And there are a lot of reasons.

  • A dearth of creative flow.
  • Mental health issues.
  • Letting myself believe writing wasn’t “that important”.

But at the end of the day, it was just me getting tired of dealing with myself.  And then the madness that was Life In The Time Of COVID-19 happened. Click to continue reading.

Quick razor-centric update.

(follow-up on this post)

I just used the razor.

Oh my god. I usually use a Gillette Fusion Power razor, and this one, this razor that’s 46 years old, with a thin piece of sharp metal, one single blade…

It was so much better. It moved smoothly. I had to be careful, and I need practice. But I didn’t cut myself, I didn’t rip my face up, and one swipe with this double-edge safety razor was as good, if not better than, the four-blade powered one. It was just incredible. This is a keeper. I am going to use this forever.

After I finished, I took it apart, cleaned it, dried it, and put it back in the case. It’s a piece of art and I adore it.

My wife is a genius and a glorious creature.

I have a new belt.

It’s leather. Not stretchy, or a web belt. An inch and a quarter wide. Silver buckle. And I have it buckled in the 4th hole. It’s a 54-56 belt. And I am wearing it and thinking how I may need another soon.

Funny how something simple as a black leather belt can feel like a trophy.

(Picture of the belt as I got it from the vendor.)