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Celebrating Urban Living in Wellington
Public Transport, Walking, Cycling… much to be done!
So..Mayor Justin Lester has announced the responsibilities for Councillors, and personally, I think he has done a superb job of allocating roles and matching them to people's areas of interest, backgrounds and abilities.
I came onto Council determined to see a greater focus on safer walking and cycling and better public transport and so I am really very pleased to have been given the public transport, walking and cycling portfolio for the coming three years.
Although I am totally up for the challenge, I'm not going to pretend it will be easy.
These are all areas which have huge community interest, where there are many competing demands for road space and resources, and where it will be necessary to work very collaboratively across a wide range of stakeholders to get optimum results.
I imagine we will have to make decisions that won't be universally popular, and there will be difficult compromises. But these fundamental transport modes are so important! All sorts of people need to be able to get around our city in a convenient and affordable way, so that everyone can participate in the opportunities on offer in our city, whether that is for education, work, recreation, or cultural and social events.
And not everybody owns a car, or has a drivers licence, or can find (or afford) to park at their destination.
This work will be challenging, but I am totally committed to making the most positive difference I can, and getting on with it. I'll be working closely with fellow Eastern Ward Councillor , Chris Calvi-Freeman, who will have responsibility for Transport Strategy and Operations. Chris and I are also grateful to have the support of other colleagues including Cr Foster with his huge experience in this area.
Good things take time so I don't want to over promise on what is do-able in three years. However, I am interested in hearing feedback. You can contact me through this site, or if you prefer, email me directly at my Council address: Sarah.free@wcc.govt.nz
Where did the last three years go?
Hello to you all, Tena kotou katoa!
Its been a huge privilege to have been your Eastern Ward Councillor for the last three years. I've very much enjoyed working with local communities, staff and colleagues to get many good things done.
With the election coming up, I have been extra busy contacting residents to make sure I am hearing the many voices of our communities. I've met people at bus stops, shopping centres, playgrounds and beaches. I've knocked on over 2500 doors and have been humbled by the friendly responses I've received. I very much want to continue to serve you all as a councillor and to do so would love your #1 vote.
I came on to Council wanting more investment in cycling and walking- and we are off to a good start with the Leonie Gill Pathway completed, a new cycle/walkway planned from the Miramar cutting to Waitangi park and potential funding from NZTA for a safer crossing across Cobham Drive.
If you re-elect me, I am committed to seeing those new projects delivered and done well for our communities!
Im also committed to working collaboratively with NZTA and GWRC to get the best possible bus service for the city. The bus service must be convenient and affordable. I've been outspoken about the need for GWRC to get on and deliver what they have long promised; weekend and evening services, integrated ticketing, off-peak discounts, student fares, decent, user-friendly bus shelters. And electric battery buses if we have to lose the trolleys.
We also need some sensible parking solutions in Miramar and ways to make many of our suburban streets quieter and safer.
I'm also committed to continuing to invest in our basic infrastructure to meet future challenges and to ensure we have good community infrastructure, libraries, parks and reserves and clean beaches.
I will listen to the outcomes from the Get Welly Moving project, and will support some roading improvements and a second Mt Victoria tunnel, if I can see they make sense and also provide much better walking and cycling. Wellington must stay beautiful and livable, and space is at a premium in our compact city, so I do believe we need to think carefully before carving too much of our land into roads.
I support some investment in the economic area, but it must be underpinned by robust businesses cases. I believe it is important that Council also supports our existing businesses well; making sure we have good basic infrastructure, cutting red tape, keeping rates affordable and buying local where we can.
As already said, I would appreciate your support with your vote. Please do feel free to contact me if I can answer questions or if there's something you'd like me to know. My contact details are as below:
Facebook: facebook.com/CouncillorSarahFree
Email: Sarah.free@wcc.govt.nz
Twitter: @sarahfreenz
or use the contact form on this site
Campaign Speech- Hataitai Candidates Meeting
The candidates meetings have all been interesting, with good questions asked from the floor. Here's my speech from the Hataitai candidates meeting yesterday – I'm happy to answer any questions!
"Tena koutou katoa – Thank you all for coming today; thanks also to the residents' association for organizing it. I'm Sarah Free, one of your Eastern Ward councillors and a proud local resident.
I have an engineering degree and Masters in Public Health, and experience in engineering, education, housing and health- I've just recently posted a little more about my experience on my website for those who are interested.
As a Councillor, I've worked constructively with others. I've secured funding for the Leonie Gill Pathway, new bus shelters, pedestrian safety improvements and local stormwater projects. I've led library upgrades and won funding for community centres.
I'm proud to have lobbied the Regional Council in 2014 to freeze bus fares; and to have been a strong supporter of paying the Living Wage to our Council staff, I've also helped with the Town Belt Bill, moved an amendment to reduce the number of Pokie machines allowed in our pubs, I've supported funding to reduce graffiti, and more funding for Te Mahana, our programme for the homeless.
We live in a wonderful city, but there's more to be done. I'm asking for your vote to continue on Council to represent you- so what will I prioritise if you re-elect me?
This time around transport in all its various forms is my number one priority. Traffic congestion is a HUGE issue for many, as is the cost of getting around.
I'll support some roading improvements and a second tunnel through Mt Victoria if I can see it makes sense and also gives better cycling and walking options for our communities.
But we can't just focus on roads- I also want to work closely with the Regional Council to get better public transport. We must get the integrated ticketing, off peak discounts, youth fares, and weekend and evening services that the Regional Council has long promised. I don't want to have my Gold Card before this happens! We'll also need proper transport hubs if more people need to change buses, accessible, warm dry and safe shelters, and free wifi if possible. And good information, with buses coming on time, and NO suddenly cancelled services.
So, I will be a strong voice for a convenient and affordable public transport system and for safer walking and cycling as well.
I want more investment in footpaths and walkways, there's very little money for this at present. I've lobbied for a safer crossing across Cobham Drive near the ASB Centre since coming onto Council,- there's money now set aside for it and it must happen. We also now have the proposed new cycle/walkway around the bays from Miramar to the city, it must have separation for cyclists and walkers, but I believe this will be a real success and something we can all celebrate.
So the first thing is Transport, the second is Resilience. Climate change is real, and we are already seeing that in seal level rise, and more frequent and severe heavy weather events, which impact heavily on our area.
I will continue to support investment for a future-proofed safe city;- water infrastructure, sea walls, earthquake strengthening, good community infrastructure, emergency planning. I want to see more warm dry affordable homes, especially for first home buyers, and more social housing. – I want to support our local businesses well, so that they can continue to provide jobs and much needed goods and services to us all. I also want to ensure we look after our environment by reducing waste and litter, especially plastic waste, looking after our beaches and planting more trees in our open spaces.
And finally – Rates. We need to spend rates wisely, but spend enough so that the city is attractive and works well and people want to live and work here. The basics must come first. I'll ask for robust business cases before spending on big economic projects. At present I can't support the Runway extension- no business case, years of disruption to residents-environmental damage, and no airline has said they will come- right now this is indeed looking like corporate welfare.
To summarise, I want to capitalize on the experience gained in my first term on Council. I'm very grateful for the support I received last time, it's been a privilege to represent you, and I've worked hard to deliver good outcomes for our city and ward. I'm asking for you to continue to support me by giving me your first preference vote. I'll prioritise protecting what we have and wise spending for the future, especially in the way of transport and resilience.
Together, we can make this great city even greater!"
An interested resident recently asked about my engineering background. When I did my degree, it was an unusual choice for women; there were only four of us in a class of around seventy! Although I have moved in other career directions, the skills learned in my engineering training and work experience have definitely contributed to where I am today. Here is my reply to him:
"I have a BE (electrical) from Canterbury university. I completed it in 1981, so it is a while ago now! But I still run into some of my former engineering classmates and colleagues from time to time, especially since I have been on Council.
I first worked for the old NZED in the Hamilton District Office, working on various projects which included substation upgrades, and work on Karapiro and Rangipo power stations. Following that, I worked down here in the Wellington Head office for a couple of years on various transmission line projects.
At the end of 1986, I married and by then had also retrained as a secondary school teacher. I taught mathematics, science and senior physics at Wellington Girls College, the Correspondence School (as an external tutor) and St Catherine's College while raising my family.
My career since has moved in different directions but I have retained an interest and close connections with those working in the electricity and energy sectors.
My Masters degree in Public Health (with distinction) examined the links between cold damp housing and ill health and school absences in children, and I then went on to work to set up the Home Advice service for Sustainability Trust, visiting literally hundreds of Wellington households to give advice on making their homes warmer and drier and lowering their energy bills, and running a telephone and web-based national advice service. During this time I also helped set up the Wellington Curtain Bank, which is still going strong.
I have an ongoing interest in seeing our energy resources used most cost effectively and sustainably, and have long seen the potential for more photovoltaics, especially on commercial buildings, and more electric vehicles combined with local energy storage, smart appliances and time of use charging.
Prior to coming onto Council, I worked in a voluntary capacity for the Domestic Energy Users Network, set up by Molly Melhuish, and I was on the Retail Advisory Group of the Electricity Authority for four years. Just recently, I met with representatives of the International Energy Agency when they came to New Zealand to review our electricity sector."
Of course, Council has lots of engineering projects on the go at any one time, notably in water infrastructure and roading. The picture above shows the upgrade of water pipes in Victoria Street, and the picture below is the wonderful Leonie Gill pathway under construction. My engineering background has definitely given me an appreciation of the complexity of these projects, especially when they involve work underground.
The runway extension- at what cost?
Submissions are now open until 12 August 2016, for you to have your say on the runway extension resource consent, which is to go to the Environment Court.
It is important to note that if you do not make a submission now, mentioning the points on which you wish to submit, and whether or not you wish to appear before the Court in person, you will not have a further opportunity to speak.
So far, I have not so far voted for any rates to be used on this project. To be honest, the more I am finding out, the more questions I have about its value to ratepayers. Yes, of course, all things being equal, we would like a longer runway. It would provide better safety margins, and perhaps? more options for long haul.
But the question really does have to be asked- at what cost? Are there more pressing demands for that money? Or should we just save on rates and let people decide how they would personally like to spend the money they keep? After all, most of us can get where we want to go by air now, either travelling though Auckland or via Nadi, or Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and soon Canberra.
The letter from WCC and GWRC, publicly available on the GWRC site, makes interesting reading. Various, quite crucial issues are raised and further information is sought. For example:
Post construction stormwater discharges- What will be the cumulative effects on the aquatic ecosystem, biodiversity, mahinga kai and Maori customary use?
Noise-It is not appropriate to use the existing high level of airport noise as "ambient noise" when assessing the "background plus" impact of construction noise (which will be 24/7 for four years).
Amenity effects-including safety of large trucks (up to 30 per hour day and night) on residential streets such as Vivien Street, Wellington Road, Lyall Parade, Onepu Road, Rongotai Road, Evans Bay Parade. The method of assessing visual amenity needs more work.
Negative impacts on surf are proposed to be mitigated with a surf wave focusing structure, however further baseline monitoring of surf impacts is required.
Recreational amenity- there will be a four year exclusion zone around the construction site, encompassing a large area of Lyall Bay and Moa point. The method of assessing the current recreational amenity of Lyall Bay over a 7 day period in March is identified as very limited.
No detailed investigations of ground conditions has been undertaken yet, so construction methods are not certain. There are no details on ongoing maintenance requirements and how they might be carried out, including maintenance of the to-be-buried section of the Moa Point outfall pipe.
Effects on the breeding colony of nationally endangered reef heron and other coastal birds, and the effects of sediment on little blue penguins require more work.
If you are concerned (or conversely if you are in favour) , I do urge you to have your say. information and submission forms are on the GWRC website- or you can contact me via a text message if you live in the eastern suburbs and would like a form delivered.
We will need to protect our coasts from sea level rise, but how?
A recent Wellington City Council news release highlights that in the last three years around $4 million has been spent on sea walls at Shelly, Princess, Karaka, Island and Breaker Bays, plus there have been numerous smaller sea wall and road repairs around the southern and eastern coasts.
http://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/news/2016/06/stronger-seawalls-make-coast-more-resilient
This is an issue that is not going to go away. Sea levels around Wellington have been rising slowly over the last century and will continue to rise. At information evenings I attended recently to discuss the proposed harbour dredging, I was told that NIWA predictions are for around another 30 cm of sea level rise in the next 35 years. Warmer air temperatures also mean that the air can hold more moisture, leading to more intense storms.
All of this means that the Council will need to set aside some sizable budgets for adaption to climate change; not only hard infrastructure such as sea walls and storm water upgrades (Queens Drive has already had a storm water pipe upgrade and Kilbirnie is expected to be getting a pumping station next year), but also other measures such as the setting back of roads and planting of extra vegetation.
In Wellington we are fortunate that on the whole roads are between our beaches and private property. This means that adaption measures to protect the roads will also serve to protect private property.
The cost of all of this will be substantial, and needs to be a priority. Council has recently invested $9 million in a state-of-the-art computer modelling system, which can be programmed to reflect the present water network and will help officers from WCC and Wellington Water work out the most cost-effective solutions.
It is difficult to start conversations about such topics, but it is necessary.
New Johnsonville Library- Preliminary Designs Open for Comment
Planning for the Johnsonville Library and Community Hub has reached the next stage, with preliminary designs now up on the website.
The feedback received so far has been very positive and there have been many useful suggestions.
This is a one-off opportunity to get this exciting project the very best it can be, and we welcome feedback from all Wellingtonians, particularly those in the Northern and Western suburbs.
Go to http://www.newjohnsonvillelibrary.co.nz
Artist brightens Lyall Bay
Going to an appointment today in Lyall Bay I went past local artist Gene Van der Zanden, working away on his mural on the retaining wall at Lyall Bay school. Gene has been donating his time to this but I'm pleased to say that recently a small Council grant has enabled him to buy paints.
The mural is really starting to take shape now and I'm sure the kids love it! Thanks Gene, your work brightens up our day.
Also on a similar subject, how many people have had a chance to admire the recently completed mural on the side of the Miramar Community Centre ? This is a joint effort by several artists from the Wellington Art Club, whose rooms are on the same site as the Centre. The work cleverly incorporates many Miramar icons, including the wharf, movie theatre and old gasworks.
Getting Together
It's not often I write specifically about my portfolio area of Community Facilities, but I am starting to feel a sense of pride in all that has been achieved this triennium. Most of the credit needs to go to others; our hard working staff in the Community team, dedicated people working long hours in the community, external partners and funders and fellow councillors.
Today saw the opening of the Centennial Community Centre in Berhampore; a partnership where Housing New Zealand provided the premises, Berhampore School the governance, and WCC operational funding including for a co-ordinator. With its homework nooks, kitchen and meeting space it will be a wonderful facility for the area.
Partnership models seem to be becoming more common, and what I am noticing is the diversity in arrangements and types of community facilities. It's certainly not a one size fits all situation!
So the Centennial Community Centre is today's wonderful success story, but what are some of the others?
Here's just a short list:
Seatoun: The saving of St Christopher's church and hall for the community, after the Presbyterian church had decided to sell it. They now have a co-ordinator and are developing the range and scope of activities taking place.
Strathmore: Council is looking at moving a single storey relocatable building to the carpark/reserve area beside the Raukawa Street dairy. With parking provided onsite and good landscaping, this could provide a complementary additional facility to add to the well- used Strathmore Community Base.
Karori: A dedicated team of volunteers has been fundraising for years to build a modern performance facility, the Karori Events Centre, next to the existing Community centre. They are now so close to completing their fundraising and if they do, want to start the project this year.
Brooklyn, Aro Valley and Newtown: some work has taken place and further discussions/ concept plans are in the pipeline to enhance the community facilities in these areas
And finally Johnsonville: Very excitingly, panning is well underway for a modern and exciting new library, which will link to the community centre and pool and contain a cafe. If you'd like to know more, the website is http://www.newjohnsonvillelibrary.co.nz
Fruit tree photos
The last post was getting too long, so I've put photos here. These were all taken today. The hot dry summer has been great for everything except the feijoas, which are looking smaller and sparser than usual.
Edible Garden Tour
Go By Bike Day- Why?
2015, Reporting back
Newtown Library opens again
Sale of St Christopher's- Open Letter to Presbyterian Council
Saving St Christopher's
Massey Design Projects at Central Library
Cheaper off-peak bus fares, have your say
WCC puts strong submission on city buses
Lets get our buses working
Jaie on Mt Vic tunnel-still a barrier…
Tristram Ingham on Public Transport, Walking, Cyc…
sarahfreenz on Go By Bike Day- Why?
patrickmorgancan on Go By Bike Day- Why?
Ian Apperley on 2015, Reporting back
accounting Airport art berhampore bird life garden survey bus bus fares Business children Community community and resilience condensation condensation water weeping windows dvs council Creativity and Celebration cycling damp houses dogs DVS earthquake earthquakes economy energy efficiency energy policy Evan's Bay exercise fares food Fruit trees gardening gardens glass graffiti Hataitai hazards health and safety Houghton Bay Housing HRV information technology Infratil kilbirnie Kiwibank library Lyall Bay Meridian miramar newtown off-peak parking photovoltaics public transport recycling Renewable energy Residential resilience Rubbish runway extension safety Sarah Free Seatoun sewerage pipes shade solar panels storms storm water strathmore Town belt transport Vapour barrier walking warm houses weeping windows Wellington WIAL


Classical music: The UW Choral Union and UW Symphony Orchestra, with guest soloists, offered a welcome trio of rarely heard works.
Here is a special posting, a review written by frequent guest critic and writer for this blog, John W. Barker. Barker (below) is an emeritus professor of Medieval history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also is a well-known classical music critic who writes for Isthmus and the American Record Guide, and who for 20 years hosted an early music show every other Sunday morning on WORT-FM 89.9 FM. He serves on the Board of Advisors for the Madison Early Music Festival and frequently gives pre-concert lectures in Madison.
Well, last weekend was another train-wreck weekend with too many good things in competition with each other: pianist Valentina Lisitsa at the Wisconsin Union Theater (Thursday, Nov. 20), the Madison Opera's Fidelio at the Overture Center (Friday, Nov. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 23), the UW-Madison Choral Union and Symphony Orchestra (Saturday, Nov. 22, and Sunday, Nov. 23), and the intimate Solo Dei Gloria concert at Luther Memorial Church (Saturday, Nov. 22). I won't mention the basketball game, as well.
I was able to revel in Beethoven's Fidelio on Friday evening, enjoy the SDGers on Saturday, and catch the UW Choral Union and UW Symphony Orchestra (below) on Sunday evening. And a rewarding finale that was.
Conductor and director Beverly Taylor (below) wisely avoided any seasonal associations and gave us the chance to hear music that we are rarely likely to hear otherwise.
The "filler" in the middle was a lushly exotic curiosity by Ralph Vaughan Williams (below), his Flos campi (or "floss campy," as a Wisconsin Public Radio announcer identified it) — "Flower of the Field," inspired by lines from the Biblical Song of Songs, and scored for the unusual combination of solo viola, wordless chorus and orchestra.
It is a rhapsodic affair, in six interconnected sections, exploring the sonorities and novel colors that his scoring allows. While it evokes a perfumed "eastern" ambiance, much of its musical character really derives from the composer's steeping in folksong and folk spirit.
The chorus's size gave its sound a good carrying power, helping the wordless ah-ing and humming to come through well against the orchestra, while viola soloist Sally Chisholm (below), a UW-Madison professor who also plays in the Pro Arte Quartet, made a beautifully ecstatic web of sound that only the viola can really achieve. When have you last heard such a dreamy novelty, and when again are you likely to?
On other side of that music came two different settings of the familiar Latin canticle, Te Deum laudamus, by two different composers. This all-purpose liturgical text has been set many, many times by a procession of composers over the centuries, but it would be difficult to imagine two more utterly contrasting treatments than the ones we heard.
That was the closing work.
The opening one was the other Te Deum. Antonin Dvorák (below), though a devout Roman Catholic, composed very little sacred music in Latin. Setting aside a purely functional Mass setting, his only familiar and recognized examples are his Stabat mater and his Requiem. Both of those are deeply felt, but are grandiose concert works.
The only other such work is his setting of the Te Deum, cruelly neglected and unappreciated. It was composed in 1892 as a debut work for Dvorák's new residence in New York City, and was intended as a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World.
Against Verdi's solemnity, Dvorák's setting is festive. It is patterned along the lines of the traditional four-movement symphony, with a "slow movement" of folksong-like lyricism and a passionate "scherzo," framed by flanking outpourings of extraordinary exuberance — all in unbroken succession.
For anyone who loves the music of this composer — as I do — or who is still discovering it, this work is an exciting revelation.
There were solo passages in the two Te Deums, beautifully sung by undergraduate soprano Emi Chen (below right) and graduate student baritone Joel Rathmann (below left).
The UW Choral Union itself, 123 singers strong, sang with appropriate sonority. There were some rough spots in the opening of the Dvorák, with its off-putting rhythmic eccentricities, but the UW Symphony Orchestra played quite well otherwise — even if it sometimes was allowed to overshadow the other participants.
In sum, this proved an evening of truly refreshing choral experience, and another tribute to Beverly Taylor's enterprise.
Classical music: Here is an update on events and news at the University of Wisconsin School of Music. That includes the performances of music by Verdi, Dvorak and Vaughan Williams on this Saturday and Sunday nights by the UW Choral Union and UW Symphony Orchestra.
If you don't already know about A Tempo, you should.
It is the official blog of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music.
Started by Katherine Esposito (below), the new concert manager and director of public relations, the blog contains updates about upcoming concerts as well as behind-the-scenes news concerning students and faculty and the entire UW-Madison School of Music.
It is rich with links and sound samples.
Perhaps you want to know about the two performances this weekend (in Mills Hall on Saturday night at 8 p.m. and Sunday night at 7:30 p.m.) by the UW Choral Union and the UW Symphony Orchestra. They include the first-ever UW-Madison performance of the "Te Deum" by Antonin Dvorak (at bottom in a YouTube video) as well as the "Te Deum" of Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi and the "Flos Campi" by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Perhaps you want to know about the school's beefed up jazz program and early December events under the leadership of pianist Johannes Wallmann (below) and how it cooperates with area high schools.
Perhaps you want to know about the scholarship donation program or catch up on a klezmer workshop that took place this past week.
Or maybe you need to know how to sign up for the annual summer national cello workshop and cello choir (below top), run by UW-Madison cellist Uri Vardi (below bottom) and his wife.
Or maybe you don't know about the latest award won by the UW-Madison composer Laura Schwendinger (below).
They are all in the latest online issue of A Tempo.
If The Ear were you, he would bookmark it or subscribe to it.
Classical music: As the semester ends, choral music concerts -– most of them FREE -– stack up at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here is a summary for this week and next.
The end of the semester is approaching, and the situation is once again typical.
The choral concerts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music are starting to stack up the same way that singers walk on stage and start filling up risers.
Every semester, it seems, the choral music performances get backed up and squeezed into the last few weekends of the semester.
To help you fill in your calendars and datebooks, here is a summary of the major groups and concerts.
The UW Madrigal Singers and Chorale will both give FREE concerts at 7:30 p.m. in Luther Memorial Church (below), 1021 University Ave.
Bruce Gladstone (below) will conduct the groups.
With UW-Madison faculty members John Chappell Stowe, organ; Bruce Gladstone, conductor.
Soloists for Pilgrim's Journey are: Sara Guttenberg, soprano; Josh Sanders, tenor; and Paul Rowe, baritone.
The works on this concert, though stylistically varied, display a characteristic "Englishness," and offer a look at four very important composers who not only helped change the face of music in Great Britain, but who also wrote sublime and glorious works.
The three shorter works were all written as church anthems. Vaughan Williams' "Pilgrim's Journey" started life as an opera and was adapted into its present cantata format for performance as a non-staged work.
It features works of different periods from the Renaissance to the present and showing where they overlap and imitate each other.
The composers include Orlando Gibbons, Robert Pearsall, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gyorgy Orban and John Harbison (represented by his jazz arrangements). Featured are serious and happy motets, several extended works, folk songs and close harmony.
On Friday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m. in Mills Hall the University Chorus and the UW Women's Chorus will give a FREE concert.
Anna Volodarskaya and Sarah Guttenberg will conduct.
On Saturday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m. in Mills Hall and Sunday, Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in Mills Hall, the UW Choral Union (made up of campus and community singers) and the UW Symphony will perform under the baton of Beverly Taylor (all seen below).
Tickets are $15 for the public; $8 for seniors and students.
"Presented will be the buoyant, robust and beautiful Te Deum by Antonin Dvorak (performed for the first time by Choral Union); the languorously beautiful Flos Campi by Ralph Vaughan Williams for wordless chorus and solo viola, and the dramatic Te Deum by Giuseppe Verdi set for very large orchestra.
The two Te Deums are very different settings of an ancient liturgical song of praise.
The Flos Campi (below in a YouTube video) features violist Sally Chisholm (below), a member of the Pro Arte String Quartet and Professor of Music at UW-Madison.


Indoor gardens not only make the look of your home more attractive, but also clean the air in it. Unfortunately, not everyone has enough time to take care of the plants in the house. In fact, plants also need attention from their owners.
If you have a house with a modern minimalist exterior and interior, you can add it with a similar style garden. In addition to looking fresh, the minimalist garden can be suitable with the design of the house.
Unfortunately, the process of making something that looks simple, such as a minimalist garden, is actually complicated and costly. Because of this, just do the following rules on how to make a low cost garden on your own.
A pond or garden can serve as an open space in your home. The purpose of the open space is to provide better aeration. An open space is also important to provide comfort for everyone who lives in a house. Unfortunately most people do not feel like having a pool or garden in the house because of the tricky maintenance: the process of cleaning, replacement of the pool water regularly to keep it clear, especially when you have pets.
Having a narrow house doesn't mean that you cannot go green. Generally, a go-green house is characterized by the atmosphere obtained, both inside the house and around it. The characteristic which is most easily recognized is the presence of plants or vegetations. The existence of shady trees, various shrubs, evergreen plants, up to potted plants becomes the mainstay in creating a beautiful atmosphere at home. With a garden, a house will feel comfortable to live in, especially during summer.
So far, you may only find out the roof is made of tiles and asbestos. But, have you ever thought about green roof?
A green roof is a living roof which vegetates and grows. The roof is made of a waterproof layer which is fitted with drainage as a growing medium for plants. Green roof is home to a variety of plants, including grasses and flowers.


There are many resources on the island to help plan and execute your wedding.
From cake bakers, to wedding bands, many of your wedding needs can be met on the island!
For a summary of them and contact information, please click here.


The midseason transfer window was seen as vital. Manager Thomas Tuchel had repeated many times that he needed to sign at least two midfielders; with Marco Verratti injured, Adrien Rabiot's contract impasse and Lassana Diarra's departure, it was important to strengthen.
Tuchel finally got the Argentine international, who will bring a lot to the squad, but a second midfielder did not follow, despite interest in Julian Weigl and Idrissa Gueye. Instead, sources have said, the sporting director Antero Henrique tried for other players without consulting his manager.


It is approaching the end of the school year, and with it comes the occasional Senior pranks. This is part of a storied tradition in the U.S., but for some students they take it a little to far.
5 students took it upon themselves last week to vandalize the new Duluth East High School . Armed with eggs, spray paint and toilet paper, a neighbor who lives by the school saw people fleeing the scene around 1 am that night.
Being someone who lives on that side of town and drives by that school every, it made me sick to hear about this. Besides the fact it is incredibly disrespectful, obviously , you can't help but think of the cost and time that was involved in getting the school to this level to make it a High School!
The school district has decided not to press criminal charges, which would have been a Felony for each of the 5 individuals. They based their decision on the fact that this would greatly affect the future of these kids, and as a learning institution this would not be the right decision. In all $ 3,500 in damage was done, with a whole day spent to clean up the mess.
The punishment for the students,? Suspension, pay restitution and different forms of community service.


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Literator (Potchefstroom. Online)
versão impressa ISSN 0258-2279
Literator vol.39 no.1 Mafikeng 2018
http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/lit.v39i1.1364
Gender and the transsexual body in Transamerica
Amy A. Jensen
School of Education Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, South Africa
Transamerica, by Duncan Tucker, released in 2005, addresses lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer- (LGBTQ-) related themes through a transsexual female protagonist, Bree. This article discusses the film as an important step in the direction of representing the complexity of gender, which, by today's standards, is more generally appreciated. Because of its subject matter, Transamerica is a contentious film, lauded and condemned in mainstream media for how it dealt with and represented transsexual identities. Despite nominations for a number of awards, the film's portrayal of transsexual identities was largely ignored in academic discourse at the time. I argue here that the film provides insight into the challenges, requirements, concerns, as well as the consequences of gender-fluid expression, which has been recognised in academia for years and has become a more discussed topic in mainstream society, but the manner in which the film examines these insights was overlooked. I do this by contextualising the film in terms of contemporary examples of transgender existence, which have brought the topic to mainstream discourse, and by applying gender theory concepts to the film. I discuss the protagonist's physical and emotional journey to self-discovery in the context of the road movie trope. I then look into the protagonist's gender performance, as well as how the protagonist negotiates this performance in the various places she visits while on the journey. I show that the film encourages open and honest discourse about gender identity and expression; the opportunity for this discussion was not taken in the year of the film's release.
Insight into the life of a male-to-female transsexual is provided in Duncan Tucker's Transamerica, released in 2005. Although the film was nominated for and won a number of awards,1 it received little attention in academic discourse. The academic recognition the film did receive, includes a comparison of the portrayal of romantic love in this and other 'trans-films' (Abbott 2012) and how paratext (film reviews, movie posters and director commentary) can 'validate, and celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) life and subjectivity' (Cavalcante 2013). Although the discourse on gender goes far back in history and has a solid academic grounding, there is no focus in academia on how this specific film provides insight into gender constructs and transsexuals. However, in light of a number of recent instances that have highlighted the shifting landscape in gender studies, particularly in terms of transgender existence and the fluidity of gender, the topic has become popular, as can be seen in contemporary American society in this part of the 21st century. Examples include the publicised transformation of Bruce to Caitlyn Jenner in the USA, in 2015.2 The fact that someone with such a high profile was open about her new identity, and then won an award for 'Woman of the Year', generated various publicised discussions on this complex notion of gender and gender identity. A more recent example is President Trump's 2017 ban of transgender individuals in the military, which has generated many discussions in terms of participation of transgender individuals in society. Another example is a 2017 episode of Survivor in which a contestant was 'outed' for being a transsexual. Although the backlash was in favour of Zeke Smith (the transgender contestant), it indicates that gender complexities are relevant in society and need to be discussed in a mature, open and honest manner. Tucker's film provided insight into this gender-fluid existence before it became the highly popular and contested topic it is today. Academia did not seize the opportunity in 2005 to highlight the fluid nature of gender as it is represented in Transamerica. The opportunity for an open and honest discussion on gender complexities as portrayed in the film was not taken by the media or academia.
The film's protagonist is a presurgery male-to-female transsexual, Bree (Felicity Huffman), who travels by road from New York to Los Angeles, with a newly discovered son, Toby (Kevin Zegers). The journey is a prerequisite from Bree's therapist, Margaret, before she will give her final permission for the sexual reassignment surgery. On first meeting Toby, to bail him out of jail, Bree does not disclose her true identity or the fact that she is a transsexual woman but instead poses as a Christian social worker, thereby learning about the boy's life. As with all road movies, the pair face many obstacles as they travel. These obstacles include Bree's discovery that Toby's stepfather is abusive; Toby's discovery of Bree's transsexuality; their vehicle being stolen and Bree being forced to make contact with her estranged parents; and Toby running away from Bree's parents' house. By the end of the film, Bree undergoes surgery and Toby reunites with her at her home.
The writer and director of the film, Duncan Tucker, comments in the additional material section on the DVD that the film is not about transsexuality, but rather 'about growing up. It's about finding yourself and learning to love yourself, and about accepting yourself […] and through that, being able to love others' (Transamerica DVD). However, by the end of the sometimes difficult journey, and the film, the audience has gained insight into the challenges, concerns and requirements of transsexual individuals. The film is not without criticism - for example, social media has criticised the motive of using a female actress for the portrayal of a transsexual woman. However, the insights that the narrative offer remain. When this film is compared to other films with transsexual protagonists, such as The crying game (Jordan 1992) and Boys don't cry (Peirce 1999), it departs from these darker, gender violent stories,3 with a light-hearted plot portraying the everyday life and relationships of a transgender individual. The narrative deviates from the consequences of queer romantic relationships as the salient theme and rather focuses on the quotidian, providing insight into the transition, concerns and challenges of a gender-fluid individual. Thus, the film manages to represent the complex and dynamic process of the rejection and acceptance of gender and sex according to cultural and societal norms and in the process comments on gender as a construct. The notion of body and self-acceptance is also part and parcel of self-discovery. This study of Transamerica aims to expose how this film provided a window into the complexities of gender and gender expression in the 21st century before a greater awareness and willingness for the discussion of the topic became more normative. As such, this film was a forerunner for recent discourse on gender fluidity, in terms of the processes, concerns and experiences of a transsexual individual.
Taking its cue from the film's title, this article has a two-foci approach to analysing Transamerica: the prefix trans- refers to not only the cross-country journey but also the transition from one sex to another. According to Hayward (1996:300), one of the codes of road movies is discovery, usually self-discovery of the characters. The mobile body offers the opportunity for the characters to deal with internal and/or external conflict, while negotiating various destinations. This article discusses the journey on the road in order to expose the complexities of gender and gender expression by focusing on the transsexual protagonist. The analysis focuses on the protagonist's progression to 'become a woman' (de Beauvoir 1988:259). The structure is as follows: first, a theoretical overview will provide definitions from transgender studies. It will also render details on iconography and performativity, as well as explain chronotopes of the road. Next, a close analysis of the film in terms of the theory will be presented. Initially, the focus is on the stereotypes that Bree uses to portray herself as a woman. It also considers what the journey offers in terms of encounters on the road, and what these encounters represent in terms of gender in society. The paper concludes by showing how the film, finally, uses the transsexual body and the experiences on the road to expose transgender concerns, challenges and requirements. These aspects need to be acknowledged in order to have mature discussions on gender complexities and the fluid nature of gender, in an open and honest manner, particularly because this film does so in a light-hearted and humorous manner. The film renders an opportunity for discourse on gender complexities and, although 2005 was not that long ago, the opportunity to analyse the film's portrayal of transsexual representation was missed by academia.
Theoretical exposition
To probe Bree's journey in terms of the various expressions of gender in society, the following definitions from transgender studies must be established. In terms of binaries, there is a polarised distinction within the concepts of sex and gender. Sex is a physical aspect related to biology, that is, anatomy, hormones and physiology, while gender is constructed through social, psychological and cultural means (West & Zimmerman 1987:125). Gender binaries call for a 'one or the other' approach to these two options, rather than acknowledging a continuum of gender identities or expressions (Green & Maurer 2015:53). The term transgender is used as an adjective to qualify a person whose gender identity does not match the biological sex assigned to them at birth (Green & Maurer 2015:56). The term can encompass a range of identities and now includes the older term transsexual, which has been used to denote a person who has had hormonal or surgical interventions on the body to align with their gender identity rather than the sex they were assigned at birth (Green & Maurer 2015:56). This article uses the older term transsexual because the narrative centres on the protagonist's journey with the ultimate destination of her sexual reassignment surgery. When the term transgender is used, it pertains to the variety of identities on the gender continuum. The latter term is connected to gender fluidity. The phrase genderfluid references someone whose gender identity or expression shifts between man/masculine and woman/feminine or can fall somewhere along the continuum (Green & Maurer 2015:54). Nagoshi and Brzuzy (2010) explain that:
… transgenders differ widely in their degree of belief in the fluidity of gender identity. Some accept such fluidity only to the extent that one can switch between two otherwise separate, essentialist, and pure gender categories, whereas others believe that an embodied gender identity is still highly malleable. (p. 432)
It is interesting to note that even among transgender individuals there is no definitive manner to express gender; it is a complex notion because it manifests in various ways in different cultures. In the analysis, Bree's alignment with the former essentialist version of gender-fluid identity is discussed in order to provide insight into transsexual existence. Although for many years this information has been used by academics and the LGBTQ community, this film provides insight into the processes and concerns of transsexuals to a wider mainstream audience.
'Gender expression', according to Green and Maurer (2015:54), is a person's outward gender representation, comprising personal style, clothing, hairstyle, jewellery, vocal inflection and body language. These elements have been discussed many times in gender studies literature for a number of years. For example, Tauches (2006:174) explains the notion of gender as a 'social construction that arises from biological sex; it consists of socially defined behaviours and traits that are considered normal for each sex'. This explanation is reminiscent of what West and Zimmerman (1987) refer to as 'doing gender' and what Butler (1988) refers to as 'performativity'. Butler (1988:523) suggests that the body becomes its gender via a series of acts that are 'renewed, revised, and consolidated through time'. Butler (1988:520) argues that because gender might be understood as constituted, it is capable of being constituted differently. There is a definite link to gender fluidity and Butler's, and these other theorists', concepts. O'Reilly (2009:8) points to the fact that 'the body has become more visible as a challenge to constricting social codes, through the adoption of piercings, tattoos and other modifications', including plastic surgery. Bree is closely related to social codes and this study analyses how she uses them in her performance as a hyper-feminine woman. The fact that this article deals with the fictive life-world of a transsexual protagonist in a film calls for cinematic vocabulary to be used. For example, in film, such visual codes are termed iconography.
Iconography, according to Ryall (1998:331), is concerned with the 'distinctive visual qualities' of a specific film genre, including settings, costumes, actors/characters, characteristic props and other specifics such as modes of transport and weaponry. One of the iconographic elements is the physical body. Waskul and Vannini (2006:10) explain that through the body, we perform, express and represent subjectivity, and through these same activities others 'judge our body as object by means of appearance and performance'. Connected to the idea of the outer appearance is how one presents oneself to the world, which includes the manner in which one dresses. Stutesman (2005:28) observes that a character's costumes indicate who he or she is, how that character feels or even where he or she is going in the world. Viewers can deduce a character's inner workings from analysing that character's outer appearance. Stereotypes work with iconography in fictions to express visual or non-verbal aspects of a particular character. In Transamerica, the female protagonist uses stereotypes consciously and deliberately to perform her female gender and to become a woman. Therefore, the concepts expressed in real-world gender studies can be analysed via the iconography of this film.
The phrase cinematic journey includes any type of journey taken in a film. Eleftheriotis (2010:99) refers to cinematic journeys as 'visual explorations of travelled space with investigations of psychological processes of change and transformation'. This change can take the form of altered beliefs or even challenges to preconceived ideas of the self, as the traveller moves through the world and interacts with its inhabitants. The term encompasses the road movie. This genre centres on the protagonists' journey, particularly their inner journey to self-discovery. Laderman (2002:79) acknowledges that 'driving across an external landscape is usually a metaphor for a journey across an internal, personal space'. Ganser, Pühriner and Rheindorf (2006:2) use Bakhtin's chronotopes of the road to explore how configurations of time and space are represented in the road movie genre. According to Ganser et al. (2006), film is a:
… socially determined set of practices, no less than the experience of everyday life, [it] constructs spaces and places according to specific chronotopes, these, in turn, do not exist in a social void but interact with and depend on a number of other realities such as gender, race, and class. (p. 5)
They explain that Bakhtin believed that the emergence of recognisable chronotopes within a narrative offers the audience an opportunity to endow the causal chain (or lack thereof) with their own values. The chronotope that will be applied is the chronotope of the road as setting, as it functions as a meeting place for characters that may never have had an opportunity to meet. Therefore, the manner in which time and space are configured in this film in order for various encounters on the road to occur can shed light on gender complexities in our society. This information and attitude is more generally accepted in today's society; however, the film was largely ignored at the time of its release.
Bree's gender expression
Bree is a male-to-female transsexual who actively seeks to alter her body and physical identity over a period of time, in order to be seen and acknowledged, in binary terms, as the opposite sex. The film's iconography in terms of Bree and her environment represents her as a hyper-feminine woman. In the opening sequence of the film, when the audience is first introduced to Bree, she has already had electrolysis, hormone therapy for 3 years, facial feminisation surgery, a brow lift, a forehead reduction, jaw re-contouring and a tracheal shave. All the physically traditional female visual indicators are in place. Bree undergoes these operations and taps into stereotypes to make herself appear as a woman. She is already far along in her transition; it is only suggested that the numerous operations would have been lengthy and painful. In her gender expression, she assumes attire that is almost to the point of being overly feminine in terms of colour choices and clothing items. She puts on stockings, a brassiere in which she also places breast prostheses, control underwear to tuck her penis away, and a pink skirt suit. This gender expression is a cliché of that of a genteel lady in the 1950s rather than a woman who may wear trousers or any clothing she chooses. This cliché is especially apparent in her choice of predominantly pink clothing and house decor and its association with femininity. Once dressed, she reapplies pastel pink nail polish to her long nails, brushes her hair and applies her make-up in the mirror. The fact that Bree's reflection is seen in the mirror creates the idea that she needs it to constitute herself as a woman, and it reflects her desire to be female. Merskin (2007:598) explains that when a woman 'puts on her face' she is among other things 'acting in line with social prescriptions of feminine beauty'. Simone de Beauvoir's (1988) famous axiom, 'one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman', is reflected in this scene. Bree's actions and manner of dressing are in line with the stereotypical, heteronormative social expectations of what a woman should look like. This representation of the feminine links to Butler's (1988:523) notions of performativity: Bree is able to use the stereotypes for her gender performance as a woman. These aspects of gender expression are not innate to women; they are learnt behaviours. Therefore, gender is a complex notion because it is influenced by culturally specified and specific performances.
Namaste (2006:180) refers to the 'need to pass' among transsexual men and women, which is about presenting oneself as a man or woman whose original sex is never questioned or suspected. Transsexuals often feel the need to pass in order to avoid harassment; therefore some transgender individuals adhere to binary oppositions and behave and live as one or the other gender. The threat of violence might be the reason that there are transgender people who believe only in the fluidity of gender in terms of binaries. The fact that she still has a penis makes her uncomfortable in her own body. The eye-level camera angle and predominant long shots show how Bree is uncomfortable, insecure and uncertain in her interaction with the people in her environment. She even bends her knees slightly when standing next to a short man, in order to 'blend in'. She tries exceptionally hard not to raise any form of suspicion in terms of her transition. Bree's discomfort even causes her to conceal her transition from Toby. A result, in this film, of open discourse not occurring between Toby and Bree, is Toby 'outing' Bree in front of an unknown man, once he discovers her transsexual identity. Although he initially calls her 'a freak', during a later conversation between the two she asks him if he still thinks that she is a 'freak'. His reply is, 'you're not a freak. You're just a liar'. His reaction is more to Bree's dishonesty in concealing the information. It is refreshing that this film promotes the acceptance of gender-fluid identities. Toby does out Bree from a frustrated and reactive standpoint as this element was concealed from him, even though there were numerous opportunities for Bree to have the discussion. This is once again the call for open and honest discourse on gender-fluid identities.
Another example of these repeated gender acts is when Bree is in Phoenix, at her parents' home. The audience is introduced to Elizabeth, Bree's mother, who is hostile and rude to Bree. Elizabeth reprimands her for coming to the house but pulls her inside so that the neighbours do not see her. Unexpectedly, and perhaps unwittingly, Bree models her appearance, behaviour and mannerisms on her mother, even though they do not get along. They dress in similar pastel colours and in matching suits. They paint their nails and ensure that their hair is styled in a certain way. The two women even take the same female hormone replacement pills. In Butler's (1988) terms, Bree's expression of feminine gender identity is constituted according to existing directives associated with her mother. Elizabeth's gender expression complies with social expectations. Her performance of gender is done well and made to reflect an essentialist gender identity (Butler 1988:528). Therefore, Bree's expression of gender identity is based on something that has been proven as socially accepted and acceptable. Once again the complexities of gender are brought to the fore, as a performative act. Individuals can interpret their own performances in a variety of ways. It is in a binary society that these varieties of performances are judged as 'right' or 'wrong' instead of merely existing on a continuum.
After the opening sequence of the film, Bree answers a series of questions asked by a psychiatrist. One of these is, 'How do you feel about your penis?', to which Bree replies, '[i]t disgusts me. I don't even like looking at it'. From the start, it is clear that she does not like what remains of her male body. The doctor informs her that the American Psychiatric Association categorises gender dysphoria as a very serious mental disorder. Tauches (2006:178) explains that, '[m]any in the field of psychology still view transgendered individuals as mentally ill, diagnosing those who seek help as having "gender dysphoria" or a gender identity disorder'. The American Psychiatric Association (1994:532-533) qualifies that there are two components to gender identity disorder. The first is a strong and persistent cross-gender identification, and the second is evidence of persistent discomfort concerning one's assigned sex or gender role. Many psychologists recommend a sex change through sexual reassignment as the main way to 'fix' transgendered individuals, to realign sex and gender in a normal (binary) order. Bree responds to the doctor's comment by saying: 'Don't you find it odd that plastic surgery can cure a mental disorder?', because she feels that after she has had surgery she will be a happier person. This scene provides insight into the requirements of those who are transsexual, while reflecting how society is comfortable with sex binaries and clear distinctions between male and female. Society prefers binaries to fluid identities, and there is a commonly held belief that transsexuals actually mutilate their bodies when they undergo sexual reassignment (Stryker 2006:1). However, not just transsexuals are concerned with their physical appearances. Lips (2006:79) confirms that girls and women all over the world have been taught to focus on their bodies and appearances. This concept of 'body as object', which is capable of being physically altered, is similar to many individuals in the 21st century who have plastic surgery and modify their bodies at will. It is not just transsexuals who delve into painful and dangerous interventions of the body but women and men all over the world. Therefore, Bree has the same concerns as many women and men, except the social reaction to these concerns differ in that transsexuals first have to be diagnosed with a mental illness before they can undergo their surgery. It calls into question why the same diagnosis is not given to a person who wants to undergo surgery for cosmetic reasons. This lack of equality again affirms society's comfort in and preference for sex and gender binaries. At the same time, the film makes clear the regimen that a transsexual must undergo and hints to one possible reason for Bree's non-acceptance of herself, because society and psychologists emphasise this fact by first diagnosing her with a disorder. It is only in this part of the 21st century that discussions of transgender identities are taking place. However, many societies still prefer individuals to conform to these binaries in order to be accepted as a legitimate member of society. What is interesting is that the cisgendered person, whose gender identity matches the biological sex assigned at birth (Green & Maurer 2015:52), does not get questioned about his or her genitals. The concepts of propriety and privacy suddenly become public when someone does not conform to gender binaries. This film opened up the (missed) opportunity to discuss and promote a better understanding and acceptance of gender complexities and 'grey areas of gender', in which individual's right to privacy should be respected.
The cinematic journey on the road
The viewer is made aware that the amount of ground covered by the protagonists represents time that they spend together in the vehicle. It is fitting that the pair travel by vehicle, as Osteen (2008:184) explains that it signifies 'freedom from rules and the dream of forging a new self'. This forging of a new self is realised throughout the journey. It is a fitting cinematic metaphor for the changes that Bree is undergoing. The road offers the chance for encounters that may not have occurred otherwise - this is one chronotope of the road. Some of the encounters serve to highlight perceptions of gender in society and reflect on the changes Bree is undergoing, but at the same time these encounters also provide examples of spaces in which gender complexities are acknowledged.
In Arkansas at a roadside restaurant, the Ozark Mountain House, a little girl turns around in her chair and stares at Bree. When Bree fully acknowledges the stare, the little girl asks: 'Are you a boy or a girl?' This question reflects society's binary and essentialist perception of sex and gender. The little girl is not malicious in her question but rather reflects curiosity. This type of curiosity in society, although it promotes binaries, is an opportunity to openly discuss the complexity of gender fluidity. The little girl's mother simply dismisses her daughter's question by instructing her to 'stop bothering people'. This action imitates a portion of society who simply ignore gender complexities. It also dismisses much-needed discourse on complex gender expression and identity. However, in the real world, in the future, perhaps these questions from people and discussions about gender may not be necessary, because in countries like Sweden there are gender-neutral spaces, such as their 'gender-neutral' preschools (Hebblethwaite 2011). Therefore, gender complexities are being acknowledged in the real world, even if only in a few select places. This encounter is connected to a chronotope of the road, although this question can be asked in any and all places.
Another encounter on the road takes place at Mary Ellen's home in Dallas. Her home is an example of a space in which gender fluidity is apparent, acceptable and participants are openly engaged in discourse of sex and gender complexity. This is where Bree and Toby stay with Mary Ellen. She is hosting a 'Gender Pride President's Day Weekend Caribbean Cruise Planning Committee' get-together. All the attendees talk openly about their sex and sex changes. For example, an attendee openly admits, '[w]e are not gender challenged. We are gender gifted. I've been woman and I've been man, and I know more things than you single sex people can even imagine'. In this space there are a variety of gender expressions that represent gender as a spectrum, rather than as a set of simple binaries. Bree is shocked by this unexpected openness and says to her host, 'Margaret said you were stealth' (meaning that you blend into everyday society and no one knows that you are a transsexual). Mary Ellen replies, 'I am. In public, but this is the privacy of my own home', where she does not conceal her transsexual identity. When Mary Ellen is talking casually to Bree, she says that Margaret has told her about Bree's operation. Bree replies, 'Toby doesn't know about me'. Mary Ellen looks at her in disbelief and says: 'You're stealth to him? Don't worry, honey, we've all been there'. Bree even hides behind a disapproving mask when she says to Toby, 'Listen, I'm sorry about those ersatz women'. When Toby does not understand the term ersatz, Bree explains that it means 'phony. Something pretending to be something it's not'. Bree is behaving in the same manner; however, she is not honest about it. She not only distances herself from the penis and male but also from others like her by aligning to something she thinks Toby finds agreeable. However, Toby is comfortable in Mary Ellen's home; he engages and seems comfortable in the presence of gender-fluid individuals. Toby does eventually out Bree, in a reaction to her dishonesty; considering Toby's character, if an open and honest discussion had taken place, the situation might have been avoided entirely. This concealing of identity is a concern and a consequence of transsexuality. As mentioned before, reactions within societies are varied (from acceptance to violence), but an open and honest discussion is sometimes neglected.
Bree finally has her surgery, after which she becomes a more secure and confident person. This confidence is reflected at the end of the film when Bree is dressed in looser, lighter and more revealing clothing than she has worn throughout the film. She becomes a noticeable waitress at the restaurant where she once was a hidden away dishwasher. In the long shots of her, she walks around the restaurant in a more relaxed manner, no longer in an overly upright way. It shows how she is no longer avoiding people but is more comfortable within herself. Although she has a new sense of confidence, her actions indicate that she plays another role in ongoing performativity. The ending of the film represents a positive outcome as well as a positive representation of transsexual experience. This is the perfect film to begin discussions on gender fluidity for young and more mature audiences. Although transphobia and gender violence are still a reality, they are not the only reality of transgendered individuals. This film portrays a positive discourse of trans-existence that was not fully explored or appreciated academically at the time of its release.
The body is able to express a great deal about the individual who inhabits it. Film has created a space from which the viewer can deduce meanings about a character by analysing the iconography. In Transamerica, Bree's body is expressive of her inner workings. Although she chooses to strategically align to binaries, she still represents the complex nature of gender and gender expression.
The film also offers a glimpse into some of the spaces in which transgender individuals interact with society. The film works to expose the complex nature of gender and expression, in which a person adheres to or rejects certain performances of that gender. It is when society acknowledges and accepts that sex and gender cannot only be perceived in terms of binaries, and that it exists on a spectrum, that the acceptance of gender-fluid individuals can occur. This film was a forerunner for recent discourse on gender fluidity, the processes and the experiences of transsexual individuals.
The author would like to thank all who have contributed to the publishing of this article. The feedback, conversations and time spent with the author and the writing are greatly appreciated.
The author declares that she has no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced her in writing this article.
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Amy Jensen
20360150@nwu.ac.za
Received: 04 Nov. 2016
Accepted: 14 Feb. 2018
1 . The actress who plays the protagonist won a Golden Globe, an Independent Spirit, an award from the National Board of Review and an award from the International Press Academy (Greenblatt 2006).
2 . Jenner has been fiercely criticised by the transgender community for various reasons, from her privileged position as a wealthy, white woman to her vote for Donald Trump as president.
3 . Brokeback Mountain (Lee 2005) deals with similar gender violence against gay men and was better received in academia than Transamerica, although the films were released in the same year. It is interesting to note that academics did not pay much attention to a film that breaks away from romantic love against the backdrop of violence.
Postnet Suite #110, Private Bag X19, Durbanville, Western Cape Province, ZA, 7551,

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Between celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome: the "no man's land" of gluten sensitivity
Am J Gastroenterol. 2009 Jun;104(6):1587-94. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2009.188.
Elena F Verdu 1 , David Armstrong, Joseph A Murray
1 Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2009.188
The repertoire of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms is finite; however, the etiologies and mechanisms underlying symptom generation and perception are diverse and, in many cases, unknown. This review examines the clinical and experimental evidence exploring the putative relationship between gluten sensitivity (GS) and the generation of GI symptoms. It explores the hypothesis that, in a proportion of patients, GS causes functional bowel disorder (FBD)-like symptoms. We propose a model for investigating and understanding the induction of GI symptoms and dysfunction by gluten in FBD and organic disease. We hypothesize that, even in the absence of fully developed celiac disease, gluten can induce symptoms similar to FBD. We discuss the hypothesis that GS and post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) provide two triggers that can explain at least part of the spectrum that constitutes IBS, further advancing an understanding of the role of mucosal responses to luminal factors in FBDs. We propose that the animal model of GS in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)- DQ8 mice allows investigation of mucosal pathophysiological changes that occur before the onset of full-blown inflammation in a GS host. A better understanding of how gluten can cause symptoms in sensitive individuals will illuminate the interaction between host genotype, diet, and intestinal microbiota in generating one of the most common GI conditions.
Celiac Disease / etiology*
Glutens / adverse effects*
Irritable Bowel Syndrome / etiology*
Glutens
R01 DK057892/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States


In this lesson, you learn the value of constructively critiquing the interviews that you conduct to spot weaknesses and other difficulties that may need to be corrected.
The price of building and maintaining good interviewing skills and techniques is eternal vigilance. After each round of interviews, it helps to take a few minutes to critique the interview process to detect what went right and what may need improvement.
Here's a checklist covering each of the major tasks involved in the interview process. Use it to help spot weak areas and to reinforce strengths.
A thorough analysis of the vacant position was performed, and mandatory success factors were identified.