Ok, listen to this one.  Tonight there's a march in the center against "transphobia".  That's the fear of transgender people.  Really.  Look it up.  There are so many questions here.  First, how many transgender people can there possibly be to make this an issue.  In order to have a fear of something, don't you need to have been exposed to it?  I can't believe most people would know a transgender if they saw one.  If I didn't know any better, I'd think Chaz Bono was just a chubby man with a rather sweet, child-like face!  Second, this is Italy, where in general, people are very tolerant. Not because of a great deal of openness but because Italians tend to be a very egotistical population. Most couldn't care less what the next person is doing unless it interferes with their own lives.  So I really doubt transgenders have been persecuted here.  And third, Transphobia?  They actually made up a word for people afraid of someone who's changed sexes?  Weird.
 
 The Vatican has to be involved with this.  The church no longer holds much sway with the common folk, but as they fund their favorite politicians, they do have influence in the government.  So the church must be pushing for some law against Transgender rights or something.  The biggest deterrent for me would be all the red tape you'd have to go through to get your sex changed on all of your Italian documents.  Legally you can't even change your name here. They don't care if mom named you Prudence Picklebutt.  If it's been documented on your birth certificate, your name is there to stay.  I can't imagine how long it would take to get all the paperwork settled if you had to change your sex on your license, passport, ID card, healthcare card.... . 

Thursday is Thanksgiving and we are attending a dinner at the school put on by the Alumni Association.  I'll report in on Friday.  xxoo me