pristina!

Hi. I'm Tina Dee Taylor. Thanks for stopping by. This is Pristina! - the first planet in the galaxy of my personal pages. I am a transgendered artist living in the city of Los Angeles. I don't much care for labels, but one way to describe myself is that I am a transsexual. Trans is a Latin root word meaning "across." If you're unfamiliar with transgendered people, one way to think of us is that we move "across genders."

I am in love with creative expression. I enjoy experiencing expressions of creativity in many different forms. Among other things, I love to paint and to write. I have appeared in about twenty small independent films (as a male) and I enjoy the challenge that is character exploration. I'm fortunate in that I have managed to keep my sense of wonder alive and I draw upon it constantly for inspiration.

I am fortunate in that I get to experience life from both perspectives. For me, it's not only interesting, but very stimulating and rewarding at the same time. There is such value in absorbing experiences from different perspectives. It brings with it a greater understanding of one's self, the world, and the people in it. If the world needs anything, it's greater understanding. Like the Berdache, I consider myself to be two-souled. The Berdache were held in high regard by their tribes. They were the advisors, priests, and shaman. They were believed to be special gifts from God. Unfortunately, the Europeans had their own misguided ideas and put many Berdache to death. For me, this part of history and my heritage rings true insofar as the birthright is concerned. I have embraced the two-souled legacy for myself. Many spiritual connections that I had felt since I was a child, but could not quite articulate, have been illuminated for me now. Is is a spiritual connection that goes beyond what mere words can describe..

I am part Native American. Years ago, before the Europeans came to this country many of the Native American tribes had names to describe people like me, such as Alyha. The Europeans called us Berdache. The Berdache were able to transition between the two gender roles and were thought to be a third sex. They could see and experience life from both gender perspectives. For a lot of transgendered people, such a description will likely strike a chord because it helps to explain how we feel about ourselves. So many of us know deep down that there is something different about us, something that's hard to pinpoint. Many go through their entire lives without exploring or identifying what this essence is or how to embrace it. My heart goes out to them. I spent many years trying to figure myself out and at times I denied my gifts. Today I release them in expressions of art on all levels. This makes my soul happy.

I am in love with the female form and all that it represents. I love meeting all kinds of people. I am a master of voices and accents and I've used that talent in some of the films in which I have appeared. I love to observe people, to people watch. I am a chameleon and I love reflecting what I perceive in other people, especially when it results in laughter (I can be silly to a fault). That said, I try to be as down to earth as I can be and I enjoy the same in others. I don't care for many of the stereotypical labels that people tend to associate with people like me. For me, there is a much deeper connection to my feelings than a simple label can describe. That connection goes straight to the heart of who I am and shapes my essence as a person. If you can't grasp any of this just yet, no worries. We'll talk more about labels, society and the "hive mind" in the coming pages. My hope and goal for this website is to inform and enlighten others beyond that which we may have been taught to believe. My studies in recent years in the fields of drama, Buddhism and Kabbalah have helped me to break through the illusory curtain that had been draped over my live. Intelligent and sincere people, feel free to email me.

::::Heritage::::

::: Viewpoints :::

::: Identity :::

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One of the words that people use to describe me is deep. I love music, independent and foreign film, theatre, red wine, the ocean, and spiritual exploration. I have a great appetite for laughter and I enjoy spending my time with like-minded individuals. As you explore this part of my site, you'll find pictures, thoughts and experiences that I've chosen to share with those who visit this little galaxy of mine.

The site was originally constructed to help, share with and inspire others in the tg community. My hope was to give back in some way to those who had initially inspired me, and at the same time, perhaps shed some light on what can be a somewhat inexplicable and/or enigmatic lifestyle, at least in the minds of some. The stigma that is attached to tg's is primarily a result of a lack of information. Maybe we can help to change that.