Melons and carrots

>> Transgendered vegan is
comfortable with her sexuality
and eats guilt free

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Elle Ryker

Age: 32

Occupation: Performer/vegan guide

Bio: This philosophically inclined Lachine heartbreaker grew up alongside “cows, dogs and chickens” in rural New Brunswick, arriving in Montreal just four years ago, “dropped off on the corner of St-Lawrence and Ste-Catherine with only a suitcase and $400 in my pocket.” A recently ordained minister with the non-denominational Universal Life Church, Elle, a Taoist who proudly sports both a penis and a damn fine set of tits, turned to veganism in 1994 primarily out of spiritual concerns. She’s now offering vegan workshops, where, among other things, “I’ll show you how to make easy gourmet meals with just a pot and pan,” and currently labours at a customer service job for a major telecommunications company. Contact her at elle.ryker@gmail.com to book your very own vegan workshop.

One good reason to consider going vegan: “Well, my husband, we’ve been married for almost a year now, he stopped eating meat and lost 60 pounds—and he eats constantly.”

Was he 450 pounds to begin with? “No, he weighs about 140 now, looks amazing and is very healthy.”

Another good reason to go vegan: “Outside of the fact that nothing is dying for my food, I’m not eating any hormones—well, outside of the ones prescribed to me by my doctor, but those are vegan anyway.”

When she first came to recognize her sexuality, did she go, “Ah great, now I’m gonna have to go through life being perceived as a freak by a great number of people,” or was it more of a liberating-type thing? “No, I was raised to be proud of who I am and do what came natural to me. I never worried about it much, although I realize it’s a huge deal for other [transgendered] people, worrying about how society is going to treat them. The hardest thing is changing jobs, there’s always anxiety at first wondering how people will react or if there’s going to be some idiots in the group that are going to… well, you know. Actually, half the people I work with don’t even realize I’m transgendered, they just think I’ve got some kind of hormonal imbalance.”

Have societal attitudes towards transgendered people improved in recent years? “Oh definitely! I can’t even imagine being able to work in the general workforce like I do now—not even five years ago. That’s why so many transgendered people work as escorts and in those types of jobs.”

Has she any plans to go the whole nine yards and chop off her peepee? “I’ve thought about it. But at the same time, I kind of like my body the way it is. You kind of grow attached to certain things.”

Given all the hormones she’s taking, can she still get a boner? “The doctors told me this could be a problem but it hasn’t been an issue at all, fortunately.”

Something else she does: A burlesque show at Café Cleopatra once every month.

Last book read: Journey to Ixtlan by Carlos Castaneda.

Musical preferences: Against Me, Nirvana.

Words of wisdom: “The past is the past, leave it there and move joyously forward with the lessons that it’s taught you.”

Comments: Dimwit@openface.ca