Muammar Al Khadafi

The Caroline I'm speaking of who is having a birthday today is British born trans woman Caroline Cossey. 

She broke ground as a fashion model, author, Bond Girl and Playboy magazine centerfold    She also fought for trans marriage rights in her native country winning in 1989 and losing on British government appeal in September 1990 her case in the European Court of Human Rights..



She was also one of the people who turned the light bulb on for me in the 70's.  Seeing her story in the news helped me begin to define and realize I was trans and it was possible to make something happen to rectify the situation.   

She's happily married these days and living on our side of The Pond and hope she has a blessed low stress birthday.

Today is the 93rd birthday of former South African President Nelson Mandela, and it is also the second observance of UN Nelson Mandela International Day. 

It was officially declared by the United Nations General Assembly in November 2009, with the first official UN celebration of it occurring on his July 18 birthday last year.   There were other groups that celebrated it on July 18, 2009. 

Here's a videotaped message from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about today.



UN Mandela Day is basically an international call to action that celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world and make an impact. 

They ask that people take 67 minutes out of their day, equivalent to the 67 years that Mandela fought for social justice.   And to borrow from the statement that was issued for this day on behalf of Mandela, "do something to bring people around the world together to help fight poverty, promote peace and reconciliation."

Happy birthday Madiba, and let's get busy changing the world.