From 2009 until 2014, there was a television show called Drop Dead Diva. It centered around a conceited model, Deb, who died at the same moment as a plus sized lawyer, Jane, and Deb comes back to life in Jane's body. Deb was engaged to a lawyer named Grayson who recently was hired at the law firm art wish Jane worked. There's an episode in the second season where lawyers Kim and Grayson take on a case for a woman named Allison because the in-laws of her recently deceased wife, Melanie, were suing her for their daughter's earthly possessions, including Allison's home. A simple civil union case, right? No, Allison identified as male when she married Melanie. (Allison is played by Candis Cayne, a real life mtf.) Melanie was with Allison through her transition and supported and loved her until the day she died. After Grayson finds out that Allison is transgender, he is extremely uncomfortable. He couldn't even figure out what gender to put Allison under in his mind. He tells Kim that he wants off the case. Kim says no. She says she needs him on the case, and if he's uncomfortable about it then he should just keep his mouth shut. The case drags on. Lawyers are fighting about legalities. Allison was legally married to Melanie as a "male", but being a woman makes it so she is not counted as the spouse. You get the gist of this. The case ends, ruling in favor of Allison. Melanie's mother is furious. Melanie's father asks to speak with Allison. He and his wife had turned their backs on Melanie. He deeply regretted it. He lost his daughter for good. Allison agrees to speak with him. He tells her that he never saw eye to eye about the whole thing involving Melanie. He thanks Allison for giving his daughter a happy and loving life. He also asks Allison to accept a pocket watch that was his mother's. He was planning on giving it Melanie, but now wanted her have it. She tells him she'll never take off Grayson is having conversation with Jane about the case later on. Grayson: You know, I'm happy for Allison. Love conquered all. Jane:You really believe in that, don't you? Grayson: Allison became a woman, and Melanie still loved her. Their connection transcended their physical bodies. It's the definition of soul mates. In the end, Grayson got it. He realized it wasn't the body. It wasn't the gender. Melanie's father got too. As a transgender male, or ftm, this episode really hit home for me. Because it's not just my mind that male. It also my soul. People find transgenders mentally ill, sick, twisted, an abomination. We're not. We're simply souls that wish be united with our bodies. If could into the soul of person, rather than the outside, nothing like this would matter. Just beautiful thing to think about.
