www.ambientes.us MAY / MAYO 2006
MARK’S TRANSITION
The Mirror Makes No Sense: New Memoir Explores
Transgender Issues from Author’s Personal Experience
By Herb Sosa
“ Transsexuality has been around since the beginning of time,
we were once prized possessions of the tribes, our gifts were
of grand multitude. We are still the same, its our world around
us that has changed. My plan is to turn back the time, when
transsexuals were considered magic incarnate, two souls,
shamans and healers.� – Mark Cummings
This autobiographical book reveals the personal story of a man who
has made the necessary changes to match his body to his heart and
mind. Born biologically female, Mark Angelo Cummings struggled
with his gender identity for as long as he can remember. The Mirror
Makes No Sense traces Marks life and struggles, starting with a
humorous tale of life’s beginnings in the womb to the monumental life-altering decisions he has had to
make in later years. He shares his childhood spent in Cuba as Maritza Delcarmen Perdomo in an abusive
household. Wanting so desperately to please his mother, Cummings tells of suffering both from his own
confusion and the violence within his home.
Thru Marks personal story in this book he takes us on a trail of transgender issues and reveals his account of
useful life guides for both men and women, such as how to “please a woman and satisfy a man� and
brings a message for parents of transgender children of unconditional love.
HS What is the difference between sexuality and gender identity?
MC sexuality is ones sexual preference, the ability to distinguish whom you choose to have a sexual
relationship with. There is a part in the brain that controls that preference or who you are incline to like. While
gender identity is the biological ingrain of the brain that depicts who you are, male or female. The brain is the
true gender marker, the genitals are secondary if all goes well in the process.
HS What is the understanding and climate in the religious community towards transexuality?
MC we are persecuted by all ends. They see us as deviant individuals who do not conform. Ridiculed and
cursed by all, unknowing, our true history and biological make up. The religious right, feel that God does not
make mistakes, my answer to them is, its not Gods fault that some of us are born with birth defects. Its our
own doing, we have polluted our environment with toxins and chemicals that create various birth defects. If a
child is born with a cleft lip, a parent does what they can to fix it. So what is the difference, when a child is born
with a mind and body misalignment, should the parent not try to align it? I say to the religious, get it right. God
loves us unconditionally, we are the ones that set the conditions. Stop going by ancient writings, that teach
nothing more than hate, separation, and guilt ridden words that cause death and harm.
HS Mark, why did you choose to share your story with the world, rather than lead a quiet & anonymous new
life?
MC I want to help spread unconditional love, allow my brothers and sisters to feel safe in our world. If we all
hide, no one learns. knowledge is golden, I feel I am Gods vessel, and I am doing Gods work. To spread the
word of love and tolerance, to stop hate and destruction. To help our little Transangels (what I call the many
children that I have come across who are dealing with gender deviance-It’s a term of endearment I made
up to refer to trans children) live a full and productive life.
"This book was made to benefit our world in general. It is a tool to point us in the right direction [so that we
can] learn how to be more loving and unconditional, which is something we all need in a world full of death,
hate and judgment. I welcome you to the mirror. I challenge you to look at your reflection and see if it makes
sense." – Mark Cummings
HS Tell me about your wife, and how you met. What was her part in your transition?
MC Violet has been a constant in my life, I will be forever grateful for her true unconditional Love. We met at
Bally’s, I was still a female, very masculine at the time, but none the less, still a female. She became
intrigued by me, and we became friends. One thing led to another, we fell in love, and the rest is history.
People keep asking her if she is a lesbian, again, we must label everything, or we are not happy. Love knows
no color or gender, there is no rules to its expression. Violet has always been with men, but her open heart
and mind allowed her to see the true me. There is a lesson to be learned from her.
HS Are you currently married? Was this a legal challenge? (tell me about when you married – as Maritza or
Mark, and when/how) …Other legal hurdles in this kind of transition.
MC yes we are legally married, I am legally a male. Once you get your surgeries and that affidavit in your
hands, all your documents change. We actually have two anniversaries. We had a ceremony in the keys
when I was still Maritza, then we had our legal marriage after all my paper work was complete. There are
plenty of hurdles, first of all the right hand knows not what the left hand is doing. That means, the clerks
working for our wonderful system, need to be educated on the process. After much paper shuffling, all paper
work was approved.
HS Do you currently have a relationship with your family? What is it like?
MC My family has not been very supportive, if at all. My mother is in denial, and cannot accept my transition.
She is embarrassed by me. My siblings have a hard time with it as well. They feel I am a stranger. Heck, I
look in the mirror, and I can barely recognize myself. Don't get me wrong, the mirror makes plenty sense now,
but it is an amazing transformation, like night and day. I become mesmerized by my reflection. My father has
been the only accepting and loving force, after my transition. To tell you the truth, it surprised me, I thought, he
out of all, would disown me. It’s a shame, I love my family very much, I crave my mother love and
approval. I think the force that drives me to do what I am doing, as far as advocating goes, is to make sure
that other parents understand and love their child no matter what.
HS What was/is the single most difficult part of your transition (physical change/psychological/ social/etc?)
MC The recuperation phase was the hardest. There is pain and discomfort involved. Learning to be a man
was challenging, something no one taught me, since I was always pushed to be a girl. The bathroom, was a
place of terror in the beginning of my transition. The fear of not passing, being sought out.
HS What does the future hold for you and your wife/family/work/etc?
MC Our goal is to continue educating the world on trans issues. I am in the works of possibly making a film
with my life story. I would love to open safe havens for teenage trans kids who are displaced from their home,
give them a place to feel safe and loved. Help them cultivate their gift. I want to help transgender individuals
learn to love themselves, to realize there is no need to hide. I want to create tolerance, and eliminate hate
crimes and suicide.
HS What do you see today in the mirror?
MC A strong loving man. A man with a need to share his experience in order to help others bring light to their
life. The reflection is right now. I like and love who I see. Something I knew nothing about in the past.
“We possessed the ability to give the blessings of the Gods and spirits, and were considered great
companions, lovers and teachers. We have much to give and add to this world and those who love us. Our
brains and central nervous systems have been developed differently from the norm, this is due in part, to a
mix up in hormones and receptors allocated in the wrong order. This created gender and body misalignment.
This is a birth defect, a hormonal imbalance, where the buy product is, a mind that feels one way, and a body
that forms into another� - Mark Cummings
The owner of Bodies Under Construction Inc., Cummings has helped many "transform their bodies and
souls." The Mirror Makes No Sense is his first book. For more information, visit www.
bodiesunderconstructiononline.com.
AuthorHouse is the premier publishing house for emerging authors and new voices in literature. For more
information, please visit www.authorhouse.com
The Mirror Makes No Sense book signing, presentation and open forum
Wednesday, May 24th at Barnes & Noble in the Loehmanns' Plaza 18711 NE Biscayne Blvd. in Aventura,
Florida at 6:30pm
Copyright © Herb Sosa & AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing these sources.
MARK’S TRANSITION
The Mirror Makes No Sense: New Memoir Explores
Transgender Issues from Author’s Personal Experience
By Herb Sosa
“ Transsexuality has been around since the beginning of time,
we were once prized possessions of the tribes, our gifts were
of grand multitude. We are still the same, its our world around
us that has changed. My plan is to turn back the time, when
transsexuals were considered magic incarnate, two souls,
shamans and healers.� – Mark Cummings
This autobiographical book reveals the personal story of a man who
has made the necessary changes to match his body to his heart and
mind. Born biologically female, Mark Angelo Cummings struggled
with his gender identity for as long as he can remember. The Mirror
Makes No Sense traces Marks life and struggles, starting with a
humorous tale of life’s beginnings in the womb to the monumental life-altering decisions he has had to
make in later years. He shares his childhood spent in Cuba as Maritza Delcarmen Perdomo in an abusive
household. Wanting so desperately to please his mother, Cummings tells of suffering both from his own
confusion and the violence within his home.
Thru Marks personal story in this book he takes us on a trail of transgender issues and reveals his account of
useful life guides for both men and women, such as how to “please a woman and satisfy a man� and
brings a message for parents of transgender children of unconditional love.
HS What is the difference between sexuality and gender identity?
MC sexuality is ones sexual preference, the ability to distinguish whom you choose to have a sexual
relationship with. There is a part in the brain that controls that preference or who you are incline to like. While
gender identity is the biological ingrain of the brain that depicts who you are, male or female. The brain is the
true gender marker, the genitals are secondary if all goes well in the process.
HS What is the understanding and climate in the religious community towards transexuality?
MC we are persecuted by all ends. They see us as deviant individuals who do not conform. Ridiculed and
cursed by all, unknowing, our true history and biological make up. The religious right, feel that God does not
make mistakes, my answer to them is, its not Gods fault that some of us are born with birth defects. Its our
own doing, we have polluted our environment with toxins and chemicals that create various birth defects. If a
child is born with a cleft lip, a parent does what they can to fix it. So what is the difference, when a child is born
with a mind and body misalignment, should the parent not try to align it? I say to the religious, get it right. God
loves us unconditionally, we are the ones that set the conditions. Stop going by ancient writings, that teach
nothing more than hate, separation, and guilt ridden words that cause death and harm.
HS Mark, why did you choose to share your story with the world, rather than lead a quiet & anonymous new
life?
MC I want to help spread unconditional love, allow my brothers and sisters to feel safe in our world. If we all
hide, no one learns. knowledge is golden, I feel I am Gods vessel, and I am doing Gods work. To spread the
word of love and tolerance, to stop hate and destruction. To help our little Transangels (what I call the many
children that I have come across who are dealing with gender deviance-It’s a term of endearment I made
up to refer to trans children) live a full and productive life.
"This book was made to benefit our world in general. It is a tool to point us in the right direction [so that we
can] learn how to be more loving and unconditional, which is something we all need in a world full of death,
hate and judgment. I welcome you to the mirror. I challenge you to look at your reflection and see if it makes
sense." – Mark Cummings
HS Tell me about your wife, and how you met. What was her part in your transition?
MC Violet has been a constant in my life, I will be forever grateful for her true unconditional Love. We met at
Bally’s, I was still a female, very masculine at the time, but none the less, still a female. She became
intrigued by me, and we became friends. One thing led to another, we fell in love, and the rest is history.
People keep asking her if she is a lesbian, again, we must label everything, or we are not happy. Love knows
no color or gender, there is no rules to its expression. Violet has always been with men, but her open heart
and mind allowed her to see the true me. There is a lesson to be learned from her.
HS Are you currently married? Was this a legal challenge? (tell me about when you married – as Maritza or
Mark, and when/how) …Other legal hurdles in this kind of transition.
MC yes we are legally married, I am legally a male. Once you get your surgeries and that affidavit in your
hands, all your documents change. We actually have two anniversaries. We had a ceremony in the keys
when I was still Maritza, then we had our legal marriage after all my paper work was complete. There are
plenty of hurdles, first of all the right hand knows not what the left hand is doing. That means, the clerks
working for our wonderful system, need to be educated on the process. After much paper shuffling, all paper
work was approved.
HS Do you currently have a relationship with your family? What is it like?
MC My family has not been very supportive, if at all. My mother is in denial, and cannot accept my transition.
She is embarrassed by me. My siblings have a hard time with it as well. They feel I am a stranger. Heck, I
look in the mirror, and I can barely recognize myself. Don't get me wrong, the mirror makes plenty sense now,
but it is an amazing transformation, like night and day. I become mesmerized by my reflection. My father has
been the only accepting and loving force, after my transition. To tell you the truth, it surprised me, I thought, he
out of all, would disown me. It’s a shame, I love my family very much, I crave my mother love and
approval. I think the force that drives me to do what I am doing, as far as advocating goes, is to make sure
that other parents understand and love their child no matter what.
HS What was/is the single most difficult part of your transition (physical change/psychological/ social/etc?)
MC The recuperation phase was the hardest. There is pain and discomfort involved. Learning to be a man
was challenging, something no one taught me, since I was always pushed to be a girl. The bathroom, was a
place of terror in the beginning of my transition. The fear of not passing, being sought out.
HS What does the future hold for you and your wife/family/work/etc?
MC Our goal is to continue educating the world on trans issues. I am in the works of possibly making a film
with my life story. I would love to open safe havens for teenage trans kids who are displaced from their home,
give them a place to feel safe and loved. Help them cultivate their gift. I want to help transgender individuals
learn to love themselves, to realize there is no need to hide. I want to create tolerance, and eliminate hate
crimes and suicide.
HS What do you see today in the mirror?
MC A strong loving man. A man with a need to share his experience in order to help others bring light to their
life. The reflection is right now. I like and love who I see. Something I knew nothing about in the past.
“We possessed the ability to give the blessings of the Gods and spirits, and were considered great
companions, lovers and teachers. We have much to give and add to this world and those who love us. Our
brains and central nervous systems have been developed differently from the norm, this is due in part, to a
mix up in hormones and receptors allocated in the wrong order. This created gender and body misalignment.
This is a birth defect, a hormonal imbalance, where the buy product is, a mind that feels one way, and a body
that forms into another� - Mark Cummings
The owner of Bodies Under Construction Inc., Cummings has helped many "transform their bodies and
souls." The Mirror Makes No Sense is his first book. For more information, visit www.
bodiesunderconstructiononline.com.
AuthorHouse is the premier publishing house for emerging authors and new voices in literature. For more
information, please visit www.authorhouse.com
The Mirror Makes No Sense book signing, presentation and open forum
Wednesday, May 24th at Barnes & Noble in the Loehmanns' Plaza 18711 NE Biscayne Blvd. in Aventura,
Florida at 6:30pm
Copyright © Herb Sosa & AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing these sources.
