Lee Davy shares an op-ed based on his experience of playing poker with a transgender, and Doyle Brunson’s outspoken reaction to Bruce Jenner’s decision to become a woman.

I recently played poker with someone who is transgender. At least I think I did? I liked it. It piqued my curiosity. I’m not a cat. I’m the kid who stared at his Grandmothers moustache.

I grew up in a little mining village. Asian people worked in restaurants, Indian people ran corner shops, and there was only one black man in the whole village. I don’t know what he did? I don’t even know if I am allowed to call him black?

Then there was the kid who was not really Chinese, and not really white. He was a bit of an oddity. His name was Lee.

I know a bit about being the kernel in the popcorn. So forgive my fascination when a woman who looks like a man, but is a woman at heart, and a man in physical appearance, sits down at my poker table and starts kicking ass.

She sat down and everything changed. There was an awkwardness at the table. It wasn’t there before. There was confusion during a hand. Somebody called her him by mistake. Cheeks reddened. Hope that the male vernacular had not passed those pearl earrings not doing enough to fan the flames.

For several hours prior to this young woman taking her seat, some of the players were saying the word ‘ladies’ each time a pair of queens was shown to the table. The tone of the word was queer. Someone uttered it once, after the young woman sat down. Once again blusher was applied. I never heard it muttered again.