Happy Birthday, April Ashley

Remember April Ashley?

I do and yesterday was April Ashley’s birthday. Although it is a belated greeting, I would be remiss in not sending birthday wishes to the woman who amazed me with her beauty at a time when I was just starting to recognize my femininity and thinking about emulating females like her.

“Maybe I could be an April Ashley, too,” I thought.

I femulated whenever I could, that is, whenever I was home alone. I explored my mother's and sister's wardrobes and learned all about women's fashions. I experimented with my sister's makeup trying to look like a pretty young lady just like April Ashley.

My femulations were closeted during my teenaged years. But even though I was deep in the closet, I worked hard to perfect my female presentation. I was not sure where I was going with it, but I wanted to be the best woman I could be.

In my early twenties, when I finally broke out of the closet dressed to the nines to attend a Halloween party, my hard work was affirmed when I heard one guest ask another guest while referring to me, "Who is the woman not wearing a costume?"

I did not succeed at becoming April Ashley. Instead, I succeeded at becoming my own woman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Womanless beauty pageant contestant femulating Katie Holmes (left). Wearing Spiegel (right)