Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Tasi Zuriack, Rest in Peace

I received reports that Sister House founder, Tasi Zuriack, died.

Tasi was a woman after my own heart and we exchanged many emails over the years. She wrote to me once, "My feeling is if you want to look like a woman, then you better know how the fashionable ones look." Her website reflected that opinion as she tried to educate girls like us how to become women like her.

I will miss Tasi. Her death leaves a big gap in the world of femulators.

* * *

Tasi's death reminds me of how important the Internet has become to femulators. Trans-sister, Jenn, addressed this very topic in a recent email exchange.

"Over the years, we have seen such a great improvement in access to information about our 'condition.' (Sorry for such a clinical term, but I just don’t quite know what else to call it as an all-inclusive reference to those who despite having male genitals wear female clothing.)

"I’m a few years older than you and remember at a very young age going through the card catalog at my library for references to 'Transvestism.' Precious little was available then in my small home town library. I’d have been too afraid to actually request any of the books I found anyway. Those librarians were very imposing to a young femulator.

"Fast-forward to the dawn of the Internet and its precursors the bulletin boards, which later transitioned into services like AOL and CompuServe. I remember many hours using a 14.4-baud modem accessing various sources of information. And, wonder of wonders, actual pictures of similarly situated individuals.

"From those and the subsequent explosion of resources available on the Internet, we now have a huge knowledge base from which to improve our presentation. So, it seems that the Internet has greatly benefited us all in both our understanding of the condition and for our actual presentation.

"We all learn from each other and hopefully, we can teach 'outsiders' as well."




Source: Venus
Wearing Venus (Source: Venus)




Source: Pinterest
A recent womanless beauty pageant contestant and her proud family. (Source: Pinterest)

9 comments:

  1. I still have emails in my inbox from Tasi. A very sad day, indeed.

    Kandi Robbins

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  2. Ohhh how this rang a bell with me
    "remember at a very young age going through the card catalog at my library for references to 'Transvestism.' Precious little was available then in my small home town library. I’d have been too afraid to actually request any of the books I found anyway. Those librarians were very imposing to a young femulator."
    And often times ALL who frequented the library knew that anyone who was frequenting that area of the library where they stacked those books (most at the time were Psychology books dealing with homosexuality)was "different".
    I did not know Tasia but she sounds to be a power house so similar to you, so I feel as if the torch has been past on to not just you but all of us!

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  3. Tasi joined us at the CES chapter of Tri-Ess in Baltimore for a while, prior to setting up a chapter of her own in the Shenandoah region of Virginia. Then she moved west, retired and moved to Mexico. She was a remarkable and focused woman who wanted to support us all, wherever we were. We are all the richer for having known her.

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  4. I too knew Tasi from the days when she lived in NOVA, and belonged to CES. I thought highly of her, as she was a pioneer in helping others, being really interested in others, not just as a cover for starting support groups and then doing nothing for you. We kept in touch fairly regular, and the last time I "spoke" with her was after the hurricane that hit her peninsula in Mexico. I have a great number of fond memories if Tasi. We will all feel a sad loss for her departure. RIP Tasi. Shana Roberts, Baltimore

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  5. I can relate with Tasi about finding reference material -- I graduated from High School in 1959. My pint-sized library in suburban DC barely had enough material to support a school report, much less "transvestism" or "eonism" or any of the other names associated with our community. But when I found my way to The Library of Congress, it was a different story. There was LOTS of material. I had to go to a special reading room and the material could not be checked out, but at least it was there. You should have seen the really cold and creepy looks I got when the material was delivered to me. Brrrrrrrr.

    I wonder how different so many of our lives might have been if we had access to the internet "back in the day". Don't know if I would have transitioned, but I'm willing to guess I'd be a lot more adept with my makeup and presentation.

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  6. Julie M ShawJanuary 03, 2019

    I only recently "met" Tasi. She asked to use a few of my photos in a couple of articles in Sister House, as well as used one for her Christmas banner.
    She was doing a good work, hopefully the mantle will be taken up by others.
    Prayers are with her friends and family.

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  7. Tasi was a one of a kind special person who touched many lives. She was admired by all and loved by many and she will be missed.

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  8. I'll add to this growing list, my condolences to the family at this sad time. They are in my thoughts and prayers. May she R.I.P. She will be missed...

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  9. Barbara Van HornJanuary 05, 2019

    I remember interviewing Tasi when she moved to NOVA and joined the Baltimore Chapter (CES) of Tri-Ess. Her enthusiasm and leadership were apparent right from the start. Her presentation advanced quickly, and she became a fashion maven extraordinaire. Sister House was a beautiful testimony of her love for her sisters. I will miss her very much.

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