As a group, we probably take more photos of ourselves than most (all?) other groups. On the other hand, most of us keep all those photos under wraps for our self-gratification. (Adds a new dimension to the word “selfie.”)
As a blogger writing about crossdressing, I receive emails with photo attachments from other crossdressers. More often than not, the emailers ask me not to share their photos here or anywhere else. Some of these folks are closeted and don’t want any exposure of their feminine persona. While some are not so closeted, but still want to limit their exposure.
I am sympathetic. I took as many photos of myself as any other crossdresser, but I was loathe to allow someone else to take my photo for their own collection. (Who knew where my photos might show up?) However, the more I got out among the civilians, the less discreet I was about my photographed image.
I wear eyeglasses in boy mode, but usually chuck the glasses in girl mode. One day, browsing the racks at Macy’s, I encountered a female co-worker and she did not recognize the boy without glasses under the female finery. So I was convinced that I did not have to worry about someone making the connection between my male and female identities.
I often posted my image in the blog. And when I received a Special Achievement Award at the world’s biggest ham radio convention and was asked to submit a photo for the convention program, I did not think twice I did not think twice and sent my en femme photo, which appeared in the program for 30,000 convention attendees to see. It was one thing to post my image here for a handful of sister crossdressers to see, but it was another thing to permit 30,000 civilians to see me en femme.
The proverbial cat was out of the bag! But it was liberating and one less thing to worry about.
 |
| Wearing Ann Taylor |
 |
| Elijah Wood, drummer (not actor) |
The image on the camera screen is not that of either woman wearing an LBD nor is it a selfie. What is the photographer photographing?
ReplyDeleteGood eye catching that!! 🤔
DeleteHow can you tell who the Femulator is at the family reunion?
ReplyDeleteThey’re the only person there who knows how to operate the self timer on the camera
I remember when I started taking pictures I was very protective posting those first pictures and getting comments was exciting and also fearful, it eventually got to a point where I didn’t care anymore just like the 30,000 people at Hamvention it became liberating to get my photos out there And if you read the words to Bruce Springsteen song “Stolen Car” down below, sometimes I wish that would just get caught or outed as we say in our vernacular Paula G
Yes, the song down below was always very relatable to me as a woman going out into the world. What was I doing out there? Why was I doing it? Sometimes I wish I would get caught but I never do and I return to do it again I’m just driving a stolen car in the pitch black night
Now I'm driving a stolen car on a pitch-black night
And I'm doing my best to make it through
Well I'm just sitting down here at the Stanton light
I wanna get caught but I never do
I knew my thoughts on that song stolen car were a bit too familiar. I actually wrote an article about it for Femulate a while back for those who might be interested. I break apart the song, and how it applies to being transgender Paula G
ReplyDeletehttp://www.femulate.org/2021/08/stolen-car.html
Perhaps I was naieve, but I always thought that if I share a Julie Photo on a site for crossdressers then only crossdressers (and those who adore them) would see it. It never really struck me that doing so would put that photo on line for anyone and everyone to search and find. But then they would have to KNOW who Julie is to specifically search her out. But then . . . .
ReplyDeleteIt goes on and on. I am still hesitant to post a Side By Side comparison of Him and Her, yet Julie has encountered "his" friends in public with no recognition, soooo . . . .
As Diane Rehm often said, "Don't put anything on the internet you would have a problem seeing on the front page of The New York Times tomorrow".
DeleteBrings a whole new meaning to "Man I feel like a woman". Elijah Rocks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ibCAXpg98c
ReplyDeleteYou are so right in that we take lots of pics of our selves! Digital cameras made it possible to do so discreetly! I've sent you a few pics for Femulate over the years, and it's just like you say , being seen by other gender non-conforming people is one thing, but "civilians" quite another! Let's see your ARRL convention award pic! Allison,
ReplyDeleteThe only pictures I ever took of myself were with a Kodak disc camera that had a timer on it. That was before digital cameras. It took all the courage I had to have the film developed. I had no idea how I would be shown. At that time I used a blond wig. I was shaking when I went to pickup the pictures. I kept them for awhile and then destroyed them, lest my family stumble across them if I was killed in an automobile accident. This was in the early 1980's when cross-dressing was not accepted at all.
ReplyDeleteAs I usually do, I tried to find out more about Elijah Wood. As I looked through the photos I saw such attention to detail that I concluded Elijah must be a trans woman. Poking around into other links I found out she is, indeed, mid-20s transgender woman. She has a "Go Fund Me" link to help with her transition expenses. She's a gorgeous woman, isn't she?
ReplyDeleteI used to have a thumb drive with dozens of self timer photos of me dressed enfemme that was a blessing and a curse. I enjoyed looking (in secret) at the various outfits I put together, but was so terrified someone may find it that I tossed it during a purge. I know I have a few photos hidden in a file, but oh how I would love to see some of those other photos. Better safe than sorry, so they'll live in my memory.
ReplyDeleteElijah seems to be going by Ellie now. And I don't know if it's real or not, but there's a gofundme page for her GRS.
ReplyDelete