And so it begins...

Trump Preparing Executive Order To Declare There Are Only 2 ‘Not Changeable’ Sexes

President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order that will declare it is official U.S. policy that there are only two sexes, an incoming White House official told reporters Monday.

“It’s a policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female, these are sexes that are not changeable, and they are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality,” the official said about the order, noting that its purpose is “defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government.”

In practice, this means that the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security will only issue passports and visas with either the male or female indicators, and that the federal government will not provide funds, grants or contracts to any group or individual “promoting gender ideology.”

The new order will also ban taxpayer funds from being used for gender-affirming care. This became a big issue in the 2024 general election, when the Trump campaign spent millions of dollars on anti-trans ads, including one about Kamala Harris supporting the federal government paying for gender-affirming surgeries for incarcerated people. The government pays for the health care of everyone who is in a federal prison.

The attorney general will ensure that this executive order will protect the rights of people who have been asked to use preferred pronouns and believe that’s a violation of their freedom of speech and religion, the official said on the call.

Issuing such an executive order as one of his first official moves is a culmination of years of the right being laser-focussed on transgender people in the United States. Through fearmongering about health care for trans people, legislating which bathrooms trans people can use, banning books in classrooms and libraries, and conflating the LGBTQ+ community with sexual abusers, erasing trans people from public life has become one of the biggest priorities for Republicans.

(Source: Huffpost)

Stuff 55: Far Out?

By J.J. Atwell

No, that’s not a throwback to that 60’s phrase. In this case, I’m talking about being further out of the closet than just group meetings. Let me explain a bit more. 

I’ve actually only been going out as my girl self for about three years. I started by joining a local CD group that held meetings in a private, secure location. Even at that, the prospect of stepping out of the house as JJ was daunting. The whole time I was driving to that first meeting I was wondering if other drivers noticed me. I was literally sweating and shaking. 

It Gets Better

Like many things, the more you do it the easier it gets. That leads to doing more than just going to a meeting in a secure location. Soon it leads to going out to a restaurant as part of a girls’ night out with the group. It’s out, but still a safe environment. No doubt the group has checked out the location ahead of time and knows that it’s a safe place for us to visit. 

That then leads to an outing that might be in a really public location. Perhaps by going out to see a play. Yes, that’s what happened to JJ. Our group decided to do a GNO at a regional playhouse to see Tootsie, the musical. Of course, we preceded it with dinner at a restaurant that none of us had tried before. Both venues were welcoming and we had no difficulty in either place. Still, as part of group of over a dozen, there was some safety in numbers.

Time to Try Something Different

Recently a couple of CD friends and their SOs thought it would be fun to go to see Some Like it Hot, the musical. The theater is a major venue in the middle of the city. No hiding out there. Time to own it and step out in confidence. The location has a huge lobby where people can see and be seen before the show starts. It also has a congested exit at the end of the show where you are in close contact with other patrons. 

The evening turned out to be really fun. The six of us (three CDs with our SOs) went to a restaurant for dinner beforehand. We’ve all been to that restaurant before and knew it was welcoming to us. We had no adverse reactions with anybody who we interacted with at either place. Throughout the evening, we were universally referred to as ladies. The picture accompanying this post was from that night. I added a red shrug as the weather was on the cool side that night for a more festive outfit. 

Aftermath

At the end of the night, four of us (two CDs and our SOs) returned to our house for a nightcap. Funny thing happened then. Once we got in the house, the SOs decided it was time to get comfortable, which was girl code for taking off their bra. I say funny, because neither of us CDs rushed to take off our bra. For us, we enjoyed extending our girl time before returning to guy mode. One of the SOs was heard to say rhetorically that they wondered why we would want to wear a bra. Of course, we needed to wear a bra or our boobs would fall off. Sigh. 

I’ll Be Back

There will be more Stuff. As always, comments are welcome either here on the blog or by email to Jenn6nov at-sign gmail dot com. JJ is always looking for more stuff, so if there is something you would like to read about please let me know!

Wearing Bebe

Gale Gordon femulating in an episode of television’s Here’s Lucy.

Someday Funnies

 

Time to Economize

Wearing Lafayette 148

The Ricky Ricardo Band femulating on television's I Love Lucy.

Got Holes In Your Head?

By Norah Blucher

Do you have holes in your head? No? Me neither and it creates a fashion dilemma for many of us. 

JJ Atwell recently wrote about New Years resolutions and wanting her ears pierced and I know the feeling of everything she wrote. Clip-on earrings do not come in a huge variety and when you do find a smashing pair, sometimes they just hurt and can only be worn a short while. I’ve thought about piercing my ears for a while now, but until I do, I’m still wearing clip-on earrings as many of you do as well.

After years of looking at fabulous earrings I would love to wear, but could not, I came up with a creative solution to some of the dilemmas of clip-on earrings. I adapt pierced earrings to be clip-ons!

Searching for a pair of clip-on hoops many years ago, I happened upon some ingenious ones that did not utilize a lever clip, as many do, and instead had a sort of spring-loaded plunger. When worn, they sort of looked like they passed completely through your ear with no visible clip. Intrigued, I bought a pair and absolutely loved them! They looked nice and did not have a painful death grip on my ear, but still stayed secure, so I bought more in a few sizes.

My Epiphany

Looking at some earrings in a store one day, I noticed a lot of the dangly ones had a fixed eye loop at the top that a hook attached to. Seeing that some of the eye loops were a little larger than others, I bought them with an idea in mind. Taking them home, I removed the hook, and sure enough, the eye loop slid right onto the hoops I had!

I was absolutely ecstatic! I could now buy earrings that had such an eye loop and wear them with my smaller hoops. I still utilize them just as hoops if I want and do so with the larger pairs, but regularly slip other earrings I like onto the smallest pair and they look quite good. I don’t have many pictures that show my ears a lot, but tried to find some that show how they look with different earrings

What is better though is that they are fairly comfortable to wear all day and hold more weight than I expected. I usually have some hair over my ears and like a bolder earring that will still show. I regularly wear them with my favorite silver and abalone cut-out tear drops that are not light and they work fabulous. So far so good and knock on wood, all-day outings, taking coats and seatbelts on and off or dancing the night away, everything has stayed right where I wanted it to.

Not Quite Perfect

As good as these work, I do find some limitations. To start, the eye loop must be large enough to fit the hoop. The earrings also need to be a bit on the larger side to balance out the look, as a very small earring would look off. It also took me a bit to find the best spot on my ear that did not hurt, but with the design of the hoops, you have more leeway in this regard than a traditional clip-on.

If you go this route, I would also caution you to find ones that are either silver-plated or surgical stainless steel, which are both hypoallergenic. This should cause less irritation and won’t risk turning your ears green or something.

Anyway, loves, I hope you found this helpful and maybe it will open a few doors for you. I love the elegance of a nice long earring and this allows me to utilize some of the more unique ones I find that I would never be able to find as a clip-on. 

Questions or comments are welcome below or email me at nblucher at-sign proton dot me. If you found something that works, please do tell. Inquiring minds want to know!

Wearing Nine West

Paweł Góral femulating Céline Dion on Polish television’s Twoja Twarz Brzmi Znajomo.

Hard Evidence

en tant que mère

Passing is not the be-all and end-all off presenting en femme. Just presenting en femme works for me, but when I pass, it is icing on the cake.

But how does one know when one passes? Unless you are a mind-reader, you never really know unless you have hard evidence.

I recently wrote about being escorted by a police officer at a transgender conference. He was as friendly as could be, did not seem put-out helping me and treated me like a lady. 

But did he really think I was cisgender female? Maybe, maybe not. After all, I was attending a trans conference, so that might have given him a clue as to my birth gender. On the other hand, there were many cisgender females in attendance, so assuming I was trans just because it was a trans conference could have been an erroneous assumption, but without hard evidence, who knows what he assumed.

Many times, I made presentations at an annual conference for LGBTQ youth. At one conference, I arrived early for my presentation and sat down to go over my notes for the presentation. As the room filled up, a 40-something male sat next to me with his trans child in tow. He broke the ice and began conversing with me about the conference. During the conversation, he introduced me to his trans child and then he asked if I was the mother of a trans child and would he or she be attending the presentation.

I smiled and said no, I was not a trans child’s mother, rather I was the presenter for the presentation he was attending.

He was surprised and apologized for his error. I replied that an apology was not necessary and that he had made my day.

Now that’s hard evidence!

Wearing Colette Rose

Femulating actors in the 2014 film Billy Shakespeare.

Today!

The Doorman Knew All Along

By Brenda

Brenda’s heart raced with excitement as her cab pulled up to the charming boutique hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The iconic skyline loomed above her, a perfect backdrop for her one-day escape. She had carefully chosen this hotel for its central location and reputation for discretion and warm hospitality. It was the ideal place for her to embark on a personal journey of self-expression and exploration while on business travel.

The crisp fall air greeted her as the cab door opened and the doorman, a distinguished gentleman in a sharp navy uniform, stepped forward with a warm smile. 

“Welcome, Ma’am,” he said smoothly reaching for her luggage. Brenda, still dressed en homme, returned the greeting politely.

The hotel lobby was as elegant as she had imagined—soaring ceilings, polished marble floors and floral arrangements that added a touch of grandeur. The front desk staff were efficient and courteous, handing her the key to a room on the 12th floor with a genuine smile.

Once inside her room, Brenda let out a contented sigh. It was perfect. The plush king-sized bed seemed to beckon her, the floor-to-ceiling windows offered breathtaking views of the city and the bathroom, with its marble vanity and rain shower, promised a luxurious experience. She had two precious hours to prepare herself before venturing out into the city and she intended to savor every moment of the transformation.

Brenda unpacked her essentials with care, arranging her makeup, wig and accessories on the vanity like tools for an artist’s masterpiece. From her suitcase, she retrieved her outfit for the day: a chic black wool poncho, a Ralph Lauren business suit (a thrift-store treasure), black stockings and her favorite pointy toe Italian boots—perfect for navigating the city’s bustling streets.

She began by stepping into the spacious bathroom and turning on the shower. The room quickly filled with steam as she let the hot water cascade over her, washing away any lingering nerves. Wrapped in the hotel’s plush bathrobe afterward, she felt her excitement build as she prepared for the next step.

At the vanity, Brenda started with her makeup, taking her time to create a flawless look. Primer, foundation and concealer created a smooth canvas, while soft autumnal eyeshadow tones highlighted her eyes. A touch of eyeliner and a generous coat of mascara brought them to life. A rosy blush added warmth to her cheeks, and a cherry-berry lipstick provided the finishing touch.

Next, she styled her wig, brushing it carefully so that it framed her face perfectly. She admired how it transformed her reflection in the mirror, boosting her confidence with each stroke.

Finally, she slipped into her outfit. The business suit hugged her figure just right and the red nails and black stockings added an elegant touch. As she stepped into her boots, she felt an empowering click as they met the floor. She draped the poncho over her shoulders, added simple gold earrings, a bracelet and her favorite chunky necklace. 

After a final spritz of her favorite perfume, Brenda paused to admire herself in the full-length mirror. The reflection staring back at her was poised, confident and radiant. For the first time in a long while, she felt completely at ease in her own skin.

As Brenda stepped into the hotel lobby, the golden morning sunlight streamed through the glass doors, illuminating the polished marble floors. Her poncho billowed slightly as she walked, the rhythmic click of her heels creating a comforting soundtrack.

The doorman, who had greeted her earlier, was at his post by the door. As he held it open, he offered her a warm smile. 

“Good morning, Ma’am,” he said, tipping his hat. “It’s a beautiful fall day—perfect for exploring the city.”

Brenda’s heart fluttered, but she managed a confident smile. 

“Thank you,” she replied softly.

Before she could step out, the doorman added, “If you’re looking for a great lunch spot, there’s a café just a few blocks down with lovely autumn specials. And if you’re in the mood for a drink later, Illusions next door is wonderful—very welcoming and inclusive. I think you’d enjoy it. They have a drag show tonight.”

Brenda blushed, feeling both seen and accepted. 

“Thank you,” she said, her voice steady despite the nervous emotions welling up inside her.

Brenda thanked him again, her curiosity piqued, and set off on her journey. I guess he read me pretty good as she looked into the reflection from the window. Stubble? Bad lipstick? Man’s voice in a fake falsetto not enough?

The city greeted her with its usual hum of energy—taxi cabs honking, pedestrians rushing by and the din of sirens. Brenda felt an exhilarating mix of nerves and joy as she joined the throng, blending seamlessly into the bustling streets.

She took her time wandering through the iconic Central Park, savoring the vibrant autumn colors that painted the trees and pathways. The crisp air kissed her cheeks and she couldn’t help but smile as she dropped a few dollars into a saxophonist’s case. His soulful tune adding a touch of magic to the moment.

Stopping at the café recommended by the doorman, she treated herself to a delicious lunch of smoked turkey sandwich and spiced chai latte. Sitting by the window, Brenda gazed out at the world, feeling entirely at peace. She realized how freeing it was to simply be herself, without fear or hesitation.

Brenda found herself slowing down in front of a boutique with a particularly striking window display—elegant dresses paired with bold statement necklaces. A good time to look at my reflection.

Across the street, a small vintage store tucked between a florist and a bookstore caught Brenda’s eye. The window displayed an eclectic mix of items—retro handbags, costume jewelry and rows of vintage shoes that seemed to call my name. Intrigued, she stepped inside without hesitation.

The store was cozy and packed with treasures. As she browsed, her gaze landed on a pair of classic black leather flats, lightly worn, but in excellent condition. She slipped off her boots and tried them on. They fit perfectly as though they’d been waiting just for her. At only $20, they were a steal. The store clerk, a friendly woman with a keen eye for style, complimented Brenda’s outfit and wrapped up the flats in a crisp paper bag.

“Perfect for easing your feet after a long day,” the clerk said with a wink. Brenda laughed, already feeling relief at the thought of switching shoes later.

The clerk suggested a wonderful leopard print silk scarf and appropriate clip on earrings. Oh my, the scarf really completed my look. 

As the day turned to evening, Brenda returned to her hotel room to freshen up. She changed into a more glamorous outfit for her visit to Illusions—a Stana Short black dress, shimmering nylons paired with her new earrings, leopard print silk scarf and leopard print high heels. Brenda looked fantastic and kind of a bit sexy! Bring the flats, don’t forget.

After slipping off her wig and freshening up in the bathroom, she decided to step outside briefly to grab some ice from the machine down the hall. In her haste, she forgot one crucial thing: her room key.

The moment the door clicked shut behind her, Brenda’s heart sank. She patted her crossbody bag, realizing it was still inside along with her phone and backup key. The reality hit her—she was locked out, standing in the hallway in her dress and heels, without a single way to get back into her room.

At first, she considered waiting for a passerby, but the hotel was eerily quiet and the thought of standing in the hall much longer made her even more anxious. Gathering her courage, she walked down towards the elevator to use the service telephone. Each step echoed loudly in the empty corridor, her heels clicking on the polished floor. Brenda felt every inch of her outfit—the hem of her dress brushing her legs, the delicate click clack of her shoes—and it only added to her growing nerves and hysteria. Please do not let me have a panic attack right now.

She called the front desk, she explained her predicament to the receptionist, who responded warmly and reassured her that it wasn’t a big deal. 

“We’ll send maintenance up to unlock your door,” she said. 

Brenda nodded, relieved, but still felt a flutter of anxiety. While it wasn’t illegal to wear what she was wearing, she was painfully aware of how out-of-place she might seem. Brenda looked in the mirror about to burst into tears as she tried to massage her male hair into a quasi butchy female hairdo. 

Minutes later, the maintenance guy arrived. He was in his mid-thirties, wearing a tool belt and a creepy, friendly smile. 

“You must be the one locked out,” he said cheerfully. 

Brenda nodded keeping her voice steady as she explained which room was hers. The man glanced at her briefly, then did a quick double-take, his eyes lingering just a little too long on her legs and heels. Brenda felt her face flush. She wasn’t sure if it was curiosity or admiration, but his gaze made her self-conscious. Is this what women call ogling?

To his credit, the maintenance guy didn’t make any inappropriate comments. He chatted politely about how common lockouts were as they walked back to her room, but Brenda couldn’t shake the feeling of his eyes occasionally darting toward her outfit. She stayed composed, even though she was inwardly cringing. 

“Just let me get back in my room,” she thought.

When they arrived at her door, the maintenance guy made quick work of unlocking it. 

“All set,” he said with a grin, handing her a backup key. “You have a good night now.” 

Brenda thanked him and quickly stepped back into her room, closing the door firmly behind her. 

Leaning against the door, Brenda let out a long sigh of relief. This was a scary WTF moment. It took two glasses of wine to calm her down and stop shaking. The encounter had gone smoothly enough, but the way he kept glancing at her legs and heels had left her feeling vulnerable. She resolved then and there never to leave her room without a backup key again. She put the backup key into her bra cup. Going forward, her purse would always be hanging at the door handle to avoid this again.

After all this, it was no problem taking the elevator down to the lobby and walking next door to Illusions.

The welcoming atmosphere of the bar and the lively drag show made her feel right at home, surrounded by laughter and acceptance. Brenda was invited to sit with a few gurls and spent an hour of chitchat and exchanging dressing tips. It was safe to be with others even after a few men had come to the table to say hello and hope for a chance to ply us with drinks. Well, it was time to head back. 

New York City had embraced her in ways she hadn’t expected, offering her not just an adventure, but a profound sense of belonging. As she sipped her cocktail and joined in the applause for the performers, Brenda realized this was a day she would treasure forever—a celebration of courage, confidence and self-expression.

While sitting in a meeting with customers the next day. Brian was dreaming of how enjoyable his day as Brenda was and sadly, how he may not be able to get dressed up again on this trip and hoping for a last minute meeting cancellation, when he was snapped out of his daze. 

Hey, Brian, what do you say you seem lost in thought? 

“Well, I suggest option 1 as it will save you money and bring the ROI to less than 12 months and it’s a good start to prove out the effectiveness of streaming the delivery process. I would like to sit down with your team tomorrow morning and start white boarding some ideas while Donald gets the procurement stuff sorted out. We can talk about this over dinner this evening”

Brian, I am so sorry,, but this evening will have to be an early one as I have a thing with my daughter tonight and first let me introduce you to my team and we can schedule for tomorrow. Let me go get the girls.

Anita (I loved her color-block dress and she had these wonderful black toe capped studded flats) was very young and Janet the business analyst was a beautiful middle-aged woman who had this wonderful polka dot skirt (below the knee) and luxurious silk blouse. I wanted to dress like them and even be them. I was jealous and I looked forward to working with them.

The best part of the day was when they told me that we are better off meeting the following week, so they had time to prepare for the meeting and give procurement some time to issue the purchase order.

I sorted out my travel plans for next week, found a restaurant with an early reservation nearby, and found two thrift shops to check out between the restaurant and my hotel. My colleague made up some lame excuses about a ton of work to do and I found myself with some free time.

As I looked into the elevator mirror on our way down, I saw Brenda smiling as she tried to plan her free time this evening and a chance to spend a good part of tomorrow out and about in the city all over again. All she could think of was having her own polka dot skirt and silk blouse to wear.

Wearing Bebe

World War II Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) female impersonators

Stuff 54: Resolutions

Did You Resolve?

By J.J. Atwell

Here we are just starting the new year and tradition holds that we make resolutions for the coming year – things that we want to accomplish as the year progresses. I’m writing this a few days before 2025 officially arrives and have thought about some resolutions for my girl self. 

Mine

I narrowed the field down to four achievable resolutions. Here they are:

1. Lose 12 pounds

2. Get my ears pierced

3. Try going blonde

4. Experiment with larger boobs

Exciting? Maybe not. Some are just practical and others are aspirational. I’ll explain.

Lose Weight

I suspect this is something that just about everybody resolves for the new year. For me, it’s needed because after getting down to a new low weight around the beginning of last year, I’ve slowly added it all back. You might have read a couple of posts back in that I’m too fat for my skinny jeans. Yes, I want to get back into those skinny jeans in the new year. 

More importantly, it works for my guy side as well because it is a health risk. My doctor tells me that I’m bordering on diabetic. I’ve been managing to keep that at bay by watching my diet, weight and getting exercise so far, but I need to get back down to where I was.

The Other Three

The remaining three resolutions are more about my girl self and making by best presentation when out as JJ. 

I resolved to get my ears pierced because I really am a rebel at heart. I’ll wear simple studs in guy mode. But in girl mode, I want to wear noticeable jewelry like dangly earrings. Or perhaps, something simple but feminine like pearl studs or diamonds. I currently use clip-on earrings, but they hurt after a few hours and my selection is rather limited. With pierced ears I’ll have a wider range of options including borrowing from my SO.

I also have been thinking about a different hair color and perhaps, style. I think that JJ might look good as a blonde. Not a platinum blonde, but a more natural, highlighted blonde look. This will require a trip to a wig store to experiment with different colors and perhaps, styles as I do it. One of my CD sisters and her SO have chatted with me about wig shopping. We will probably mount a joint wig excursion hunting for the right one shortly after the new year. 

The last one, bigger boobs, is more than just a fun thing. I’m thinking that a slightly larger breast will look better on JJ than how she looks now. Not a big change. Going up one cup size might be enough. That will probably happen in the first half of the year as I replace some older forms with new ones. 

I’ll Be Back

I’ll occasionally report back on my progress towards my resolutions and I’d love to hear what you might have resolved. I welcome comments and suggestions here on Stana’s page or by email at Jenn6nov at-sign gmail dot com.

Wearing Shein

Shawn Pyfrom femulating on an episode of television’s Desperate Housewives.

Someday Funnies

Damsel in Distress

Norah's account on Wednesday about Tiffany’s car accident en femme led to a discussion about good and bad encounters with the police. Knock on wood, but I have never had a car accident en femme, however, I have had an encounters with police while crossdressed... all were positive... not a negative word was heard. 

The most memorable encounter occurred when I attended the Transgender Lives Conference at the UConn Health Center in 2015.

The Damsel

I arrived at the Health Center at 8 AM and found the shuttle parking lot where attendees were instructed to park. There were no other cars or a shuttle in the parking lot, so I decided to drive right up to the Health Center to see if parking was available there.

I saw a UConn police officer working with a group of guys setting up traffic cones in the middle of the parking lot. Almost simultaneously, he spotted me, detected a damsel in distress and walked over to my car to speak with me.

I told him I was attending the “trans conference” and wondered where to park. He went above and beyond to help me out. 

First, he said I could park anywhere in the lot where we were standing. Since the lot was not near the best entrance to access the conference, after I parked the car, he escorted me into the building and through a maze of doors and hallways until he was assured I would find the conference “just down the hall.”

He was as friendly as could be, did not seem put-out helping me and treated me like a lady. It was an affirming moment for me and a great way to start the day!

Wearing Ann Taylor

Longtime Femulate reader Jeanine Williams wearing a skirt suit from Newport News.