Courtesy of GLAD, here is a link to more photos from Saturday's New England TransPride March & Rally.
Also, please read GLAD Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi's thoughts on the march at her blog.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
cartoon boys dressed as cartoon girls
If you have seen some of the images I have posted here in the past, you know I enjoy humor in the crossdressing vein. And I am always looking for other people's work in that area.Earlier today, I found a collection of "cartoon boys dressed as cartoon girls" on flickr by a talented artist named bathgate212. I was impressed and enjoyed what I saw, but be forewarned that depending on your personal tastes, some of the images may be considered R or X rated.
Click here to see more.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
noho
On Saturday, Northampton, Massachusetts, was the site of the first New England TransPride March and Rally.
During my life, I have driven through Northampton (or "NoHo") a few times, but I have never had the opportunity to spend much time there until TransPride.
It was impressive.
In addition to being a community that accepts Ts and LGBs, it is a great town for shopping and dining in its beautiful downtown area. In the short time I had to explore NoHo, I discovered some wonderful shops that I would like to explore further when I have more time.
At the rally, someone was passing out postcards for a shop that sounded very interesting: Ultra Gal at 114 Main Street. Their postcard indicates that they sell vintage clothing and welcome trans customers.
I looked them up on the Internet, and here is what one person had to say about it, "I love Ultra Gal. It is a great place to shop or just hang out and talk to the wonderful staff, who care so much for people. They have a wide range of wigs along with a ton of old vintage items. The thing that I like most is all the jewelry that they have along with the wide variety of tiaras. They have done so much for the trans community here in Northampton and areas around it."
Sounds like a shop that I will be visiting soon en femme.
During my life, I have driven through Northampton (or "NoHo") a few times, but I have never had the opportunity to spend much time there until TransPride.
It was impressive.
In addition to being a community that accepts Ts and LGBs, it is a great town for shopping and dining in its beautiful downtown area. In the short time I had to explore NoHo, I discovered some wonderful shops that I would like to explore further when I have more time.
At the rally, someone was passing out postcards for a shop that sounded very interesting: Ultra Gal at 114 Main Street. Their postcard indicates that they sell vintage clothing and welcome trans customers.
I looked them up on the Internet, and here is what one person had to say about it, "I love Ultra Gal. It is a great place to shop or just hang out and talk to the wonderful staff, who care so much for people. They have a wide range of wigs along with a ton of old vintage items. The thing that I like most is all the jewelry that they have along with the wide variety of tiaras. They have done so much for the trans community here in Northampton and areas around it."
Sounds like a shop that I will be visiting soon en femme.
Monday, June 9, 2008
transpride photos and videos
Saturday, I took my digital camera to a TransPride and took a lot of photos, but most of them came out lousy. The problem was that some foreign substance was smeared on my lens. I assume it was suntan lotion. Until I discovered it near day's end, all the photos came out blurry.
When I viewed the photos as I took them, I did not notice the problem because the Sun was so bright that it washed out the image displayed by the camera's LCD. Only when Iwas viewing the photos late in the day in the shade did I notice the problem. After I cleaned the lens, the few remaining photos I took came out fine.
So all I have for my day of shooting photos is a couple of good ones at the beginning of the day and a couple of good ones at the end of the day. I was very disappointed.
But all is not lost because after searching the Internet, I discovered that other people have been posting their TransPride photos and videos on the net. Here are the ones I have found:
I will add more to the list if I discover them.
When I viewed the photos as I took them, I did not notice the problem because the Sun was so bright that it washed out the image displayed by the camera's LCD. Only when Iwas viewing the photos late in the day in the shade did I notice the problem. After I cleaned the lens, the few remaining photos I took came out fine.
So all I have for my day of shooting photos is a couple of good ones at the beginning of the day and a couple of good ones at the end of the day. I was very disappointed.
But all is not lost because after searching the Internet, I discovered that other people have been posting their TransPride photos and videos on the net. Here are the ones I have found:
I will add more to the list if I discover them.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
an amazing day
Transpride March and Rally, Northampton, MA, June 7, 2008
I met my friend Diana at her house and she drove her high MPG hybrid to Northamption (we picked up her old friend/my new friend Trevor along the way).
We arrived about 10:45 AM and parked in the garage next to the parking lot where the rally would take place. We found our support group’s table, which was close to the stage, and set up for the day.
Soon after arriving in Northampton and walking around awhile, I discovered that my “comfortable” shoes were not comfortable enough, so I did not march.
I would have marched if I only had to march one way, but first I had to walk the length of the march route to the park where the march began and then march back. The two-mile trek was not in the cards. And meanwhile, my comfortable sneakers were in my car sitting in Diana's driveway, 60 miles away! I kicked myself the rest of the day for that strategic error.
(Although my shoes were march-deficient, two women working the pizza booth at the rally said they "loved" my shoes! I also received a couple of compliments on my whole outfit.)
The weather started out comfortably. It was warm and humid, but not bad. Then the skies cleared, the Sun went to work, the temperatures rose, and by noon, it was amazingly hot!
Most of the attendees were dressed appropriately for the weather (shorts, loose and/or skimpy tops), not too many skirts, dresses, and hosiery, but I was not alone in my wardrobe choice and did not feel out of place.
Actually, I was more comfortable then I expected. I went with minimal underwear: just panties, bra, and a lightweight waist cincher. My wig and makeup were not an issue and as a result, I did not perspire at all except when I used a portable toilet, which was an oven!
The march was impressive. Five hundred to 1,000 people marched (estimates varied) and were cheered by on-lookers along the route. The marchers arrived at the rally site around noon and the speakers began shortly thereafter.
I stayed at our table most of the afternoon, sipping water, listening to the speakers, and enjoying the shade provided by the beach umbrella that Lee Anne kindly provided.
It was an interesting crowd and not the typical crowd I have seen at expensive trans conferences where white middle class, middle-aged transpeople predominate (NTTIAWWT). Here, I saw all colors, ages, and classes of transpeople, which brought home the fact that the Trans Nation is as diverse as the general population.
The rally ended around 5 PM. Diana and I packed up and walked to a nearby lounge for the GLAD after-rally party, where we hobnobbed with some of the movers and shakers in the trans community including TransFM’s Ethan St. Pierre and IFGE’s Denise Leclair, who graciously took the photo accompanying this blog posting.
There was a familiar face at the party, but I could not place her. Today, while searching the blogs for Transpride references, I placed her face when I read her blog. The face belonged to Jess, a regular reader of this blog and the author of her own blog, Our Life In Pink. At the party, I almost asked her where I knew her from, but I am shy, did not do so and regret it so much now that we did not make a connection.
After a very long day, Diana and I left the party and travelled back our homes.
It was an amazing day. The speakers were inspiring and motivated me to come out and be proud about being trans. It is something I am seriously considering.
I Remembered A Dream!
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I seldom remember my dreams and on those rare occasions when I do remember a dream, it is usually trans related.
In light of my day at Transpride yesterday, I find it interesting that I remembered my dream last night, but it was not trans related… or was it?
Here is last night's dream:
I am driving on the I-84 in the general direction of New York City approximately 80 miles away. Suddenly, an exploding ball appears on the horizon. Then the ball disappears and the whole sky turns bright yellow-orange.
As I realize that someone dropped the big one on The City, I am transported from my car to the house where I was raised and I run downstairs to the cellar to hide from the nuclear blast. I realize that it is probably futile because if I survive the blast, I will eventually die from the radiation. Then, I woke up.
I met my friend Diana at her house and she drove her high MPG hybrid to Northamption (we picked up her old friend/my new friend Trevor along the way).We arrived about 10:45 AM and parked in the garage next to the parking lot where the rally would take place. We found our support group’s table, which was close to the stage, and set up for the day.
Soon after arriving in Northampton and walking around awhile, I discovered that my “comfortable” shoes were not comfortable enough, so I did not march.
I would have marched if I only had to march one way, but first I had to walk the length of the march route to the park where the march began and then march back. The two-mile trek was not in the cards. And meanwhile, my comfortable sneakers were in my car sitting in Diana's driveway, 60 miles away! I kicked myself the rest of the day for that strategic error.
(Although my shoes were march-deficient, two women working the pizza booth at the rally said they "loved" my shoes! I also received a couple of compliments on my whole outfit.)
The weather started out comfortably. It was warm and humid, but not bad. Then the skies cleared, the Sun went to work, the temperatures rose, and by noon, it was amazingly hot!
Most of the attendees were dressed appropriately for the weather (shorts, loose and/or skimpy tops), not too many skirts, dresses, and hosiery, but I was not alone in my wardrobe choice and did not feel out of place.
Actually, I was more comfortable then I expected. I went with minimal underwear: just panties, bra, and a lightweight waist cincher. My wig and makeup were not an issue and as a result, I did not perspire at all except when I used a portable toilet, which was an oven!
The march was impressive. Five hundred to 1,000 people marched (estimates varied) and were cheered by on-lookers along the route. The marchers arrived at the rally site around noon and the speakers began shortly thereafter.
I stayed at our table most of the afternoon, sipping water, listening to the speakers, and enjoying the shade provided by the beach umbrella that Lee Anne kindly provided.
It was an interesting crowd and not the typical crowd I have seen at expensive trans conferences where white middle class, middle-aged transpeople predominate (NTTIAWWT). Here, I saw all colors, ages, and classes of transpeople, which brought home the fact that the Trans Nation is as diverse as the general population.
The rally ended around 5 PM. Diana and I packed up and walked to a nearby lounge for the GLAD after-rally party, where we hobnobbed with some of the movers and shakers in the trans community including TransFM’s Ethan St. Pierre and IFGE’s Denise Leclair, who graciously took the photo accompanying this blog posting.
There was a familiar face at the party, but I could not place her. Today, while searching the blogs for Transpride references, I placed her face when I read her blog. The face belonged to Jess, a regular reader of this blog and the author of her own blog, Our Life In Pink. At the party, I almost asked her where I knew her from, but I am shy, did not do so and regret it so much now that we did not make a connection.
After a very long day, Diana and I left the party and travelled back our homes.
It was an amazing day. The speakers were inspiring and motivated me to come out and be proud about being trans. It is something I am seriously considering.
I Remembered A Dream!
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I seldom remember my dreams and on those rare occasions when I do remember a dream, it is usually trans related.
In light of my day at Transpride yesterday, I find it interesting that I remembered my dream last night, but it was not trans related… or was it?
Here is last night's dream:
I am driving on the I-84 in the general direction of New York City approximately 80 miles away. Suddenly, an exploding ball appears on the horizon. Then the ball disappears and the whole sky turns bright yellow-orange.
As I realize that someone dropped the big one on The City, I am transported from my car to the house where I was raised and I run downstairs to the cellar to hide from the nuclear blast. I realize that it is probably futile because if I survive the blast, I will eventually die from the radiation. Then, I woke up.
Friday, June 6, 2008
nothing new in my closet
I went shopping last night to find some cool duds to wear to Transpride tomorrow where the weather people predict it will be 95 and humid.
I found nothing that I liked, so I plan to go with what I had originally planned to wear, which will probably suffice. (Unless I wear a skimpy bikini, I don't think anything I wear tomorrow will keep me cool anyway.)
On the other hand, the weather people have been wrong before including this week, so maybe it won't be as hot as the predict it will be.
I found nothing that I liked, so I plan to go with what I had originally planned to wear, which will probably suffice. (Unless I wear a skimpy bikini, I don't think anything I wear tomorrow will keep me cool anyway.)
On the other hand, the weather people have been wrong before including this week, so maybe it won't be as hot as the predict it will be.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
if you can't stand the heat...
The weather forecast for Saturday in Northampton is "partly cloudy with a high near 95."
Yucky!
I never dress en femme in that kind of weather unless I will be spending most of my time inside an air-conditioned building, which will not be the case this Saturday at the Transpride March and Rally.
So, I must dress for the weather, which means I will go shopping real soon now to find something cool to wear.
Wish me luck!
Yucky!
I never dress en femme in that kind of weather unless I will be spending most of my time inside an air-conditioned building, which will not be the case this Saturday at the Transpride March and Rally.
So, I must dress for the weather, which means I will go shopping real soon now to find something cool to wear.
Wish me luck!
are you from lady.sk?
For the past month, this blog has been getting lots (and I mean LOTS) of visitors coming from a Web site called lady.sk in the Slovak Republic. The Web site is written in Slovak, so I am having a difficult time trying to figure out why folks from lady.sk are coming here.
If you are a visitor from from lady.sk, I'd greatly appreciate it if you would tell me what on the lady.sk Web site got you here.
If you are a visitor from from lady.sk, I'd greatly appreciate it if you would tell me what on the lady.sk Web site got you here.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
local color
A girl e-mailed me yesterday asking where to buy wigs and get makeovers at local establishments that are friendly to gender diverse customers.
Wigs
I buy most of my wigs at Tonkin's in the Eagle Plaza, 481 Wolcott St., Waterbury, CT 06705, phone 203-753-1355, e-mail tonkinswigs at aol dot com.
Kathy Tonkins, the owner, is the best. She has a great eye for what colors and styles are suitable for you and she has absolutely no problem dealing with trans customers. In fact, every year, she hosts a meeting of our support group in her store. Tell her "Staci" sent you.
Makeovers
The best makeover experience I had was at Sephora at the West Farms Mall, Farmington, CT 06032, phone 860-521-7669, http://www.sephora.com/.
I did not have a full makeover. The woman who dealt with me was more than willing to give me a makeover, but at the time, I only wanted some advice. In the process, she made a number of "adjustments" to my makeup that constituted half a makeover.
The woman treated me as a lady and never let on that she knew I was a male. When she began making adjustments, I did not want her to mess up my beard cover, so at that point, I told her I was a male en femme. She continued to treat me nicely and was very supportive of my gender diversity.
She said, "You only have one life to live, so live it as you please. If someone has a problem with you, it is their problem, not yours."
I will never forget those words and carry them with me to this day.
Wigs
I buy most of my wigs at Tonkin's in the Eagle Plaza, 481 Wolcott St., Waterbury, CT 06705, phone 203-753-1355, e-mail tonkinswigs at aol dot com.
Kathy Tonkins, the owner, is the best. She has a great eye for what colors and styles are suitable for you and she has absolutely no problem dealing with trans customers. In fact, every year, she hosts a meeting of our support group in her store. Tell her "Staci" sent you.
Makeovers
The best makeover experience I had was at Sephora at the West Farms Mall, Farmington, CT 06032, phone 860-521-7669, http://www.sephora.com/.
I did not have a full makeover. The woman who dealt with me was more than willing to give me a makeover, but at the time, I only wanted some advice. In the process, she made a number of "adjustments" to my makeup that constituted half a makeover.
The woman treated me as a lady and never let on that she knew I was a male. When she began making adjustments, I did not want her to mess up my beard cover, so at that point, I told her I was a male en femme. She continued to treat me nicely and was very supportive of my gender diversity.
She said, "You only have one life to live, so live it as you please. If someone has a problem with you, it is their problem, not yours."
I will never forget those words and carry them with me to this day.
state recognizes trans as separate sex
According to Radio Austrailia, a state in south India has become the country's first to recognise transgender people as a separate sex.
Activists hope the move will boost the status of transgender communities, which trace their origins back to ancient Hindu scriptures.
Read all about it here.
Activists hope the move will boost the status of transgender communities, which trace their origins back to ancient Hindu scriptures.
Read all about it here.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
hot time at Transpride
I am very psyched about attending Transpride on Saturday. I am going up to "Big T" with my friend Diana, who has an invite to a reception afterword where we will be rubbing elbows with the makers and shakers of the trans world (Diana is a local maker and shaker).The weather forecast is "Mostly sunny, with a high near
Actually, I am undecided on what to wear. I have two outfits in mind, but I probably won't decide until Saturday morning. Regardless, I will be wearing comfortable shoes for sure, but they must be stylish comfortable shoes, afterall I have a reputation as a fashionista that I must maintain and I don't want to disappoint.
Update:
I just checked the forecast again and the predicted high temperature for Saturday in NoHo is 84, not 94. When I saw "94" this morning, I was surprised because yesterday, it was 84. I guess someone caught the error. Maybe that someone is a reader of this blog and my mention of 94 alerted them to the mistake!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Blogging for LGBT Families Day
Via my friend Diana's blog, I learned that today is Blogging for LGBT Families Day.
I wish all my family acknowledged and supported my transness.
My wife acknowledges it, tolerates it, but is not supportive. And she does not want to talk about it.
My daughter acknowledges it and is supportive. (Goddess, bless her.)
With the rest of my family: some know about it, some have no clue.
The ones that know have never acknowledged it to my face. It is the proverbial elephant in the room no one talks about. They talk about it behind my back, but they never saw me crossdressed, so they don't have to deal with it face-to-face.
Being a crossdresser, my transness is not out their 24/7; I do not crossdress full-time, so my family does not have to confront my transness, so they avoid it.
That is understandable. Most people don't want to confront something when they can avoid it, so they don't confront it unless they have no choice.
Maybe I should give them no choice. Maybe I will wear my most feminine outfit on Father's Day and visit all my relatives.
I wish all my family acknowledged and supported my transness.
My wife acknowledges it, tolerates it, but is not supportive. And she does not want to talk about it.
My daughter acknowledges it and is supportive. (Goddess, bless her.)
With the rest of my family: some know about it, some have no clue.
The ones that know have never acknowledged it to my face. It is the proverbial elephant in the room no one talks about. They talk about it behind my back, but they never saw me crossdressed, so they don't have to deal with it face-to-face.
Being a crossdresser, my transness is not out their 24/7; I do not crossdress full-time, so my family does not have to confront my transness, so they avoid it.
That is understandable. Most people don't want to confront something when they can avoid it, so they don't confront it unless they have no choice.
Maybe I should give them no choice. Maybe I will wear my most feminine outfit on Father's Day and visit all my relatives.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Transgender Issues on the Urban Communities
This promises to be very interesting and informative. Sadly, I have a schedule conflict and cannot attend, but I urge anyone in the Hartford area that can make it, to make it.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Harvey Korman
Harvey Korman died.Harvey was one of those people that I always suspected was trans because he appeared en femme a lot. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but when someone appears en femme over and over again, I start to suspect something more than a coincidence.
Reminds me of a certain individual (Staci), who shall go nameless (Staci), who always dresses in a female costume for Halloween. That nameless individual (Staci) dressed en femme for Halloween so frequently that some friends and relatives suspect that something else is going on (and they are correct).
I may be completely wrong about the actor, who played
Be that as it may, two of Harvey Korman's en femme appearances are stuck in my memory forever.
One occurred on The Carol Burnett Show, where Harvey was a regular. The guests included Betty Grable and Martha Raye, who were known for their shapely legs. In one segment of that show, five sets of shapely crossed legs in sheer off-black hose and high heels appear from beyond a curtain and the viewers are supposed to guess which pair of legs belongs to which celebrity. When they raise the curtain to reveal the celebrities, two are male: Harvey Korman and Lyle Waggoner, who was another regular on the show.
The other memorable Harvey en femme appearance was in the film Americathon. In the film, Harvey plays a television actor named Monty Rushmore, who stars in a situation comedy called Both Mother and Father. In that television show within the film, Harvey as Monty must fulfill both the mother and father roles for his son in the absence of his wife (I can't remember if they are divorced or she is deceased).
Anyway, in the segment of the television show that appears in the film, Harvey and his son are getting ready to go out for the day. Harvey/Monty is getting dressed as a woman, while his son is in his bedroom getting dressed to go to school. While they are getting dressed, the boy complains that other boys are picking on him at school. Harvey/Monty tries to comfort his son, who soon exits his bedroom dressed as a little girl in a yellow dress and blonde wig. (A while ago, there was a clip of this scene on the Internet, probably on YouTube, but I can't find it now.)
Goodbye, Harvey Korman. Trans or not, I will miss you.
the results of fashionista on the hunt
Fashion Bug did not have the bag I wanted, but they had one I liked just as much (the black and white, not the brown). The store has a sale and I also had a 10% off coupon, so the $38 handbag cost me only $16.43.I also perused all the racks looking for stretch jeans in my size. They had Capris in my size, but not regular length jeans, so all I bought was the handbag.
the feminization of men's fashions marches sashays on
One week ago, I had news about the "murse" (male purse). This week, I have news about the "mirdle" (man girdle).What's next?
How about a "bro" (male bra) like the Manssiere Kramer tried to market on "The Doorman" episode of Seinfeld?
Maybe Brad Pitt will come out with a line of designer "mrocks" (male frocks) like the one he is wearing here. (By the way, Brad should be wearing a mirdle and an Manssiere to give his mrock a little shape.)
fashionista on the hunt
Fashion Bug sells this bag and I want it. I plan to go to the local Bug store en homme this morning with a 10% off coupon that expires tomorrow to buy it. I hope they have one in stock.
Wish me luck.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
more photos
The one on the right is the more popular of the two. Actually, it is very popular. I think it is the high heels that are responsible.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
shopping with vigor
Missy wrote, "Since you seem to me to be so very comfortable with who you are it would be great to read more about you. For instance, how do you maintain your confidence when you shop for clothes, shoes, ... I am always so intimidated I have ended up buying everything but pantyhose on-line and consequently not always getting what I want."Shopping en femme is so much better than shopping online.
If an item doesn't fit, you put it back on the rack and try on another size. If an item doesn't look good on you, you put it back on the rack and try on something else. You don't have to deal with the time and expense that returning an online purchase entails.
Shopping en femme also is an affirmation of my feminine gender. Shopping among other women, I blend in and become another woman. Typically, the other women are concentrating on shopping and not on me. They may be aware of my physical presence, but will assume that I am just another girl hunting for a bargain.
While browsing through the racks, I always encounter other women doing the same. They may look up momentarily to see who the other bargain hunter is and when they don't recognize me, they return to the hunt. Sometimes they may offer a friendly smile or a pleasant "hello," too. Rarely am I the target of daggers aimed at a man in a dress.
My last shopping experience was typical. I spent about an hour in the Misses department of the local JCPenney's perusing the racks and going back and forth to the dressing room to try on my finds. During that hour, I encountered a lot of customers doing the same and I noticed none of the other bargain hunters paying any attention to me.
However, I did not go unnoticed. A few people who were not busy shopping noticed me. A woman, who had finished shopping and waiting to pay for her finds, checked me out while she was in line at the cashier. I also noticed two saleswomen checking me out.
Perhaps, they were just checking me out because they were impressed with the way I look. Or maybe they suspected I was en femme and were trying to confirm their suspicions.
But, who cares what they think? It is my life and I will live it the way I want to live it (as long as I do not harm anyone). I am presenting myself as a woman and I expect to be treated as a woman. If anyone has a problem with that, it is their problem, so let them deal with it, just don't thread on me.
And, by the way, although some salespeople noticed me, I have never had a salesperson give me a hard time. Their job is to make a sale, so if the customer looks like a duck, then treat the customer like a duck and everything will be ducky.
While on the subject of looking like a duck, while I am shopping en femme, I try to be as womanly as possible. I concentrate on carrying myself like a woman, speaking like a woman, acting like a woman. It is no time to fall back into my guy ways. And after making a concerted effort to pass, it begins to come naturally and I have to concentrate less and less on passing and just enjoy being a woman.
I approach each shopping expedition with all this in mind. And before every expedition, I worry. And I may sit in my car in the parking lot for a minute or two trying to build up my courage to go in the store. Once I gather up my courage, get out of the car, walk to the entrance of the store, hear the click of my heels on the pavement, and catch a glimpse of my feminine vision reflected in the store's window, my confidence builds and my worries go away.
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