the pot calling the kettle black

In this story about a trans being booted off a Bi personal Web site for being trans, "Daryl Herrschaft, director of Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Workforce Equality Project, said that HRC works to educate gay-owned businesses about the transgender community, but he could not recall an instance of a gay-owned business being so blatant in discriminating against transgender people."

That is amusing since HRC is the group responsible for getting trans booted off the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)! Maybe the gay-owned business is just following HRC's lead.

before Vicky's, there was Freddy's.

Circa 1975, I bought my first wig, bra, and waist cincher at Frederick's of Hollywood at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, Massachusetts. Back then, Frederick's was as common a store at your local mall as Victoria's Secret is today.

Vicky has stores everywhere today, Freddy.. not so much (not even at teh Eastfield Mall). Too bad because Freddy's was practically a one-stop crossdresser's shop. You could buy wigs, shoes, dresses, hosiery, lingerie, and foundation garments, whereas Vicky's offers some, but not all of those femulation staples.

Michelia alerted me that Freddy's is having a big close-out sale and that there are coupons on Yahoo! that offer even greater savings.

Happy shopping!

building a platform that includes transgender Americans

Steve Ralls writes:
...
The Democratic National Committee and Senator Barack Obama have announced that the 2008 party platform will be put together through a more "open" process that includes numerous opportunities for the public to weigh in with their ideas on what the party should stand for. The party, and the candidate, will hold public forums in all 50 states and invite voters to meet with party officials, and policy advisers, in a national discussion about the vision of the Democratic party.
...
It is imperative that gay and transgender Americans, and our allies, participate in this new platform process, and encourage the party to assemble a vision that includes us all.

Among the priorities LGBT voters in both political parties should be focusing on are:
...
Including transgender Americans as equals in the American family . . . and in the eyes of the law. Transgender Americans have been at the forefront of the LGBT civil rights movement. In many ways, you could even say they invented it. From riots at Stonewall to rights in Sacramento (where a transgender attorney won the historic California marriage case), our transgender neighbors and friends have given us all too much to be left behind. Neither gender identity nor expression should be grounds for employment discrimination, dismissal from the armed forces or discrimination in housing or the like. The transgender community must be included in all of our efforts to secure full equality, because we are not fully equal until they are, too.
...
Read all about it here.

fall fever

It is very hot and humid in Southern New England today, a "beach day," but I am not a "beach girl" and I am looking forward to fall, which has become my favorite season.

Sans hurricanes, the weather is beautiful here in September. It is cool enough to femulate without worrying about wig, makeup, and/or foundation garment perspiration, yet it is warm enough to go out without a coat.

Also, the fall fashions are my favorites and I am anxiously waiting for all my favorite online boutiques to start showing their fall offerings. So far, Victoria's Secret is the only one showing their fall lineup, but as the month progresses, I expect that the others will, too.

And as the fall fashions begin appearing, that means clearance sales of the previous seasons' fashions, when I usually can find a bargain or two.

And more importantly, all the previously-mentioned features of fall mean that I will start going out en femme again after the summer hiatus.*

* If the opportunity arises and the weather is moderate, I will go out en femme in the summer, but those conditions seldom are in sync, so I don't count on dressing much during July and August.

art

Months ago, I received an e-mail from an artist, Tamsin Cornish, who wanted to incorporate some phrases from my blog into the trans-oriented paintings she was creating. I was honored by her request and have been in anticipation of her creations ever since.

Days ago, Tamsin e-mailed photos of the two paintings that incorporated my words. The two are titled Green Satin Shoes and Switching Modes.

If you look closely, you can see phrases interspersed throughout the paintings. Tamsin also sent me a close-up of Green Satin Shoes zoomed into the neckline of the dress where my following words appear: Why do I crossdress? Because it's fun.

I hope you will enjoy Tamsin's work as much as I do! Click on the paintings below for an expanded view and read more about Tamsin below her paintings.

Green Satin Shoes by Tasmin Cornish

Switching Modes by Tasmin Cornish

Close-up of Green Satin Shoes

About Tamsin: Tamsin Cornish lives in Surrey, in England and has just completed her joint degree, one side of which was art.

About Tamsin's paintings: My paintings portray personal glimpses into others' private lifestyles, lifestyles that most people would class as 'perverse' or 'unhealthy.' Using the real words of those who live out their desires, I have tried to open up the avenue of thought that these people feel happier and more complete living as they do, and to show that anyone could be living like this, but keep it so secret that no one would ever know. Rather than a damning of the unnatural, I wanted my paintings to be a journey to uncover and accept the unknown.

Contact Tamsin: ms.t.cornish @ googlemail.com

memories en femme

With nothing much on television last night that held my interest, I selected a DVD to watch instead: Saturday Night Live, season 2, disk number 8.

After watching a so-so SNL hosted by Buck Henry, I checked the extras on the DVD and noticed that it included the special SNL show that was broadcast from the Mardi Gras in New Orleans back in 1977. I saw that show when it was originally shown "live from New Orleans," but had not seen it since.

I was not interested in seeing it again because I recall that it was not very good. But then I recalled a very old memory from that show: a segment from a drag ball with Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams describing the event.

I fast-forwarded the DVD and watched the segment about the drag ball showing males in debutante drag being presented as debutantes are. Ms. Marshall sans Ms. Williams seemed very uncomfortable describing the action and admitted that she had not been told in advance what she would be seeing. She was also exhausted.

(You can read all about the SNL Mardi Gras show here. You can also read the transcripts and view photos from the drag ball segment here and here.)

This was just another one of my old memories en femme that I had forgotten about, but had an opportunity to revisit.

do I look fat?

I want to lose some weight.

I am about 25 pounds overweight, but I don't want to lose 25 pounds because then I would not have any fat to displace to my hips and breasts to give me my girlish figure when I wear my foundation garments. So, instead of losing 25 pounds, I'd like to lose about 15 pounds, which would give me 10 pounds to play with.

I have been trying to lose 15 pounds forever. Well, not forever, but for about a year. I start a diet and I am a good girl for a few days, maybe even as long as a week, lose a few pounds, then cheat on my diet and soon find myself back where I started. Bad girl!

It occurred to me that I should start a new diet and to keep me on track, publicize my progress here. In that way, I will be less likely to cheat because I would be embarrassed when I publicize any weight gains here.

My goal is to lose 16 pounds by September 1. I chose 16 pounds instead of 15 pounds because 16 divided by 8 weeks results in a whole number, i.e., 2 pounds per week instead of 15 divided by 8 which equals a yucky 1.875.

My diet begins on Monday. Wish me luck!

vintage clothing

Girlfriend Robin posted an e-mail on my support group's e-mail list last night about an online vintage clothing store, Unique Vintage. I checked out their Web site and this fashionista recommends it, so much so that I added their Web site to my Tool Links list.

If you like vintage clothing, I think you will like Unique Vintage, so check it out.

advice

Occasionally, I receive e-mails asking for advice. Often, the writers of these e-mails indicate that they are hesitant about writing to me for advice because they don't want to bother me.

On the contrary, I love receiving e-mails asking for advice. My maternal side loves to help others if she can, so please feel free to ask. Maybe I can help you and maybe you will help me by expanding my knowledge of the transworld. And maybe our e-mail exchange will inspire me to write an interesting blog posting.

So, use the "send me e-mail" link on the right to write to me.

transgender rights, transgender perks

Kate Bornstein writes, "Hijras are people who belong to a socially and spiritually recognized third gender in India. They are also the most universally-despised citizens of that country. When you're a hijra, you can't get a job. If you've got the courage to risk getting beaten up, you can go begging, or you can do sex work. That's about it. But hijras have an universally known and respected advantage: they have the power to bless or to curse. For example, you can't have a wedding in India--or give birth to a boy child--without hijras being present to bless the occasion. You certainly don't want one of their curses. Nevertheless, you're not likely to go long in your life as a hijra without being raped or beaten-up. That's what happens to sex and gender outlaws in most countries."

Read the rest of the story here.

window shopping

stranger than fictionmania*

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I like that in a man

if the shoes fits, buy it

I went to Payless during lunch and the shoes I liked, did not fit, so I bought none.

Saturday shopping

Yesterday, my wife and I went shopping.

First stop was Fashion Bug, which was having a big sale. My wife was looking for a denim skirt and I was looking for a summer dress that I saw on the rack last time we were there. We both struck out.

Next stop was Payless, which was also having a big sale. In addition to their BOGO (buy one, get one half off) sale, the girls at Wednesday's support group meeting alerted me that Payless was also clearing out their inventory and selling shoes for $10 and less!

My wife found a pair of sandals for $18 and I found a pair of boy sneakers for $10. So, we combined our purchases and a la BOGO, I got the sneakers for $5.

I also found some beautiful girl shoes that I wanted to buy. I have no problem trying on girl shoes en homme, but I did not want to embarrass my wife, so I plan to return to Payless tomorrow and shop for girl shoes.

the goal is acceptance

last night out

I attended my support group's meeting last night. It was the last meeting before the group's two month summer hiatus and there were about 15 in attendance. I knew most, but there were a couple of new faces, too.

We had salad, pizza, dessert, and refreshments, then we elected the officers for the next 12 months. I was "elected" newsletter editor (I ran unopposed).

The rest of the meeting consisted of pleasant conversation. It was a nice evening out en femme.

Due to time constraints (I was running late), I did not go shopping before the meeting.

four dresses

Spiegel's online catalog has four dresses that I like. They are just my style and I think they would look good on me.
Currently, they cost $60, $100, $60, and $19, respectively.

I would buy the $19 dress in a New York minute, but it is a clearance item and is only available in size 4!

I will wait and perhaps someday soon the others will become clearance items in my size.

Transgender series served its purpose

We (the Nashua Telegraph) tried to humanize a population that has in many quarters been dehumanized. When people are dehumanized, they are more likely to be the targets of violence, even fatal violence. When they are dehumanized, they experience depression and suicide at a much greater rate.

A good community newspaper promotes understanding and compassion in the community it serves in the interest of all populations, no matter how small. Sometimes that means taking on a subject that is challenging to the newspaper and discomforting to many readers.

This was one of those times.

Read all about it here.

Equality, shmequality! Just become a man

Imagine you're a rural woman living in an impoverished and patriarchal country where your life is worth exactly 12 oxen. You're unable to carry a weapon, own property or move freely. What's a girl to do? Until recently, for some Albanian women the answer was: Become a man.

Read all about it here.