In the Navy

 

I found this 1918 reproduction of a print on eBay. Its description does not indicate its original source. I am guessing it is from a newspaper or magazine.

The upper caption reads, "This is no other than A. W. Peters, American jackie* impersonator, as he appears when working for Uncle Sam."

The lower caption reads, "But here he is gowned and powdered to amuse the boys when duty is less pressing than pleasure."

I was never in the military, so I am clueless about military life.

Were female impersonators common in the military?

Did the military encourage female impersonation to "to amuse the boys when duty is less pressing than pleasure?"

This is just one example of crossdressing in uniform. I have hundreds of others and I always wondered what the heck was going on!

* I looked up "jackie" and found only one definition (in the Urban Dictionary) that made sense. It refers to a "beautiful girl."

First Time Out

One of the primary goals for writing this blog is to encourage my trans sisters to get out of the closet and go out in public amongst the other beautiful women who populate our world.

I occasionally receive e-mails from my trans sisters that my efforts are having some success. Over the weekend, I received the following story that I want to share with you.

Stana it's been about a year since the last time I e-mailed you.  I have been so impressed with the way you handle yourself in public, I decided to take a chance. 

My wife left for a two-week stay with her sister.

One of our close friends, a very beautiful women and very close friend of my wife, started talking on the phone the night my wife flew out. One conversation led to another and before you know it, we were talking about how comfortable I was to talk to almost like girl-to-girl. 

She had been drinking wine and started telling me her fantasy about me. She has always admired my sexy shapely legs and wanted to see them clad in seamed stockings and stiletto heels, leather skirt, lace top. She stopped and said to me that she really wanted to dress me up to the nines the next evening. 

She is a clothes horse and loves everything feminine. I never told her about my occasional dressing alone when my wife is gone.  The interaction that took place over the next few minutes set the ground work for the next day and a Sunday afternoon of wine tasting.

Saturday morning, I shaved down completely and crossdressed under my jeans and short. The underdressing was in case my neighbors saw me leave the house.

I did my make-up, which totally surprised her when I arrived at her home. I had my clothes, shoes, and wig in the back seat of the car. Once at her house, the transformation only took an hour, exactly what she fantasized about, seamed nude stockings, black leather pencil skirt, 4-inch black pumps, gold ankle bracelet, red lace top, black belt, and black leather jacket. She did my make-up and styled my blond shoulder length wig. Revlon glue-on red nails, and eyelashes. 

She was turned on and totally supportive about what we were doing. She had made reservations at a local bistro for dinner and drinks. It was absolutely amazing!! My first time out in public with a beautiful genetic woman as a well put-together crossdresser. 

My God! Did we get the looks! Matter of fact, midway through the dinner, our waiter brought us wine care of a group of admiring businessmen. 

She told me to dangle my shoe under the table and watch the looks we would get. Very interesting. Occasionally, I would follow her lead and take out my compact and reapply my lipstick and powder my nose. The group of businessmen that bought our wine bought our dinner. Wow --- what a night! We left at 11:30 and headed home. 

She wanted to go to the vineyards on Sunday and she said she wanted to see me again as a female. Casual dress, women's blue jeans, red mock turtleneck, red 2-1/2-inch heels, pearls (hers), long blond wig (hers), and a red purse (hers), full makeup, lipstick matched my shoes and purse. Wow --- what a Sunday! 

No sex, no kissing --- just two girls enjoying life. 

Thanks to you Stana, I gained the courage to step into this great experience. Thanks!,

Worship En Femme Poll

On weekends, be it Saturday or Sunday, people attend services of their chosen religion to worship their God.

Since it is Sunday and I missed Mass again, I had religious matters on my mind and thought this question would be an interesting topic for a poll: Did you ever attended a service of your religion en femme?

The poll is accessible in the right sidebar and runs until next Sunday, so vote today.

(By the way, I attended Mass en femme one time… two years ago at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.)

Male or Female? It Depends

Old certainties about gender identity are disappearing as fast as a woman in a Maserati, writes Stephen Bayley for The Telegraph.

"Traditional determinants of gender identity in the clothes we wear and the products we use are blurring fast. When asked to tick a box on one of those annoying local authority questionnaires that demands to know whether you are male or female, I am always tempted to avoid a straightforward yes/no answer and write: 'It depends.'”

You can read the whole article here.

(Thank you Gwen for the heads-up about the article.)

Have Stilettos, Will Model

Connecticut Transadvocacy Coalition (CTAC) is hosting a transgender fashion show fundraiser later this year.

I modeled in their fashion show fundraiser four years ago and when my friend Diana, who is very active in CTAC, mentioned their plans for this fall, I immediately volunteered to model again.

I don't know the show's date or location yet, but I am ready, willing, and able to strut my stuff down the catwalk on a moment's notice.

Independence Day Redux

(A New Yorker cartoon parody.)

"...glorious miracles and creations of our Lord."

Being transgender in Samoa is a very good thing.

Read all about what the prime minister of Samoa describes as the "glorious miracles and creations of our Lord" here. (Thank you, Jo, for the story)

A related story, "Fa'afafine - Samoan boys brought up as girls," describes Hazy Pau Talauati (photo above), "a Samoan man who dresses and lives as a woman. She is a fa'afafine. Like most fa'afafine in Samoa - and there are a few in most villages - Hazy is an accepted member of the community, valued for the work she does."

UPDATE: Here is the website of S.O.F.I.A.S. - Sosaiete O Fa'afaine i Amerika Samoa, which translates to "Society of Fa'afaine in American Somoa."

I'm moving to Samoa!

Bad Timing, Girl

(A New Yorker cartoon parody.)

Happy Independence Day

When Boys Get Into Girls' Stuff

The following demonstrate what happens when boys get into girls' stuff. [Thank you Aunty Marlena (AM) and Miss Google (MG) for the links!]

• Covington County, Alabama - MG

• Redfield, Arkansas: 1, 2 - AM

• Chester, Connecticut - MG

• Thomson County, Georgia - MG

• Hattiesburg, Mississippi - AM

• Auburn, New York - AM

• Nash County, North Carolina (photo right) - AM

• Rocky Mount, North Carolina - MG

• Wake County, North Carolina - AM - MG

• Union, South Carolina - MG

• Crossville, Tennessee - MG

• Livingston, Tennessee - AM

• Brookeland, Texas - MG

• Galena Park, Texas - MG

• Houston, Texas - AM

• Larue, Texas - AM

• Milwaukee, Wisconsin - AM

Everywhere

I took a break from the great outdoors and went indoors to eat pizza. The television was showing a 1996 Whoopi Goldberg film, The Associate.

I was half-watching the film until Whoopi sought out some fashion advice from a friend, who worked at a nightclub that looked suspiciously like a drag club. Sure enough, her friend was a drag performer. I did not recognize the dragster at the time and just looked him up on IMDB.

Turns out the drag performer was Kenny Kerr of Las Vegas fame. The scene I saw him in was about a half minute long. I don't know if he appeared in the film again because I went back outdoors after eating pizza.

These days, a day does not go by without a close encounter of the trans kind. We're everywhere!

She Loves Shoes

Wednesday, I brought two pairs of shoes with me for my day out en femme. My recent acquisition (five-inch heels) from Shoedazzle and a pair of medium two-inch heel pumps that I bought at Payless (can't remember when). I was leery about driving my manual transmission Subaru in five-inch heels, so I switched to the medium heels when I drove and whenever I knew I would be walking any great distance like all around the town of Stonington.

I cannot remember the last time I wore the medium heel pumps, so I assumed they would be more comfortable than the five-inch heels. Wrong! They were equally comfortable/uncomfortable.

About an hour into the CABO meet-and-greet Wednesday evening, my feet hurt so badly that I took off my heels and went barefoot.

One of the women at the meet-and-greet noticed that I was carrying my five-inch heels instead of wearing them and we began discussing shoes. Since she wears women's shoes more often than I do, I was anxious to hear her take on the topic.

She agreed with me that it is difficult to predict which shoes will be comfortable and which will not. The most comfortable shoes I ever owned had a four-inch stiletto heel; I could wear them all day with nary a whimper from my feet, but one would assume that with a four-inch stiletto heel, they would not be comfortable.

She revealed to me that flats are just as bad as heels. Some are comfortable, some are not. For a long time, I assumed flats would be more comfortable than heels even though my personal experience with flats indicated otherwise.

She also agreed with me that those pricey silicon inserts that are intended to make your shoes more comfortable do nothing comfort-wise.

As she was admiring my shoes, I told her that I bought them from Shoedazzle. Her eyes lighted up and she told me that she was familiar with Shoedazzle, but was reluctant to join because she did not know anyone who had first-hand experience with that shoe-of-the-month club. My positive experience may move her to join, so I sent her an invitation to sign-up. If she joins, I get points and when I get enough points, I get a free pair of shoes (just what I need!).

Stana in Stonington and Beyond

Out en femme yesterday with my friend Diana, she drove us to the shore where we met three other friends to dine at Skipper's Dock in Stonington, which juts out into Stonington Harbor off Fishers Island Sound.

The weather was perfect and we ate outdoors on the dock. (That is the restaurant on the dock behind me in the photo in my previous post.)

After eating, three of us walked around the picturesque town window-shopping, photographing, touring (Old Lighthouse Museum) and desserting on ice cream. The photo accompanying this post is me standing by the town docks trying to pick up sailors (the last phrase of that sentence is my attempt at humor --- hahaha).

A cool antique shop with jewelry in its window attracted my attention. I went inside and I asked the friendly proprietor if she had any clip-on earrings for sale. She brought out two displays of clip-ons and I purchased a gold art deco pair that "called my name."

The proprietor also educated me about foam clip-on earring cushions. I bought a bag of cushions and she slipped a pair on my purchase, which I wore the rest of the day without any slippage, pinching, and the best part, no after-marks.

Late in the afternoon, we drove back to Diana's home where we freshened-up. Then we headed out to a meet-and-greet of the Connecticut Alliance for Business Opportunities (CABO), an LGBT chamber of commerce.

I had already met some of the attendees at the Transgender Health and Law Conference two months ago, but most of the two dozen were new faces. I met and chatted with the majority of them.

Diana and I were the only trans people there and we were representing the Connecticut Transadvocacy Coalition (CTAC). Actually, Diana was more representative than me, as she is a veteran transgender activist, whereas I am a volunteer doing what I can to help the cause.

By 7:30 PM, we were both tired from a long day and parted ways.

Stana by the Sea

June 29, 2011, Stonington, Conn.

Crossdressing Comic Book Story, Circa 1970

I am trying to track down a comic book that contained a story with a crossdressing theme.

The copy I had did not have a cover, so I don't know its title. It was published in the late 1960s or early 1970s. My copy was lost in the great purge of 1983. I'd like to find a copy, but without a title, the search is difficult; if you can help me out, I'd appreciate it.

The comic book had two stories. Unlike most comic books in which one story follows another consecutively, this book had two stories printed throughout the book concurrently with one story printed on the top half of the page and the second story printed on the bottom half of the page (the story I am interested in was the story on the top half of the page.)

This comic book included sex and nudity, so it was not likely found on the newsstand next to Archie, Superman and Little Audrey. I assume it was sold in porn shops.

The plot of the story (as I remember it) involves a gay spy named Jamie. Out and about one day, Jamie goes to a hair salon for a wash and set. While he is under the hair dryer, the salon proprietor begins feminization hypnosis.

After undergoing hypnosis, Jamie admits to being "a perfect size 12." Next scene, finds him dressed as a female with all the female salon operators gushing over "her." Jamie exclaims that he feels "fabulous!"

When Jamie returns to spy headquarters decked out in a short red dress, high heels, and full make-up, his superiors are not amused. But they have a solution: let some females have their way with him and that will switch him from a gay crossdresser to a heterosexual non-crossdresser.

Their plan works and the hetero Jamie seeks out whoever was responsible for feminizing him. Turns out his mother, who heads up another group of spies, was behind his feminization.

Sound familiar? Let me know.

Out

I am going to spend the day en femme on Wednesday.

For sure, I am going to the shore to dine with friends at a seafood restaurant. And I will be doing other stuff that has yet to be definitely determined.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to tomorrow.

The Groom Wore Satin and Lace

Surfing the Web, I found this story, an oldie, but a goodie, about a 1984 role reversal wedding in the United Kingdom.  

According to Syndication International,  "The wife wore the trousers yesterday at the weirdest wedding of the year. The 'blushing bride' in white satin and lace, was a MAN, and so were his pretty bridesmaids.

"The black-suited 'groom' was a WOMAN... and it was all legal. For transvestite Bruce Laker won his battle to wed live-in lover Vanda Young in Britain's first gender-bender marriage ceremony.

"Bruce wore tights with a garter and carried a posy of roses and orchids.

"The bizarre wedding took place at Newport on the Isle of Wight. Bruce, 30, and hairdresser Vanda, 34 wore just what they pleased, though the Registrar General frowned on the bad-taste marriage.

"Bruce's mother was philosophical about the whole thing. She said: 'Let's face it. I've not lost son - I've gained two daughters-in-law.'"

Six Years Later

In a follow-up story, six years later, the "marriage that would never last" was still going strong, according to the Weekly World News.

"..it's Vanda who dons the trousers each morning as she trots off to work in a styling salon."

"And it's her gender-bending Bruce who ties a frilly apron over his housemaid's dress and spends the day tidying up their little love next on England's Isle of Wight."

Neither story disclosed what "battle" Bruce won in order to wear white at his wedding. The earlier article infers that it was a legal battle, but I don’t know for sure.

The photo is from the Weekly World News article. I take exception to the caption, "World's ugliest bridesmaids." In my opinion, the bridesmaid to Bruce’s immediate left is a knock-out.

Twelve Years Later

The couple turns up again 12 years later in the 1997 book Male Femaling by Richard Elkins.

"Phaedra Kelly is the alternate personality of Bruce Laker. She is a 42-year-old married writer and transgender activist who lives with her wife and step-daughter on the Isle of Wight in a home which doubles as The Museum of International Gender Identity. From the same address she directs the International Gender Transient Affinity, the first working world-wide transgender human rights organization."

You can read the entire excerpt from Male Femaling here. And Zagria has some additional information about Phaedra on her A Gender Variance Who's Who blog.

I could not find anything newer about this ground-breaking marriage. Are Phaedra and Vanda celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary this year? I hope so.

A Little Behind

I got a little behind. (Nothing that some padding couldn't fix.)

Seriously, I got a little behind in my correspondence this past month. I assure you that I read every e-mail I received, but due to the weather, I have not had the time to respond to each one.

Let me explain.

We had no real spring to speak of in these parts. It seems that most of the spring was an extension of this year's winter.

When spring-like weather finally arrived, I had a lot of catching up to do, including cleaning, planting, and replacing the gutters Old Man Winter tore down in February.

As a result, I was working outside until dusk almost every night for the past three weeks. Each night, I would just crash after working outside for two to three hours (after working all day at the salt-mine for eight to nine hours).

Meanwhile, the unacknowledged e-mails piled up.

I finally had some time today to catch up. When I examined my e-mail in-box today, I was surprised that some of the unacknowledged e-mails went back to the New Year!

I tried to acknowledge all the unacknowledged e-mails. If I missed yours, I apologize. And I promise to do better in the future,

Lashes -- Gone to Extremes

Beauty and style expert, Paul Venoit, writes in The Huffington Post about the latest fashion in the beauty world, i.e., "the need for luscious, long lashes."

In his "Lashes -- Going to Extremes," Venoit describes the history of eyelash fashjion and the potential dangers of using lash growth products (like Latisse).

Last June, I wrote here about how at my "last makeover, the makeover artist mentioned that my eyelashes are blond and thin. She suggested that I try an eyelash growth stimulator to add some heft to my lashes."

Shortly thereafter, Avon introduced "an eyelash growth serum in their product line. Since I am an Avon rep, the rep discount price for the product was very attractive, so I ordered a tube."

I began using the serum religiously applying it in the morning and evening, as recommended. After two weeks, I was not thrilled with the results, but into week three and beyond, I began noticing a difference. By week five, there was a big difference.

After two or three months, my eyelashes were spectacular. Not so much without mascara (since my lashes are blond), but with mascara --- wow, what a difference. Even after I cut back to applying the serum once a day instead of twice, I still noticed improvement.

Moreover, there were no side effects, so I was a very happy girl.

In October, I had an eye exam and my eye doctor tested me for glaucoma. Turns out that I do have the early stages of glaucoma and the doctor prescribed eye drops to manage the problem.

I began using the eye drops religiously applying them every evening, as recommended.

My doctor listed the eye drops possible side effects. Bloodshot eyes was one side effect that I began to experience almost immediately; most mornings, my eyes are bloodshot, some days worse than others and some days, not at all.

Another potential side effect he listed was eyelash growth. The Avon serum was already doing that and I did not believe that my eyelashes could get any better, but a few weeks after I began using the glaucoma medication, I noticed even more improvement. My lower lashes were getting better, too!

I assume that the Avon serum is a watered-down version of some glaucoma medication. So it makes sense that since I began using a full-strength glaucoma med, my eyelashes have responded accordingly.

I still recommend the Avon serum for those of you lucky enough to not have glaucoma. It made a big difference for me, but everyone is different and your mileage may vary.

Victorious Femulation

Victorious is a situation comedy on Nickelodeon. Its cast includes Avan Jogia (above left) and Victoria Justice (above right). In an upcoming episode, Avan's character falls in love with Victoria's and lands a role as a double. By the way, Avan is a male.

You can see more photos here and here.

And thank you, Cheryl, for alerting me to this!