Pejic Speaks

Transcendent fashion model Andrej Pejic sat down for an interview with Isabel Wilkinson for New York Magazine's The Cut.

Four years ago, when model Andrej Pejic walked in the John Paul Gaultier show, people weren’t sure what to make of him: Here was the prettiest woman they’d ever seen — with long blonde hair and high cheekbones — who just happened to be a 19-year-old boy from Serbia. 

Over these last few years, Pejic — who now identifies with female-specific pronouns — has landed major jobs in the fashion world: walking in men’s and women’s shows, and modeling in countless editorials. And around her there have gradually been more images of gender diversity in the fashion world, with models like Casey Legler and Lea T rising to fame, as well as Barney’s much-lauded transgender campaign.

Now Pejic is branching out — and, as many models do, building her brand. Last night at the Gilded Lily, she launched a line of minimal 3-D-printed jewelry in a collaboration with the brand Sam H Snyder. Next, she is shopping an almost-finished autobiography around to literary agents, filming a documentary about her life, and plotting a move into modeling cosmetics. She spoke to the Cut about building Andrej Pejic Inc., how the industry has become more open to gender diversity — and the work that’s still left to be done.

Read the entire interview here.

Circa 1920, a West Point cadet femulates in a stage production at the academy.

Wearing Robert Rodriguez.

Kookie, Kookie, lend me your comb

Attend any transgender event and this scene is not out of the realm of possibilities.

Personally, when I am en femme at a transgender, LGBT or civilian event, I refuse to use the men’s restroom or even the family restroom. Instead, I always sashay my derrière to the ladies’ restroom when nature calls or for those Max Factor moments.

I will never forget attending an LGBT fundraiser a few years ago where they designated one bathroom for transgenders. I was insulted as were many of my trans-sisters and when we had to go, guess which bathroom we did not go to? The folks running the event got the message and never pulled that stunt again.

 

 

 

Boy George femulating as the cover girl for the December 1984 UK edition of Cosmopolitan.

 

 

 

I love this dress and the whole outfit. The image appeared in an e-mail from MyHabit on Thursday, but the dress was not available on the MyHabit website. It looks similar to some of Sue Wong’s designs, but I could not find an exact match. If they had it in my size and the price was right, I would have bought it.

A casa by any other name is still Casa Susanna

Casa Susanna was a guest house in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York where crossdressers dressed en femme during their visits in the 1960s.

Although not mentioned by name, My Year Among the Girls by Darrel G. Raynor published in 1968 documented one crossdresser's experience at Casa Susanna.

Casa Susanna by Michel Hurst and Robert Swope published in 2005 was a collection of snapshots found at a New York City flea market that depicted various crossdressers during their stay at the guest house.

I have mentioned both of these books here in the past. My Year Among the Girls was an eye-opener for me; reading that book when I was 17, I discovered that I was not alone.

Later this month, Casa Valentina opens on Broadway. It is a play written by Harvey Fierstein and is loosely based on the activities that occurred at Casa Susanna 50 years ago.

I hope I have an opportunity to see the play, preferably en femme.

 

 

 

Harvey Fierstein, circa 1970.

 

 

 

Wearing Madeleine.

The Many Aspects of Gender

By Romana

Romana wrote an interesting piece for Femulate, “The Many Aspects of Gender,” which describes her take on gender. Her article is long, so you will find it in its entirety on a separate webpage, but the introduction to her article follows with a link to the rest of the article. 

I have gained a lot of experience in my seven and a half years living full-time as a transgender woman. My Buddhist meditation practice has revealed many unexpected insights. My life has always been experiential, constantly trying new things out. I guess Asperger’s syndrome has enabled me to be quite bold. I have never been in the closet. My hormones had been out-of-balance for years, but that has been fixed, causing my entire psyche has come into focus. I am now legally Romana and legally female, without any gender-altering surgeries. Recently, I have been communicating with women just like another woman, so I think I now have a woman’s point-of-view. Women’s issues have become mine, and I have developed a true desire to improve women’s lives. I have reached, or aspire to reach all my recommendations.

I think that image and clothing is a catalyst that can provide a gateway to variations of gender expression beyond standard. New gender experiences can be liberating, because they can allow one to try out a diversity of behaviors that might otherwise have been severely restricted. that they can negotiate.

Read the rest of the article here.

 

 

 

The Raelle Sisters – sibling professional femulators circa 1972.

 

 

 

Wearing Madeleine.

A Little Class

There was interest in having a Femulate gathering at Fantasia Fair this year, so I completed the workshop proposal and submitted it to Dallas Denny, the Fantasia Fair Program Coordinator.

With the workshop proposal, I also had to submit a recent photo for publication in the Fantasia Fair Program Guide (in case my workshop is approved). Instead of submitting any old recent photo, I used Photoshop to insert a backdrop into a recent photo to give it a little class. The result appears to the right.

To make up for missing International Transgender Day of Visibility on Monday, I femmed-up my appearance for Tuesday with skinny jeans, a hip-length magenta tunic, black flats, and pink lip gloss.

Nobody mentioned my appearance. Either they did not notice or they were not surprised.

 

 

 

Claude André, a French professional femulator circa 1960

 

 

 

Wearing Red Valentino.

Her Suits Her Fine

Yesterday was International Transgender Day of Visibility.

I missed it. I would have dressed more appropriately for work on Monday if I knew beforehand. On the other hand, I am glad that I was dressed in boy mode on Monday.

I drove to work through a wintry mix of rain, sleet, and snow. As I parked my car at work, the wintry mix was no longer mixed and it snowed for the next three hours depositing 5 inches of heavy snow throughout my neck of the woods!

Like I said, I am glad that I was dressed in boy mode because I hate walking in heels through slush. However, I did display visible signs of my femininity yesterday.

Have I mentioned that I am letting my hair grow?

I have not visited my hairdresser since November and my hair is now the longest it's been since my college days. A woman engineer at work noticed my long hair the other day and said it looked "cool."

I noticed other people at work checking out my hair. Some of them may be thinking that my days as a boy at work are numbered and that I will be working as a lady real soon now. 

Meanwhile, no one on the home front has mentioned it, although my sister made a negative comment the last time I saw her. This is the same sister who is a big LGBT supporter with one exception: her transgender brother, so I took her comment with a grain of salt.

I am not sure how long I will let my locks grow. They are harder to hide under a wig now and at a minimum, they need to be neatened up by a professional.

And so it grows.

 

 

 

A West Point cadet (right) femulates in a circa 1920 stage production at the academy.

 

 

 

Wearing Robert Rodriguez.

Going to Fantasia Fair?

I registered for Fantasia Fair during the week of Fantasia Fair 2013 to get the best price.  I also reserved a room at my favorite Provincetown B&B and by staying for seven nights, I get two nights for free --- such a deal!

So now that I am all registered and reserved for Fantasia Fair, I was kicking around ideas for conducting a workshop at the Fair. I was wondering if enough Femulate readers are going to Fantasia Fair this year to make it worthwhile to have a Femulate workshop.

It would be great to get all us femulators together so we can meet each other in person and have a big roundtable discussion about the fine art of femulating. We could call it the Femulate Blog Party!

Please let me know if you are going to Fantasia Fair this year and if so, would you attend the Femulate workshop.

 

 

 

Actor Paulo Gustavo (center) femulating in the 2013 Brazilian film Minha Mãe é uma Peça: O Filme.

 

 

 

Wearing Amelia Toro.

Plan Your Vacation Now

 

 

 

Souvenir from San Antonio’s The Gay Paree, circa 1950.

 

 

 

Emma Watson

Yes, it happened to me!

On Wednesday, I asked, “Has this happened to you?” that is, you’re out en femme and another woman reacts negatively (or positively) because you look better than her.

Dana’s “Sister”

I was at a fund raising event (guest of a friend) of about 300 people in attendance and found myself not alone in the choice of my dress! I really love this dress and actually had to wait about 8 months before it went on sale and I could buy it. It is a very fun and flirty dress to wear and received several compliments on it from other ladies, which of course makes it even more fun and exciting!

So unlike a previous time where the girl was not liking the fact both of us had on a very similar dress, this woman was all smiles and we laughed, complimenting the other on how good we each looked (yes, she was just being nice to me, but it meant the world to me as I think she is beautiful). I told her we could just say sisters if anyone asked and she said YES, the story being set! Above is a picture of us together!

Sindi’s Internet Intrigue

I am on a social site. I received a email from a member saying I should not be playing dress-up- nothing about how I looked. I read it and could not figure out why she wrote that. So I emailed back saying I guessed she did not want to be friends, LOL Turns out her husband had been looking at my page OMG - a jealous woman. And jealous of me???

Carollyn’s Makeup Counter Adventure

I went to Nordstrom’s at Bellevue Square (WA) to get a couple of Clinique items and to ask the cosmetologist for “smokey eye” assistance, since I was going to party that evening with Jamie Grae and her friends in Everett.

I was wearing the black outfit (photo below), but with boots not heels, since it was raining. The skirt was also longer. I rolled it for the party since everyone wears short skirts where we were going. I also wore my black leather jacket.

“Anyway, I walked in to Nordstrom's and scanned the makeup area looking for Clinique. I finally found the counter and approached Michele to purchase pour concealer (which is a must under my makeup) and eye-liner. She was amazing and so helpful... but it was the two ladies at the other counter who went gaga over my appearance.

I told Michele I was ambi-gender and told me she had numerous CD customers and that she was not bothered. The ladies did not have any clients, so they walked over to see what Michele was doing for me. I had removed my jacket so my cleavage was apparent too. The first comment I heard was “Where did you get your nylons and boots?”

I was wearing patterned nylons. They asked me if I could model for them. So, I took off my boots and walked around the counter. I told them where I bought both items.

“Well, when Michele is done with you, please come over to our counter.”

About 15 minutes later, I paid Michele for the product and thanked her for her help with the “smokey eye” and went to see the other two ladies.

“You are beautiful,” said one lady. The other said, “I could never look as pretty as you.”

And they were both lovely and classy in their appearance. Compliments continued to flow.

We talked for about 10 minute, mostly about where I buy my clothes, why I was in Washington, and about living in California. I don't think they knew I was CD, or at least they did not lead on to it. I did show them a couple of pictures of me that I had on my camera in different outfits and even gave them one of my “business” cards. The both gave me a hug and said to come back any time.

Obviously, I walked out of Nordstrom's on Cloud 9.

Vicki's Workout

I was never out in a dress, but I was working out in a hotel workout room wearing a light blue leotard and what they called then "Toast" colored tights. I also had on a little elastic belt which was strictly to accessorize the leo and pull the outfit together. I had many different colored belts which mostly matched the different colored tights I would wear.  It really just gave it a cute look.

I began in the room by myself and two women came in together to workout. They struck up a conversation with me.  

One said to both her friend and me, "I think I need to have a talk with my husband about letting me spend more on my workout clothes. It is depressing when a guy has cuter outfits than me."  

Then the other woman said, "He also has better legs than you."  

She then looked at me and said, "Do you like having girly legs?"

The last comment that they made after I finished and said goodbye, "You have a better ass than either of us also. Now that is depressing."

College men femulating in Lucky Break, a 1932 University of
Wisconsin Haresfoot Club stage production.

Wearing Marc by Marc Jacobs.

Our Events

 

Our Stories

This past weekend, I missed "Moving Transgender History Forward" at the University of Victoria, home of the world’s largest trans archives.

"Scholars from colleges, universities and community organizations across North America and all over the world converged on Vancouver Island March 21-23 to attend the first-ever conference on accessing and archiving trans history.”

Normally, I would not mention past events [unless I was present and being fabulous (is that redundant?)], but in this case, I want to pass along some wise words regarding transgender history from Jan Brown, my friend of renown.

"It's important to know where we have come from and the people who have spurred on the movement. If anyone has historical material, please don't just throw it away thinking no one would be interested.

"Not true! There is a lot of interest to save our history. You just have to find the right place and right now, the University of Victoria is very interested, as are The Center and the University of Michigan Library (Labadie Collection)."

Our Lives

One month from now, on April 26, Transgender Lives: The Intersection of Health and Law Conference will be in full swing at the UConn Health Center in Farmington, Connecticut.

"This all day conference is geared towards service providers, medical and legal professionals, trans and gender non-conforming community, allies and all those interested in the health and law issues facing the trans and gender non-conforming communities."

Two of my trans buds (Dru Levasseur are Tony Ferraiolo) are the keynote speakers and their speech will be preceded by a full slate of interesting and pertinent workshops.

The Conference costs only $25, includes a free lunch and is conveniently located on I-84, half way between Boston and New York City, so it is an easy drive for folks living in the upper right corner of the lower 48.

Hope you can make it!

Our Fair

I like attending New England fairs in the fall and my favorite fair to attend is Fantasia Fair in Provincetown on Cape Cod. The longest-running annual trans conference in the world celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and the week-long event runs from Sunday October 19 to Sunday October 26.

Fantasia Fair "continues to be the leading annual program promoting a gender-variant individual's ability to thrive in real-life situations." Unlike most trans conferences that occur in one building (read: big closet), Fantasia Fair occurs all over a very cool seaside resort and has a huge menu of things to do (sleep is optional).

Register as early as possible to save on the registration fee, so don't delay.

You can read about my last trip to Fantasia Fair among these posts. I hope to see you there this year!

 

 

 

Professional femulator Terry Dunham posing for a photoshoot in 1974.

 

 

 

Wearing Diane Von Furstenberg.