Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Ladies at Lunch


By Michelle

In my previous articles I think I have mentioned the idea of a bucket list I have for my trans life. On that bucket list would be to go out with a group of cis females and be accepted as one of them. I had ideas of perhaps going on a hen night, which would be great thing to do, but I was offered an alternative, which I think is even better. My friend Irene turned 60 last month and she invited me to her lunch party at an Italian restaurant. That was an invitation I couldn’t refuse.

The plans developed and although some men had been invited, the date clashed with a football match and they decided to show their allegiance to their club and sent their apologies. So it was to be a women-only event and I was going.

What to wear of course was an issue – is it ever not? In the end, I decided to wear a cap-sleeved blouse and a calf-length grey skirt with my old favourite black high heel court shoes. Although I have some photos of me and the rest of the group, I don’t want to publish these without their permission and pixelating faces always looks a bit sinister to me, so I’m afraid I will have to paint a picture with words.

Irene asked if I could come already dressed and take her and another friend to the restaurant in my car. This would be relatively easy as my son was away that night so I could underdress and finish off in the car on the way. And this was my plan until the evening before the lunch when my son’s girlfriend phoned and asked if she could sleep at our home so that she didn’t’ have to drive home after going out for drinks with some friends. We had made this offer and we weren’t going to withdraw it, so this is exactly what she did. This complicated things a little as it meant that I could not apply makeup at home the following morning before I left. A minor irritant, but it just meant I had to do more on my “maintenance stop” on the way to Irene’s.

As it happened I left “underdressed” and was able to apply makeup and other finishing touches in a rest area en route. I arrived at Irene’s a few minutes late (fashionably late I like to think) and was introduced to Irene’s friend. We spent a while talking about various things which was very pleasant and settled down any nervousness I had. Then we left for our lunch appointment in the pouring rain.

After a 30-minute journey, we arrived at the restaurant and Irene went in to meet and greet her guests whilst I parked up and joined her a minute or so later. As I walked in, I was met by the group who were to be at the lunch and was introduced to everyone. This was it! I was now accepted as my female self and I felt I was “in for the journey.” We sang “Happy Birthday” to Irene and were led to our table.

Apart from Irene, there was one other trans person there who I know quite well, but I was determined to not sit near her so that we didn’t drift into trans conversations. I managed to do this sitting between two of Irene’s cis female friends. That was good manoeuvring by myself!

The lady between Irene and myself didn’t know anyone there (apart from the birthday girl) and we soon struck up a conversation finding we had common interests; cycling, cakes, choosing the right hair colour and an inability to fully understand mobile phones.

The meal was really nice and I was accepted as female by everyone. Trans issues never came up at all in any of the conversations I had. It was also nice being within a group collectively addressed as “ladies” and one of the women, when I said I wasn’t on Facebook, said “good girl.”

If I can make a little aside here, I think we are all looking for something a little different in each other when we dress, but for most of us, I think we want to be seen as just another woman and any evidence that we are is such a nice feeling. So when this lady said those two words, seemingly very naturally, my heart gave a little jump for joy. I have written before on the joy of being addressed as “Madame” in public and this was similar.

We were at the restaurant for three hours and the time just flew by. As a group of 13 women, occasionally being quite loud, we were of some interest to other diners in the restaurant, but nothing out of the ordinary and when we left, many of them smiled nicely and said goodbye to us. I was even invited to join a walking group and a monthly brunch group by other women in the party, which again indicates I had been completely accepted as a woman.

We said our goodbyes and I took Irene and her friend home. She was overwhelmed at how nice people had been at her birthday party and was close to tears with emotion, which was nice to see because she is such a lovely person. It was then time for me to make my way home and Irene asked if I wanted to change before I left, but I refused saying I wanted to complete the whole experience as a female. I gave her a hug and I made my way home, finding a deserted car park to change in as the light faded in the sky.

Everything about the day (except the awful weather) had been marvellous; the company, the meal, the restaurant, being asked to come and then being totally accepted as female.




Source: Pinterest





Richard O'Brien
Richard O'Brien

Monday, March 5, 2018

Men in Uniform

True to the Army is a 1942 American musical-comedy intended to build morale and entertain during the dark days of World War II. It stars Judy Canova, Allan Jones, Ann Miller, Jerry Colonna and William Demerest.

I never saw the film, but there are clips of the film on YouTube and having seen the clips, I'd like to see the entire film someday. Not because the film is of Oscar quality, but rather because the clips show men in the uniform of the opposite gender!

May I direct you to two clips from the film.

"Wacky for Khaki" is the name of the song sung by Judy Canova in this clip. The theme of the song is her love of military uniforms. The guys show up in military garb in short order, but the song opens with a group of soldiers femulating in the high fashion of the day.

More femulating troops appear in the background of another clip from the film, Judy Canova singing "I Can't Give You Anything But Love."

The quality of these clips is not too good, but you get the picture.

Anyway, I'd love to see these clips in the context of the entire film.







Source: Bebe
Wearing Bebe (Source: Bebe)




Allied prisoners of war femulating in a German prison camp during World War II.
Allied prisoners of war femulating in a German prison camp during World War II.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Someday Funnies

Source: The New Yorker, February 20, 2004




Source: Dress Barn
Wearing Dress Barn (Source: Dress Barn)




You're never too young or too old to femulate.
You're never too young or too old to femulate.

Friday, March 2, 2018

Fridays Are for Femulating

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired Dept.

Lately, my posts here have been irregular because the flu has made me feel irregular. I am into week three of this thing and I am very frustrated. I have things to do, but whenever I start anything, I run out of gas quickly and crash.

The only good things about the flu are that I am getting a lot of sleep and my lack of appetite has knocked a few pounds off my daily visit to the bathroom scale!

Behind the Scenes Dept.

I watched a cute film on Netflix that is worth a look.

Called Cherry Pop, IMDB describes it thusly, "...a crazy night in the life of a small local bar's drag show. It's about a newcomer struggling with being the outcast on his first night. And a legend coming to terms with life after her last night in drag. And it's about a bunch of other back-stabbing queens with their own problems who just plain can't stand each other. Even the stories of some of the patrons play a part in the chaos. Cherry Pop is a real-time roller coaster ride where you better be strapped up, tucked in, and ready to go!"




Source: Madeleine
Wearing Madeleine (Source: Madeleine)




Miguel Sagaz, Mayhem Miller, Matthew Sanderson and Allusia Alusia
Miguel Sagaz, Mayhem Miller, Matthew Sanderson and Allusia Alusia femulating in the 2017 film Cherry Pop.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Trans Mascots

From The Cut Monday came this, "As women across America deal with a wage gap, a lack of paid maternity leave, the threat of decreased reproductive rights, and rampant sexual misconduct, brands have responded by bravely … making female versions of their mascots?"

The article pointed out that Brawny paper towels rolled out a flannel shirt–clad Brawny Woman, Reba McEntire became the first woman to play KFC’s Colonel Sanders and Johnnie Walker just introduced a “Jane Walker” logo toto “draw more women to the world’s best-selling scotch and acknowledge a broader push toward gender equality.”

The piece concluded with a list of 15 other male mascots who could be feminized, like The Jolly Green Giantess, Ms. Peanut, The Pillsbury Doughgirl, etc.

Which begs the question, what's good for the goose is good for the gander?

Mr. Betty Crocker
So how about...

👠 Coppertone Boy

👠 Land O Lakes Indian Male Maid

👠 Mr. Butterworth

👠 Sun-Maid Boy

👠 Uncle Jemima

👠 Utz Boy

👠 Little Mr. Sunbeam

👠 Morton Salt Boy

👠 St. Pauli Boy

👠 Wendell's Hamburger Boy

And so it goes!




Source: Intermix
Wearing Intermix (Source: Intermix)




Andrew Lees and Eamon Farren
Andrew Lees (left) and Eamon Farren (center) femulating in the 2014 Australian TV movie Carlotta.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Bear With Me

Jellystone Park Dept.

Front page of the local newspaper had an article today about coyotes attacking pets in my neck of the woods. I live in the less populated, more rural end of town and all the attacks have occurred within a one-mile radius of where I live.

No surprise since I have seen and heard my share of coyotes around these parts since moving into the woods about 25 year ago. What was surprising to me is that the bears have awakened from their long winter's nap.

Saturday night, I took a leashed Rover out for last call and I was surprised to find that the garbage can trolley was moved about 12 feet down the driveway and the cans were tipped over, but their lids were still stuck on tight. My guess is that a bear was looking for a meal and was startled before he or she could get to the goodies. I assure you that they have had no trouble popping the lid off the garbage cans in the past, so something must have scared it away (maybe me when I opened the garage door).

I brought the contents of that take the dog out.)e cans inside the garage to avoid having to clean up the mess the bears leave after dinner, which is the last thing I needed to do as I still suffer from the the effects of the flu.

Vertigo Dept.

Starla e-mailed me, "They're baaa-aack! The gurls of Florida's Ernest Ward Middle School, that is! After an apparent hiatus (or at the least a lack of Internet coverage) of several years, the always excellent womanless beauty pageant at EWMS was held Friday night."

Here are three links to images from the event posted on the Internet: 1, 2 and 3.

By the way, the contestant in the accompanying photo reminds me of Kim Novak in the Hitchcock film Vertigo in the second half of the film when Novak plays Judy, not Madeleine.





Source: White House Black Market
Wearing White House Black Market (Source: White House Black Market)



Womanless beauty pageant, circa 1967
Womanless beauty pageant, circa 1967

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Under the Weather

Under the Influence Dept.

As I wrote here one week ago, I have the flu and "I don't feel much like doing anything including blogging, so this blog will be absent for a few days until this blows over."

I've got to admit it's getting better, a little better all the time, but I am still suffering from the symptoms of the flu.

I sleep a lot and I mean A LOT! Yet, I still feel tired all my waking hours. So this is going to take longer than I expected to get over.

Anyway, thank you for all your comments and e-mails expressing your concerns about my health.

Under Cover Dept.

"Sébastien Lifshitz has spent years trawling through flea markets, eBay and junk shops in an effort to trace the history of Europe’s cross-dressing culture. Now, his incredible collection is going on display at London’s Photographers Gallery."

Read and see about it here.




Source: Bebe
Wearing Bebe (Source: Bebe)




Source: Sebastian Lifshitz
English POWs in German camp (Source: Sebastian Lifshitz)

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Flu

The flu symptoms started Thursday morning. By Friday evening, I felt so lousy that my daughter took me to the ER.

The ER diagnosed me as having the flu (first time in my adult life that I have had the flu), wrote me a prescription and sent me home.

My temp is normal this morning, but I still feel lousy. And I don't feel much like doing anything including blogging, so this blog will be absent for a few days until this blows over.

Friday, February 16, 2018

Femulating Friday

Your Turn Dept.

Thank-you! So far, I received 22 comments and 12 e-mails in response to the Your Turn post.

One commenter complained about how I tag/label my posts. That is a legitimate complaint and I will try to do better in that regard.

Another commenter agreed with the person whose complaints precipitated the Your Turn post, i.e., that my skirts are too short.

Except for a few amusing tongue-in-cheek complains, everyone else disagreed with the original complainer about the way I dress ("if you got it, flaunt it"), my name and my use of the word "bird."

By the way, the 64-year-old woman in the Femulatee spot in the You Turn post was fashion model Christie Brinkley and the 66-year-old transwoman in the Femulator post was me.

Upcoming Events Dept.

TransGuys have the 2018 Trans Conference Guide up and running on their website. Here is the link: https://transguys.com/ref/2018-trans-conference-guide (For future reference, the link also appears under my Tool Links in the right column of this blog.)




Source: Venus
Wearing Venus (Source: Venus)




Carollyn Olson
Carollyn Olson

Thursday, February 15, 2018

War on Transgenders Marches On

Sadly, Trump's War on Transgenders continues...

Education Dept. Officially Says It Will Reject Transgender Student Bathroom Complaints

The Education Department says it won't investigate or take action on any complaints filed by transgender students who are banned from restrooms that match their gender identity, charting new ground in the Trump administration's year-long broadside against LGBT rights.

Read the rest of the story here.

Read the Los Angeles LGBT Center's excellent response to the Education Department here.

Trump Not Done Trying To Ban Transgender People from of Military

President Donald Trump‘s attempts to ban transgender people from the military have failed at every turn, but he isn’t done yet. The Trump administration will unveil and defend a new anti-trans policy on February 21.

Read the rest of the story here.

GOP Defines Being Transgender As 'A Disqualifying Psychological and Physical Condition'

The Republican National Committee voted to support Trump's August order that defines being transgender as “a disqualifying psychological and physical” condition.

Read the rest of the story here.

Transgender Rights Targeted by Multiple Ballot Measures Across the United States

Emboldened by Trump's War on Transgenders, discrimination is on the ballot in Massachusetts and Anchorage, Alaska, with signatures currently being collected for a third anti-transgender ballot measure in Montana.

Read the rest of the story here.





Source: Moda Operandi
Wearing Rebecca de Ravenel (Source: Moda Operandi)





Kamil Bijos femulating on Your Face Sounds Familiar on Polish television.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Valentine's Day Greeting


I have posted this image here on Saint Valentine's Days in the past. I don't recall where I found the image, nor do I recall its history. I don't believe it's a fake, rather I think it's a genuine vintage greeting card.

That being said, what is the context of the card's message? My guess it was related to women's suffrage.

During that era, there was a genuine fear among males that if women got the vote it was the beginning of the end of the patriarchy. That fear was reflected in ephemera of the era.

The big question on everybody's mind 100 years ago was asked by this anti-suffrage postcard.


Another postcard answered the question.






Wearing Bebe (Source: Bebe)




Faye
Faye's "bird" femulation