Worshipping as Women

Responding to my Whose Saree Now? post, Priya reminded me of the Kottankulangara Festival, an annual Hindu festival in Kerala, India, where over 5,000 men and boys irrespective of their religious faith dress as women and girls. The festival takes place at the Kottankulangara Devi temple at Chavara, Kerala, which is sacred to the goddess Bhagavathy. 

Every year this festival is celebrated on the 10th and 11th day of Meenam (mid-March). On the festival day, thousand of devotees visit the Temple to seek the blessings of the Goddess Bhagavathy. The men dress up in the female attire of their choice. Some wear Set sari, Pattu sari, half sari or even dance costumes.

While some of the devotees are dressed up by their female family members, there are a number of beauticians, makeup artists and clothiers around the temple, who charge between $6 and $26 for decking out the faithful. 

Priya sent me links to the following articles about the festival:

• The Kerala temple where thousands of men dress up like women every year
  
  
• At this Kerala temple, thousands of men dress up as women to get deity's blessings
  
  
• Worshipping as women: Check out this unique Kerala festival for men

And YouTube has a slew of videos related to the festival. This video, in particular, provides a sample of the excellent quality of the femulations by the festival attendees.

In India, the general public’s tolerance (or lack thereof) of crossdressing is about the same as in the USA. So I found it interesting that attendance at this festival en femme is so acceptable among the civilians. I guess the festival’s acceptance is due to its religious aspect. Even young boys are encouraged to crossdress when religion is involved!

And so it goes!

Wearing Mayloz

Men worshipping as women at India’s Kottankulangara Festival

Someday Funnies

Wearing StyleWe

Femulating in 1930

Someday Funnies

Wearing Bebe

Femulators flaunting femininity in a Paris bar in 1927.

Throwback Thursday: First Holy Communion

(Originally posted on September 2011)

Molly and Desmond were elated that they were able to pull it off.

Their son Clarissa was about to make his first holy communion, but he could not wear a dress to the ceremonies. The archdiocese insisted that boys had to wear blue suits (jackets and trousers) despite the fact that in this day and age, most parents raised their sons to be sissies.

Molly and Desmond pleaded Clarissa’s case to their parish’s pastor, Father Maxine, and to the parish nun who organized the first holy communion, Sister Bernard. There they found sympathy, but not much hope for their cause.

Then there was a miracle!

The archbishop of the diocese retired and Pope Raylene II appointed a woman, Archbishop Rhonda, as the new archbishop.

With this turn of events, Father Maxine and Sister Bernard contacted the archbishop about the dress requirements and in response, she decreed that both boys and girls could wear dresses to their first holy communion ceremonies.

So it came to pass that on the Sunday of Clarissa’s first holy communion, Clarissa shed tears of joy when he paraded down the church aisle with the other sissies wearing adorable first holy communion dresses, while Molly and Desmond proudly looked on wearing his and her skirt suits, (Molly’s in baby blue and Desmond’s in dusty pink); a complete feminine family just as Goddess intended.

Wearing Boston Proper

Someday Funnies: Whose Saree Now?

Wearing Sanya Gulati

Femulating in Mumbai

Today is International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day... a global holiday celebrated annually to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. It is also a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights and violence and abuse against women (source: Wikipedia).

Doing my darndest to promote gender equality, admittedly from a different direction, how appropriate that today is also my birthday.  

Seventy-one years and counting. Lately, I have been feeling my age. My osteoarthritis has been a game changer. After five sessions of physical therapy, I see some improvement, but not enough to dare to go out en femme. 

At least, I still look a year or two younger than 71, so that thought improves my attitude. But I sure would like to be physically fit enough to go out en femme and flaunt those good looks! LOL

Although I am a little depressed, I am optimistic. So much so that I bought a new dress from Avon (see the Femulate Her slot below) that I plan to wear out real soon now.

Wish me luck!

Wearing Avon

Femulating in the 1943 film This Is The Army.
You can view this film containing femulators galore on YouTube.

Someday Funnies: She’s the Boss

Wearing Temperley London

Femulate reader Brenda shopping in Montreal.

Today is National Dress Day!

National Dress Day:
Don’t leave home without wearing one!

On National Dress Day March 6, we celebrate the most versatile and fun article of clothing there is — the dress! 

Fashion designer Ashley Lauren founded the day to help pay homage to dresses and the magical moments that happen when we wear them. “I remember the dresses I wore to my prom, first job interview, first date, competing in a pageant, my first red carpet event, the list goes on,” she says. “This is a fun day to cherish and celebrate those memories.”

Superficially Yours

In her post on Friday, Hannah McKnight wrote, “I would love to hear something you love about yourself, something that you love about who you are. I want to hear your shallowest, most superficial thoughts.”

Naturally, I could not resist such an invitation and I submitted the following as a comment to Hannah’s post.

I love carrying a designer handbag. Any thoughts about me being a guy are swept away by a bag hanging from my limp wrist.

Don’t know if I have Gynecomastia or not, but I do know that I have breasts that are large enough to fill a size 42B bra without inserts, pads or any other assistance. And when I slip on my bra, I love finding those two perky mounds on my chest (it never gets old).

Mom had shapely legs. When she worked in an office before she married, her nickname was “Legs.” Like mother, like daughter, I inherited my mother legs and a transman once dubbed me “Leggy.” I love being my mother’s daughter.

Of course, “Legs” loved high heels, always wore them when she went out and she owned a closet full. Again like mother, like daughter, I love high heels, always wear them when I go out and I own a closet full (over 100 pairs).

I love being a feminine man. When I am en homme, it can be a hindrance, but it works so well for me when I am en femme that I would not have it any other way.

Making up my face is something I always look forward to. I love the process, the tricks, the shortcuts and especially the results. After I do my makeup, slip on my wig and look in the mirror, it is always an aha moment! (Yes, I am a woman.)

Wearing Rene Ruiz

The always lovely Hannah McKnight

Someday Funnies

Wearing Cynthia Rowley

Erica, a long-time Femulate reader and femulator

Someday Funnies

Wearing New York and Company

Alice Sometimes

Switching Teams

Women are taking over.

My editor was a woman.* My supervisor was a woman.* My manager was a woman.* My Vice President is a woman.

In the not-too-distant past, men filled those positions. Now women are filling those roles and obsolescencing the men.

And it is happening everywhere in both the private and public sectors. Women are breaking through the glass ceiling and erecting new ceilings to keep men in a newfound place, i.e., reporting to women.

The women’s team is on a roll and is winning big time in the war between the sexes. If you don’t want to face the future as a second-class citizen, join the other team before it’s too late.

Crossdressing is one way to switch teams and begin fitting into the new woman’s world. And you don’t have to go full femme glam from the get-go. Instead, you can ease yourself into playing for the other team.

Start with a little makeup (lip gloss and mascara) and have your hair permed and highlighted.

Replace your T-shirt and boxers with sports bras and figure-shaping panties.

Buy a couple of pantsuits and maybe a pearl set. (While you are at the mall shopping for your new wardrobe, get your ears pierced, too.)

Knee-highs will do for now, but you must buy a pair of killer power pumps to show that you really mean business. Three-inch heels or higher will show the women that you are serious about playing on their team.

If you don’t have a manbag already, buy a designer pocketbook to carry your wallet, keys. cell phone, compact, makeup, etc. because women’s pants usually have no pockets, in case you didn’t know. (There are a lot more things you will learn playing on the women’s team.)

To show solidarity with your teammates, consider a name change. At a minimum, drop your “maiden name” and depending on whether you are married or single, use your wife or mother’s surname in its place. Also, again depending on whether you are married or single, start using “Mrs.” or “Ms.” as your courtesy title instead of “Mr.” You might even subtly feminize your first name, for example, change Rick to Ricki, Donald to Donni, Chris to Chrissy, etc.

Nothing will get you kicked off the team faster than bad bathroom etiquette, so be sure to put the toilet seat down after you use the lady’s room. Even better, get used to urinating in the seated position and give your feet a rest from wearing those killer pumps all day.

Those are the minimum requirements for playing successfully on women’s team. But be alert. If you see your old golfing buddy down the street going to work in a dress, then it is time to step it up, shave your legs and visit Lane Bryant for some additional wardrobe adjustments.

* - Before I retired.

Wearing Zuhair Murad

Femulate reader Mikki with a new “Baltimore Big” hairdo after seeing the Trocaderos,