The Magazine for the most beautiful girls in the

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Pretty T Girls
November 2015
The Magazine for the most beautiful girls in the world
A publication of Pretty T Girls Yahoo group
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In This Issue
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Editorial by: Barbara Jean
The Truth About Your Makeup
The Secret to Getting a Great Makeup Counter Makeover
Perfect Makeup in Under 5 Minutes
8 Makeup Tricks That Make You Look Younger
Teri Lee Ryan
Módhnóirí
The Adventures of Judy Sometimes
Making A Difference In the Classroom
Meet The Husband and Wife Who Look Like Identical Twins
Humor
In Memory
Angels In The Centerfold
Mellissa’s Tips
Tips to Look Better Over 40
Diane Sikes
31 Clothing Tips Every Girl Should Know
Tasi’s Fashion
Lucille Sorella
7 Tips To Being The Feminine Transwoman You Are
From The Kitchen
23 Clever Skills Every Chef Should Know
Misunderstanding: Transgender vs. Transsexual
Let’s Get Together –Our new listing of meetings & Get Togethers
The Gossip Fence
Shop Till You Drop
Calendar
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Dream Dream Dream
An Editorial by: Barbara Jean
In preparation for his role as Tootsie, Dustin Hoffman said that his look as a woman had to be very
convincing, he did not want to be seen as a CD, or a drag queen, he did not want people to turn to take
another look, or laugh or anything like that. If he could not be made to look convincingly like a woman
he was not going to do the movie.
Does something sound familiar? How many of us are fearful of going out the door because we fear that
others will recognize us as being a man dressed as a woman?
The makeup artist did their magic on M r. Hoffman and he did look very convincingly like a woman, but
then he told them, “Now make me beautiful”. They told him this is as good as it gets.
In the YouTube video Dustin said he wondered what would his life be like if he was born a female?
Being seen as a woman is one thing, but how would things be different if we were actually born female?
I think it is a question that we all ask ourselves.
I remember reading where many years ago for a transsexual to get that letter for the surgery they had to
invent a childhood as a girl. What would it have been like for me if I was born a girl instead of a boy?
No doubt I would have been given dolls and toy kitchens to play with instead of trains and balls, and I
guess rather than playing baseball I would have been playing something like hopscotch or jump rope.
Like most boys I took my interest in things mechanical and went on to a career in electronics, but what if
I was born female, what would my interest have been then? Would it have simply been to be a
homemaker, or would I have gone on to become a nurse, or a secretary? I wonder in high school age
what kind of boy would I want for a boyfriend. Would he be a jock on the football team, someone with
bulging muscles, a nerd? What kind of man would I eventually marry? Someone with plenty of money,
or a hard worker who spends more time and energy at the office, or someone who shows lots of affection
for me, or would he be a total jerk?
Dress our age…. Oh how pretty the clothes are for little girls. The clothes for little boys are simply a
sized down version of what adult men wear, but for little girls the dresses are nothing like M ommy’s,
they are far prettier. It seems that as a girl gets older the clothes become a little more simplified. Not as
pretty as those for the younger girls.
Now there is one segment of our community known as “Adult Little Girls” where they dress as little
girls age 6-10, play with their dolls and have things like tea parties with them and otherwise act as a little
girl of that age. Just as we have our gatherings like Southern Comfort, they have something they call
camp where they get together and play, and inside they would play those children’s board games like
Candyland or the Barbie game, or color in their coloring books all while drinking hot chocolate. I can
imagine the talk among them about school, their imagined M ommy and Daddy, and how nasty the little
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boys are to them.
Yeah, if we were born a girl, what would our childhood be like? How would life be different for us then
and how would life be different for us now?
Now make me beautiful…. Hmmm, when a woman is getting ready for a date or to go someplace
special, she has that pretty dress on, has spent much time doing her hair and makeup, and when finished
she looks in the mirror, I wonder what she sees. Does she see herself as beautiful and pretty, or does she
just decide this is the best it can get? The beauty industry makes millions telling women that they will
not be beautiful unless they use this or that product. How much money is spent on diet products because
the industry make the implication to women that only thin women are beautiful?
And so I dream and wonder, what would life have been like, and how would things be different if I was
born a girl?
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The Truth About Your Makeup
WebM D
Is it OK to sleep in your eye makeup?
M ascara can flake into your eyes while you sleep. You
might wake up with itchy, bloodshot eyes, scratched
corneas, or even an infection. M ake sure to remove all
makeup before you go to bed.
Whatmay attract the sun's UV rays to your
lips?
High-gloss sheer lipstick
Sheer, high-gloss lipsticks offer little protection
and can attract damaging U V rays to your lips. If
you want the wet look, apply an opaque lipstick
first, then top with the gloss. Use a lip balm with at
least SPF 30.
Nail polish may stain your nails.
Nail polish, particularly darker colors, may stain
your fingernails or toenails and leave them yellowed
and discolored. The stained nails will grow out, but
it may take several months.
Can hypoallergenic cosmetic products cause
allergic reactions?
Just because a product says it's hypoallergenic
doesn't mean you won't have a reaction to it. The
FDA doesn't have standards for using the term
"hypoallergenic," so cosmetic makers don't have to
prove their claims. Any product can be labeled
"hypoallergenic" no matter what its ingredients,
and no cosmetic product can be guaranteed not to
cause an allergic reaction.
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According to some experts, which product
should you replace every three months?
Because of the risk of eye infections, you may not
be able to use eye makeup, including mascara,
eyeliner, and eye shadow, as long as you would
other products. Liquid or creamy makeup can harbor
bacteria more easily, so some experts recommend
replacing your mascara every three months. If
mascara dries out, don't add water or saliva to
moisten it. That can introduce bacteria.
Which of the following promotes bacterial
growth in makeup?
Sharing makeup with friends
Exposing makeup to light or heat
Using makeup when you have an eye infection
Cosmetic brushes, sponges, and fingertips pick up
bacteria and other germs from the skin, so sharing
makeup can mean you're also sharing bacteria. (M oistening brushes with saliva makes this worse.) Extended exposure to light or heat can break down the preservatives that fight bacteria, so don't leave your
makeup in a hot car. And don't use cosmetics if you have an eye infection like pinkeye. Throw away any
makeup you were using when you discovered the infection.
Do Some lipsticks made in the U.S. contain lead?
While some lipsticks do contain small amounts of lead,
lipstick is intended for external use only and you
probably swallow only very small quantities of it.
While the FDA has concluded that lead levels in
lipsticks aren't a safety concern, the agency plans to
pursue further testing.
Do some eye makeup made in other
countries contains hazardous levels of lead?
Kohl is a traditional type of eye makeup that can
contain significant amounts of lead. It's not
permitted for use as an additive in any cosmetic or
FDA-regulated product in the U.S., but it has been
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advertised for mail order online. Some types of eye makeup may be labeled with the term “kohl” to
indicate the shade, but the product doesn’t actually contain kohl.
Does the FDA approves all cosmetics before they
are sold to the public?
A cosmetics maker can sell products without FDA
approval. The FDA does not review or approve
cosmetic products or any cosmetic ingredients, with the
exception of color additives, which are required to have
safety testing.
Are cosmetics maker is required to report
injuries caused by its products?
The FDA doesn't require cosmetics makers to submit
information about any injuries caused by their
products and doesn't issue cosmetics recalls, though it
can request recalls by the manufacturer. It also
monitors ongoing recalls. A product can be taken off
the market only if the FDA proves in court that it is
dangerous or breaks the law.
Which of the following is the most common
injury from cosmetics?
Scratching the eye with a mascara wand is the
most common cosmetics-related injury. It can lead
to an eye infection if the scratches go untreated,
and infections can result in ulcers on the cornea,
eyelash loss, or even blindness. To avoid this type
of injury, don't try to apply mascara while driving
or riding in a moving vehicle.
If A manufacturer that claims a cosmetic has
medicinal benefits are they breaking the law?
“Cosmeceutical” is a popular term for a product
that's meant to beautify but also treats a condition.
However, the FDA classifies a product as either a
cosmetic or a drug based on its intended use; it
doesn’t recognize any category that’s a combination
of the two. A company that associates a drug claim with a product the FDA has classified as a cosmetic
may be violating federal law.
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Is there is any hard evidence linking the use
of cosmetics with cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, based
on available data, "there is little evidence to suggest
that using cosmetics, or being exposed to the
ingredients in cosmetics during normal use of these
products, increases cancer risk." But certain
products may have not been thoroughly tested, so
The Secret to Getting a Great Makeup Counter Makeover
by Eden Univer
Having your makeup done by a pro is fun, exciting, and also a little
nerve-racking if you've never been. But before psyching yourself out
with visions of awkward encounters or a clown-like final product, take
a peak at this guide from Juanita M aloney, the Nars business manager
at Henri Bendel. She's breaking down every trick in the book so you
can stroll in-and out-feeling cool and confident. Here's what you
should know!
You don't need an appointment, but it doesn't hurt either.
"We'll always take a walk-in, but if you're going to a function, you
may want to make an appointment because you could have to wait.
Just call the counter and tell them what you'd want to get done."
Come prepared.
"If you're going to go to a big event, wear something in a similar color scheme of your outfit to give us a
better image of what you'll look like. Also, bring along pictures as inspiration because that gives us a
more precicse idea of what you want. If you say red lip, that can mean one thing to you and another
thing to someone else."
There's no need to put any products on before heading over.
"Coming bare-faced is the best, but we do have products to take off your makeup if you don't want to
arrive without anything on."
Communication is key.
"The artist will probably try to push the envelope with your makeup, so go in with an open mind. It's
about the two people communicating to get to the look you'll feel happy leaving with. But don't be
scared to ask questions and speak up!"
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Every beauty base will be covered.
"We'll start with skin preparation, using toner and primer before applying foundation. It can just be
tinted moisturizer if you're doing a lighter look. You want your base to be flawless. Then we'll move on
to color, like eyeshadow and a lip. We go from A-Z. And we'll often create a face chart to map the
experience, writing what products we used and where."
It's technically free, but you may want to bring some money.
"There's no charge for an application, but you might love something that was used so much that you
want to buy it. The lip color is purchased most often because that can come off easily and people like to
reapply. Liner and mascara are popular purchases too."
Now what are you waiting for? Go get glam!
Perfect Makeup in Under 5 Minutes
by Amber Kallor
No glam squad needed! Follow our step-by-step guide for a makeup look that's great on every face,
every day. (It took our testers an average of four minutes, 38 seconds!)
S tep 1: Hide Dark Circles The first step of all: Apply a moisturizer with
S PF to help concealer glide on smoothly.
Then use concealer only where you need it, like on undereye circles and
blemishes, advises makeup artist Ana M arie Rizzieri, who created the look in
these photos. Try a creamy formula in a shade that matches your skin tone. "Too
-white circles under your eyes look like you wore goggles while tanning." Apply
in little stripes with a pointed concealer brush. Then blend using your ring finger
for the lightest touch, and don't tug on delicate undereye areas, Rizzieri instructs.
S tep 2: A Touch of Base
To get perfectly even skin the speedy way, use a foundation stick. It's easy and
gives you plenty precise application. We like Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick .
Try Rizzieri's technique: Using the stick like a giant marker, draw thick lines
down cheekbones, the sides of your nose and above brows, and blend with your
fingers. Want to look a little more sun-kissed? Before blending, use a second
stick that's two or three shades darker in all the same places for a streak-free
glow. M ix both colors together over your face and down onto your neck using
your fingers.
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S tep 3: Reassess and Perfect!
If a pesky zit or mark is still poking through, go back and hide it with an
extra layer of concealer.
Use the same kind as in step one (it worked for Alice's forehead scratch), or
try a cover-up that contains salicylic acid, like Almay Clear Complexion
Concealer, which helps shrink blemishes while it camouflages. Dab it onto
problem areas with a pointed brush instead of slicking it on from the tube.
Right on top of the blemish, "it's not meant to be totally blended in," says
Rizzieri, but to avoid cakeyness, use your ring finger to pat its perimeter
outward until smooth.
S tep 4: Now Blush!
Forget shading and sculpting cheekbones with a brush and powder, and try
a cream blush instead for that glow-from-within effect.
Apply to the apples of your cheeks, as seen here. (The fast way to find
yours: Smile!) Then blend the color up toward your temples with your
fingers. Bright, bold hues like the berry shade used on our model can look
natural, but if you're color-shy, build the intensity by gradually layering it
on.
S tep 5: Apply Shimmery Eye Base
For pro-looking eye makeup in no time, apply a wash of sheer, shimmery
cream shadow from lash lines to brow bones using your pointer finger.
Try Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow in Copper Canyon, which comes
with all the shades you need to create this look. If your skin is fair like our
model's, try a silvery white shade. For medium to dark skin tones, opt for a
champagne color instead. To get an extra bright-eyed effect, dot the color
onto the inner corners of your eyes too.
S tep 6: Make 'Em Pop
Next, use bronze and gold cream shadows (both are in that same Revlon
palette) to give eyes more depth.
Apply the bronze shade in your creases with a flat shadow brush for more
control, and use your fingers to smudge it down over the lids-avoiding the
brow bones. There shouldn't be any harsh lines or stripes of color, says
Rizzieri; it should look blended and effortless. Then, to make eyes look even
bigger, pat some gold cream shadow onto the centers of your lids and run a
little along your lower lash lines with your finger or a small brush.
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S tep 7: Add S ome Definition
For more intensity, rim your upper lash lines with a brown liner pencil and
smudge it upward with your shadow brush.
Then set with the same powder eyeshadow used in the previous step. Finish
off with two coats of mascara, like Smashbox Hyperlash M ascara, on top
and bottom-focusing on the outer lashes with the top of the wand. If your
brows aren't as full as our model's, lightly fill in any gaps with a pencil and
use a disposable mascara wand to brush the hairs up.
S tep 8: Get Lush-Looking Lips
If your lips are dry or at all chapped, gently buff with a damp washcloth and
apply lip balm.
Let it sink in well, and blot with a tissue if it feels slippery. Using a
strawberry-color lipstick, like M aybelline New York ColorSensational
Lipstick in Very Cherry, straight from the tube, apply it to the center of your
mouth (make a kissy face!), where color tends to wear off first, says Rizzieri. Blend the lipstick out over your lips, patting the color on with your
fingertip to help it last. "This gives you that fresh, just-ate-a-popsicle look,"
she says. To amp up things for night, add a layer of gloss for extra shine.
I am really amazed at how
people have asked me to
come to their house for
Thanksgiving dinner!
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8 Makeup Tricks That Will Make You Look Younger
Jenna Birch
Want to look younger? These makeup tricks are
key.
We all want to find the fountain of youth, even if it’s
just with the magic of cosmetics. One thing is
certain, after we exit our teenage years, no one is
applying makeup to look older anymore. However,
some makeup application mistakes can
inadvertently age you.
To get a handle on strategic makeup moves that
lend a vibrant, youthful vibe, we asked a few
renowned experts to share their best tips.
White out your waterline. To open up those peepers for a younger gaze, Lancôme National
Makeup Artist Sandy Linter likes to line the inside of the waterline with a kohl-based white
pencil like Lancôme’s Le Crayon Khôl ($26). “The white color diminishes shortly, but a touch
will be left in lower lashes which achieves that innocent and youthful, clean look,” she says.
Line your lashes. On the flip side, you can also add a touch of youth with black liner to
enhance your lashes. “Use a waterproof cream liner and nylon angle brush, like MAC Fluidline
in Blacktrack ($16), to darken the roots of your lashes before applying mascara,” says celebrity
makeup artist Kristofer Buckle. “Thicker-looking lashes make the eyes pop without a bunch of
fussy makeup.”
Go for the gold. Lighter is always going to read younger, even though some women love a
dramatic eye look. For the best of both worlds, instead of going dark and daring, play with
glowing shadows instead. “Take a golden shadow, or a much-lighter highlighting shadow, and
apply to the center of your e yelid,” says Linter. “This opens up the eye, but doesn’t change the
mood of your smoky eye, while keeping it fresh and young with just a sweep.” To get the look,
try Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in Golden ($21), or Laura Mercier Fairy Dust in
Platinum ($28).
Be strategic with your concealer. As you age, the areas around your nose and the inner
corners of your eyes begin to darken. “To remedy, apply concealer to both of those areas
(try Lancôme’s Maquicomplet Concealer, $31), but there is no need to apply in a semicircle
under your eyes,” says Linter. “Never go through laugh lines with concealer, either. Just stick to
those two areas.” And make sure the shade matches your skin tone exactly in areas where you
want more coverage. Most women go a shade or two lighter, which Linter says actually makes
imperfections stand out more. Not sure how to tell if your concealer is too light? “Take a selfie!”
she suggests.
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Lighten under your brow. Celebrity makeup artist Marni Burtonsuggests adding a swipe of
concealer under the brow bone, which helps to wake up eyes. “Stay away from sparkle or
illuminator, especially during the day, which can create a worn-out look,” she explains. “Try a
thin concealer pencil instead of using your finger or brush to apply. The product goes on a little
heavier this way, and your application is spot-on.” Burton’s go-to? MAC Studio Conceal and
Correct Duo ($25).
Try an illuminating lip gloss. Guess what? The throwback lip gloss of yesteryear can help
you tap into the fountain of youth again—with just this one twist. “Use a gloss with illuminators,”
says Burton. “This helps create flawless, lineless luscious lips. I opt for these instead of matte
or sparkle. I particularly like INGLOT AMC Lip Gloss ($18), because many brands don’t have a
formula like this right now.”
Make skin glow after your makeup application. Face oils are all the rage right now but
instead of applying to prep skin, Burton suggests adding these after makeup application. “Pat
down beauty oil around the eye area, forehead and in any dry areas you have,” she explains.
The key here is making sure you don’t rub in the oil. Avoiding those circular motions will help
create the perfect, youthful dew. “I recommend Sunday Riley Artemis Face Oil ($75),” says
Burton. “This oil hydrates and sets makeup without it sliding off.”
Choose the right blush. Nothing says young and pretty like a flush of pink across the cheeks.
“I like a using a small amount of a bright blush, which keeps the complexion looking fresh and
vibrant,” says Buckle. Try MAC’s Peony Petal ($22). A healthy flush will also make your eyes
appear clearer.
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. Tips for a Satisfying Sex Life with Your Wife
by Terri Lee Ryan
A satisfying sex life is one of the most challenging issues for a wife of a cross-dresser. Even a
marriage built on love is challenged after many years of marriage when it comes to sex. For
women, the need to have sex dwindles as she enters menopause when her interest in sex becomes an afterthought.
This lack of interest in sex is normal for
most women, unless they are taking
hormone replacement to amp up their sex
drive. Many women hesitate to do so as
they are afraid of the potential side-effects
of cancer from hormone therapy. So sex
doesn’t become a priority for them.
For men, it seems sex is always on their
minds, even as they get older, it is still
something they desire. And, for
cross-dressing men who often come out
later in their marriage as to being a
cross-dresser, the excitement of being able to dress with their wives, is as invigorating as the
sex, itself. Like a teenager in puberty, the y are excited about the possibilities after having kept
their secret for decades from their wife and now finally having a partner to share with. Their
new-found enthusiasm can be overwhelming for their wives.
A wife and her cross-dressing husband are now in a different realm, where the wife may be
content with less sex, yet her husband in exhibiting her femme self wants more. And for a wife
who is already mildly interested in sex, having her husband hop into bed wearing a silk night
gown and a Marilyn Monroe blond wig, is a turn-off that causes her anxiety and fear of losing
her husband. Often her cross-dressing husband is so delighted to be in her femme role, she
often doesn’t take the time to find out what sexually stimulates her wife.
Most women do not have sexual fantasies of having sex with a woman. Not that it’s not totally
foreign to their psyche and yes, some women have lesbian fantasies, but their main sexual
drive is with a man. Making love with another woman (the femme side of their husband) is a lot
to ask from your wife after many years of being together and never having done it. You have
just changed the rules of the game.
So how do a sexually under-whelmed wife and an adolescent-charged cross-dressing husband
make their sex life work?
Here are some tips for a satisfying sex life:
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• Tread slowly with your cross-dressing when seducing your wife. Introduce her to your
silk panties wearing a man’s tee-shirt, allowing her to know that you are still there and she hasn’t lost you to “another woman” she doesn’t know. Give her time to get used to you wearing
panties and other female items, so she can create a new visual of you that turns her on. Sex is
a private experience of the mind and she needs to find her own mental fantasy of the new you.
She may never share what that is, but that’s okay, as long as she is turned on.
• Respect Your Wives need to have sex with you in your male role. You don’t want her to
ever feel like she has lost you to “her.” She needs to know that you are still the husband she
married. If she feels secure of this, she will become comfortable as you add in feminine
clothing.
• Don’t encourage her to dress sexier to reflect your feminine self. How you dress in your
femme role is your choice, but don’t expect your wife to change her style to reflect yours. Love
her
as
she
is
and
she
will
love
you
back,
panties
and
all!
• Remember to keep your wife as the primary woman in your relationship. Don’t allow
your femme self to upstage her as a woman when having sex, for sure.
• Don’t ask her to seduce your femme self. Seducing another woman is foreign to women.
They just don’t know how to do it and it makes them feel very uncomfortable to be the one
taking the lead sexually. Few women do it effectively.
A healthy sex life can be incorporated into your marriage. Give your wife time to adjust to
your femme self and be respectful of her needs, both outside of and inside the bedroom.
Show her that you are still the man she fell in love with, not a stranger in a dress.
About Terri Lee Ryan
Author, Documentary Producer, Speaker
Terri Lee Ryan’s journey with cross-dressing began with her exhusband who was a frequent dresser. Needing to understand and know
more about what cross-dressing is and the profound effect it has in a
relationship led her on the path to her own self-discovery.
She is the Executive Producer of the documentary, I Married a
Cross-dresser, which aired on Sky Living Channel in the U.K.
November, 2014. She writes a popular blog for the Chicago Tribune ChicagoNow site. Shades
of Gender offers insight on the current state of the cross-dressing and transgender community
and the many faces of this group.
She has been featured and/or written articles for the Chicago Sun-Times, Desert Woman
magazine, Entrepreneur magazine, Frock magazine, Repartee magazine, and the Transgender Group (TG) Forum. She has made appearances on ABC-TV, WLS-AM-890, WGN-AM720 radio and numerous radio stations across the country.
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Módhnóirí..
Trip to Vietnam 2015
Part three - trip to Da Lat
By
Barbara Marie Davidson
AS to the trip to Da Lat, we were picked up at her uncle’s house
about 6 pm for a trip back to Can Tho to the buss station as the bus
was to leave at 8 pm for the 10 hour trip to Da Lat... There were
eight of us. When we got to the bus station, we met the newlyweds
who were joining us for this trip. The total cost per person for the
roundtrip bus fare, the hotel for one night, all of the food, 5 motor
cycles for two days, the entrance fees to the things we did was
basically $100.00 US US per person. Since 2 of her cousins were
college students, she and I paid for them to go thus I gave $200.00 to
the cause as one of the students had been my motorcycle partner and
this was my way of saying thank you for your time and gas.
We loaded the bus a little before 8 pm and that was interesting in its
self as the bus was a “sleeper bus similar to a sleeper car on a train.
There are two drivers on each bus to relieve each other. There were
three “seats per row” stacked two high thus there were 6 seats per row and there were 15 rows. The seats
themselves were not really seats as you could “sit up straight” or put it a reclining position to sleep.
There was a bottle of fresh water and a wet wipe at each seat as well as a blanket. The only problem was
the bus only stopped twice during the trip from Can
Tho to Da Lat for a rest stop or to get something to
eat. The folks I was traveling with decided that I
would not make the trip all the way so they bought me
a “Duck” (for you non medical folks it is a urinal with
a lid that men uses when necessary.” You will be
happy to know that I never used it. Just before we got
to Saigon the bus broke down and we had to wait for
a replacement bus to come which took about an hour.
During that waiting time a number of the men and a
few women took the advantage to “relieve themselves
in the bushes. I joined the few ladies and did the
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same. Once the replacement bus arrived there was not a problem. Instead of getting to Da Lat at 6 am it
was more like 7 am. Da Lat is in the “mountains” foot hills and the temp there managed to get up to
about 71 or 72 degrees while we were there. It got down to the low 60’s at night.
We got to our “hotel” about 745 am. It was quite nice and even had
hot water, thanks to the instant hot water heater in each room. After
about 30 minutes to freshen up, the 10 of us “jumped” on the five
motor bikes that had been rented and we took off for a day of
sightseeing, stopping first for coffee and something to eat before
heading out into the country side for the day. One of the places we
went was to the palace of the last President of Vietnam which was
now a museum. After touring the museum, several of us donned
the “royal garments and had our photos taken in from of his throne.
Following this we went to a theme park that was labeled the Park
of love. M any of the exhibits had a love theme attached and there
were hearts everywhere. As the evening progressed, we found
ourselves at a huge open air “flea market” near the hotel where
some of the girls shopped. One place I saw, a girl was making key
rings and she was writing the name of the person on a grain of rice
before sealing it in a “bottle” attached to the key ring. I got 4 of them for gifts. We then sat down for
some “street food” and coffee before going back to the hotel. Once back at the hotel, the guys broke out
a twelve pack of beer and I was invited to have a beer with them.
The Next day, we were gone again this time
back out in the hills where we went to an old
village similar to an old Indian village here in
the states. Problem was one either rented a
jeep to take you down into the valley where it
was located or you walked down about 400
meters of steps, then crossed 2 swinging
bridges and several “rickety” bridges to get
there. The group opted to walk down , thus 72
year old individual was not going to let the
“Youngsters “get the best of me thus I walked
down the steps with them. After 4 hours we
walked up the steps to get out of the park. I
noted that although the swinging bridges looked old and rustic, they were supported by one inch steel
cables wrapped with rope to appear old. I made it with a little help going back up. Had a delicious meal
while there as the rice was packed in three 15 inch pieces of bamboo that was slit on one side and you
open the bamboo cylinder to get the rice out. Since everyone was about out of gas as we were leaving,
we found a place that sold gas. The pump was one that I had not seen since I was a little “boy”. The
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pump held 5 gallons of gas in one gallon increments and the girl filled it to the five gallon mark and then
dispensed one gallon into the tank of each of the motor bikes, which got us back to the hotel.
Once back at the hotel, everyone got ready for the trip back to Can Tho.
The Van picked us up at 1915 taking us back to the bus station. About
1955, we boarded the sleeper bus. This time the driver (s) stopped twice
for rest stops only. W arrived back in Can Tho at 6 am. A van picked us
up at 630 for the 1 hour trip back home. That day was a rest day, although
the following day my traveling partner and I went back out to visit her
grandfather and uncles as we would be leaving in another few days.. e tok
a break and ent back to Can Tho for the day for a photo shoot and to do
some last minute shopping. The photo shoot per person included the hair
and makeup as well as the photo shoot itself was only $25.00US per
person. The photos themselves per person were another $25,oo or $30.00
per person. We
used the dresses that we wore to the wedding
plus a pink dress supplied by the shop for the
photo shoot. We picked up the photos right
before we left to come home. There was one
more place that we would go before coming
home and that was to Ben Tre, a city about 2
12 hours from Can Tho where the coconut
candy “factories” were located. The candy was
made and packaged by hand. However that
plus our trip back home is another story.
Barbara M arie Davidson
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The Adventures of Judy Sometimes
By: Judy Daniels
Property of Lonewolf
My wife and I spent a quiet weekend at our cabin celebrating our 29th Anniversary
so tonight we decided to attend the weekly meat raffle at Specks Bar and do a little socializing.
Several of our friends were already there when we arrived so they squeezed together a bit so
we could fit a couple more stools around the bar.
The weekly meat raffle consist of 7 drawings with the prizes varying from burgers to brats to
ribs to steaks with proceeds going to a selected charity. We don't go crazy bu ying tickets, but
we "donate" a couple dollars each round. We didn't win anything tonight, but what I observed
while there saddened me greatly.
There were a couple drawing left when an unfamiliar face walked in. We've been going there
for about 3 years now and have met quite a few of the bikers that hang out there, but I didn't
recognize this particular guy. He is definitely an opposing looking dude with his long braided
hair, fingerless leather gloves, riding chaps and boots and of course his "colors", the Sons of
Silence vest. I also noticed his 1% Patch. The only two clubs that display this in our area are
the Sons of Silence and the Hell's Angels.
He and his "bitch" were at the opposite end of the bar so it was easy to observe them without
being noticed. As he stood at the bar ordering a drink and chatting with a couple bar patrons it
was easy to see that he treated her more like an object than a person. She stood directly
behind him the whole time and he would reach behind with his arm to make sure she was "in
place". About 10 minutes in I observed her asking him something with him nodding yes as she
left his backside to go to the ladies room. When she returned she once again took her place
directly behind him. About another 10 minutes passed and I again notice her asking him
something and him nodding yes. She then took a spot at the bar and quietly sipped her drink
not looking to either side, but only starring straight a head.
Another few minutes passed and he must have instructed her to get him a couple Sloppy Joes
that the bar was serving that were set up on our end of the bar. That's when I noticed the belt
she was wearing had Property of Lonewolf stamped on the back side. I also saw that the
bandana she was wearing had FUCK OFF written on it that was displayed right on her
forehead. Not that it matters, but she had some killer boots on too. They had to have at least 5"
heels on them and I got to say she wore them well.
As things quieted down a bit I motioned to our friend Dee, who manages the bar, and asked
her what the deal was with this guy. She said that he's the past president and vice president of
the Sons of Silence and she has had more than one run in with him, but over the years they
have come to an understanding and she's glad to keep him close as she has earned his
respect, especially being a women.
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I've watched several documentaries on Bikers on the history channel and have seen what
happens to women who chose to hang with biker clubs and its hard to believe a women in this
day and age would put up with their shit. But I guess who am I to judge doing what I do. All I
can say is no women I hang out with would be in that chick's position...especially my wife.
Judy L ynn
MAKING A DIFERENCE IN THE CLASS ROOM
AGAIN!!!
AT GEORGIA S OUTHERN UNIVERS ITY
BY: BARBARA MARIE D AVIDS ON
Back on July 17th 4 members of Sigma Epsilon (the Atlanta chapter of TriEss - a national organization of
heterosexual cross-dressers) appeared at a human sexuality class being taught by Dr Thresa Yancey at
GSU. Since three is company and 4 is a crowd, I sat that class out after making a few opening
comments to the class. The discussion on being transgendered and a heterosexual cross-dresser was then
led by M egan M artin of Atlanta, Ruby M ichelle from Western North Carolina and Sara Klar from
Savannah (all femme names). All of these individuals came to Statesboro (where I live) to participate in
the class. All of us including others will make the “sacrifice” to let others (psychology students)
understand what being transgendered and a crosser dresser means. We even touch on being transsexual.
I, my self , live full time and am a non pre-op transsexual. Ruby M ichelle wrote an article on the visit to
GSU in July and it appeared in the Sigma Epsilon monthly new letter recently. I am hoping she will
submit it to the PTG magazine for inclusion in a future issue.
Now, fast forward to September 15th 2015. Phoebe Reese from Atlanta, Sara and my self met at our
usual “watering hole” (Gnats Landing) for lunch at noonish as the class was from 2 to 315 pm. Usually
the professor meets us there but she a scheduled class at that time so she met us in the class room GSU
about 145. Gnats’ landing is basically right across the street from the college.
As usual, Dr Yancey introduces us, then Phoebe made a few opening remarks about Sig Eps, being
transgendered and difference between being TG and being TS.T then told a little of her history which
was then followed by Sara telling a little about herself. Then it was my turn to give some of my history.
I then made a comment that the floor was now open for questions from the students and the answers
would be honest and “no holds barred”. With that remark, I turned the floor over to the approximately
44 students and 1 doctoral student in the class. The question started almost immediately and came all
through out the class as there was not a lull at all. They asked such things as how did our families and
friends (if the knew) handled our “transition”, how it made us feel psychologically, as well a general
question about us.. After class there were a number of students who wanted to have their photo taken
with us and, of course, we obliged. Old TG joke - How many cross-dressers- does it take to change a
21
light bulb. Answer, - 5 – 1 to change the bulb and 4 to take a photo from the different angles.
Several days later, Dr Yancey then asked the students to write a short critique of what they thought of
the class. I have attached the student comments to this article below.
Class Comments Fall 2015
It was really interes ting to hea r that portra ying a woman made them feel relieved and free. I
wa nted to know more why dressing like a woman made them feel libera ted and wha t about
being transgendered made them happier than anything else.
I thoughti t was very interesting to hea r what they had to say about thei r life and how they came
out to thei r famil y and friends . I kind of fel t like one did all the talking and there was one tha t
was kind of left out of the conversa tion. Overall , I thought i t was an eye opening experience and
I’m glad they came.
Your presenta tion was very helpful . I had never met a cross-dresserand ca n hones tl y sa yI ha d false
pre-concei ved notions . You helped me to see tha t you a re jus t like everyone else wi th di fferent
habi ts . And I would ha ve liked to be ea ch of your friends if I had the chance. Thank you!
I thoughti t was really interes ting. I had hea rd of the term of cross dresser before but never reall y
completel y unders tood i t so this defini tel y ga ve me some cla rity. I also enjoyed how open they
were to everyone’s ques tions wi thout felling offended by anything.
Posi ti ve: very open, willing to answer any question, ga ve lots of info on orga niza tion, clea red up
myths . Nega ti ve: none.
I think they were very open a nd hones t. They explained everything the bes t they could and
defini tel y ga ve me a new outlook.
I reall y do apprecia te the 3 of them coming in and sha ring thei r pers onal li ves , views ,a nd basicall y
jus t ha ving the coura ge of coming in here. I thought tha t definitel y was awesome of them.
I liked tha t they talked about thei rlife s tory from beginning to end. I liked how much I lea rned
about cross dressers .
I really enjoyed seeing thei r experiences as members of the society. Especially thei r ma keup and
clothi ng s tories .
I thought they were a wesome! Loved how hones t they were. I would ha ve liked to hea r more about
pas ts (childhood s truggles ) and more resources for people i n their si tua tions .
I’d love to hear more from them. They were awesome! Also, ma ybe ha ve more gues t speakers from
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the organi zati on. I love the fi rs t person point-of-view from you all!
I loved how open all 3 of you were.It was so refreshing to see y’all s tand up there and sa y, “this is
me!” It was ni ce to get info strai ght from the source – not a textbook or online.
I like how they talked about misconceptions and defined terms . A lot of people get terms confused
when i t comes to sexuality and tra nsgendered, So,I defini tel y think they need to continue to
define terms in thei r presenta tions and talk about the mis conceptions so people ha ve a better
unders tanding.
They were very informa ti ve and generous with thei rinforma tion and I liked tha t they had such
di versi ty of experience.I ha ve no complaints.
I liked how they told the di fference between transgendered and cross dressing and the mindset
behind them.
I liked everything about the presenta tion. I thought they were very candid and hones t, which I
reall y apprecia te.It’s ha rd to s tand and be judged and I commend them for i t. I think wha t
they’re doing is very i mporta nta nd I hope tha t they continue.
I reall yenjoyed how confi dent Phoebe was about her lifes tyle. Overall, i t was a grea t, mind-opening
experience.
I liked how open ea ch of you were about your experiences and personal li fe.I liked tha t you cleared
up that noteveryone who cross dresses is homosexual or wants to become full y female.
I like the fa ct how they di fferentiated cross dressing from ga y. I alwa ys thought men tha t dressed as
women were ga y, but I now know i t’s like a hobby. I hones tl y didn’t even know they were men
until they s ta rted talking.
I thought your presenta tion was grea t. I lea rned so much about cross-dressing and the mis conceptions tha t comes with i t. You all a re so bra ve and inspi ring to other people. Continue to be you
and happy.
I think i t was good tha t you all speci fi cally said that we could ask anything. I think i t helped people
open p and not be afraid to ask what they were thinking.
I enjoyed meeting and listening to Ba rba ra ’s , Sa rah’s ,and Phoebe’s s tories and li ves . I l oved how
open and honest they were and I hope that they continue to be fabulous as they get more and
more confident.
I thought the gues t speakers were very i nforma ti ve. I learned a lot of things that I didn’t know
before. Really enjoyed i t.
I reall yliked heari ng the personal ba ckgrounds of each of the speakers . I would ha ve liked to ha ve
23
the ba ckgrounds more expanded upon (i t fel t like there was some ba cktra cking to get to the
question that was a li ttle confusing sometimes). Really enjoyed the presenta tion, though!
The presenta tion was great and very informa ti ve.I lea rned a few things tha t I didn’t reall y know
before whi ch is good.I like tha t they were very open and honest wi th us .I also like tha t it was
ma de clea r tha t you don’t ha ve to be ga y to be a cross dresser because tha t was a point tha t
needed to be made clea r.
I reall yliked the presentati on. It was interes ting and good to ha ve all tha t time to ask ques tions . I
lea rned a lot. I was glad to know, for the mos t pa rt, tha t none of you ever had any bad
encounters or experiences wi th people while dressed as women.
I loved the presentati on. Before you all came to speak, I had a bi g blind spot about cross dressers or
trans gender indi vi duals in general. I loved the open and honesty because tha t’s wha t made the
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Meet the Husband and Wife Who Look Like Identical
Twins
By First to Know
This couple has caused a huge controversy in Russia.
Meet Alison Brooks (on the left), who married Alina Davis (right).
How is this possible in a country where same-sex weddings are
banned, violence against homosexuals is on the rise, and
homosexuality was only declassified as a mental illness in 1999?
Davis carries her bride, Brux. The y managed to tie the knot despite
protestations from a Russian registry office (Picture: CEN)
Simple. The 23-year-old Alina was born a man named Dmitry
Kozhukhov. She labels herself as “androgyne,” which means she
doesn’t fit neatly into one gender identity, goes around wearing
women’s clothes every day, but because her birth certificate lists her
as a man, the Russian authorities couldn’t refuse them their
marriage certificate or their right to marry.
“We had no problems when we handed in the application to the
registry office although we had expected a complaint or something
but they didn’t say anything,” Davis told theMirror. “But then the
head of the registry office called several times, telling us that they
didn’t want us to turn up both in wedding dresses. He said marriages in Russia were between a
man and a woman and nobody else.”
That may be, but there are no rules against men wearing dresses — or looking nearly identical
to their brides — so the ceremony still took place in the Kutuzovsky Prospekt registry office in
Moscow. Both Brooks and Davis wore white wedding dresses. While the two were refused
entry through the front door and had to enter through the rear entrance instead, they still got
married.
Davis thinks this is a big moment for couples in Russia. “We are not alone in having such
problems,” she says. “I have written to couples who are planning similar marriages and are
afraid of failures with registration. Be aware – you cannot be refused.”
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Humor
A Mormon was seated next to an
Irishman on a flight from London. After
the plane was airborne, drink orders
were taken.
The Irishman asked for a whiskey,
which was promptly brought and placed
before him
The flight attendant then asked the
Mormon if he would like a drink. He
replied in disgust, "I'd rather be
savagely raped by a dozen whores than
let liquor touch my lips."
The Irishman then handed his drink back
to the attendant and said, "Me, too, I
didn't know we had a choice."
Math/Physics Question
You are on a horse, galloping at a constant speed.On your right side is a sharp drop off. On your
left side is an elephant traveling at the same speed as you.
Directly in front of you is a bounding kangaroo and your horse is unable to overtake it.
Behind you is a lion running at the same speed as you and the kangaroo.
What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?
Get your drunken ass off of the merry-go-round!
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In Memory
This page is dedicated in Memory of members of The Pretty T Girls Yahoo Group who are known to have
left our earth to receive th eir angel wings
Angela Borges
Jamie Bantry
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Angels In The Centerfold
Tammy Trueheart
Diane Rene
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Mellissalynn’s Tips & Tricks
Welcome to November, girls. We’re just this side of the Christmas holidays. Where did 2015 go?
My month has been filled with some ups and downs.
Let me start with the worst first. For the second time
in a year, I’ve rescued a kitten only to have it pass
away on me a week later. This time, I folund two
kittens in the beauty school parking lot. I rescued
them both from wandering out into busy traffic, and
decided to bring them home. Everything seemed fine
until literally the day I’m writing this. The male
kitten, who was about ten months old, was fine the
day before, but this morning was very listless and
having trouble breathing. We got him to the vet,
where we found out that he wasn’t getting the right
kind of food and needed to be on a special diet.
Unfortunately, we found this out too late, and he
passed away yesterday evening. Fare thee well,
Jonah, we hardly knew ye…rest in peace.
Mys econd down was an up until this week. As I
mentioned last month, I’m a Cubs fan. Well, they
blew by the St. Louis Cardinals and I was prepared
for glory. Then, this week happened. I’m still
stunned. Congratulations to the NY M ets; enjoy your
World Series. For the Cubs fans, we say it once
again: wait til next year! The worst part was, they
lost the clinching game on October 21, 2015; this was
the exact date that Robert Zemeckis predicted that
they would win in Back To The Future Pt. 2. Irony,
you are a cruel beast…
One big up-note for me happened earlier in the
month. I was at a gas stwation convenience store and
decided to play a $2 scratcher. Well, lo and behold,
not one, or two, or three, or even four, but FIVE $20 auto-win spots came up! I won $100 on a $2
lottery scratcher. It was right on time, too; it went right in the bank.
So tell me all about your month, ladies! Commiserate with me on the loss of my kitten, or about my
Cubbies. Don’t ask me for a loan, the money’s already gone! Write to me at [email protected]. I answer any and all mail I get, so feel free to tell me about anything you want
to chat about, be it a salon visit or transgender news, or whatever you like. I love hearing from you all!
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Here's a quick DIY way to take care of bug bites and scratches. You'll need some lavender oil and
jojoba oil, both available at your local drugstore. M ix two drops of the lavender oil with a teaspoon of
jojoba oil and dab on the irritated area with a cotton ball.
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Do you do your own nails? Well, this tip is for you! I'm going to tell you how to do a perfect French
manicure. After applying your base coat (and letting it dry), attach the rounded end of a band-aid over
most of your nail, leaving exposed only the part you want to make the tip (generally, this is what we call
the free edge). Apply the color you've chosen to the tip, feeling free to paint over the band-aid. Let the
polish totally dry, then simply remove the band-aid. Voila! Perfect tips.
Another neat use for the band-aid is to make polka-dots. After applying your base coat and base polish
color, let dry, then apply the band-aid. Using whatever color you'd like the dots to be, paint over the
band-aid and let dry COMPLETELY. Once done, carefully remove the band-aid and paint over the nail
with your top coat. Ta-da!
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Have you ever heard of neem oil? It comes from the fruits and seeds of the neem tree, also known as the
Indian Lilac. A small bit of background: the tree is found on the Indian sub-continent in places like
India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka; sometimes it's also found in Iran.
Anyway, the oil is amazing in its qualities for re-growing hair! It does this by increasing the flow of
blood to the scalp. Simply give yourself a scalp massage regularly with neem oil and wait to see fuller,
lusher hair.
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So I was at Wal-M art the other night, browsing the cosmetics aisles. It's a thing I do. Anyway, I found
an eyelid primer that I'm going to try out and share results with all of you. Most cosmetic lines these
days make primers; generally, they're made to apply under your foundation. This makes your makeup
last longer, and prevents oil from coming to the surface. This eye shadow primer is to give your shadow
something to grab on to and last longer. Stay tuned to this column for more details!
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Ladies, as children, we in general weren't taught skin care the way our XX-chromosome sisters generally
were. As such, you may not know this. It's possible to over-wash your face, especially if you have oily
skin you're trying to dry out. Over-washing can actually cause, rather than prevent acne, as well as rashes
and dermatitis.
Also, there are items out there that can actually do more harm to your face than help. One of the biggest
offenders in this category is one my esthetics teacher rants on often. Avoid the almond scrubs! They
have small pieces of ground-up almonds in them; these chips can create small, even microscopic cuts
and scrapes on your skin. Try instead to find scrubs with the microbeads; these are round and won't nick
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and scrape the skin.
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I've been experimenting with a bit bolder a makeup look lately. One trick I've been trying is called the
rosebud lip. This technique will give you the appearance of fuller lips.
The method to achieving this look is simple. Simply uncap your favorite lipstick and run a finger over
it. Pucker up like you were about to kiss someone and tap your lips with the lipstick. This will cause
your color to be more intense at the Cupid's bow and center of the bottom lip, due to the circular shape of
your lips. This creates the illusion that your lips are fuller. PS: the tip works best with colors like berry,
nude, pink, or rose. Darker colors would be better served using a brush.
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Let's talk about a quick hair tip. If you have curly hair and are prone to frizz, keep two conditioners on
hand. Use a heavy one every time you wash your hair, and a deep one to use once a week. Frizzy hair
can never be over-conditioned!
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The cat eye look is difficult and time-consuming to master. Here's a way to get part of it down more
easily. The method involves...a spoon. Yes, a spoon, I'm not kidding! This is how this works.
Diagonally line your straight spoon handle so that it is connected to the outer corner of your brow.
Draw a small line, following the straight line of the handle. Next, place the curve of the spoon along
your upper lash line, and, following the curve, make a small line above your first one. Fill in, and you
have your liner outline!
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As you all know, M ellissa is fighting the battle of the bulge and S-L-O-W-L-Y, I'm winning. Here's a
small tip that, while not makeup-related, can help any of you out there with the same issue. I hope it
helps!
It turns out that the same part of your brain that craves food also gets involved when you do a chore,
such as decluttering a desk drawer (just an example). The brain can't do two things at once, so it
concentrates on the decluttering. Bingo, no more food cravings!
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I recently received a phone call from a group of makeup artists in California. They told me that I've
been sharing too many professional tips with you all! Well, I laughed at them and hung up, and in
response, here's another pro tip I'm sharing.
When I do a makeup look on someone, I'll often layer her lipstick with two or three colors. This gives
her a unique look that isn't easily recreated. The trick is to blend these different lipstick colors well; this
will give an original look with more intensity to it. I generally try to stay within a similar range of
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colors.
When applying, I'll put the darkest color on first, as a base. The other, lighter color or colors follow in
order, and get blended well. Additionally, I work with different textures as well. It's amazing how nice
a shimmery lipstick looks over a creamy one!
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I always mention that the single best beauty aid is sleep.
Well, coming in right about second on that list is exercise.
We’re entering the cold part of the year, at least here in the
US, and exercise opportunities are shrinking. That doesn’t
mean that we can’t create them! I’m sure you’ve heard some
if not all of these tips before, but here they area again,
because they bear repeating. Ready?
Park a little further away from the door of your job, or the
mall, or wherever your destination. Even a dozen extra steps
can benefit! Also, don’t be afraid of those stairs, if they’re an
option. Any cardio is better than none.
Do you watch you some TV in the evening? M ake some
quickie cheap weights with some cans. Load them up with
some decorative rocks from the dollar store and cement them
in place with some super-strength glue. While your shows
are on, use the cans by lifting and lowering them while you
watch. Take advantage of the commercials with some
stretching and bending.
One of the best ways to get exercise indoors is…cleaning!
As anyone who has done a deep cleaning of their home or
other area can attest, you work up a healthy glow while you
clean. M ake it fun by having some good fast-paced music
going as you work; play something that you can sing and/or
dance to!
And lastly, avoid the sugary drinks while you do all this. Remember, caffeine is a diuretic, which means
that you’re losing body water as you drink it. As per my esthetics training, it takes two eight-ounce
glasses of water to make up for the effects of one eight-ounce cup of coffee. Imagine what that can of
soda does!
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You didn’t get the sleep that you’d have liked last night, and your skin is looking kind of sallow. Let’s
try a couple of pick-me-up makeup tricks, shall we? I’ve told you before about how to get rid of
puffiness with two chilled spoons placed under the eyes for a minute, so we won’t revisit that. Have I
mentioned curling your lashes? Take your curler and crimp the lashes at the base, in the middle, and at
the ends, and then, and ONLY THEN, apply a couple of coats of mascara.
32
Remember that dark liner on the lower lids can emphasize shadows. Use a lighter color instead; this will
counter-act the redness and brighten the whites of your eyes. After that, apply some light-colored blush
over the apples of your cheeks. This will add some warmth to your skin. Lastly, drink two eight-ounce
glasses of water to get your innards moving.
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Quick tip: If your fingers and nails are stained from nicotine or dark nail polish, use a toothbrush and
whitening toothpaste to scrub the stains away.
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Have you ever been out at a thrift store or a garage sale and saw a shade of lipstick or a liner that you
just ached to buy, but were afraid to do so because it was used? Well, in this installment of M ellissa’s
Germ-phobic Corner, I’m going to tell you how to salvage that makeup! Hint: many of these tips
involve isopropyl alcohol aka clear rubbing alcohol. This can be bought at any drugstore or grocery
store.
Lipstick: spritz it very lightly with isopropyl alcohol, and wipe clean quickly. This will remove
contaminants and not waste a lot of product. Remember, though: if you see bubbles on the lipstick,
pass! It’s out of date and likely no good.
Liner: The first trick is to sharpen it, if it’s a pencil. Afterward, and this goes for all liners, spray lightly
with alcohol and wipe quickly. Don’t go deep into the product! All you do is waste it.
Pressed powders (shadows, blush, bronzer, etc.): Again, spray lightly with alcohol and let sit to dry. If
the powder is broken in its holder, you may use the alcohol to reform it as well. Loose powders aren’t
able to be sanitized in this fashion.
M ascara: Sadly, mascara is all but un-salvageable. Pass!
Remember, ladies, the two best ways to keep your makeup sanitary is to 1) keep it closed up when you
aren’t actively using it, and 2) DON’T SHARE!
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And so, we arrive at the end of another column. NEXT MONTH IS DECEM BER! As of the time I’m
writing this, we have 63 days and change until Christmas. Are you all prepared? I’m working on it.
Once again speaking of being prepared, don’t forget that November 1st is the switch from Daylight
Savings Time in the US. Set those clocks BACK and get that hour extra of sleep, because we all
know that sleep is one of the best beauty secrets in the world.
As this month is Veteran’s Day in the US, I want to share an organization with you all called Ladies of
Liberty. This is a non-profit organization that sends care packages to our female troops. These packages
contain basic female necessities as well as some small items such as scented soaps and makeup, to
remind the troops that they are women as well as warriors...a sentiment I'm sure that we can all
understand! This is the link to their website: http://soldiersangels.org/ladies-of-liberty.html .
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We also, before Christmas, have Thanksgiving in the
US to enjoy. Have that turkey, girls, and the stuffing
and all the trimmings and other dishes…and
remember to get some of that exercise I spoke of
earlier! For those of you outside the US, I suggest
that you adopt this holiday, just for the food!
If you have the energy to type after your meal, feel
free to write me! Sending me mail is the easiest thing
in the world to do, ladies. You can send it to my
e-mail at [email protected]; as you know,
my inbox is always open! You can also hit me up on
Facebook; my name there is M ellissa Lynn. I’ve
been getting better about checking my account, so
post with confidence!
All right girls, have an amazing November, and in the
US a great Thanksgiving!! I’ll chat with you in
December!
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Easy Tips to Look Better Instantly Over 40
By Cynthia Nellis
Women's Fashion Expert
One frustrating thing about fashion over 40 is that
some of the steps you need to take to look better –
like losing weight – take time to achieve.
Long-term goals are great, but there's lots to love
about style tweaks that can make you look and feel
better instantly. When you add in some easy beauty
fixes, the process of looking better instantly is
magnified. Sometimes, something as simple as
taking a few extra seconds to get every last lash can
make a difference in how you look.
Here are my tips to look better today:
Add a soft element to the top half of your
look. Try wearing a shirt with a loose bow at the
neckline, sensual fabrics (like satin or cashmere) or
curled hair to soften your face. I've e ven found that
feminine prints -- like a bold floral -- adds softness to
mature looks.
Play up a favorite feature (eyes, legs, waist) that
you have always liked about yourself. Don't worry
that the feature doesn't look as good as it used to.
Enjoy who you are today. Want to show a little cleavage? Go for it. Same goes for a slim waist,
which you can accent with a belt.
Slow down, and put mascara on all your eyelashes. Pa y close attention to the top outer
corners. Sounds nitpicky, but your lashes open up your eyes and add softness to your face. I'm
also a big believer in eye liner, although at this age I soften it with a similar-colored powder on
top.
Iron your casual clothes. While you may pay attention to work or special occasion looks,
sometimes casual jeans and tees may be worn straight from the dryer. Try ironing a few casual
pieces to see how crisp and neat this additional step makes these pieces look. Or cheat and
take even your jeans to the dry cleaner to get perfectly pressed casual looks.
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Wear something whimsical. Maybe it's a pair of funky rainboots or a pair of zebra-print
loafers; maybe it's just your feel-good color. The point is to wear something that makes you
smile. My go-to pieces often involve studs, like spike-encrusted shoes. My favorite bag is a
somewhat vintage Betsey Johnson bag (back when she made higher-end bags) that has
drawer handles and studs on it. Definitely a conversation piece....
Wear support garments – like Spanx or control camisoles – that you usually reserve for
special occasions under your everyda y clothes to look sleeker. You may be surprised how
great a simple knit top looks on you if you wear a camisole shaper to smooth it out. I'm
religious about the cami shaper because it changes how everything looks.
Apply powdered makeup (eyeshadow, blush or bronzer) like the pros do. First, dust off
any extra (you can "touch" the brush to a cotton pad or tissue first.) Then, instead of sweeping
or brushing it on, softly touch the end of the brush where you want to apply it – if you are
putting it in the crease of your eyelids, touch the ends of the brush along the crease to apply.
This method avoids streaking your makeup across your face.
Think body-conscious, not clingy. One of the biggest mistakes women over 40 make is that
they rely on too many boxy, baggy and unflattering cuts. Instead, take body-conscious looks
like leggings or slim pants and pair with a looser top. Never make the mistake of baggy on
baggy. It just makes you look sloppy.
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Fall 2015 Beauty Trends
By: Diane Sikes
So we’ve talked about fall fashion and accessory trends; now let’s turn our attention to grooming.
Because just as clothing and accessories change every six months, so do hair and makeup. If you want to
look current without spending a lot, freshening up your beauty routine is an easy way to do it.
Start with your health. Beautiful skin, bouncy hair, and healthy nails are always in style.
Once you’ve got those down pat, here are the easiest-to-implement beauty trends for Fall, 2015:
Hair
Whether you have long, short, or shoulder-length hair, there’s
something for everyone this season.
Pixie Cut
Pixies are sleek and daring. But they also require regular trips to the
salon. If you (or your budget) are hit-or-miss with this kind of
maintenance, try a longer length instead.
Sleek Bob
A blunt-cut bob always looks cutting
edge and is a chic way to go if you
have straight hair.
Bangs
Bangs are back in a big way this year, and are one of the easiest ways to change your look. The bonus?
Bangs draw attention to your eyes and can make you look younger.
The Swag
This updated version of the 1970s shag combines long waves with peekaboo bangs and is great for
shoulder length and longer hair. It’s also one of the most popular styles of 2015.
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Ponytails
Low, high, sleek, messy – ponytails were all over the runways this year. Simple
and chic, this is one of the easiest trends to follow if you have shoulder length or
longer hair.
Updos
Updos are also very popular. Buns, knots, chignons,
French twists, and half up styles were all over the
runways. Another easy way to change your look.
Hair Knot
Hair Twist
Half Up, Half Down
Parts
Prominent parts are also back in a big way. Try a simple part down the middle,
or a side part with gel to hold hair in place.
Hair Ornaments
Jazz up your hair with a pretty headband, clip, or
ponytail holder. Go glam for evenings, but keep it
office-appropriate for work.
Middle Part
Ponytail Holder
Side Part
Hair Ornaments
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Makeup
The two words you need to remember for makeup this season are: eyes and lips. The trends are bold and
dramatic, so do one or the other, but not both at the same time. You only want one focal point.
Dramatic Eyes
Dark, smoky eyes dominate this season, with a variety of new eyeliner looks coming off the runways.
Dramatic Eyes at
Monique Lhuillier
Eyes at Anna Sui
Eyeliner at Suno
If these looks are too dramatic for you, try simple eyeliner instead. You can find lots of step-by-step
tutorials on YouTube, including this one from makeup artist extraordinaire Alexys (Lex) Fleming
of M adeULookByLex.com.
Dark Lips
Dark lips are super-popular this year, in
whatever shade works best with your skin
tone. Just remember that dark colors make
whatever they’re put on look smaller, so if
you have small or thin lips, skip this trend
and play up your eyes instead.
Red Lips at Chanel Fall
2015
Dark “Goth” Lips at
Trussardi Fall 2015
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Nails
Nails became a fascination during the recession when the economy tanked and money was tight. Women
couldn’t afford a bunch of new clothes but they could splurge on a few bottles of nail polish to change
things up. These days creative, eye-catching nails continue to be popular, with dark and/or unusual
colors enjoying the limelight this fall.
Derek Lam
Costello Tagliapietra
Nicole Miller
Also popular? Creative use of nail polish.
Tanya Taylor
Mara Hoffman
Prabal Gurung
These are fun, whimsical looks,
but not necessarily officeappropriate, particularly in conservative industries. Keep that in
mind before unleashing your
inner nail artist.
So…lots to choose from this
season grooming-wise. You don’t
have to do all of them, of course,
but a new haircut and/or a new
makeup routine can have you
feeling trendy without spending a
lot of money.
Diana Pemberton Sikes is an image consultant and author of Wardrobe M agic. Want to
find the best clothes for your body, budget, and lifestyle? Wardrobe M agic can help.
Her website is www.FashionForRealWomen.com
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31 Clothing Tips Every Girl Should Know
It’s something we do every day — wear clothes! So, it somehow makes sense that we all have a few
clothing tips and tricks up our sleeve. Everything from style and fashion to little tricks that help with all
of the dilemmas we have with our bra straps, tight jeans, and uncomfortable shoes. These are all clothing
tips that made me think “Why didn’t I think of that?!”. So, I thought I’d pass the wisdom on for other
people that wear clothes. I figured there were a lot of you, so here we go!
1. Tucking Jeans Into Boots
No more fat ankles!! M ost of my jeans are boot cut or straight leg (guess
I’m just not a skinny jean kind of girl). This poses a problem when it
comes to wearing boots — not only does it make it hard to zip them up,
but I’m sometimes left with bunched up fabric that is uncomfortable and
unflattering! If you have a similar problem, here is a nice little trick to
tucking those non-skinny jeans into your boots.
2. DIY Bra S trap Concealer
This clever clothing trick not only keeps your bra strap concealed, but
also keeps your wide neck shirts from falling off of your shoulder.
Smart! All it takes are a few thin strips of fabric and sew-on press studs.
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3. Clever Zipper S olution
I have a few pairs of jeans that do this (too tight perhaps?). I’m not
sure, but here’s an easy trick to help keep that pesky zipper up! Slide
a key chain ring onto the loop of your zipper, and then loop it around
the button. The ring stays concealed under the denim and ensures
that you don’t get caught with your fly down.
4. How To "Unshrink" Your Clothes
Not all clothes can handle the dryer, but in the jumbled up mess of the
laundry, those sneaky clothes somehow manage to make it in there
anyway. I had a sweater once (that fit), and could now nicely fit into
the wardrobe of my daughter’s American Girl doll, Gabby. Oops!
Lessoned learned — don’t buy clothes that can’t handle my laundry
skills. Hey, but did you know there is an easy way to “unshrink”
them?! It doesn’t require going out and buying some special product,
either.
Fill a sink with lukewarm water and add a capful of baby shampoo into
the water. (M any tutorials I read said to use CONDITIONER…but this
made more sense to me…so this is what I used.)
Let the item soak in the baby shampoo water and gently work it
through. This will relax the fibers in the clothing.
Remove the garment from the shampoo water and gently squeeze it out. Do NOT rinse it.
Take a large towel and lay the clothing flat on it.
Roll the towel up with the clothing inside it.
Your goal is to absorb the extra moisture, so your clothing is damp but not wet.
Then, get another dry towel and put the piece of clothing out on the dry towel
Gently stretch the clothing item as it lays out to dry.
Continue to do this until the clothing item returns to its original size. Allow the item to air dry on the
towel.
Being the impatient person that I am, I set up a fan to make the drying time go faster and within about an
hour or so they were dry! (Of course the fact that we practically live in the Sahara Desert didn’t hurt
either.)The anticipation was killing me so I immediately tried them on. (I guess I had some irrational fear
that the stretching I did was an illusion?)When I pulled them on and they were back to the exact same
length they were when I bought them…I was beyond thrilled!!!
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5. A slimming trick! Just about every girl could use this.
Wear a form fitting tank top between your sweater and
button-up shirt to keep your mid section from looking
frumpy. This is especially helpful if the button-up is a bit
baggy, as the tank will press and flatten it against your
torso, hiding bunched up fabric and the outlines of the
buttons.
6. S tretching Jeans To Fit
Ok, so you’ve maybe gained a few pounds, your jeans are
getting tight, but not enough so that you need to go out and
buy a whole new wardrobe. Been there, done that! You
can’t stretch them several sizes, but you CAN stretch them
enough to make them fit comfortably.
*Instructions: First, get your jeans damp. You can even put
them on and then sit in the tub for a few minutes. This
eliminates the process of trying to get them on while they’re
wet. Or, give the areas that are too tight a good spray with a
spray bottle. Now wear them around the house for about 30
minutes doing lots of stretching, lunges, squats and perhaps
some yoga poses. Now that you’ve gotten a good work out
in (that’s just a bonus), take them off and let them hang dry.
Repeat that process again once they are dry. You should
now be able to breath a little easier!
*S tretching Them Length Wise: If you want to stretch them length wise, get them damp, lay them on
the floor, put your foot down on the waist side to hold them down, and then grab the bottom of one of
the legs and pull it firmly towards your body about 10 times. Repeat this process for the other leg.
7. Choosing Necklaces For Necklines
I’ve never really given this much thought, but pairing
your jewelry with your neckline certainly makes a
difference! Your necklace choice should compliment
your outfit; the neckline of your shirt or dress being
the most important thing to consider.
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8. Removing Deodorant S tains
This happens ALL the time! I’ve learned that there is an art to putting on
a shirt if you’ve already put your deodorant on — very, very carefully.
Unfortunately for me, black makes up 80% of my wardrobe, so this is just
unavoidable sometimes. Baby wipes are handy for so many things, which
is why you should keep a pack near your closet to remove those evil white
deodorant marks!
9. Folding T-S hirts In Horizontal Rows
Well, this makes sense. Folding and organizing your shirts in
rows makes it easy to see and easily find the t-shirt you want.
Brilliant! It also takes up a lot less drawer space. You just
have to be sure to fold your shirts with the print facing up.
This way you can easily identify each shirt once they’re
organized in the drawer.
10. S tretching S hoes The Easy Way
A cute pair of shoes are worthless if you can’t actually wear them!
I’m definitely guilty of that; I have a closet full of shoes that I
rarely ever wear. I suppose comfort always triumphs over style.
My feet seem to be a little bit on the wider side, and this is
probably the main cause of discomfort in a lot of my shoes. Here’s
an easy trick to stretch out your shoes a bit! Fill a couple of good
quality zip lock baggies half full with water, seal them with most
of the air out, and then place them in your shoes over night in the
freezer. Repeat if needed. Too cool!
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11. Repurpose An Old S weater
Sure, you can buy boot warmers. Or, you can get creative with an old
sweater and make your own! It could be as simple as cutting off part of the
sleeves. This way there’s no sewing required. My husband might be
mysteriously missing a few of his sweaters if it doesn’t start getting warm
around here.
12. Eliminate Yellow S weat S tains
That nasty yellowing in the armpits
of your white shirts — you’re not the
only one. I don’t even notice that I
sweat, and I still get them! Keep a
water bottle handy in your laundry
room full of lemon juice and spray any areas of your white
clothes that are prone to sweat stains before you put them in the
wash. This stuff works miracles.
13. Think Outside Of The Belt
On a scale from 1 to 10, my sense of fashion hovers
somewhere around maybe a 5 (on a good day). I’m mostly just a jeans
and t-shirt kind of girl, but I do for some reason unknown to me have
a lot of belts and other accessories that I never wear. I think a few of
the belts came with a shirt or sweater that I’ve purchased in the past.
But, even with my lack of style, I’m really digging these belt knots!
What a subtle way to add a bit of character to any outfit.
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14. S often Your T-S hirts With S alt
No way! This technique takes a little bit of time and patience, but
very little effort. Just submerge and soak a cotton t-shirt in a salt
water solution for about 3 days, wash like normal, and then say
goodbye to stiffness!
15. Make Your Own Cap
Toe S hoes
This is just too easy to
actually go out and buy an
expensive pair of cap toe
shoes, and this way you can
completely customize them
with any color and any shoe
you’d like! The only thing
I’d do different is use
newspaper or something under the tape to cover up the rest of
the shoe in case of over spray, but I think the metallic gold looks
awesome with those brown flats!
16. The S mart Way To Fold Lingerie
Yeah, I have a few of these fancy pieces of
lingerie that I will never wear. I have them
hanging in my closet! How stupid am I?
They are just so awkward; I’ve never even
considered trying to fold one. Turns out
there is a really clever way to fold them to
fit in a drawer quite nicely.
17. Waterproof Your S hoes With Beeswax
I love canvas shoes because they are so light and breathable! But this also means that they don’t have
any protection from the elements. Here is a simple trick using beeswax that will waterproof your shoes.
Now you can wear them even on a rainy day! My daughter has a collection of Toms that could use this.
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18. DIY Double Clothes Hangers
Be sure to save those little tabs from your soda cans. Hard to believe, but my collection is getting bigger
than my stash of wine corks. You can use them to create double clothes hangers. I like this idea for my
daughters clothes so I can pair outfits together for the week. This way she already has them planned out
(by me because she couldn’t pick out a matching outfit to save her life). It also saves on closet space!
19. Hosiery & Hairspray
Yep! You probably already know that you can stop a run in a pair of pantyhose with clear nail polish,
but why not just prevent the runs in the first place with hairspray? Give them a quick spray with an
aerosol can, paying special attention to the areas that are prone to runs.
20. Clever Patchwork
This makes me want to go and rip a few holes in my
daughter’s jeans! How adorable is this? Get creative
with your patchwork and turn a rip into something
unique and charming. You can use Heat n’ Bond to
attach the patch, and then a bit of embroidery floss to
not only help keep the patch in place, but make a cool
design.
21. Chewing Gum Catastrophe
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chewing gum casualty (stuck in my hair once in 3rd grade), but just
knowing that it could strike at any time is a good reason to know this tip on how to easily remove it from
clothes and other fabric — ICE! The idea is to get the gum
as cold as possible. This hardens it and makes it easier to
just scrape off. This trick also works for furniture and hair.
Good to know!
22. Moleskin To The Rescue
I’m excited to say that I actually have a box of this stuff! I
think I purchased a box of M oleskin during my insane
running days to cover up a few blisters, but it hasn’t been
touched since. It’s basically like a soft fabric with one sticky
side; what a great temporary fix for a protruding underwire!
It probably won’t last through a wash, but who washes their
bras anyway? Wait, am I suppose to do that?
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23. Tights Under Ripped Jeans
How pretty! Not to mention a great way to stay warm in the winter.
You could do this with any pair of tights depending on your style, but I
do love the lace. For a more casual look, perhaps just a pair of plain
tights would do.
24. Lint Ball Take Down
Those little balls of loose
fabric seem to really collect
around the underarms, or
where the bottom of my arms
rub against the side of my
sweaters. So what I do is leave
them on the hanger and never
wear them because I’m lazy. Or rather, I didn’t’ know how easy
they were to remove! Just rub your pill infested sweater with a
pumice stone, and then use a lint roller to pick them up. A
disposable razor also works well on tighter knit fabrics.
25. Revamping Your Leather Boots
Those white marks on your boots, turns out those are salt stains!
This is a problem if you live in the north where the roads and
walkways are covered in salt. With just a couple of ingredients
you probably already have at home, you can make them look as
good as new!
26. S carf Tying Tip
There are maybe hundreds of ways you could potentially tie
a scarf, but let’s be honest, you only need a few of your
favs. I love this one because it’s easy but looks like you
actually have a sense of style, AND it stays put! Just try it
once and you will always tie your scarves like this.
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27. Removing A Red Wine S tain
Seems like such a waste because I can and will drink every last drop out of a bottle of sauvignon blanc,
but when you’re out at the wine bar and didn’t take my advice here on how to be a classy drunk (you
wore a white shirt, dummy), and you are on your 3rd glass of red wine when it jumps out of your glass
and onto your shirt, you need a quick way to neutralize the stain. Just pour a little bit of white wine on
there so the red wine doesn’t set in.
28. Hang Clothes Like A S mart Person
It’s such a good feeling when you realize you’ve been doing a basic
chore wrong your entire life. If I were to add up all of the time I’ve spent
hanging up clothes versus how much time I could have spent hanging up
clothes, I’m certain that number is somewhere around 3,000 hours (give
or take a lot of numbers). If you’re like me and you don’t get what’s
going on in the photos, just go check out the video. I’m going to start doing this just because it looks like so much fun.
29. Secret Trick For Cuffed
Sleeves
Fold, roll, tug and scrunch. That’s if
you want the J. Crew look — you
know, effortless looking but
awesome. Although I wouldn’t
button up my shirt all the way to the
neck and wear a denim shirt with
jeans, but remember, I’m only a 5
when it comes to style and
fashion.
30. Hoodie S trings Gone Astray
I’ve lost more hoodie strings than I can count on one hand. This is
why in my wise old age I have discovered that if you make a few
knots in the ends of the string, it’s less likely to get lost through
those holes. But, let’s just say you didn’t do that, and one get’s
sucked in there. There are a few ways to rescue it!
If it falls all the way out (if it doesn’t, pull it out), you can push one
end of the string through a straw, staple it on, and then push it back
through the narrow tunnel of your hoodie. You can also attach a
safety pin to one end (gives you something hard to grip through the
fabric), and use your fingers to guide it though the channel.
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31. Hang Your Pants Like A Pro
For whatever reason, this is called the savile row fold, and is
a smart way to hang your pants if you have a problem with
them slipping off of the hanger. Just straddle the hanger with
your pants upside-down, and fold one leg at a time through
the hanger so that the second leg is resting on top of the first.
A Woman’s Dilemma – What To Wear
by Tasi Zuriack
About Tasi Zuriack: Tasi is transgendered, married, and a lifelong crossdresser. She’s the founder of the Ladies of the Blue Ridge transgender
group in Roanoke VA, a prolific writer, commentator and blogger including
fashion articles for Tri-Ess, TG Reporter, Repartee, and Pretty T-Girls
magazine. Tasi currently resides in Merida, (Yucatan) Mexico. Her new
website, Sister House and her blog, the Fashionable TG Woman are
dedicated to fashion and style for the transgendered woman. Please visit
her. Tasi’s new book, "Top Ten Fashion Mistakes By Crossdressers and How
To Fix Them" is available on Amazon or on her site free to subscribers.
Every woman’s dilemma…what should I
wear. Have you e ver stood in front of your
closet, worried about what you’re choosing to
wear because you know that no matter what
you pick, someone will have an opinion about
it? And as it’s generally known that women
dress for other women (do cross-dressers
dress for other cross-dressers?)
Whether it’ll be pegged as too revealing, too dowdy, too shabby, or just “too much,” it boils
down to the same problem: Women’s clothing choices are constantly under attack. This comic
shows how to solve the problem just in case you were wondering
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Credit: Alli Kirkham is a
Contributing Comic Artist for
Everyday Feminism and blogger,
cartoonist, and intersectional
feminist. Alli earned a BA in
English Literature from Cal Poly
Pomona in 2011 and uses it as
an excuse to blog about books
while swearing a lot. When she
isn’t cartooning for Everyday
Feminism or cursing at popular
fiction, she posts cartoons and
other silly things on her Tumblr.
Check her out on Twitter
@allivanlahr.
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3 Ways to Develop Stunning Self Confidence (Male to
Female Transformation Tips)
By Lucille Sorella
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lucille Sorella is a GG (genetic girl) who
teaches crossdressers, transsexuals, and transgender females how
to look, act, and feel like real women. Her goal is to help T-women
express their inner and outer femininity and increase their confidence
as women. She has a professional background in fashion, beauty,
dance, and natural healing and has been working with the
transgender community for the past 12 years. Her website is loaded
with useful information and is located at
http://www.flat2fem.com/index1.html .
Have you noticed that all stunning women have one thing in common – besides
their killer looks?
It’s CONFIDENCE.
Confidence is also half the battle of passing or blending in as a woman.
How confident are YOU about expressing your fab femme self?
Do you think you’d feel more confident if you lost weight, started hormones, or
had surgery?
Those things can help, of course, but true confidence comes from within.
Here are 3 ways to feel more confident right now:
1. Stop putting yourself down
Sadly, most of us are our own worst enemies. How can you expect to feel
confident if you constantly put yourself down?
The important thing to realize is that these internal putdowns are a habit. They’re
not a reflection of who you really are.
The first step to breaking this cycle is to interrupt your negative thoughts. If you
catch yourself beating yourself up, literally tell yourself to STOP.
Next, find a way to reframe the thought into something more positive. Remind
yourself that you’re doing your best and that things ARE getting better.
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This might sound like simple advice, but it works if you actually do it.
2. Take risks
Confidence is like a muscle. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. And just like your
muscles, it’s something you can develop and improve.
One of the best ways to develop confidence is to take ACTION. You’ll never build
confidence if you stay in your comfort zone and do the same things you’ve always
done.
So get out there and try something new! Take a few risks! Once you do, you’ll be
amazed at how confident you start to feel in situations that once terrified you.
3. Celebrate your successes
Celebrating your accomplishments is another great way to increase your
confidence.
It’s easy to focus on the areas that still need improving, but don’t lose sight of how
far you’ve come.
What risks did you take today? What did you do well? No matter how small, start
to recognize these and celebrate them.
More confidence boosters
Confidence is one of the most important feminine qualities you can develop. These
tips are a great starting point.
If you want to learn more, here are my favorite books for building confidence:
Taming Your Gremlin by Rick Carson
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers
You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
3 Unexpected Ways to Be More Feminine (Male to Female Transformation Tips)
By Lucille Sorella
Putting on a dress and lipstick aren’t the only ways to express your femininity. (We
women are more complex than that!)
That’s why I wanted to go beyond the obvious and share some “unexpected” ways
to be more feminine.
Ready to boost your womanly allure? Try these 3 tips:
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1. Buy a new perfume
The right perfume can make you
feel irresistibly feminine.
While it’s great to have a “signature
scent”, it’s also good to switch
things up sometimes.
Since scent is strongly linked to
memories, your current perfume
may no longer represent who you
are.
If that’s the case, it’s time to go shopping! Look for a perfume that matches the
feminine qualities you want to express NOW:
Try a floral scent if you want to convey your soft, romantic side.
Try a woody or oriental scent if you want to bring out your inner seductress.
Check out this article for more on the feminizing power of perfume.
2. Be more polite
Countless studies have shown that
women are more polite than men. It
doesn’t matter how good you look…
a lack of social grace is NOT pretty.
Here are 3 things to keep in mind.
Always remember to say
“please” and “thank you”. These
little words go a long way!
Use softeners in your language. For example, instead of saying “I can’t hear
you” say “I’m sorry, I can’t quite hear you.”
Consider how you come across online. Remember, it’s as important to be
polite in emails and online as it is in person.
55
3. Loosen up
Want to instantly improve your feminine
image? A simple secret is to loosen up.
This applies to your body AND your mind.
First, loosen up your body.
Women are naturally more limber than
men. If you have a tense and tight body,
it’s going to translate into stiff,
jerky movements – the opposite of
feminine and graceful.
To loosen up:
Consciously relax your body, especially your jaw and shoulders.
Stretch your muscles on a daily basis.
Take lots of deep, relaxing breaths.
This will do more to feminize your movements than all the hip shaking in the
world!
Next, loosen up your mind.
The happiest crossdressers and transgender women I know don’t get hung up on
“passing” or trying to please everybody.
Instead, they embrace who they are while constantly striving to improve themselves.
Life is short, so above all, relax and enjoy the journey!
56
7 tips to being the feminine trans woman you are
By Drew-Ashlyn Cunningham
Former My Transsexual Summer star and make-up artist DrewAshlyn shares more tips to being feminine and fabulous.
As a transgender woman you sometimes have to make that little
extra effort to enhance your female image. –
Whether you are going through surgery or not there’s lots you
can do to perk yourself up. Here are some tips and tricks to help
– even if you’re feeling a little low about yourself.
Voice
Voice can be a tricky one. I went through a time when I tried so hard to speak high that it
sounded very false, almost like I was on helium. A good tip is to breath from the stomach and
then speak. This way you’re not getting the vibrations in your chest which can create a monotone.
Another tip is to sing. Sing a song in a nice calm high voice and then try to change the singing
into regular talking. It really helps you sound more feminine.
Adam’s apple
One trick to hide your Adam’s apple you can do is get a matt bronzer and shade over it. This
help makes the apple appear more set back and less prominent.
Another simple option is wearing scarfs. They are great if it’s getting to be winter where you
are. I’d steer away from turtlenecks unless you have a small soft jaw. The more square the jaw
line is the more you will make it stand out as the turtle neck blocks your body and neck and
makes the viewer focus more on the face and jaw line.
Fashion
One mistake I have made is to wear things which are overly sexual. I’m only 23 so I can get
away with most fashions but I still have had the odd fashion faux pas. A good thing to do is to
look at the celebrity magazines and see what the girls and women of your age group are
wearing. Also looking at what other women are wearing on the street can also give you a clue
as to what will work best for your age group. Always dress for your size too and look for things
that are going to help flatter your body shape. If you are thin and don’t have defined hips dress
57
in things that are floaty and will add weight to you. You can also buy underwear which contains
implants. If you’re more broad go for more of a v-neck line. This will help elongate the body and
soften the shoulders. Wearing a belt in the waist will also help you look more curvy and bring
out your feminine side
Make-up
Make-up is the key if you ask me. Going on YouTube and looking for transgender make-up
tutorials will really help you on how to apply makeup. Just remember it washes off. And
practice makes perfect.
Reading my previous GSN article will help you on your make-up. But go for softer colors like
chocolate browns on the eyes rather than the typical blue eye-shadow and pink lipstick.
Eyebrows and shaving
Plucking your eyebrows will instantly enhance the femininity of your face. You wouldn’t believe
just how much of a difference it makes. And shave very closely to get rid of stubble. Use a
sharp blade and take your time. Be gentle; you don't want to irritate your skin. Close your pores
with a gentle skin toner, and of course, moisturize. Try using a dab of non-greasy sun block. It'll
protect your skin from wrinkles caused by UV-damage. If you really want to keep stubble away,
try waxing, electrolysis, or laser hair removal
Chest
Chest or cleavage enhancement encompasses a range of techniques used temporarily to
improve the appearance of a person's breast cleavage or to create the illusion of breast
cleavage if needed. This ranges from brassieres (bras) that lightly push the breasts together
without any padding through a range of increasingly padded bras to techniques where chest
skin is pulled towards the center to generate cleavage and completely artificial breasts, such as
breast prostheses, are added to cover the materials used to pull the skin.
Cleavage enhancement may also include the use of make-up to deepen the appearance of the
cleavage and make the breasts appear more prominent. Padding can be done either with
proprietary products (such as ‘chicken fillets’ or ‘falsies’), tissues, cotton wool or even socks.
Falsies are small pads similar to the removable pads sold with some push-up bras. Falsies
made from silicone gel are also sometimes referred to colloquially as chicken fillets.
Movement
Watching how other women move is a big help. It’s a bit of a stereotype and obviously there’s a
range, but men tend to walk more heavily and stomp, women tend to move softly. Changing
movements and working on posture will help a lot. Hold your shoulders back. This will push
your chest out and also make your shoulders less broad. And, of course, holding your head up
high is a confidence boost for everyone and can certainly make the most of your feminine
features.
58
FROM
THE
KITCHEN
Thanksgiving Dinner
By Chef Charley Rozen
365Gay.com Food & Wine Editor
Ah, Thanksgiving! Macy's Parade, friends, and good cooking.
Since I usually spend Christmas with my family out of town,
Thanksgiving is the time I get my gang around for a dinner party.
This is a special day, and it requires a special menu. So, here's my
Thanksgiving menu for six.
Appetizers:
Melrose Avenue Spring Rolls
1/2 lb Chorizo sausage - or any other spicy sausage
1 oz Rice sticks
6 Dried Chinese blk. mushrooms
2 c Shredded green cabbage
2 c Bean sprouts
1 c Julienned carrots
2 Green onions; minced
2 tb Dry sherry
1 tb Oyster sauce
1 tb Oriental sesame oil
1 ts Chinese chili sauce
1/2 ts Sugar
3 Garlic cloves - finely minced
2 tb Cornstarch
2 tb Cooking oi Plus3 c Cooking oil
12 Spring roll skins
2 Eggs; beaten
Dipping sauce of your choice
20 Bibb lettuce leaves
Advance Preparation: If the sausage is in links, slit the
casing and squeeze the meat out. Place the sausage meat in a
small frying pan or wok.
Cook over low heat until thoroughly cooked and the fat is
rendered, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Transfer to a
sieve and press the meat with the back of a spoon to eliminate
all fat. If the sausage meat is still in lumps, chop finely.
Soak the rice sticks in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and cut
into 2-inch lengths. Soak the mushrooms in hot water until
soft, about 20 minutes.
Discard the stems and shred the caps. Combine the sausage,
mushrooms, rice sticks, cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, and
green onions.
Separately combine the sherry, oyster sauce, sesame oil, chili
sauce, sugar, and garlic.
Combine the cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water
and set aside.
Place a 12-inch skillet or wok over high heat. When hot, add
2 tablespoons cooking oil; when the oil becomes hot, add the
sausage mixture. Stir-fry until the vegetables are brightly
colored, about 2 minutes, then add the sauce.
Stir-fry until the vegetables just begin to wilt, about 1 minute
more.
Add a little of the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce,
then transfer to a bowl.
Cool to room temperature, and then place in the freezer until
thoroughly chilled, about 1 hour. Separate the spring roll
skins.
Position each spring roll so one of the corners is pointing at
you. Place about 1/2 cup of the filling in the bottom third of
the skin and then form the filling into a cylinder, stretching
between the side corners. Bring the corner nearest you over
the center of the filling and then tuck the tip under the filling.
Roll the spring roll a turn. Brush the two side corners onethird over the top of the cylinder. Now finish rolling the
spring roll into a cylinder.
Place on a small tray as you complete the rest of the spring
rolls.
Store, unstacked and uncovered, in the refrigerator. (These
can be done a day ahead.)
Last Minute Cooking: Place 3 cups of cooking oil in a 12inch skillet and heat over high heat. When the oil reaches 370
F (bubbles will escape from the end of a wooden spoon when
placed into the oil for 10 seconds), fry the spring rolls in 3
batches, cooking them on both sides until light golden, about
3 minutes.
Drain on a wire rack.
59
Heat the oil again, this time until it reaches 400 F. Fry the
Desert
spring rolls a second time in 2 batches until they are dark
Sweet Potato Soufflé
golden, about 1 minute. Drain.
3 1/2 c Sweet potato -- cooked & mashed
The second frying makes the spring rolls crispier. Serve
1 c White sugar
spring rolls whole or cut in half, with one or more dipping
1/2 ts Salt
sauces. Guest should wrap a spring roll in a lettuce leaf, dip it 2 ts Vanilla
in sauce, and enjoy. Serves: 8 to 12 as an appetizer
1/2 c Margarine -- melted
1/2 c Half and hal f 2 Eggs
Dinner
Topping:
Herb Rubbed Turkey Breast
1 c Brown sugar
7 lb Turkey breast, parts of the -ribs and wings attached
1 c Pecans -- chopped
1 1/2 ts Salt
1/3 c Flour
1 1/2 tb Freshly ground black pepper
1 c Coconut
4 tb Minced fresh sage
3/4 c Margarine – melted
4 tb Minced fresh rosemary leaves
In a large bowl, beat drained sweet potatoes with electric
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub the turkey breast inside and mixer.
out with the salt and pepper, then with the herbs.
Add remaining ingredients and beat well.
Discard the herbs or, for a stronger impression, leave some of Pour contents into greased soufflé dish and bake 15 minutes
the herbs clinging to the breast, or tuck them under the skin.
at 350 degrees.
Place the turkey skin side up on a piece of foil, then place on While this is baking prepare topping.
a rack in a roasting pan.
Roast for approximately 2 1/2 hours, or about 25 minutes per Topping: Put brown sugar, pecans, flour and coconut in a
pound.
bowl and mix well. Drizzle melted margarine over and toss
If you are using a meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest again until well coated.
part of the breast, almost to the bone, before placing the breast
in the oven.
Remove souffl é from oven and sprinkle topping over. Return
When the thermometer reads 185 degrees, the meat is done.
to oven for 15 minutes more or until topping starts to brown.
Let the turkey stand at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes
before carving.
Wine:
Consider a Pinot Noir to go with your Turkey. It will have a
Dijon Carrots And Zucchini
bit fuller flavor than white wine choices you might make but
2 C Carrots -- Cut In 2" Sticks
will match quite well with the meal. Pinot Noir has very little
2 1/2 Tbsp Fatfree Vegetarian Broth -- Chicken Flavor
tannin so it will not overwhelm the taste of the meal.
2 C Zucchini -- Cut In 2" Sticks
There are many good brands of Pinot Noir from France,
1 1/4 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Californi a, and Oregon.
1 1/2 Tsp Honey
Serve Pinot Noir very lightly chilled (what could be called
2 Tsp Dijon Mustard
'cellar temperature). Putting the Pinot Noir in the refrigerator
for about 20 minutes before serving it will bring out the fruit
Combine carrots and broth in saucepan. Cover and cook over and will take away the 'bite' that alcohol can give when served
medium heat 10 min. Add zucchini and cook an additional 5 at room temperature.
min or until veggeis are just tender.
©365Gay.com Ltd® 2004
Add more broth, if necessary, to keep from burning. Stir
vinegar, honey and mustard into vegetables. Cook for a few
minutes over medium heat until liquid cooks off.
Desert
Sweet Potato Soufflé
3 1/2 c Sweet potato -- cooked & mashed
1 c White sugar
1/2 ts Salt
2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Margarine -- melted
1/2 c Half and hal f 2 Eggs
60
Deep-Dish Apple Pie EW
(Stacy Fraser)
Whole-wheat pastry flour adds a bit more fiber to the
crust of our healthy apple pie. We lowered the fat by
replacing some of the butter with canola oil. To achieve
a juicy filling with plenty of tender bits of apple, we combine two types of tart-sweet apples, then precook part of
the filling before adding it to the pie shell to avoid that
unfortunate hollow spot that can occur when the filling
shrinks away from the top.
Servings: 10 servings
Total Time: 4 hours (including cooling time)
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Health: High Fiber, Low Cholesterol, Low Sodium
Ingredients:
Crust
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar , plus 1 teaspoon for
sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons ice water
1 egg white , lightly beaten, for brushing
Filling
6 cups thinly sliced peeled McIntosh apples (about 2
pounds) (see Tip)
6 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apples (about
2 pounds) (see Tip)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon , divided
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground allspice
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Steps:
1: To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, allpurpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt in a large
bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and, with your fingers,
quickly rub them into the dry ingredients until the pieces
are smaller but still visible. Add sour cream and oil; toss
with a fork to combine with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle
water over the mixture. Toss with a fork until evenly
moist. Knead the dough with your hands in the bowl a
few times—the mixture will still be a little crumbly. Turn
out onto a clean surface and knead a few more times,
until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough in
half and shape into 5-inch-wide disks. Wrap each in
plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2: To prepare filling: Combine apples, brown sugar,
lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice
and salt in a large bowl. Reserving 4 cups, transfer the
rest of the apple mixture to a Dutch oven. Cook over
medium heat, stirring, until the apples are tender and
beginning to break down, about 10 minutes. Remove
from the heat, stir in the reserved apples and 2 tablespoons flour; let cool for about 30 minutes.
3: To assemble & bake pie: Position a rack in the lower
third of the oven; preheat to 425°F.
4: Remove the dough from the refrigerator; let stand for
5 minutes to warm slightly. Roll one portion between
sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 13-inch circle.
Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough into a 9 1/2inch deep-dish pie pan. Peel off the remaining paper.
Scrape the filling into the crust. Roll the remaining portion of dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper into another 13-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet of
paper and invert the dough onto the fruit. Peel off the
remaining paper. Trim the crust so it overhangs evenly.
Tuck the top crust under the bottom crust, sealing the
two together and making a plump edge. Flute the edge
with your fingers. Combine remaining 1 teaspoon of
granulated sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the crust with egg white
and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Cut 6 steam
vents in the top crust.
5: Bake the pie for 20 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 375° and continue baking until the crust is
golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack for about 1 1/2 hours
before serving.
Prepare the crust (Step 1), wrap tightly and refrigerate
for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 6 months. | Equipment: 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan
Tip: The best apple pie filling combines "saucy" apples
(that cook down to a saucelike texture) and "shapely"
apples (that hold their shape after baking). Pick one
variety from each category—here we used McIntosh
and Granny Smith. Saucy: McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Mutsu (Crispin), Paula Red or Empire. Shapely:
Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonathon, Jonagold,
Northern Spy or Ida Red.
61
Smoked Turkey Panini
Recipe Provided by Better Homes and Gardens
cook tim e: 20min s servings: 4
Pre-prepped bruschetta topping provides the basis for this
colorful, easy-to-prepare turkey sandwich. Grilling softens and
melds the flavors of the spinach and tomatoes, and the slight
ingredi ents
1/3 cup broken walnuts (optional)
8 1/2-inch thick slices country Italian bread
1/2 cup refrigerated classic bruschetta topper
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
12 oz. sliced cooked peppered turkey breast
1 cup large spinach leaves
Olive oil
directi on s
Preheat large skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts; cook and stir 2 minutes to toast. Remove from skillet; set
aside.
To assemble sandwiches, spread 4 bread slices with bruschetta topper and 4 slices with mayonnaise. On
bruschetta slices layer
walnuts, turkey, and spinach; top with mayo slices. Lightly brush sandwiches with olive oil.
Place sandwiches in hot skillet; weight with additional skillet (add food cans for more weight). Grill 2 minutes;
turn. Replace weight; cook 2 minutes more or until golden and hot. Serves 4.
Rainbow ice cream cake recipe
by jessyratfink
Penolopy, it's that she LOVES sweets. And rainbows.
So I decided after lots of trial and error that I wanted to
make a rainbow ice cream cake that tasted like candy.
:D
The secret? Kool-Aid!
Kool-Aid gives this cake a slightly sour candy flavor (like
Sweetarts!) while the white chocolate ganache filling
keeps the sourness from being overpowering. It works
perfectly together.
Plus, it's not as heavy as a traditional ice cream cake -
I created this rainbow ice cream cake for Penolopy Bulnick's birthday. Last year I made her a traditional Dairy
Queen style ice cream cake, but I wanted to raise the
bar this time. If there's anything you need to know about
the citric acid in the Kool-Aid really makes it taste nice
and light, like sherbet. :)
62
Step 1: Ingredients + tools
for the cake:
2 x 1.5 quart containers of vanilla ice cream
4 packets of Kool-Aid, whatever flavors/colors you
want
1/2 cup whipping cream
food coloring as desired to increase the saturation of
the colors
for the w hite chocolate ganache:
16 oz white chocolate
1 cup whipping cream
This makes just enough to do the layers - if you would
like your cake more sweet, I recommend just going all
out and doing 24 oz white chocolate and 1 1/2 cups
heavy whipping cream. Leftover ganache is never a bad
thing, anyway. ;)
for the w hipped frosting:
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
tools:
2 x 8 inch cake pans, 2 inches high
aluminum foil
hand or stand mixer
bowls and spatulas
63
2 3 C LE VE R S KI L L S O F T H E T R AD E E VE RY S ER I O U S CH E F S H OU L D K N O W
Cooking is a fine (and tasty!) skill that takes practice to master. Some things are
only achievable after making a dish a few times while other things might not be as
evident.
These tips and tricks will help elevate your cooking game to transform you from an
ordinary chef into a culinary master.
F I N I S H PAST A I N T H E
PAN
To really help the flavors meld, cook
pasta and sauce separately like
normal, and just before pasta is al
dente add a splash of your salted
pasta water to your sauce pan and
cook for a few minutes.
Bonus tip: right after draining pasta,
but before adding to the sauce, grate
fresh parmesan cheese on top. This
will help the sauce stick to the pasta
and will give it added yumminess.
C UT O N I ON S T E AR F R E E
The most important tip for keeping your
eyes dry is to make sure you have a
SHARP knife. A dull one will place more
pressure on the onion causing it to release
more juice, and thus more chemicals to
make you tear up.
Another suggestion is placing the onion in
the freezer for about 15 minutes before
cutting.
64
C L E AN Y O U R C AST
I R O N PAN S W IT H
S ALT
Cast iron pans are a staple in the
kitchen but can be tricky to
clean. Soap will break down the
precious layer of seasoning and
make your pan rusty. Using salt
instead is a fast and easy way to
absorb the excess oils and help
dry out any stuck-on pieces for
easy removal.
M I C R OP L AN E F O R
M O R E T H AN F R U IT
Z E ST
This cheap and handy tool is perfect for
quickly and easily grating garlic instead
of painstakingly mincing by hand. It also
works great for ingredients such as
ginger, hard cheese, and whole nutmeg.
F I S H SPAT U L A IS N'T
J U ST F O R F IS H
The light, bendable metal that is
perfect for carefully turning a filet of
fish works wonders with other
delicate foods. Use this tool to help
flip the perfect omelet or pancake,
remove a fried egg, or slip those
gooey cookies off the baking sheet.
65
AD D T H E P ER F E CT
AM O U NT OF S ALT
Salt is a staple mineral in
practically any dish. Even sweet
cookies have salt added to them.
Although the exact amount to add
is dictated by personal preference,
a good rule of thumb is to add salt
gradually and regularly.
Adding it little by little helps to
ensure you won't over-salt the
dish. Also, adding it at different
steps will enhance the cooking
process and allow flavors to meld.
Always remember: the more fat a dish has, the more salt you will need to add to
really bring out maximum flavor.
B AL AN C E T H E
AC I D I T Y
Just as keeping the right amount of
salt in a dish is crucial to flavor, so is
keeping a good balance of acidity.
Something as simple as adding a
splash of lemon juice to sautéed
veggies or a dash of vinegar to soups
can make a world of difference in
keeping things tasting fresh and
bright.
F I X AN O VE R - S ALT E D
DISH
There is nothing worse than realizing you
have accidentally over-salted a dish. The
only real solution is to add more of
everything else. Adding more starch or
veggies can help absorb the excess
sodium.
You can also try adding a little bit of sugar
or acid to counteract the salt.
66
AN O T H E R H AN D Y U S E
F O R S ALT
Fresh herbs add so much to a dish but
can be a mess when trying to chop
them. To help keep the small pieces
from flying all over your kitchen, simply
sprinkle your cutting board with a little
bit of salt to keep everything neat and
tidy.
E AS Y W E E KN I G HT
M E AL S
Next time you make sauce for a dish,
double the batch then freeze leftover
sauces in ice cube trays. When you're in
a hurry for sauce, you can quickly
reheat the exact amount you need in a
sauté pan.
This is perfect whether you want a fast
meal for one or are cooking for a group.
G I VE IT A R E ST
Don't immediately cut into your
meat after cooking, it is important
to let it rest. While cooking, juice is
drawn towards the center of the
meat and if you cut in right away all
that juice (and flavor) will
immediately flood out.
Instead, let the meat rest (around 5
minutes for steak and chops, and
10-20 for a roast) to let that juice
redistribute itself and lock in the
flavor.
67
R I N S E Y O U R F R ES H
ONIONS
If you want to take the edge off raw
onions in your salads or atop your
burgers simply soaking them in cold
water will help take away some of
the bite.
If you're making fresh salsa or
guacamole it is imperative that your
rinse them in running cold water and
blotting dry before adding to the
dish. If you skip this step the onions
will start to release a sulfurous gas
that will completely ruin the dip.
D O N'T C R OW D IT UP
Whether you're roasting veggies in the
oven or searing meat on the stove, the
most important rule is not to overcrowd
the pan. Overcrowding will not allow for
proper cooking and you won't get your
desired texture.
Q U I C K LY C AR AM E L I Z E
ONIONS
To quickly caramelize onions, add a little
sugar to a dry skillet, cook until deep
golden brown, add your onions with a
pinch of baking soda (no more than 1/4
tsp per pound of chopped onions), and
cook over medium-high heat, adding
just a tablespoon or two of water
anytime it looks like it's about to burn.
You will have perfectly caramelized
onions in no time.
68
P ER F E CT LY PAN S E AR
S T E AK
To get the most flavor out of the meat,
hold with tongs and cook on its side first
to render the fat into the pan to cook.
Then you will have the perfect base to
deliciously cook the rest of the steak in.
P ER F E CT LY S MO K E D
M E AT S
Turn your grill into a smoker by
placing wood chips into a foil, folding it
into a pouch, and cutting a few holes!
You can easily add that rich, smoky
flavor to your favorite grilled meats.
E AS I LY C UT H AR D
S Q U AS H E S
Having trouble cutting through those
giant (and delicious) squashes? Take a
butcher's knife and, using a small mallet,
pound the knife through the squash to
get the perfect cut.
69
M I L K T H E CO R N O N
T HE C O B
When cutting corn off the cob don't
forget the best part! Either use the
back (dull) side of the knife or gently
use the front (sharp) side to scrape
down the cob after you have cut off the
corn to release the sweet milk that will
amp up the flavor whether you're
eating the corn by itself or you're
adding it into dishes.
H O N E I N T HO S E
K N I VE S
Sharp knifes are one of the most
important tools in the kitchen and it's a
good idea to have them sharpened once
or twice a year. Most people forget that
they need to be honed before each use
to remove microscopic dents that can
throw your knife out of alignment.
A straight knife is a happy knife!
S ALT YO U R S AL AD S
Salt is one of the most necessary
ingredients to enhance flavor, so one
dish you should be thinking about
salting that you probably aren't is your
salad!
Adding this key mineral will add more
texture and really help your dressing
pop.
70
C H E C K T HO S E
S E AS O N I N G S
Seasonings are the difference
between a bland dish and an amazing
dish. We all have our staples that we
use in practically every dish, yet we
also all have that jar of seasoning we
bought for one recipe and has been
sitting in the cabinet for ages.
Seasonings have a shelf life too, and
if you can't really smell the spice
anymore, chances are you won't be
able to taste it either. As a general
rule of thumb whole spices last about four years, ground spices about three years
and dried herbs for about one to two
years.
T AST E T E ST Y OU R
M E AT L O AF /
M E AT B AL L S
It's a no brainer than you need to taste
your food along the way to make sure
that everything is seasoned properly,
yet for some foods, i.e. meatloaf/
meatballs, this is a little more difficult
to do.
To ensure you have properly seasoned
these foods simply roll a small amount of mixture together and quickly cook in a
skillet or even faster in the microwave and adjust your seasoning as needed.
P ER F E CT LY
C AR AM E L I Z E VE G G I E S I N T HE O VE N
Turn your oven into an industrial oven
to perfectly caramelize veggies with
this simple trick. Heat up your oven
as hot as it will go, place a roasting or
sheet pan inside for 10 to 15 minutes,
then add your veggies that are coated
with oil, salt and pepper to the pan.
This method provides the high heat
necessary to caramelize the sugars in
the vegetables quickly.
71
72
Misunderstandings: Transsexual vs. transgender
RACHEAL M CGONIGAL
GET IT RIGHT: The term 'transgender' is an adjective that Racheal
M cGonigal wishes more people understood.
The other day, I read this article: 'Transsexual vs. Transgender,
What's the difference?' in the M ontreal Gazette and it got me
thinking.
In the last six months, I have been told a few times that the term
transsexual is an antiquated word and no longer used, and that
'transgender' is the new transsexual. Sorry, but as someone who
identifies as a transsexual, I am not antiquated and nor are the
many others who prefer to identify as transsexual and not
transgender.
I recently visited a hospital and asked 15 or more medical
professionals what the definitions of transsexual and transgender
were. Not one got it right. In the bank, I had great fun asking the same with several tellers. No one got it
right. The point is that people are confused and don’t know the answer. Can you tell the definitions of
both?
The truth is that there is nowhere that the word transgender should be used alone. It is an adjective in
most recognized dictionaries. It helps to describe a noun.
So you will have transgender people, transgender umbrella, and the transgender community. Alas, the
media are one of the worst offenders and have taken to the easy road of being lazy and using it as a noun
because they can't be bothered to understand or explain correctly.
Transgender is recognized around the world as a term for a range of gender variant people. Under this
term you will have: Gender queer, androgynous, cross dressers, transvestites, fa’afafine, fakaleiti,
whakawahine, and yes, some would say, transsexual. There are many more as well, but all have a
commonality of being gender variant from the norms of society, of being just male and female. M ost of
these transgender people will believe in gender as being a spectrum or range but not all believe this.
Transsexual is a person who has changed, or is in the process of changing, their physical sex to conform
to their gender identity. They may be pre op or post op; male to female or female to male. Transsexuals
as a rule, tend to believe in gender as binary, male or female hence they are going from one to the other.
This is where the difference between sex and gender identity is important. Sex is how one was deemed at
birth based solely on physical appearance. Gender identity is how one chooses to identify as.
M ore and more transsexuals are opting out of being included in the transgender barrel as they feel their
identity as transsexuals is being lost and they are just being negated and absorbed into group that is too
diverse for society to bother to understand. They will still support those who wish to identify as a
transgender person.
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One piece of the article I liked and thought important was this:
"I think, many who do fully transition distance themselves from transgender organizations and individuals. They don’t identify as transgender. They don't identify as transsexual. They identify as women (vice
versa for female to male people), and they resent the lack of respect shown to them by people —
especially the media — who mislabel them."
There are a great many transsexuals out there but they distance themselves from the groups and
discussions. They are who they are, happy and often don’t wish to draw attention to themselves. They
have a life and aren’t concerned about being drawn into all the bitching. Some are stealth and some just
happy doing their own thing.
But they accept who they are, what they are, where they came from and don't wish to stand out. That's
fair but it isn’t fair to negate them. If the media wish to write a story about them, then the media should
take the effort to find out how they identify and not just dump them in a transgender barrel. To find out
the true facts also and report those.
Late last year, media reported that a court was told transgender is a recognized medical condition. It may
well be in some obscure publications but the major world organizations used by our medical fraternity,
such as WPATH, DSM , ICD and our own M inistry of Health don’t recognize it but recognize gender
dysphoria or trans-sexualism. Not all transgender people have these conditions. The media’s reporting
just added to the confusion. Being a trans gender person doesn’t mean you have a medical condition or
illness as implied.
So, transgender is an umbrella term for a range of gender variant people and transsexual is a person born
as one sex, who identifies as the opposite gender. Surely that isn’t too hard to understand?
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The Gossip Fence
Transgender In The News
Banned transgender customers to get $400,000 from Portland bar
PORTLAND — A Portland bar ownermust pay $400,000 in damages to a group of transgender patrons he asked to
stay away, the Oregon Court of Appealsaffirmed .
The state Bureau of Labor and Industries ordered the penalty in 2013, saying the bar violated a law that prohibits
discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.
In 2012, Chris Penner, owner of a bar formerly known as the P Club, left two voice messages for a member of the Rose
City T-Girls, an informal group of transgender customers that frequented the bar every Friday night. The messages said
to stop visiting because business had declined in the 18 months since the bar became the group’sgathering spot.
Penner said people were incorrectly assuming the P Club was a gay bar or “tranny” bar.
“Originally, the Rose City T-Girls approached his business and asked if this is going to be a problem and they said,
‘No.’” Radmacher said Wednesday. “In essence, he wasgoing back to them and saying, ‘Thisis a problem for my
business.’ We think he’s got a constitutional right to make that inquiry.”
Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian praised the court decision, saying in a statement hisagency is committed to
ensuring people are not denied access “based on who they are or who they love.”
Dems push TSA to reform transgender screening procedures
Democrats in the House are pushing the Transportation Security Administration to change its procedures for screening
transgender passengersafter a woman said she wasmistreated last month at Orlando International Airport.
A group of 32 Democratic House members said they have "strong concerns" about the TSA's treatment of transgender
passengers after a woman, Shadi Petosky, complained on Twitter about being held at an airport security checkpoint for
40 minutesbecause of an "anomaly" that was cited when she passed through one of the TSA's full-body X-ray
machines "In the days since Ms. Petosky’s story became public, we have heard from numerousmembers of the
transgender community describing harassing and humiliating experiences while going through airport security," the
lawmakers wrote in a letter to Transportation Security Administration Chief Peter Neffenger.
"While we understand the importance of vigilant airport security, we cannot countenance a security protocol that
subjects transgender travelers to this level of indignity," they wrote. "To that end, we urge TSA to complete a thorough
review of its current proceduresand address any shortcomings that may, however unintentionally, subject transgender
travelers to inequitable orimproper treatment by security personnel."
TSA officials have said that the agents who processed Petosky at the Orlando airport followed the agency’s rules. “Our
officers are trained to properly screen members of the transgender community," the agency wrote in
a Wednesday statement. "After examining closed circuit TV video and other available information, TSA has determined
that the evidence shows our officers followed TSA’s strict guidelines."
The lawmakers said TSA should update its procedures for handling transgender passengers to remove the possibility
for a situation like Petosky's. "As you know, TSOsmust select a male or female button in order to configure a scanner
to a gender-specific setting prior to screening," the lawmakers wrote to Neffenger. "Under this system, an error-free
reading of a passenger’s scan image relies on a TSO making a discretionary determination about a passenger’s sex
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based on their appearance rather than the gender with which theyidentify," they continued. "Thisprotocol maybe wellsuited to screen some cisgender passengers, but they do so at the expense of singling out transgender or gender nonconforming individuals whose physical appearancesmay not necessarily match their biological sex."
The lawmakers said TSA should "implement a screening protocol that does not rely on TSOsmaking often-subjective
decisions about an individual’s gender identity" in light of Petosky's incident.
"It is a sad reality that members of the transgender community face adversity every day," the letter concluded. "The
experiences of many transgender airline passengers such as Ms. Petosky demonstrate that more must be done to
ensure transgender individualsare able to travel without fear of facing humiliation or degradation at security
checkpoints. While being mindful of enacting the appropriate security precautions to keep all travelers safe, the TSA
must also take steps to ensure that itsemployees are prepared to serve transgender individuals with the dignity,
discretion, and respect that they, like all Americans, deserve."
Vatican Says Kim Davis 'Exploited' the Pope
Papal spokesman Federico Lombardi is disputing Liberty Counsel's version of the meeting between renegade antigay
county clerk Kim Davis and the pope, saying people shouldn't read too much into it.
After Davis recounted the experience to ABC Newsand her attorney, Liberty Counsel chairman Mat Staver, claimed the
pope told the defiant antigay clerk to "stay strong," the Vatican now says Pope Francis did not talk about Davis's
defiance of federal law in denying same-sex couples marriage licenses. In fact, the Vatican claims that Davis's audience
with the pope wasn't even a private meeting, as she and Staver have repeatedly claimed.
“The pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis, and his meeting with her should not be considered
a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects,” Lombardi said in a prepared statement this
morning. “Pope Francismet with several dozen persons who had been invited by the Nunciature to greet him as he
prepared to leave Washington for New York City. Such brief greetings occur on all papal visits and are due to the pope’s
characteristic kindness and availability. The only real audience granted by the pope at the Nunciature was with one of
his former students and his family.”
An unidentified Vatican official told Reuters the Holy See had a "sense of regret" that Pope Francis had any face time at
all with the antigay clerk. Lombardi'sassistant, Canada's Father Tom Rosica, told Reuters that the Vatican
underestimated the significance of a papal audience with Davis, who has become the leading symbol of religious-based
opposition to civil marriage equality in the U.S. He also rejected Davis's claim that the pope spent 15 minutes speaking
with Davisand her fourth husband, Joe. "There simply wasnot enough time" during the pope's six-day tour of the
country, he said.
According to Chicago's WBBM TV, Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich also denied the meeting was requested, and a
source inside the Vatican told the television station the pope was "blindsided." According Vatican officials, Davismet the
pope as part of a receiving line of "dozens" of people, although Davis's attorney disputes that claim.
This wouldn't be the first time Liberty Counsel hasbeen caught in a fabrication about international support for Davis.
Earlier this week, leaders in the right-wing group were forced to admit that a photo they claimed showed 100,000 people
praying for Davisin Peru wasa fake after ThinkProgress blogger Zack Ford exposed the fraud. The photo was actually
taken in May 2014 at a multi-day religiousevent. Staver now admits that no prayer rallies were held specifically for
Davis ashe previously claimed, saying some people prayed for her instead.
Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, in Dueling Speeches, Focus on Transgender Rights
WASHINGTON — In a forceful speech to an influential gay rightsgroup, Hillary Rodham Clinton reaffirmed her support
for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. Hours later, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who is
contemplating his own presidential run, stood before the same organization and praised Americans who have fought for
gay rights.
“Love isnot a political matter; it’s a basichuman right,” Mr. Biden said to a gathering of members of the Human Rights
Campaign on Saturday night. “The fact that we recognize that, it’s because of you.”
Mr. Biden’spotential candidacy hasloomed over Mrs. Clinton’s campaign, and the speeches on Saturdaypresented a
rare occasion for these two former Senate colleagues and potential rivals to showcase their zeal and style on gay rights,
one of the most galvanizing issues for Democratic primary votersand donors.
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In her address, Mrs. Clinton focused on policies she would enact with a promise to make lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgenderissues central to her presidency. Mr. Biden said government had not been the driver of the rapid change in
gay rights, and gave credit to the people in the crowd and the Americans across the country who came out about their
sexuality. Both speeches drew roaring applause and enthusiasm from the crowd.
Mrs. Clinton, who addressed the organization on Saturday morning, emphasized transgender rights, which are seen as
the next front in the gay rights movement in America. “Transgender people are valued, they are loved, they are us,” Mrs.
Clinton said. She vowed to do more to curb violence against transgender people, particularly African-American women,
and urged the military to reverse itspolicy and allow transgender Americans to serve in the armed forces. “Having the
world’s strongest military, she said, “doesn’t just mean having the best-trained forcesor the biggest arsenal.” Mr. Biden
called transgender rights “the civil rightsissue of our time” and also expressed his support for allowing their service in
the military.
In her address, Mrs. Clinton delivered a pointed attack on Republican presidential candidates who oppose same-sex
marriage and other equal protections. “You turn on the TV and you see a Republican candidate for president literally
standing in the courthouse door in Kentucky,” she said, referring to Mike Huckabee’s support of Kim Davis, the Kentucky
county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Both Mr. Biden’s and Mrs. Clinton’sattacks on Republicans were delivered with some levity that played well in the
crowds at their two appearances on Saturday. “Ted Cruz slammed a political opponent for marching in a pride parade,”
Mrs. Clinton said. “He clearly hasno idea what he’s missing.”
Mr. Biden, in talking about how the vast majority of Americans support same-sex marriage, appeared to deliver an
off-the-cuff line. “There are homophobes still left, most of them are running for president, I think,” he said.
Logo TV to launch transgender-themed web series Beautiful As I Want to Be hosted by Geena Rocero
Logo TV will turn the camera toward transgender youth in the new digital web series Beautiful As I Want to Be, hosted
by transgender model and Gender Proud founder Geena Rocero, the LGBT-focused network announced Wednesday.
In the four-episode series, Rocero, who also servesas an executive producer, will introduce the stories of four
transgender youths. Each episode will see one of them prepare for a photo shoot with a mentor, who provides life
advice and encourages the subject to define their own “ultimate expression of authenticbeauty,” according to Logo’s
press release.
The web series will premiere on Wednesday, Oct. 28 on LogoTV.com and on Logo’s YouTube channel. New episodes
will arrive every Wednesday.
Md. birth certificates law takes effect
A Maryland law that makes it easier for transgender and intersex people to legally change the gender on their birth
certificates without surgery took effect on Oct. 1.
The law allows trans and intersex Marylanders to receive a new — and not amended — birth certificate. It also allows
those who wish to receive a new birth certificate to simply file paperwork with the Maryland Division of Vital Records, as
opposed to obtaining a court order that declares their gender has changed.
Free State Legal Project said it expectsMaryland judges will also rule the law applies to trans and intersex people in the
state who were born somewhere else.
“Nearly every transgender or intersex person in Maryland can benefit from thisnew law, whether they were born in
Maryland or somewhere else, and regardless of whether they have previously updated their birth certificate or if they
have not begun the process of updating any identity documents,” said PatrickPaschell, the group’s executive director.
Mom dresses son up like woman as punishment
ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Is it cruel punishment or justified consequences? A mom in Rock Hill dressed up her son like a
woman and shaved his head in an attempt to embarrass him, according to a police report.
Not only did thismother shave her young son's head and put women's clothing on him, she then paraded him through
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Walmart on Dave Lyle Boulevard Sunday.
According to a police report, the woman told police she waspunishing her son for fighting and making homophobic
remarks at school. She told authorities her son washaving behavioral issues and corporal punishment was ineffective,
so she wasattempting to embarrass him.
The woman dressed her son in a tutu, women'sboots and a woman's teddy bear t-shirt. According to the report, the
boy's head had been shaved in an unusual manner, bald on top with a patch of hair on the front and the word bad
written on the top back of his head.
So far no charges have been filed. Rock Hill Police notified DSS about the incident and theyare investigating the case.
L.A. County Reports Big Increase in Anti-Gay Hate Crimes
While reported hate crimesin LosAngeles County increased by one percent in 2014 from the previous year, crimes
targeting gay men increased by31 percent from 70 to 108 incidents. Anti-transgender hate crime continued to be the
most violent of any major targeted group, with 93 percent of such crimes being of a violent nature.
“Under-reporting of hate crimes remainsa serious problem,” commission President Susanne Cumming said. “Although
the statisticsare encouraging, we have to remember that far too many hate crime victims sufferin silence and do not
report these crimes to police.”
Similar to past years, four groups represented the bulk of victims of hate crimes, with 86 percent of them being either
black, lesbian women/gaymen, Jewish or Latino. Two groups documented in the report sawdramaticincreases: the 31
percent increase in crimes targeting gay men and anti-Jewish crimes, which rose 31 percent from 42 in 2013 to 55 last
year.
“We are encouraged that reported hate crimes have declined dramatically over the years,” said Robin Toma, the
commission’s executive director. “However, an average of more than one hate crime occurs every day, so we cannot be
complacent. Of particular concern is the continued high rate of victimization of African-Americans who comprise twothirds of racial hate crime victims.”
The report showed that juvenilesare showing up less and less as hate crime suspects, becoming the smallest age
group for the second time in at least the past 10 years. People under 18 went from once being the largest age group
among hate crime suspects — 40 percent in 2006 — to being the smallest at 16 percent in 2014.
Further, the rate of violent crimes rose slightly to 62 percent from 60 in 2013. For the second consecutive time in 10
years, there were no murders. However, the report lists one hate-motivated attempted murder involving a white male
victim. Aggravated assaults — which include assaults with deadly weapons and physical attacks causing greater bodily
injury — increased 16 percent.
The analysisalso revealed that blacks represented 69 percent of all victims in reported racial hate crime in 2014,
despite comprising only about eight percent of the county’s residents.
Officials said that while the number of social media-related hate crimes remained low, there remains the problem of
racial hate speech on the Internet. The highest rate of hate crimes took place in the metro region, which stretches from
West Hollywood to Boyle Heights, followed by the San Fernando Valley. The San Gabriel Valley region had the lowest
rate of hate crimes. The commission’s report was generated from data collected from sheriff and city police departments, school districtsand communitygroups.
Governor signs bill ensuring equal benefits for transgender employees
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark legislation today that prohibits state agencies from doing business
with companies that fail to offer transgender employees the same health care coverage and benefits they provide all
other workers. Senate Bill 703, authored by Sen. Mark Leno, builds on existing California law that requires gender nondiscrimination in employee benefits. Specifically, it prohibits a state agency from entering into a contract in the amount of
$100,000 ormore with any company that doesnot offer equal benefits based on an employee’s gender identity.
“California law already stipulates that employers cannot deny transgender people health care and other benefits, but a
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loophole in state law has allowed companies that contract with the state to refuse equal health coverage,” said Senator
Leno, D-San Francisco. “Thisbill closes that loophole. Denying equal benefits to employeesat the same company
based on gender identity isharmful and wrong. It also can jeopardize employee health and strain publicly-funded
programs that fill in the gaps when employers don’t provide the same benefits to everyone.”
“In signing SB 703, Governor Brown has made California the first state in the nation to refuse to contract with
businesses and other entities that discriminate against their transgender employees in benefits,” said NCLR
Government Policy Director Geoff Kors. “Thislegislation will not only help transgender employees, but will also help
California businesses since California already prohibits health insurance carriers from denying transgender individuals
benefitsoffered non-transgender individuals and will thus level the playing field with entities from out of state that bid for
contracts with California. Once again, California’s governor and Legislature are leading the nation in ending
discrimination and ensuring that taxpayer funds don’t go to those who discriminate.”
SB 703 takeseffect on January 1, 2016.
TRANSGENDER LEGISLATION
HARTFORD — The first day of Octobermeans a bevy of new laws. The state will see some tweaks to existing laws but
also see many laws in the books. The state joins the ranks of others in making it easier for transgender people to
change their birth certificate. The new law allows them to change their gender on the certificate without having had
surgery.
Store Boots Mom for Complaining About Man in Girls’ Bathroom
Santa Rosa, CA--A Northern California mom became alarmed when her pre-teen daughter said she was uncomfortable
with the man who entered a store bathroom while she and another young girl were using it. But the response of store
management left the mom stunned and shaken.
On August 24, Michelle (not her real name) was with her 12-year-old daughter and her daughter’s 10-year-old friend at
the REI sporting goods store in Santa Rosa. Upon leaving the store, Michelle noticed that the girls were upset. When
asked, the girls stated that a man had come into the store restroom while they were using it. Michelle, who advocates
for victim’s rights and knows that it only takes seconds for girls to be molested, returned to the store to notify
management of the safety and privacy concerns. To her surprise, a store manager stated that they do not decide who
people are or what they can do, and Michelle’s concerns were interpreted as being anti-LGBT. Michelle was then asked
to leave the store, and obscenities were hurled by other patrons at her family as they drove out of the parking lot.
Kroger to extend health benefits to transgender employees on Anthem
The Kroger Co. has agreed to extend transgender health benefits to employees covered under the company insurance
plan with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, according to a Facebook posting from a Kroger worker.
The step will likelyhelp boost Kroger’s profile as a corporate employer. Kroger is the largest traditional grocer in the nation with more than 400 stores. With more than 400,000 employees, it's the nation's seventh largest employer.
Earlier this year, the Human Rights Campaign gave Kroger an 85 out of 100 ranking in its Corporate Equality Index,
noting the Cincinnati grocery company did not yet cover transgender medicine in its health insurance plan. The local
chapter of the Human Rights Campaign honored Kroger at its annual gala this year for the company’s steps toward
inclusion.
Friday night, McGannon posted a direct quotation of an announcement from the Alliance of Kroger, a group of gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees, which said, “Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, medical procedures including
surgery and drug therapy for gender reassignment will be covered up to a $100,000 lifetime maximum for eligible
associates and their dependents.”
The change doesnot cover employees who get their health insurance through the United Food and Commercial
Workers, the union that negotiates the employees’ collective bargaining agreement with Kroger.
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Study Shows Who Is More Likely to Support Transgender Rights in the UnitedStates
LOS ANGELES — People who think they are more informed about transgender people or know someone who islesbian
or gay tend to be more supportive of transgender rights, according to a new study by Andrew R. Flores, public opinion
and policy fellow at the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.
The study, titled “Attitudes toward Transgender Rights: Perceived Knowledge and Secondary Interpersonal Contact,” is
the second peer-reviewed scientific study examining Americans’ attitudes about transgender people and rights.
Key findings from the report include:
• Knowing someone who islesbian or gay positively affects attitudes toward LGB rights such asmarriage for same-sex
couples and, byextension, attitudes toward transgender rights.
• Knowing someone who is transgender doesnot necessarily affect attitudes on transgender rights, but the research is
limited.
• People who have higher levels of educational attainment are more likely to feel more familiar with transgender people
and rights, so it is likely that college fosters greater support for transgender people.
• The factors that usually predict people’spositions regarding lesbian, gay and bisexual rightsare similar to those that
predict transgender rights.
Much research is still needed on how transgender story lines in the media and direct contact with transgender people
may impact Americans’ views on transgender rights.
Since the transgender population ismuch smaller than the LGB population, finding a positive relationship between LGB
contact and transgender rights shows promise that the LGBT community creates supportive attitudes for all those in that
community.
YMCA backtracks on policy about transgender locker room use
TACOMA, Wash. -- Pressure from a vocal group of membershasprompted the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties to
back-track on a new policy intended to be more sensitive to the needs of the transgender community. YMCA leaders
decided to no longer allow transgendermembers in transition to use locker rooms and showers of their choice at the Y's
seven family-oriented locations.
"We are asking that our transgender membersuse our private changing room at our family facilities," said YMCA
spokesperson Michelle LaRue. The change comes after a flood of complaintsabout a new policyissued in April that
allowed those in transition to use the locker room with which they most closely identified.
YMCA managers say they are responding to a flood of phone calls, emails and social media postings bymembers who
were concerned about or opposed to allowing transgender people in transition to use public locker rooms.
"The concern was that a non-transgender individual might pose asa transgender to gain access to our locker rooms
and expose themselves to children and cause harm to children," explained LaRue.
Leaders of the Tacoma area's LBGT community have condemned the change in policy that restricts where some
members can dress and shower.
"I just think policieslike this are really divisive and they pit people against each other," said Michelle Douglas, executive
director of Rainbow Center. The organization serves asa leading center of education, advocacy and celebration for the
LBGT community.
But Douglas says she and otherleadersof the LGBT community will try to pressure the YMCA to rescind the new rule
limiting locker room access. "It's puts others in charge of being the gender police," Douglas said.
She says barring transgender people in transition from the public locker rooms isinsensitive to the often difficult journey
they must make.
LGBTI advocacy group publishes guidelines for firms to support transgender staff
Tthe non-profit organization Out and Equal Workplace Advocates has issued a new publication to help businesses
support their transemployees. Workplace Gender Identityand Transition Guidelines has been produced to help
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companies better understand how to support all transgender and gender-diverse staff.
‘There are great disparities in workplace equality that disproportionately affect the transgender community,’ said Out &
Equal Founder and CEO Selisse Berryin the forward to the guide.
‘The Workplace Gender Identity and Transition Guidelines emerged from overwhelming requests from our corporate
partners asking how to best support their transgender and gender-diverse employees.
‘Fortune 1000 companies reached out to us wanting to fully understand how to best support their transgender employeesand coworkers.’
‘I am proud of the guidelines we’re presenting and confident that they will fostermore inclusive policiesand more welcoming workplaces for everyone in the LGBT community.’
The guidelines examine companypolicies, employee expectations, gender fluidity, how to address the concernsof coworkers, planning for transition, health insurance, restroom access and confidentiality considerations, among other topics.
The publication of the transgender guide comes after a recent survey revealed that an increasing number of multinational corporations are offering gender transition procedures to their health insurance benefits for staff, with Netflix
and Facebook among the most recent companies to extend their policies in this area.
Entrepreneurs start All is Fair in Love and Wear"
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City entrepreneur is opening the first-of-its-kind lingerie line which is specifically for
transgender customers.
For the past 13 years, Peregrine Honig sold lingerie at her shop in the Crossroads. It wasn’t until her friend, who was
transitioning, recently pointed out there’san entire group not being served. “None of it is made specifically for trans
bodies,” Honig said.
That’s why she started “All is Fair in Love and Wear,” a lingerie and compression line specifically for people in the
transgender community. Laura Treas teamed up with Honig as the line’s designer after years creating post-surgery
compression garments.
The shop will open soon, just down the street from Honig’s lingerie shop. The line and location will be a place where
trans men and women can feel comfortable. “It’s for them. Instead of having to go into a department where you don’t
feel like you actually belong, that would make someone very uncomfortable. This way, thisis just for that group,” said
Treas.
Fort Lauderdale To Transgender Travelers: Welcome
Fort Lauderdale rolled out the rainbow carpet 20 years ago to gay travelers. Today, it is a go-to travel destination for the
gay and lesbian community. But something wasmissing.
Richard Gray, the LGBT managing director for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, said while the
transgender community was always welcome, he felt there wasn’t enough focuson transgender travelers. In a survey
commissioned by the bureau, the city ranked second to last on a list of preferred travel destinations for the trans community. New York, San Francisco and Atlanta were the top three picks.
“One day I was like, ‘We keep saying LGBT,’ but the ‘T’, I realized, this was a forgotten ‘T,’" said Gray. "I was saying, ‘T,’
but I did nothing for the ‘T.’”
That is changing. Fort Lauderdale is hosting one the largest transgender conferencesin the nation. The Southern
Comfort Conference is expected to draw more than 1,000 attendees through Saturday (Oct.3).
Gray courted the conference, which hasbeen held in Atlanta for 23 years. He said securing the conference was
important to showcase Fort Lauderdale to the transgender community. “It shows we’re an authentic destination that
really caresabout all travelers,” he said.
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Phyllis Nicole sitson the board of the conference and is staying in Fort Lauderdale this week. She said there’s a
difference between saying the transgender community is welcome and showing it.
“Some places you go to and you feel like it’s OK to be there. And other places you go to it feels like they want you to be
there because of the smiles you get and the warmth,” she said. “It just feelsmore welcoming here because of the
attitude when you meet people.”
Gray says just as Fort Lauderdale hasestablished itself as a welcoming and accepting place for the gay and lesbian
community, it is working to build that same relationship with transgender travelers. “I want transgender travelers to be
like all travelers,” he said. “Free to be themselves. Free to be accepted, and most of all, safe and welcome.”
ACLU demands the school's transgender policy be reversed
ELKO – The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada is demanding that the school board change its decision to not
allow a transgender student access to the male restroom and locker rooms.
According to a letter sent Tuesday by ACLU Legal Director Amy Rose, the Elko County School District “isdeliberately
and continuously violating” the Spring CreekMiddle School student’s rights underTitle IX, the Equal Protection Clause
of the United States Constitution, Nevada Public Accommodation Laws, Nevada anti-bullying lawsand Nevada privacy
protections.
She said the school district is “operating under a discriminatory policy which unconstitutionally denies transgender
students their civil rights.”
The ACLU claimed the school board ignored its earlier letter requesting the biologically female student — whom they
named "Doe" — be approved access and “unanimously voted to strip Doe of his federal, state and constitutional rights,
and forced him to use facilities which do not correspond with his gender identity.”
Rose said “the Board’s actions dehumanize and degrade both Doe and all transgendered youth. This decision invited
humiliation and harassment of transgender students at a time when they are already at an increased risk of bullying in
school.”
The letter further demands “swift action to remedy these ongoing violations.”
Legal analysis
The ACLU said the school board’s decision violated five of Doe’s constitutional and state rights.
First, the board violated Doe’s rights under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution because it
discriminated against “transgender people,” which classifies as sex discrimination.
The ACLU claimed, “the Ninth Circuit has specifically held that discrimination based on a person’s transgender status, or
gender non-conforming identity can amount to gender discrimination.”
Rose then referenced past rulingsin court cases Kastl v. Maricopa County and Price Waterhouse v. Hopkinsin support
of her claim.
Second, the ACLU said the school board violated Nevada Public Accommodation Laws, claiming “Nevada state law
plainly forbids places of public accommodation, including schools, from discriminating against anyone based on their
sex or gender identity. Schoolsmust give all people ‘the full and equal enjoyment of the … facilities, privileges,
advantages and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, without discrimination or segregation on the
ground of … sex, gender, identity or expression.’”
Additionally, the ACLU said the decision violated state Anti-Bullying Law SB-504, which was passed in order to eliminate
an “intimidating or hostile educational environment” for any student, including students of “[a]ctual or perceived …
gender identity.”
Rose claims the board’sdecision created a “hostile school environment” for Doe, and could have a negative impact on
the student’s academic performance.
Moreover, she claims the school board broke the student’s privacy rights by “publically (disclosing) private facts about
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Doe’s gender identity to the community without his consent.”
Finally, the letter states that the district’s current policy is discriminatory, and “discrimination against Doe and all other
transgender students cannot be justified by false appeals to non-transgender students’ privacy; nondiscrimination laws
are not conditioned by the majority’s comfort in accepting minority groups.”
Gender Nonconforming Transgender People Face Greater Discrimination And Health Risks, Study Finds
A new study published last month in Sociological Forum has found two important connections that demonstrate how
discrimination has a negative impact on the health and well-being of transgender people.
The study from Indiana Universityinvolved a new analysis of the data collected in the National Transgender
Discrimination Survey. It specifically looked at how gender conformity impacted whether transgender people
experienced discrimination, and whether experiencing discrimination caused individuals to have more health issues.
Consistent with other findings, the study found that the more everyday and major discrimination a transgender person
experienced, the more likely they were to engage in health-harming behaviors, such as attempting suicide, abusing
drugs or alcohol, and smoking. This is further evidence that the mental health consequences transgender people
experience are not a result of being transgender, but a result of how they are treated for being transgender.
Furthermore, the study found that trans people were more likely to experience discrimination if they were perceived to
be transor gender nonconforming. In other words, the more likely they are to be “clocked” or “read” as transgender, “the
more they are subject to major and day-to-day discriminatory treatment.” Likewise, in combination with the first finding,
“gender nonconformity predicted greater likelihood of attempted suicide, drug/alcohol abuse, and smoking — a
relationship that was partially mediated by major and everyday discrimination.”
Combining these two findings, the study suggests that “gender nonconforming individuals are at greater risk for poor
health asa consequence of facing more transphobic discrimination.”The authors conclude that “gender nonconformity
serves as a form of stigma visibility” and they recommend that society should work to “expand the possibilitiesof gender
so that transgender individualsmay lead more livable lives.” People should not be punished for deviating from binary
understandings of gender.
The study confirms previous analysis that discrimination islinked to suicide attempt rates and further counters the
argument made by conservatives that transgender people are inherently mentally ill.
Hillary Clinton Agrees Transphobic Violence Is a ‘National Crisis’
Following up on her sweeping speech to Human Rights Campaign volunteers last weekend, Democratic presidential
frontrunner Hillary Clinton acknowledged that the unabated murders of transgender women constitutesa “national
crisis,” reports BuzzFeed News.
In a private meeting with Black LivesMatter activistsin Washington, D.C., Clinton recognized that the reported 20
transgender women killed in the U.S. this year — most of whom have been trans women of color — signify what
advocateshave long called an “epidemic” of violence that Clinton hopes to combat if elected president.
“[Clinton] acknowledged that it’s not her lived reality,” added Ferguson Commission’s Brittany Packnett, according
to BuzzFeed News. “I don’t think she offered yet a lot of specificsabout how to protect the most vulnerable among us,
especially trans women of color. But it seemed like she wanted to do more listening on the topic which was encouraging.”
Hashtag project seeks to elicit trans voices
A trans tech journalist and others have developed a hashtag, #transneeds, in an effort to open a dialogue on major
issues affecting the community and to solicit solutions. The Transneedsproject wasborn out of the recent White House
tech summit for LGBT leaders. One of the earlyleading voicesin the world of data science, D.J. Patil, U.S. chief data
scientist, will be using the data to help the Obama administration address transgenderissues. Patil islooking at using
big data to help citizensin lots of ways, including precision medicine.
Transneeds is a way for transgender people to voice their concerns and state their problem in a very public forum, and
get their voices heard. "We won't solve the problem of a lackof data on trans people," Fried said, "but what we can help
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to do is highlight the areas of deepest need and then report back to the White House with both recommendations and
some areas that need further study."
The campaign has already received great support from a number of leaders in the transgender and ally communities.
Trans celebrities such as Laverne Cox, an actress on Orange is the New Black and Janet Mock, author and host of So
POPular, a weekly pop culture show on MSNBC, sent out tweets promoting the effort, asdid Debi Jackson, a trans
rights activist and PFLAG chapter president, and Scott Turner Schofield, an actor on the soap opera The Bold and the
Beautiful .
"We have received tremendous support from a variety of nonprofitsincluding the National Center for Transgender
Equality, LYRIC, Housing Works, NCLR and many others," Fried added.
In addition to the social media presence, Transneeds has a toll-free number, 844-876-7637 (844-TRNS-NDS) that
people can text. "It'salso critically important that we reach the huge partsof the transgender community who aren't
online, and that isa big focus right now," Fried said. "We need to get the word out."
New Guide: Name and Gender Change in New Jersey
The National Center forTransgender Equality (NCTE) is pleased to announce the completion of a name and gender
change guide for the State of New Jersey.
This step-by-step guide walks individuals born or living in New Jersey through the legal name and gender change process. The guide simplifies and demystifies the process, giving individuals the tools they need to make sure their ID documents are accurate and consistent. We also hope this guide can be used as a reference by other legal and social justice
organizations that help the transgender community.
The guide is a project of NCTE’sTrans Legal Services Network. NCTE launched the Network in 2013 to provide training
and legal support for local organizations across the country working to provide free legal services for transgender individuals. This guide was put together in collaboration with Network member The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New
York (LeGaL) and Network Advisory Council law firm Bryan Cave LLP. NCTE applauds LeGaL and Bryan Cave for their
work on thisimportant resource and their commitment to transgender equality.
Download the guide here.
Mexico City Affirms Right to Gender Identity
Transgender people in Mexico City can get an official document, which will allow them to have their constitutional rights
with their new gender identity without passing through expert medical examinations, the city's legal services adviser
Manuel Granadosannounced on Thursday.
"Today they just have to come to the Civil Registry and say, under oath, that it is their desire to be perceived by the gender of their choosing. Before they had to prove they were under hormone treatment, surgery and psychotherapy,”
Granados said.
Under the new administrative process, the Registry Office keeps the original birth certificates of those who apply to
change gender and a new birth certificate is issued with the sex-gender reassignment. The new document allows transgender citizens to have voter cards, passports, professional credentials and visas with their new identity, however they
can only complete the processes in the country's capital.
Since 2008, the leftist government of Mexico City passed the bill on genderidentity, allowing transgender people to
change their name, gender and sex on official documents.
Despite the important advances recognizing and protecting the rightsof transgenders in Mexico, there are persistent
problems including employment, loss of family, financial insecurity, stigmatization and discrimination.
Activists say that despite the country's legislation on hate crimes, the majority of violent attacks on the LGBT community
are perpetrated against transgender women.
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