june 2014 issue - Rachel Williston

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Pretty T Girls
June 2014
The Magazine for the most beautiful girls in the world
A publication of Pretty T Girls Yahoo group
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Pretty T Girls
June 2014
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
Page
Editorial by: Barbara Jean
The Future of Pretty T Girls Magazine
Busting Down the Closet Door
Expert Tips for Makeup That Last
11 Easy Ways to Make Your Eyes Look Bigger
At Home Hair Removal: Will it Get Easier
The Adventures of Judy Sometimes
The Exploits of Barbara Marie
Do Definitions Matter? By Rhonda
Work With What You Got by: Angela Gardner
Humor
Angels In the Centerfold
Mellissa’s Tips & Tricks
Tasi’s Fashion News
Dress Better Over 40
Nine Expert Tips for Walking in Crazy Heels
Lucille Sorella
Easy Figure Fixes
Bald is Beautiful by: Annette
The Gossip Fence
Fantasia Fair Scholarship Information
Shop Till You Drop
Calendar
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The Silver Screen
An Editorial by: Barbara Jean
A recent conversation on the TG Woman board was concerning the portrayal of TG’s on the silver
screen and television.
In the British mini Series “Hit & Miss”, Chloe Sevigny, a genetic female portrays a MtF transsexual who
works as a hired killer and then discovers she has a son by a previous marriage and now must be the
parent to that child after the mother passed away.
In the Movie “TransAmerica” Felicity Huffman, a genetic female portrays a MtF transsexual preparing
for her surgery.
The question come about, why does Hollywood always use genetic females to portray a MtF
transsexual? Certainly an actual MtF transsexual could do a better job or portraying a transsexual.
Now I will be the first to admit that I am not familiar with the hiring process used by the television and
movie industry. Certainly they do not put an ad in paper or use the employment service to find an actress. As I understand actors and actresses have agents who they would hire through. In any case no
doubt there are a number of actresses that would audition for the part and then the powers to be in the
industry will choose who they want for the movie or TV role.
I guess this brings the first problem, finding a MtF actress. How many MtF transsexual are there that are
working/seeking work as an actress? And while an actual transsexual could do a better job of portraying
a transsexual, can they otherwise play the part that is required for the movie/TV Show? It is only today
that we now see Lavern Cox an actual MtF being employed on the silver screen.
Another problem is the roles that Hollywood has crossdressers and transsexual characters in. The
portrayal of us as either criminals or prostitutes. In the mini series “Hit & Miss” our transsexual Mia
works as a hired killer, I do think they did a wonderful job of portraying us in “TransAmerica” and also
in the HBO film “Normal”.
I have not yet seen the movie “Dallas Buyers Club”, but in it Jarad Leto plays Rayon, a transgender
person who has AIDS and along with his co-star who also has AIDS they go to Mexico to buy drugs that
are not yet approved in the United States that may help them and others live longer. Perhaps this is a
step up in the portrayal of the transgender on the silver screen. Yet we do so much wish that an actual
transgender person was used to portray Rayon.
“Tootsie” portrayed a person who crossdressed to get a job, “Mrs. Doubtfire” portrayed a person who
crossdressed so that he could see his children more, “Bosom Buddies” portrayed two men who dressed
as women so they could live in a place that was for women only. While these did not portray us as
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as criminals or prostitutes, they did portray us more for the purpose of laughs. In “Pricilla, Queen of the
Desert”, and “Too Wong Foo” it was not crossdressers or transsexual that were portrayed, but rather
drag queens.
While Lavern Cox may be the first actual transsexual to play a transsexual on the silver screen, I have to
wonder how long it will be before we see more transgender people in staring roles in the movies and on
the television. The big question comes how many transgender actors and actresses are there? I also
have to wonder what kind of roles they will be given.
The Future of Pretty T Girls
Magazine
By: Barbara Jean (publisher)
Four years ago I took over the task of producing the Pretty T Girls magazine. The first issue that I
produced had like 36 pages and today it averages around 75 pages. Almost as soon as I finish producing
one issue, I am starting work on the next.
In 2012 everything was in one survey, while this year there were two surveys, one to ask how one was
getting their magazine and one to ask what they liked to read in the magazine. Of the 32 who answered
the survey, 5 indicated that they did not read the magazine. Of those who did read it the majority
received their copy from my personal mailing list while about six use the group file and three got it from
Rachel Williston’s website.
So What items did the readers like, what didn’t they like? Of course few people will read a magazine
from cover to cover. Rather they look to see what is in it that they might be interested in reading. In our
most recent poll Mellissa’s Tips and articles on makeup seem to take the top spots, and right after that
came Angel’s in The Centerfold. Least read was the Gossip Fence and Miscellaneous TG Articles and
yet even while the least, they did show that half of those who read the magazine read those items.
Currently the Gossip Fence has taken the most pages in the magazine for any one item and I do think in
the future we will see fewer pages here. I will have to be a little more selective in what news articles I
put in this section. Rather interesting to me was that almost every type of article that we have published
in the magazine it showed at least half of those who responded read.
One new series that has been started but was not asked about in the survey is “Busting Down the Closet
Door”. This is a series of stories from girls telling how they came from the closet and also stories of
how they told their wife of their transgender needs. Currently I have enough of these stories to continue
for at least another six months. It is my hope that those who are seeking to come out of the closet will
gain value from these stories and that they will give them the information and encouragement to emerge
from their own closet.
In asking how to improve the magazine the one thing asked the most for was more pictures. Currently
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ALL contestants for the cover girl contest were printed in the magazine. Those that did not make cover
girl or calendar girl were put in the Angels In the Centerfold section. The more entries that we have
there, the more photos there will be for that section. I have noticed that since Yahoo changed to their
new neo format there have been fewer entries to our cover girl contest. I know working anything new is
always a pain, but hopefully as time goes on more and more of you girls will learn to work the new
system and we will return to the larger number of girls entering the cover girl contest.
In additions it was asked for themes. Starting with our next issue we will have them. Next month will
be Summer Fun (get your summer fun photos in for that girls) and I plan a September Bride layout for
September, Halloween Costumes for October, and Christmas photos for December. These will not be
contest and you will not be limited to only one photo. (I may have to limit some if too many come in, but
will include ALL who submit a photo for the theme)
Size, the size of the magazine does pose some problems. I originally create the magazine using
Microsoft Publisher and then I let publisher convert it to a PDF file so everyone can read it. With my
old XP computer I was using a version of Acrobat that was intended for Windows 95 and worked even
with XP, but I discovered that that version will not work with my current Windows 7 computer. Acrobat
did a far better job of compressing the file and as a result the file size now is about twice the size it was
using Acrobat. Living on a fixed income I cannot afford the current version of Acrobat. (about $260) A
problem is that Yahoo Groups will only allow files up to 5 MB and as a result I must put the magazine in
the group files in sections. (currently usually 3) Publisher does not really let me do this so I must make
like 4 copies of the publisher file and then start deleting pages. Of course for part 2 and 3 this changes
the page numbering.
Will the magazine get any bigger? I may allow it to get a few more pages larger, but of course it would
affect file size which is currently between 10MB and 12MB. For those who get the magazine direct
from me I don’t think there would be any problem on this end, however some e-mail clients may limit
the size of attachments to an e-mail that you receive.
Producing the magazine has been a labor that I enjoy doing and hope to continue doing for many more
years. (since I am retired I do have the time)
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Busting Down The Closet Door
My first time out
By: Barbara Jean
During the time when I was in my 20’s I really had no choice but to remain in the closet, being out only
to a very select few people. One of the reasons for this is that I was in the Military and discovery of my
being transgendered would result in a discharge that would be of less than honorable conditions. I did
dress at home and with both my first and second wife I did inform them of my crossdressing before we
were married. While my first wife said she would accept, it turned out she did not and left after only six
weeks of marriage. My second wife not only accepted, but was supportive and our marriage lasted for
22 years before she passed away. In 1976 my son was born and just about right from the start he did see
me enfemme. In later years it did pose some problems of him telling friends and neighbors, but most did
not pay much attention, except for the kids especially when it was teenage years.
I guess it was about 1985 or 1986, I had been promised a raise at work for about six months, but was
always told when business was a little better. I come to find out one day that in order to get our
secretary to come to work for us full time they would match what she was making at her old job and pay
her insurance, something that I was not getting. Finally one day I decided that I was either going to get
that raise or be fired. It was Barbara that came to work that day. Well the boss looked and asked what
this was all about and I told him that when a secretary was worth more than a technician I would switch.
Well rather than being fired I got a forty dollar a week raise.
Of course I really was not out in public yet though. It was a few years later, a trip to Atlanta for a Sigma
Epsilon meeting, and later a shopping trip with another sister to a few thrift shops and a mall. The trip to
the mall did not turn out good due to some teenage boy trying to show himself up to his buddies. But
then it was shortly thereafter that a couple other sisters and me started the first TG group in Memphis. It
was out to get refreshments, and do a little shopping at a couple of stores. Everything went good then.
The meeting was in a hotel and we had drinks at the hotel bar and ate at the hotel restaurant.
That group did not last long in Memphis but moved to Little Rock Ar. With the help of another person
another group was started, this time it was an open group for all where the first was a TRI-ESS group.
Once again it was for me to pick up refreshments and such. One of the members of that group was a
minister who was attending seminary there in Memphis for her masters degree and invited me to attend
church at Holy Trinity, the then only “gay” church in Memphis. I initially attended as Jim, but then one
day there was to be the first Pride march and it would happen right after church that day. I attended as
Barbara with no problems and then there was the march. Now just before the march I was interviewed
by the local paper and they had taken photos of me during the march. The next day my picture was right
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on the front page of the metro section of our paper. The local radio stations were also talking about me
and about how I was married and had kids and how they all knew and approved.
Since that time I had gone out more and more. There were periods in Memphis where I did not have a
car and thus I had to rely on the local bus service for transportation. This too I did while enfemme. In
2000 I took a trip to Washington D.C. for the Millennium March on Washington and traveled from
Memphis to Washington via Greyhound bus all while enfemme.
My trips out enfemme while living in Memphis were to malls, stores and restaurants. I also made a trip
to Alabama and to Missouri enfemme.
In 2010 I made the move to Las Vegas Nv. Prior to departing Memphis I discarded all my male clothing
driving from Memphis to Las Vegas, a three day trip enfemme, staying in motels at night and eating out
in restaurants and buying gas in unfamiliar towns all while enfemme.
Since that day I have been living as Barbara 24/7. While my drivers license does have my male name on
it and still has the M for a sex designator, it does have a photo of Barbara along with my discount card
for the local bus service.
Expert Tips for Makeup That Lasts
Source: Bride's magazine
Love is eternal, but what about your look? Will it last through the
day or evening?
We asked three celebrity makeup artists—Sonia Kashuk, of Sonia
Kashuk Cosmetics; Matin, for Laura Mercier; and Mally Roncal, of
Sephora—how they keep models and movie stars fresh-faced and
fabulous. For a visage that stays vibrant all day long, select a
category below.
Primer & Foundation
Eye Shadow, Liner & More
Blush & Powder
Lipsticks, Stains & More
Primer & Foundation
Foundation on bare skin? No way. A primer is the right product to fill in pores and
lines so makeup glides on evenly. "It keeps your makeup from separating,"
explains Matin, a makeup artist for Laura Mercier, who favors a lightweight formula
containing polymethylmethacrylate. "It gives a softer overall look, and
imperfections like blemishes and redness won't be as obvious." And just a pearlsize dab will do. Try Nars Makeup Primer veils the skin with soothing botanicals to
create a sparkling canvas for foundations and concealers, $30.
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Need some extra camouflage? Choose a cover-up made for your specific problem—
hiding ruddy patches, lightening dark areas, erasing spots, or evening-out skin
tone.
Candy-colored cosmetics: M.A.C Select Cover-Up in tints such as Peach, Green,
and Violet correct un-perfect skin, $12.50 each.
If primer is a budget buster, use a good, light moisturizer—it's the next best thing
for helping makeup hold its ground. And give your moisturizer or primer time to
sink in; wait at least 10 minutes before applying foundation.
You can't go wrong taking a minimalist approach to makeup—foundation applied
lightly stays on longer, say our experts. Oil-free liquids and dual-finish products
are less likely to move; in a humid climate, stick to the latter or try a powder
formulation.
Spray misty for me: A featherweight finish is yours with Sally Hansen Fast and
Flawless Airbrush Makeup, $7.99.
Does the way you apply foundation affect its longevity? For nonpowder
formulations, Mally Roncal of Sephora puts her faith in fingers: "You really work
the makeup into the skin."
Once you've set your foundation with powder, forget creams or liquids for touchups—they won't adhere. Instead, dust on a matching pigmented powder where
you need it.
With Almay Nearly Naked Touch-Pad Liquid Makeup, just one dab with your fingertip delivers the right amount of sheer coverage, $8.95.
For a concealer that lasts, choose one with a dry consistency. "Remember that
you'll be smiling and crying a lot, so don't overload it around the eyes," says
Matin. Always apply it after your foundation.
Eye Shadow, Liner & More
For maximum staying power and glamour, go with a liquid liner, but be
sure to practice, practice, practice. For easier control and application,
your best bet is an eyeliner pencil, which creates a softer look. Welling
up? No problem when you use soft-touch pencils that tough-out tears.
Try Laura Mercier Long-Wear Eye Pencil, $16; Christian Dior Aquadior
Eyeshadow, $19; L'Oreal Wear Infinite Long Lasting Powder Eye Liner, $7.
Looking for color that won't quit? Be sure to prep lids with foundation, loose
powder, or eye primer, says Sonia Kashuk.
Unless you're going for Audrey Hepburn eyes, Matin suggests you dot liquid liner
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between your lashes and smudge with a small brush to blend—the technique adds
definition without hardness—'then cover liner with a matching powder eye shadow
to set the look.
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner has what it takes to resist heat, humidity,
and tears, $18 each.
Drooping eyebrow hairs tend to draw the whole face down. To keep them on the
up and up, once you've added color, comb your brows into place with a clear
eyebrow gel or mascara-style brush spritzed with hair spray.
Our experts agree: Waterproof mascara is the only guarantee against raccoon eyes
and streak-stained cheeks. It tends to get dry and gunky over time, so unless
you're a Tammy Faye Baker fan, spring for a new tube.
Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lash Tint goes even further than waterproof mascara,
taking you through the cake cutting and beyond to darken and define your fluttery
fringe for up to three days(!), $7.50.
Cream eye shadows don't have to crease. The newest formulas have special
additives that promise greater adhesion and water resistance. One caveat: They
set quickly, says Kashuk, so deft application is essential.
Whether you opt for powder or cream eye shadow, think thin—apply as little
product as possible. Your look will last longer, and it will be easy to build depth
layer by layer. Toss the little sponge-tip applicators that come with shadows. They
deposit too much color on the lid. Instead, use a small brush to sweep on powder,
shaking off any excess.
A berry luscious palette pleaser that's good enough to eat: Chanel Quadra Eye
Shadow in Blue Notes, $53.50.
Blush & Powder
For a glow that stays incandescent all day, try layering your blush,
suggests Sonia Kashuk. If you've already applied liquid or cream
foundation, start with a cream blush, dusting it with translucent powder, then brush on a powder blush.
Try Clarins blush brush and Powder Blush in Rose Petal, $27;
Neutrogena Soft Color Blush in Soft Suede, $9.75; Lancôme Blush Subtil in Miel
Glacé, $25.50; T. LeClerc Powder Blush in Rose Sable, $25; Max Factor Natural
Brush-On Satin Blush in Mulberry, $6.80; Pur Minerals Pressed Powder Bronzer,
$15; Max Factor Natural Brush-On Satin Blush in Plumberry and Peach Spice,
$6.80 each.
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Unless you're adept at blending quickly, leave the new paint blushes, which go on
creamy then dry to a powder, to the experts. "This type of color tends to go on
really bright," says Matin, a makeup artist for Laura Mercier,"so you have to be
very light-handed."
Blush is the makeup that's likeliest to fade first, so it's tempting to
overcompensate by choosing a darker or more saturated color. But to look
naturally flushed—not clownish—choose a blush that's the color of your chest,
palms, or fingertips. "That way you're putting back the red tone that the
foundation masks," says Matin.
The key to locking in liquid or cream foundation is loose powder; pressed powder
does a better job of reducing shine.
A stroke of genius: Caron's Poudre Peau Fine, here (from left) in Invisible, Sable,
and Peau Ambre, delivers the scent of Bulgarian Rose Absolute along with its
pigmented coverage in a fine powder, $45. Sweep it on with Caron's fan brush,
$20.
Choose the tool that's going to best deposit a thin veil of loose powder evenly.
Sonia Kashuk of Sonia Kashuk Cosmetics and Mally Roncal of Sephora like big, full
brushes; Matin prefers a velour powder puff that you fold in half and roll into the
skin.
Translucent powders can look a bit ghostly on some complexions. To avoid
resembling Marilyn Manson in a wedding dress, try using a pigmented powder with
a little hint of yellow in it, suggests Roncal, for the most natural look.
Lipsticks, Stains & More
Sharply defined lips in bright colors were all the rage in the 1990s,
but that was so last millennium. The new era has ushered in a much
more delicate look. To go gossamer, Sonia Kashuk smoothes a bit of
foundation on the edges of the lips before adding any color, which
also prevents feathering around fine lines.
Going the distance: Cover Girl's Outlast Pearls All-Day Lipcolor Shimmer in Rose
Pearl resists food oils without parching your pout, $9.50 (also includes a
moisturizing top coat).
You may be wearing white, but stains can be a good thing—at least when they're
on your lips, where they sink into the skin and repel oil. (Take that, Caesar salad!)
Keep in mind, however, that a stain isn't a rich look and can even cause lips to
become dry; to sustain shine and moisture throughout your wedding day, you'll
have to continually top it off with gloss.
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The new math: It's protection cubed in the form of Estée Lauder's Pure Color Lip
Vinyl, with mineral waxes that form a barrier to help block color-busters, $20 each.
To set your color like the experts, line and fill in your lips with pencil. Brush on
your lipstick and blot with tissue, then reapply. Matin, a makeup artist for Laura
Mercier, likes to separate a tissue into two layers, then uses one layer as a lip
screen, dusting translucent powder over it with a big brush.
Sustainable shine: Shu Uemura's Rouge 4 lipsticks deliver intense color and
weightless texture while retaining moisture, $20 each.
It's not just a wedding—it's an hours-long kiss-fest. And although you love the
look of gloss, it may not be quite your father-in-law's style. To stop the shine from
settling on your guests, apply a small dab of gloss in the center of your bottom lip.
It's just enough coverage—your lips' natural movement will distribute the gloss
evenly—without sticking it to your receiving line.
Matin warns brides to avoid wearing bright lip colors. "They smudge the most," he
explains. "Some reds, for example, bleed a lot more than soft peaches and pinks.
It's just the pigment formulation."
Pencil this into your schedule: Molton Brown Perfect Lips Stayfast Definer Lip Liner
softly outlines while fighting feathering. Your bonus: a brush at the other end for
blending, $18.
Have your wedding cake and eat it, too—just make sure to touch up afterward.
First, blot your lips with a tissue to remove any excess oils, then reapply your
color. Rather than tissue off smears outside your lips, dab them with some pressed
11 easy ways to make your eyes look bigger
By Lexi Novak
Colorful eyeliner, the right shade of concealer, and a swipe (or two, or three) of
mascara. Just a few simple tweaks to your makeup routine is all it takes to
emphasize your eyes.
Get a smooth start
Shar-peis are cute. Puffy, wrinkly eyes are not. Adhesive eye pads like SK-II
Signs Eye Mask ($110) calm inflammation and zap swelling in five to ten
minutes flat.
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"What also works wonders is anything cold," says makeup artist Susie Sobel. "Even a bag of ice." And
try dabbing a silicone-based primer on crow's-feet to soften and fill lines.
We like Smashbox Photo Finish Oil-Free Foundation Primer ($49.95 for jumbo size).
Even out
Dark circles can make your eyes appear smaller. The right concealer can work
double—even triple—duty on darkness and discoloration. It can also illuminate
the entire eye area and draw attention to darker lashes. Choose a shade that's
slightly lighter and warmer than your skin to brighten and correct any blue or
purple tones.
Sobel likes to blend the product underneath the eyes and around them, as well as over the lids to really
get a uniform base.
Curl up
Every woman owns an eyelash curler. Most of us forget to use it! You'll regret
never spending that extra 20 seconds to curl your lashes. It can immediately make
your eyes appear wider and more open.
"If someone's lashes are straight, they can cast a shadow on the eye area," says
Sobel. "So I'll always curl them no matter what."
Mascara, mascara, mascara!
Did we mention mascara? Apply a lengthening formula, like Tom Ford
Extreme Mascara ($42), along the upper and lower lashes to create
wide, doe eyes, and then brush a thickening coat over the top for even
flirtier, more battable lashes. Sobel likes to use rubber bristle wands,
like CoverGirl LashBlast Clump Crusher Mascara ($11), to grab and
bulk fine lashes without clumping. And for extra credit, focus an
additional swipe near the center of the upper lash line to really draw
the eyes upward.
Draw a tight line
To enhance your lashes (notice a trend here?) and frame your eyes, apply a
super skinny strip of black liquid liner along the base of your upper lashes. Felt
-tipped options, like Marc Jacobs Beauty Magic Marc'er Precision Pen
($42.90), deposit rich, inky color while providing control and precision. "And I
always like to do a tiny flick at the end just to pull the eye out a bit," says
Sobel.
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Consider color
Pencil liners are also effective. If you've worn out your brown and black eye
pencils to nubs, you might be in a makeup-color rut. Try easing your way out
with navy liner, like L'Oréal Paris Double Extend Eye Illuminator Eyeliner in
Black Sapphire ($6.39)—it makes eyes appear whiter (read: bigger).
As for shadows, vibrant shades such as aqua, silver, or pink look best on bare
lids "with a lot of mascara and a groomed brow," says Sobel. Lavender eye
shadow is universally flattering and brightening. And a dark color blended into
the outer
corners is perfect for an evening look. Just avoid matte formulas, since they
tend to look dated and don't reflect light.
Bottom out
Drawing perfectly seductive almond-shape eyes à la Angelina Jolie eyes is a
breeze with the right technique. Take your pencil "from the center of the
lash line out, and make it a little thicker on the outer corners," says Sobel.
Otherwise, "if it's too thick in the middle, you'll get round, panda eyes,
which doesn't help give you a nice, wide shape that's lifted at the edges."
Then smudge away any harsh lines with a cotton swab or clean eye-shadow
brush.
Lighten the waterline
Filling in this area with a dark liner can look sultry paired with smoky, diffused eye shadow, but it can also make your eyes look about half their size.
For a bigger-is-better effect, color the waterline with a flat, white eye
pencil to instantly open and brighten them. We love NARS Larger Than
Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Santa Monica Blvd. ($24).
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Define your eyelid crease
"I know it's been this way forever, but putting a medium brown eye shadow in
the crease is always good," says Sobel. To avoid looking like a 90210 star, use
a fluffy crease brush to sweep a matte formula in an arc from the outer corners
all the way to the centers of the eyes.
Highlight
There's a reason that even in #nofilter selfies, models seem incapable of
taking a bad picture (and it's not just their unfairly superhuman genes): They
know how to find the light or at least fake it.
A pearly eye shadow or highlighter dabbed on the centers of the lids, underneath the brow bones, and on the inner corners makes eyes look lifted and
awake. Look for warm, rosy cream colors if your skin has pink undertones.
Golden shades complement yellow and olive skin. And in a pinch, Sobel
says, blending an extra dot of concealer on the inner corners and applying
some heavy cream above the arches of the brows can also make a huge
difference.
Shape up your brows
Groomed arched eyebrows create a flattering frame for the eyes. And
anything that accentuates the eyes is going to make them appear larger.
Tweeze away stray hairs—Sobel recommends cleaning up the areas above
and below brows—and then fill in any gaps with an eyebrow pencil, such as
Surratt Expressioniste Brow Pencil ($25 for the refillable pencil holder,
$15 for the refills) or Clé de Peau Beauté Eyebrow Pencil ($25). Then brush
brows up (this is key) and over with a spoolie for clean, defined shape.
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At-home hair removal: Will it ever get easier?
By Amanda Storey
A vintage photo of a women having her eyebrows shapedEvery woman I have
ever known has battled with face and body hair removal. Whether it's your
eyebrows, facial hair, underarms or bikini line, we've all taken it off at some
point, somehow. Finding the right depilatory method can be very frustrating,
painful and expensive. Many women make monthly (or weekly, depending on
how quickly their hair grows!) trips to salons for waxing, threading and
sugaring. Some women are able to control their hair in the privacy of their own
home with shaving, depilatory creams, hair removal tools and at-home waxing
kits. And then there are those of us who turn to technology and invest in laser
hair removal treatments or electrolysis.
No matter how you look at it, removing facial and body hair is a burden. My literal "dark secret" is that I
have very dark hair and it likes to pop up on my upper lip, my legs, my bikini line and occasionally in
weird places. I don't have any hormonal problems and I am in perfect health. This is just my lot in life
and I started dealing with it at around ten years old. Before I even shaved my legs, I was slathering
depilatory cream onto my upper lip because a boy at school pointed and laughed at my "mustache".
Fair skin and dark hair are not the ideal conditions for a young woman entering into the grown-up world
of hair removal. If I shave my legs at night, there is visible stubble by morning. I must address my
underarms on a daily basis. Facial hair must be curbed every few days. It's exhausting. Many people
might say, "just be natural", and for those who embrace that lifestyle, I fully support it. Hair removal, or
lack thereof, is a personal choice and no woman should feel pressured by the media or anyone else in her
life when it comes to how much or how little she wants to groom herself. Personally, I prefer to have less
hair and that is what has led me on the journey to finding the ultimate solution when it comes to at-home
facial and body hair removal.
A vintage NAIR depilatory cream advertisement. NAIR
has come along way, but it still doesn't work for me.Hair
Removal Creams a.k.a Depilatory Creams
A lot has changed in the world of depilatory creams since I first chemical-burned my upper lip when I was ten. New and gentle "for face" and
sensitive skin formulas have made melting your facial hair a little less
risky.
Here are a few products I have tried and my experiences:
NAIR Face Cream- ($4.27)
NAIR is the first product you think of when it comes to depilatory creams. As a little girl I remember
walking in on my mom in the bathroom and wondering why she had a white creamy mustache on while
she applied her eye makeup! The newer formulas of NAIR are much better than they used to be, but still
far too harsh for my skin. They smell really bad and that is not helpful if you are trying to be discreet
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about your facial de-fuzzing. Post NAIR, my skin has a rash and it's red and extremely angry at me even
if I leave the cream on for the minimum amount of time. I recently tried the "sensitive skin face cream"
and quite simply it did not remove my upper lip hair at all. However, our Shopping Editor, Krista
DeWeese, uses the sensitive version with great success. For this product, I recommend using it for the
minimum time stated and moving the time up if that doesn't work.
Olay Hair Removal DuoOlay Facial Hair Removal Duo- ($22.88)
The day I saw the Olay Facial Hair Removal Duo at the drugstore the heavens
opened up and angels trumpeted. I was so excited that there was another
option to rid of my 'stache and that it was being offered by a trusted brand! I
bought it immediately and waited patiently for my upper lip hair to present
itself. My heart was full of hope that this would be my dream product, but
sadly it was not.
I left the cream on for the minimum amount of time and checked myself in
the mirror, Tom Selleck peered back at me. I slathered on more Olay hair
removal cream and tried to wish the hair away. The time I gave this stuff to
do it's job far exceeded the recommended time listed on the box and I still
walked away with the same amount of upper lip hair I started with. I paid over $20 for this product, so
with no embarrassment at all I headed back to the drugstore and promptly asked for a refund. Luckily the
sales associate did not ask for any explanation and gave me my money back.
Bliss "Fuzz Off"- ($24)
This hair removal cream retails $24, quite a bit more than the drugstore items, and
it did not remove my facial hair at all. I could have rubbed cool whip on my face
and had a better experience.
The only positive is that it smells better than any other hair removal cream I have
used. I think the smelly stuff is what removes hair best.
Palmer's "No Blade" Cream- ($6.60)
Finally, a cream that worked for me! Sure, it stinks, but it works. I slather it
on for a few minutes and then tissue it off. If I leave it on for about three to
four minutes my hair is gone and my skin isn't irritated. I don't recommend
using this product in the shower though. It tends to spread a bit, especially
with the moisture from the shower. A little dab on the upper lip may
expand into a Hulk Hogan mustache and end up removing hair far outside
the borders of your intended application. The 4.4 oz tube will last you
several months. Palmer's can be used on legs, arms, underarms and even the
stubborn bikini area.
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Braun Silk Epil 7Hair Removal Tools
Electric Epilators - Electric epilators have been torturing women since the
early 1980's. These at-home hair removal gadgets consist of coils and
tweezer-like wheels that rotate across skin and extract any hair in its path
from the root.
I have tried many different electric epilators, most recently the Braun Silkepil ($87), and they are just too painful to integrate into my hair removal
regime. I'm getting tense just thinking about it! If you have a high pain
threshold, you can get great results from a device like this.
The "Tweezy" at-home hair removal tool"The Tweezy" and other coiled
hair removal tools - I recently did a review of the "Tweezy" at-home hair
removal tool and readers brought it to my attention that there are many
other coiled tools that work in the same manner and may be more
affordable.
For around $3 you can purchase the "MySpring It" threading tool on
Amazon.com.
How it works: Lay the threading tool onto the area you want to remove hair. Bend and twist the tool to
get hair lodged into the coils. Twist the handles to remove hair by the root. Sounds simple, but using
these types of tools takes practice and care. You could pinch your skin or break the hair rather than
completely remove it. The biggest deterrent from using a coiled hair removal tool for me is the pain. I
don't think I'll ever get used to the jolt of pain that surges through me when I try to at-home thread my
upper lip or face. Another unfortunate side-affect is the breakouts I experience after using these types of
hair removal methods.
System Jo Women All-Over Body Shaving Gel
PureShaving
Shaving is the depilation method I started with and still struggle with on a
daily basis. I have used expensive razors (ALL razors and refills are
expensive!) and medicated sensitive-skin shaving creams. I've shaved in the
direction of hair growth and at the end of my shower. I've done everything
right when it comes to shaving and I still experience razor bumps, ingrown
hair and rashy irritated skin. It's awful.
My saving graces have been my men's Gillette Mach3 razor ($8) and System Jo Women All-Over Body
Shaving Gel Pure ($12.24).
Yes, I use a men's razor. Why? I don't need a pink and purple flowery razor to make me feel like a
woman. I don't need a slim handle or a mango-scented lubrication strip. I need a razor that works and
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can handle my dark, coarse leg hair. I wish I was a hairless delicate flower that could use a goddessinspired razor, but I'm not so it's the race car inspired Mach3 for me.
The System Jo Women All-Over Body Shaving Gel Pure is the absolute best shaving gel I have ever
used and I discovered it by accident. A dear friend of mine was working for System Jo and sent me a
care package of products to try. This unscented, extremely gentle and extremely slippery shave gel was
among the products, and I haven't been without it since. The unique formula allows the razor to glide
easily over my skin and the gentle unscented formula makes it ideal for sensitive areas. The 8-ounce
bottle retails around $10 and could last for at least 4-5 months, even with daily use.
Tria Hair Removal Laser 4XTechnology for a hairless, dolphin-like, body
A few years back I finally broke down and invested in a few rounds of
laser hair removal. During the consultation I was told that my hair and skin
tone made me the ideal candidate for especially stellar results. I think I
skipped out of the doctors office!
When I got home I sat down and really thought about the procedure. There
were definitely some risks involved including burns and darkening of the
skin. I decided to test out laser hair removal on my bikini-line. This is an
area I have always struggled with as far as irritation and ingrown hair (multiple hospital visits) and if the
laser removal went awry and burned off my skin, at least I could hide it. Laser hair removal is not
pleasant, quick or cheap. Have you ever been snapped by a rubber band? Imagine that same sensation
over and over again across the skin of your most sensitive areas. That's what laser hair removal feels like
and it can take thousands of laser pulses to get hairless results.
I completed four treatments and I still have to deal with hair on my bikini line. I was told six treatments
would be ideal, but unfortunately at a cost of $1 per laser pulse I couldn't afford to continue. A few years
have gone by and it seems I am exactly where I started. The four rounds of laser hair removal did not
seem to have any permanent effect. This negative experience has left me a little suspicious of the new athome laser hair removal systems, but I went ahead and researched them anyway.
Tria Hair Removal Laser 4XLike I said, I was skeptical about the effectiveness of at-home laser hair removal systems. But after
reading pages and pages of reviews for the Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X, I find myself feeling hopeful
and tempted to invest in the $449 tool. Most reviewers had great results with dedicated use and the initial
hefty price tag seems warranted when you consider the longterm savings. Waxing at salons can cost
upwards of a thousand dollars a year. Razors, refill cartridges and shave creams can set you back
hundreds as well, so $449 dollars for permanent at-home results seems like a nice investment.
Unfortunately, this product is not suitable for all skin tones. On the Tria website, there is an online skin
tone test to help you decide if this will work for you. Since Tria's laser needs to find the pigment of the
hair in order to zap it, the hair has to be dark and the skin tone has to be much lighter than the hair. This
will not work on white, grey, red or blonde hairs.
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NoNo HairNo!No! Hair ($270)
I am not the only person searching for the ultimate hair removal product on
the Yahoo Shopping team. Our Editor Krista DeWeese has Hashimoto's
thyroid disease, which causes excessive hair to appear in places women
shouldn't have hair. She tried the popular as seen on TV NoNo Hair device
with some success.
"I found out about the No!No! from watching a YouTube demo. I was
impressed with how quick the hair was removed and how long it took to
grow back. What was not mentioned in the video was how the product
actually worked - by singeing the hairs off. The smell of burning hair in the
bathroom carried through the entire house, and my family had to leave the
house until I could fan away the awful fumes. The major plus about the No!
No! is that there is no pain, no stubble left behind, no breakouts and no water is wasted. Buffing away
the singed hairs with a round sandpaper-like tool is the last step when using the No!No! and while doing
that, you are also receiving a nice exfoliation! "
After hearing Krista's testimony, I was curious to try this myself, but she did mention some downsides:
"The No!No! works best on the legs and arms, even the bikini line is easy. But when you're trying to
maneuver around your chin or lip, you have to make several passes around those areas in order to zap
those hairs. Overall, the product works well and does work miracles on that annoying peach fuzz on the
slides of the face. The price point is a bit high initially, but since I've owned the product over 2 years, it
has paid for itself. "
Waxing hurts!The sticky hair removal methods
Waxing and SugaringThere are a few different at-home waxing methods. You can go ahead and
buy the wax warming pot, the wax, the sticks and the muslin strips and
create your own little waxing salon right in your bathroom. You can buy
the pre-made wax strips that are cut to fit different areas of your body.
And there's also the little mugs of wax that you can heat in the microwave.
I have a wax pot with the supplies and I love it, but buying wax, muslin
and sticks can get expensive and you have to store all of these supplies.
The pre-made sticky strips have never worked for me and I have burned
myself pretty badly trying to microwave wax over and over again in a
mug. Besides the care it takes to heat wax properly to a non-scalding level, there is the care and
technique it takes to properly remove the strip (and hopefully the hair) itself. I have "lifted" or torn my
skin, I have badly bruised my bikini area and I have broken hairs off by trying to quickly and clumsily
rip off a wax strip. Some people are awesome at waxing and sugaring themselves, but if you're not
experienced it is best to leave these types of hair removal to the experts.
As I was writing this blog I started to realize how many hair removal methods I have tried and how truly
dissatisfied I am with all of them. It's crazy that I can find anything in the world on the internet, my
"pocket computer" can tell me the exact moment my bus will arrive and whether I need an umbrella but
for some reason my upper lip hair has mystified this entire planet of scientists and inventors!
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The Adventures of Judy Sometimes
by: Judy Danials
Skirts On The Run
A little over a week ago our friend Karen's mother past away, shortly after getting the news a
few of us made plans to attend the service which was on Saturday. She is from a small town
called Ashby, MN. which is about 80 miles southeast of Fargo, somewhat in the area of our
cabin. After some discussion it was decided we would make an adventure out of this road trip
as the service and all that ensued would be a done deal shortly after lunch time.
While out at trivia Thursday night I brought up the subject of attire for the funeral. We are all
of the era that thinks its proper to wear a dress/skirt or at the very least dress pants, anything
other than jeans like so many young people of both genders seem to think is OK now a days.
We all agreed that a dress or some sort of skirt outfit would be the way to go. I ended up
wearing the same outfit I wore to the funeral of my crossdressing friend Brenda some 6 weeks
ago, a tunic style top with a self belt, a pencil skirt and boots all in brown tones. To spice the
outfit up a bit I included my turquiose necklace, earring and bracelet set along with my usually
rings. Even though temps were in the single digits I decided to go with my leather car coat
rather than my heavy winter jacket since we wouldn't be spending anytime outside.
Our adventure got under way shortly after 9 am, as we weren't quite sure how the roads would
be after getting a rain/snow storm the day before. Usually the trip would take about a hour and
20 minutes or so, but we thought we should leave room in case the roads were icy. As it turned
out the roads were great and we were in Ashby about 45 minutes before the service. Not having
ever been there we ended up taking a little tour of the area which included a drive around
Pelican Lake just north of town. I've always enjoyed checking out the scenery of other lakes
especially the cabins and the drive took up just enough time for us to arrive at the church about
15 minutes before, enough time to sign the guest book, hang our coats and greet family members.
Although Karen and her kids, her ex husband and boyfriend know me well, this would be the
first time meeting her brothers and sisters and extended family. There was one moment of
discomfort when Karen started introductions and introduced me as Dan/Judy, no one seemed
to get to shook up with the realization of what was standing in front of them and everyone
seemed to live through it, lol. Eventually we made our way into the sanctuary and were part of
a beautiful service for this wonderful 86 year old women. We hadn't planned on staying for the
brunch in the basement of the church after, but Karen's sister personally came up to us and
asked us to join in so we felt obligated to do so.
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If you've ever been to a Lutheran funeral you certainly know what to expect as far as the food
goes and the spread didn't disappoint anyone. The main course was your standard hamburger
hotdish, along with several different jello choices, buttered bread and enough desserts to make
you go into a diabetic coma. Since we had planned on stopping for appetizers on our way back
we went a bit light on the goodies.
The highlight of the this whole church/funeral expierence definitely left me feeling kind of
special. As we sat waiting for our table to fill, Karen came by and asked me to save a couple
spots for her and her daughter Jenna, seems Jenna had asked her if she could sit next to me
(eyes getting moist) while eating our lunch. I'm not quite sure what this 9 year old
girl's fascination is with me as I really haven't had much contact with her over the years other
than a couple visits to their house and a bra decorating event during last November's Breast
Cancer Awareness event at the Fargo Civic. I haven't asked Karen if she has had a talk with
her about me or not, but I'm going to just assume she knows about me and doesn't really
care...as it should be.
Of course after a long drive, eating lunch and sipping on coffee it eventually leads to needing
the ladies room and since we were going to be hitting the road again I thought it best I use the
facilities before leaving. Luckily the bathrooms in the church basement were one holers so
running into any kind of uncomfortable situation was easily avoidable...or was it. I rounded the
corner to enter the bathroom and as luck would have it the door was locked. I saw that the
mens room door was ajar so for a moment I thought about slipping in doing my business and
being done with it, but proper etiquette took over and I decided to wait.
I ended up standing in the hallway where the bathrooms were for what seemed like an eternity.
I actually thought for a moment that whoever used the bathroom before me accidently locked
the door on their way out. Finally the door opened and I saw why my wait was so long. As we
were making our way to the basement for lunch there was a little old lady who was having a
terrible time getting down the stairs due to her age and physical capablities...guess who popped
out of the bathroom ? Anyway, as she passed by me she looked up and said to me, wasn't that a
beautiful service ? In that moment I nearly burst out laughing as anyone who would have seen
us together at that second would have gotten quite a site. With my 3" heels I must have been a
good 14" to16" taller than she was, lol. I answered, yes, it was very beautiful and then dashed
into the bathroom. Of course as I did my business the door handle rattled a couple of times so I
felt pressured to try and huury, but I wanted to powder my nose and touchup my lipstick so I
took my sweet time. Upon exiting their were two ladies in the hall, neither seemed to notice
anything out of the ordinary, but then, I'm not as observant as I used to be. Eventually we said
our goodbyes to Karen, her sister and few others and then made our way outside to begin the
rest of the day.
Our agenda was to stop by our cabin on the way back to Fargo so we planned our course
appropriately. There is a cool little bar in Dent, MN. called Peg Legs that we frequent during
the lake season so thats where we thought we would stop for a drink and some appetizers. Upon
arriving we were surprised to see that the place had changed its name to the DOUG OUT and
had added an off sale as well as updated the bathrooms. Despite all the changes the
clientele was definitely still blue collar as most of the men sat in coveralls and the ladies were in
hoodies and jeans. You can imagine the looks we got when we all walked in wearing our skirts
and dresses...oh well, being well dressed Dive Bar Girls we're used to the attention, lol. We each
ordered a drink and an appetizer to share and I must say they had definitely improved the
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quaility of their food too.
Our cabin was another 30 or so minutes down the road and by now it was nearly 3:00 so we
settled up and headed out into the frozen tundra. We knew we wouldn't be able to drive into
where our cabin is as the road usaully doesn't clear of snow until at least mid April...if all goes
right with Mother Nature anyway. So we just made sure it was still standing from a distance
and then hit the road back to Fargo.
Of course being thirsty girls we decided to stop by Specks before calling it a day. The place was
pretty busy when we walked in, but a couple of the regulars made space for us and thus began a
couple hours of good conversation and plans for the upcoming summer which may include
lakeside camping on Lake Superior in late June just north of Duluth...COME ON SANDAL
SEASON !
Judy (its a wonderful life) sometimes
The Exploits of Barbara Marie
by: Barbara Marie Davidson
A CATCHING UP OF
THINGS
SINCE JANUARY 2014
BY
BARBARA MARIE
Again I wish congratulate Liz for being the Pretty T Girls Silver Cover girl for May 2014 and Emma for
being our Calendar Girl. Also I want to thank all of you who took the time to vote for me for the Golden
Cover girl for May a well. It was a great Birthday Present as I will be 71 in May. I also want to thank all
of you who took the time to participate in Barbara Jean’s poll about the articles in the PTG magazine.
Our magazine is one of the finest on line magazines that I have seen. It is you; the members who
support it with articles and comments that appear in it that make it worthwhile to read. I only wish that
more folks would participate as I am sure that you/they have great stories to share.. I myself started my
“writing” in 2008 after attending my first meeting of Sigma Epsilon, the Atlanta chapter of TriEss, in
2007. Since that time I have written about 60 articles concerning things and events that have happed
along the way in my transition from M2F. I have also written several FYI only “historical” articles”
with no TG/TS influence in them at all as they were strictly for you information only.
With the above being said, I started off the New Year by attending my first of two Robert Burn’s
celebrations. In January I attended my first one wearing my “Bubba Skirt” – Kilt – as it was an all
testerone organization of which I will be a fifty-year member of in 2015. The second one in February, I
attended wearing a black top with a black and red sash (fire fighter tartan) over my shoulder and a long
red skirt. I also made the haggis for that event as well. In March, I attended the first of three military
functions that I will attend I the next few months. I was wearing a blue and white formal Vietnamese
outfit when I went to the 212th Anniversary of the Savannah Volunteer Guards of which I have been a
member of for about 10 years or more. (of note both of my son are associate members because of my
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membership although neither have been in the military.) For me,
I spent a total time of 26 years in my past life and am retired US
Navy.
picking” with the Savannah Association of Flying National
Guardsmen as I was on flying status with the Georgia Air National guard for 4 ½ years as an aero medic in the 165th
GAANG. The following day, I will be attending the 228th anniversary of the Chatham Artillery of which I have been a member
of for about 35 years now. Currently I am the only “female” in
the CA association although the bylaws do allow females to join.
It is just that no female in the National Guard that is flying the
CA colors has applied to join.
The first weekend in May, I will attend two more functions. The
first will be the Annual “pig picking” with the Savannah
Association of Flying National Guardsmen as I was on flying
status with the Georgia Air National guard for 4 ½ years as an
aero medic in the 165th GAANG. The following day, I will be
attending the 237th anniversary of the Chatham Artillery of which I
have been a member of for about 35 years now. Currently I am the
only “female” in the CA association although the bylaws do allow
females to join. It is just that no female in the National Guard that is
flying the CA colors has applied to join. I am planning to wear either
the “tangerine colored” Vietnamese outfit or the animal print sun
dress that I wore to church last summer. I decided against the orange
and went with the dress in the photo. You know, it’s a hard decision
for a “woman” to make AS WHAT TO WEAR. One does not like to
wear the same thing twice in a row to a function. Guys have no
choice in the matter!!!
Several other things of great
importance are going to happen
in May as well. On the 5th of
May, my house will be paid for
“lock, stock and barrel”. It will
be a great feeling. Sometime
during the month, I Am planning
on a “symbolic” mortgage burning party, complete with a bushel of
crabs, shrimp, and maybe some Crab legs. All of my Vietnamese
friend from the nail shop(s) will be helping me to celebrate it. The
other item of interest is that “this Old (young) Girl” will be 71 years
young on may 12th. I am considering using the one party for both
my birthday and the mortgage burning party.
For the Georgia Southern classes, if one remembers, we did one in
March with Phoebe, Rhonda, Sarah and my self-participating. The
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next one is Friday may 23rd. It is my understanding that Claudia and Sandy are coming down for that
one. It will be their first time giving a presentation. It will be the two of them and my self. We will have
approximately two hours to give the presentation along with questions and answers from the students.
The following Sunday, I will be giving a talk at the Universal Unitarian church in Brunswick, GA on
being a M2F TG individual.
This one page, kind of sums everything that I have done or will be doing during the first 5 (five) months
of 2014. I wish all of you in Sigma Epsilon a great time at the spring fling. I am looking forward to the
photos.
Yours
Barbara Marie Davidson
do definitions matter? our role in educating others
by: Rhonda
Recently our local newspaper has run front-page articles on TG issues. The main questions being
addressed locally are whether TGs should be admitted to all-female colleges, but there are other similar
issues of genuine concern to many. The articles are generally excellent. However, a key item which I
find misleading concerns the definition of "transgender." I don't enjoy debate about terms, but when it
comes to making policy decisions, I think it important to understand how one defines one's terms in
order that there be understanding as to who is/is not or should be encompassed by any decisions. I think
most readers would conclude from the article that all TGs are trans-sexual, yet would probably also
conclude that policy decisions would encompass anyone born one sex presenting as another, which
would encompass cross-dressers as well as trans-sexuals. Regardless of where one stands on the issues,
it seems to me critical that everyone at least understand the scope of what is being discussed and
legislated.
Reference is made to a Williams Institute @UCLA School of Law population study, suggesting that
perhaps 700,000 U.S. citizens are TG, and that this represents perhaps .1% of the popluation. I thought
these numbers low, even if they referred only to trans-sexuals and not to what most TGs would, I think,
consider part of the TG community. In the first place, the numbers are inconsistent, since .1% of the US
population would be far less than 700,000. I saw reference to the same study in Tasi's Musings of the
recent PTG newsletter. I suspect this study is getting wide press and could influence policy decisions,
perhaps inappropriately, so I thought it worth reading. Here are some highlights:
- The 2009 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior concludes 5.6% of the population is LGB;
other studies conclude results as low as 1.7%;
- 2007 and 2009 MA Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Surveys conclude .5% of adults age 18-64 are
TG;
- A Conway 2002 study shows .5% of the population have strong TG feelings
- A 2003 CA LGBT Survey concludes 3.2% of LGBTs are TG;
 A 2009 Health Interview Survey concludes 3.2% of LGBT are TG; the Williams Study therefore
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estimates roughly 3.2% x 3.2% =.1% of the population is TG.
As stated above, this seems inconsistent with a conclusion that
700,000 are TG. It also seems on the low end of a range quoted as
between .1% - .5% take steps to transition from one gender to
another.
It is further stated that "TG" is defined as "those who have
transitioned in some capacity." So the study would appear to
reference only a portion of those who consider themselves
trans-sexual. It would not seem to consider trans-sexuals who have
NOT transitioned in some capacity, and would not even seem to
touch cross-dressers and others who may present as female but
have no desire to transition.
I think it important for those in our community to be aware of how
statistics are being understood and used, as I think most reading
articles such as these will jump to erroneous conclusions, and
policy-makers will likely reach inaccurate conclusions as a result. Those impacted by decisions could be
grossly understated or represented. It is up to our community, I think, to help educate where possible, if
our interests are to be accurately represented.
I wrote the editor of the local articles, pointing out my concerns, and have tried to reach her by phone. I
am hoping to meet, if she is receptive. While I am delighted to see attention drawn to these issues, I am
concerned that even well-intentioned efforts can potentially mislead and ultimately do harm. I'd
encourage any who are interested in such matters to review such issues and help educate, where possible.
What's the old saying, "Figures lie and liars figure"? A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
I hope these comments will not trigger a fire-fight on the meaning of terms, as that is not the point. But
as long as terms are variously interpreted or mis-interpreted, no one stands to win.
Rhonda
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Work With What You’ve Got
Angela Gardner | (Reprinted from TG Forum)
Most of us who are inclined to crossdress as women want to look, as
men say, “smokin’ hot.” Why dress up and look like a washerwoman or a bag lady? We want to be beautiful, alluring and sexy.
Well, until scientists develop body swapping technology that can put
your mind into a clone of Jennifer Beals’ body, CDs will have to
make do with the equipment they’ve got.
Of course there is a lot you can do with silicone breast forms,
Spandex® undergarments and the accessories that regular women
use to project a more glamorus image. Without altering yourself
physically you can look like you have nice breasts, show off a slim
waistline and wear nude hose to make your legs look smooth and
touchable. Wigs, makeup and can go along way to make you look
like the ideal human female. It all can work for you if you have the
Our inspiration, Jennifer Beals.
right body type.
But what of those who aren’t 5’ 6” or under? What about crossdressers
who have the need to doll up but have pot bellies, or thick body hair,
barrel chests and over six foot heights? They want to look like the ideal
human female too but, to be blunt, it ain’t gonna happen.
This doesn’t mean you should give up hope if you fall into one of those
body types that is not conducive to hotness. You just have to do the best
you can and work with what you’ve got. There are plenty of non-ideal
female bodies to emulate. Just look around the next time you’re in a supermarket or mall. There are tall women, round women and women who
waddle more than they walk. There are women with thin hair, women
with muffin top problems and women who look like men in dresses. They
are out there walking around in public and living their lives. There’s no
reason you can’t do the same.
Women can be heavy.
Stand in front of your mirror, or better yet, set up a camera on a tripod. Take pictures of yourself in just
underwear. Get the front, sides and back. Then go put on your clothes and take a look at the photos.
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Identify the things about your body that are feminine features. Are your
hips wider and more like a woman’s? Do you have some extra flesh in
the breast area that can be pushed up with a bra and padding to give the
illusion of full breasts? Make a note of all the things about yourself that
work for female impersonation.
Then look at the photos and identify the masculine features that you
need to overcome. Is there a rug on your chest? Is that chest bigger than
a woman’s should be? Are your shoulders large?
Glenn Close isn’t
the perfect ideal.
After you have identified the femme positive and femme negative
features you possess it’s time to consult expert advice like the articles found here on TGF or a book like
JoAnn Roberts’ Art & Illusion. (Available in The Bookstand.) There are methods you can use to minimize the negative aspects and enhance the postive aspects. There are too many glamor tips and tricks for
this article but there is much advice available on how to dress correctly to emulate any type of woman
from the sexy ideal to a plain woman who is comfortable being who she is.
The final thought for this article is: learn femininity — not glamor.
Glamor may be what we all strive for but if you create the perfect glam
look and don’t ever learn to project femininity you will not be a success
at being sexy as a woman. There are hundreds of body language cues
that women, both attractive and not so attractive, put out that let the
world know they are female. Crossdressers who either want to just
blend in and be accepted or those who want to be seen as hotties on the
prowl should learn to project those subtle clues of femininity. It takes
observation and then assimilation. Look at women around you all the
time. See what it is that makes the tall woman who is a size 14 seem as
Some women are athletic.
feminine as the petite 5’ 5” lady. Practice at home in front of a mirror or
with a video camera.
Work with what you’ve got! Be the best woman you can be. Have fun!
29
Humor
Season Pass
The female dormitory will be out-ofbounds for all male students, so too the
male dormitory to the female students.
Anybody caught breaking this rule will be
fined $20 the first time. Anybody caught
breaking this rule the second time will be
fined $60. Being caught a third time will
incur a hefty fine of $180. Are there any
questions?"
At this, a male student in the crowd
inquires, "Er... How much for a season
pass?"
30
Angels In the Centerfold
Nina
Dee Gregory
Jonni
31
Liz Kelly
Andria Nicole Baker
Trixi Deans
32
Heather Colleen
Rachel
33
A Special Thanks from Mellissa
I just want to thank you all, dear readers, for voting my column as the most-preferred in the magazine. I'm gratified and humbled by this, and, as I mentioned in this month's article, it couldn't have come
at a better time for me. I was seriously considering taking some time off, with the other commitments I
have going on in my life right now; the expression of support from this poll tells me that this might not
be in my best interest.
I started writing for the magazine in 2008; it was a great magazine then, but much smaller. Rachel Williston, the founder of the magazine and this site, was the editor, and worked her butt off to make the
magazine amazing. She started the cover girl contest, and used to do interviews with the winners and
other people as well. She had to depart in 2010 from the role, and Ms. Kylie Gingery stepped up to the
plate for awhile to run the show. If memory serves me correctly, she had the helm for about a year, and
then our Barbara J took over. The rest, as they say, is history; we are where we are, with one of the most
entertaining and readable magazines on the Internet!
We've had a lot of people writing for the magazine in that time: Abby Lauren, Nan & Amy (also coeditors for a time, how could I forget to mention that!), Rachel herself, our Mexico-based fashionista
Tasi, Gaby (another former editor!), Barbara Marie (our co-moderator), Barbara J (our co-moderator and
editor), Judy Sometimes (shouldn't that be Judy Most-Of-The-time by now? :P ), and many others, all
of whom I apologize for not naming.
I was also able to secure permission from a lady named Lucille Sorella. She runs a lucrative business
providing information to ladies like us, and also publishes a monthly blog. I contacted her and gained
permission to reprint her blog entries here in the magazine. She and I have conversed many times since
then; she's a wonderful woman and has a great team of people working with and for her to bring us many
quality products. I greatly appreciate her graciousness in allowing me to pass along her insights to the
readers of our magazine.
For myself, I've written my tips and tricks column for the magazine for a non-stop six years now, every
month that the magazine has been published since April of 2008. That's a lot of tips and tricks! At first,
it was easy; I found a few magazine articles and online items, and slapped them together in a hodgepodge. I also only wrote a page and a half for my first column. By the third column, though, I was getting bored already with cut-and[pasting other people's ideas and started doing a lot deeper research. After awhile, I started getting e-mails from readers, who were asking me questions and sending
me ideas. That livened things up! That's when I got really serious about this and started digging through
older and newer makeup and hair books in the local library system, and actually started talking to cosmetologists and estheticians, and began to get into the idea that I wanted to do this as my vocation. In many
ways, my tips and tricks column is what set me on the path to becoming a licensed stylist!
It was interesting, recently, to go over my older columns and see how I've progressed as a writer and also
from being a novice at-home makeup and hair enthusiast, to being a fledgling cosmetology student, to
being the licensed professional I now am. There were some mistakes in my earlier columns that I'd
dearly love to go back in time and fix, both in my writing skills and in my knowledge, but the past is the
past...or is it?
I'm giving myself a chance to redress the mistakes I've found in those earlier columns I've been quietly
plugging away at taking the best of my columns and adding some all-new material, to turn them into an e
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-book. I started this project in January, but shelved it for awhile when I decided to go back to school and
also got my chair in the salon I'm working in now. Now that both of those projects have settled into
place and I have a schedule again, I'm dusting off the pages and getting back to this project. As always,
I'm on the lookout for new tips and tricks and ideas to incorporate. Just like in my column, if you give
me ideas to use, or have a question that I can answer, your name will appear with that tip or that question. One subject I'm particularly interested in getting some information about is dealing with, as it's
termed in salon parlance, ethnic hair and nails and makeup. While I've done some work in school with
ethnic hair, there is always more to learn, and to share. So feel free to write me! To get my address, all
you need to do is get a copy, any copy, of the magazine dated April 2008 or later. My address hasn't
changed in all that time! That sounds a little sad, actually...
In closing, I want to remind you all that the magazine doesn't just belong to a privileged few. We want
every member of this group to see their name in print! Send in an article, or a joke, or something, anything, and enjoy the feeling of having contributed to the best free transgendered magazine in publication.
It's always great to get fresh blood flowing! With the theme ideas Barbara's proposed, we should be able
to get a lot of new faces. And don't worry, while Barbara J is a real slave driver to those of us who've
been here for awhile (and I have the lash marks to prove it! :giggle:), she's very gentle with the new writers. I hope to see some new names in the table of contents soon!
Hugz!
Mellissalynn
Mellissalynn’s Tips & Tricks
Welcome to summer, girls! It’s officially time for sun fun, barbecues, and the beach! Spring has
sprung, the trees and flowers are blooming, and it’s long since time to come out of our winter cocoons
and spread the wings of our feminine beauty.
I hope May was good to you all. My month hasn’t been too bad. School is still incredible, and I’m having a lot of fun. I have an official graduation date now, of May 15, 2015. That means that, with luck,
I’ll take my teacher’s exam sometime in June of next year, and be licensed no later than July.
My salon is set up! Here’s a
picture of it so you all can see my
situation. I’ve changed out the
gray chair for my own black one,
which matches the salon décor a
bit more, and added a few more
things to my hair station. The
smaller wooden table is my
manicure/pedicure station. The
red item on my station is a paraffin
wax pot, which I’m going to talk
about a little bit in this article.
I want to thank you all again, dear readers, for voting for my column as highly as you all did in the
recent poll. It makes me feel wonderful inside to know that you all appreciate my hard work in
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scrounging up these tips and tricks every month. I promise to keep finding and sharing them until there
just aren’t any more tips and tricks to share! That could take quite awhile…
So! If you want to give me decoration tips for my station, or you want to tell me about your summer
exploits, or (as always) if you have any ideas, tips, or tricks to share, write me! You all know the address by now; I’ve been putting it in the magazine for over six years! But just in case you’ve missed it,
here it is again: [email protected].
And away we go!
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As previously noted, we’re about to start summer. As much fun as everything else is about summer, it’s
not the best of times for our hair. The humidity in many places causes frizz, those wonderfully warm
summer rainstorms destroy our ‘dos, and the sun itself can cause damage via UV rays. So here are a few
quick tips to help prevent destroying your mane.
Start by going light on the product if it even looks like it might rain. Rain and damp weather will cause
gels, mousse, and hairspray to get wet and sticky again. This actually applies to any weather, but
summer is especially bad. When the product dries again, it’s not where you originally intended for it to
be, and can feel sticky or stiff. You’re better off staying with a lightweight dry shampoo. You can keep
some in your purse for this purpose. I’ll be sharing a neat little DIY recipe for making your own dry
shampoo later in the column.
Frizz happens when the cuticle in your hair shaft opens up and absorbs moisture. The cuticle is the
outermost layer of the hair shaft. The hair shaft soaks up moisture from hot, humid air and will get wild
and poofy and uncontrollable. The first, best way to control this is to tend to your hair’s health. Give
your hair a weekly protein mask. You can find decent ones at your local beauty store. When you apply
the mask, start by coating every strand with it. Using your fingers, work the mask down the strands to
the ends. The mask will basically fill and close the cuticles.
I’m betting you know that the sun can be bad for your skin. Well, you can damage your hair with too
much exposure as well. There are several great leave-in conditioners out there that provide UV filtering
aka sunscreen. Just like with skin, this will protect your hair from sun damage.
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What’s one of our greatest beauty aids, girls? That’s right, sleep! I’m not going to beat the get-8-hoursof-sleep-daily horse yet again, you all know that. You all also know that it’s not always possible. So
let’s talk a bit about what we can do to rejuvenate ourselves instead.
This is a little esthetics trick I learned to get the blood flow going in your face and get rid of the puffy
look. You can do this in your bathroom at home or even at your job in boring boy mode, if you like.
I’ve tried this method and it feels really nice.
Start by applying a light touch of facial moisturizer. This lets your hands move across your skin more
easily. Using the tips of your fingers, lightly stroke upwards on your neck toward your chin, alternating
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hands to do so, for about 30 seconds. Place your fingertips right at the center of your chin, and glide
your fingers upwards toward the ears along the jawline; repeat this motion ten times.
Next, position your fingers roughly a half-inch from your nose. Using a curving upward motion, stroke
your cheekbones in an upward motion toward the hairline. Again, repeat this ten times.
Place your fingertips at the sides of your nose. Slowly, slide them upward until your fingers are just
under your tear ducts, then move your fingers outward under the eye in a half-circle. Again, repeat this
motion ten times.
Lastly, place the fingertips of one hand, whichever you’re more comfortable with, between your brows.
Glide your hands upward to your hairline, then repeat with your other hands. Continue doing this
motion for 30 seconds.
Remember, if you have oily skin, you may want to use less moisturizer. Conversely, if you have dry
skin, you may need a small amount more.
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I want to share some information about teas. Three types, to be exact. I’ve shared before that green tea
is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, and is wonderful in helping protect your
skin from the effects of aging, and also skin cancer.
But did you know that black tea can help with stress, and help fight off diseases. Yep! Drinking black
tea can lower the amount of cortisol in your body. Cortisol is stress hormone. By causing the cortisol
level to drop, you can reduce the chances of heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis, among other things.
Additionally, add a touch of ginger to your black tea. Ginger has similar inflammation-suppressing
properties to ibuprofen, and will help with joint pain.
Hawthorn tea is a diuretic, and will stimulate your kidneys. This will help flush your system, and
provide some water-weight loss. Eating a good helping of dark leafy greens such as lettuce or spinach
will also help reduce water weight.
Do you get in bed and toss and turn for some time before finally dropping off? Passionflower tea will
help you to sleep more quickly and more soundly. Passionflower tea is a natural muscle relaxant. If you
drink a twelve-ounce glass of it before you go to bed, you will double your chances of drifting off easily.
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One of the most important items in a girl’s beauty arsenal is her smile. I’ve said this a thousand times,
both on here and on other sites. But did you know that smiling can help reduce your stress? We all
know that being out and about en femme can be stressing. So smile! As women, most people expect to
see us smiling more than men. Smiling also reduces stress to your central nervous system, which again
reduces your cortisol (there’s that word again from the last tip!) levels. Cortisol can also cause clots in
the bloodstream, so anything we can do to reduce the levels in the body is helpful. And lastly, it feels
good to smile!
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Here’s a quick tip for the lady on the go! Make an eyeliner pencil do
triple duty in your makeup arsenal. Start by using it as an
eyeshadow as well as a liner. Color in from the lash line to just
above the crease of the eyelid. After you’ve done this, use it again to
contour your cheeks. Draw a light line just blow the cheekbones and
blend it back toward your hairline.
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Do you do your own pedicures? Generally, I enjoy having my feel
being pampered by someone else way too much to do it myself. In
all fairness, I also have a school full of people who are willing and
able to do this without charge to me, so I’m spoiled! But on those
rare occasions when I need to do this for myself, I found a neat little
DIY trick for making toe separators using common sponges. Cut a
sponge in half longwise, then cut the four slits for your toes along the
long side of each. Don’t cut too deeply or it will fall apart. Use
these to separate your toes, then throw them away. I don’t advise
reusing them; wet sponges can fill up with nasty bacteria very
quickly. If you do decide to reuse the sponges, wash them
thoroughly with hot soapy water, rinse completely to get everything
out, then put the sponge on a microwave-safe plate and nuke it for at least two minutes.
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Let’s discuss the adam’s apple for a moment. It’s one of the glaring signs, according to many, of
masculinity, and all too often in film and literature is the ‘sure sign’ that a man is impersonating a
woman. In truth, everyone has an adam’s apple. Men tend to have larger ones, due to having longer
vocal cords.
I’m one of the more fortunate ones. I have a naturally higher-pitched voice, and my adam’s apple is
pretty much consistent with a woman’s. I know that many girls out there aren’t this lucky, and I’ve been
looking for a good way to camouflage the adam’s apple with makeup tricks.
What we need to remember here is that this is all about highlighting and contouring. Highlighting is, as
the name suggests, making an area more prominent. Contouring, on the other hand, is about shading,
and creating visual effects that hide features. In this case, we’re looking to do some contour work. Take
a powder bronzer, roughly one to two shades darker than your adam’s apple, on the protruding portion.
Another trick I picked up off the Internet is a little more interesting to read about and harder to perform.
This trick will, supposedly, not only hide the feature, but will also improve your feminine voice.
When you swallow, your adam’s apple will move upward. Several people are suggesting that you stand
in front of a mirror and swallow. You’ll see your adam’s apple move upward and then down again.
After you observe this, try swallowing halfway, then hold your throat there and speak When you do this,
you remove the male resonance in your voice, moving the vibrations from your chest to your head. You
can play around by gently pushing on your adam’s apple in the same way and practicing speaking. Add
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some more refined diction with a little breathiness at a higher pitch (not a falsetto!), and you're on your
way.
I tried this on myself and I did detect a slight change in my voice. More practice might do more. Any
readers who try this, I’d love to hear about, and hear, if you want to send audio, the results!
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I don’t talk about accessories much, girls. We each have our own style and our own look, and
accessorizing is, to me, a matter of one’s own taste. But I have a few thoughts on the matter that I’d like
to put out there for you all to ponder.
What do you think of when you think of accessories? Jewelry, obviously. I try to hit what I consider the
four major areas when I go out: earrings, necklace, bracelet(s), and ring(s). If I’m wearing something
with a short skirt, I’ll occasionally go with an anklet as well.
Hair accessories are important. The positioning of a barrette, the way a ponytail is worn, the strategic
placement of a hair decoration…all of these can contribute, or detract, from a look. For example, when I
was preparing my model for my senior presentation at school last year, one of the key components in the
hairstyle was a flower in her hair, with a jewel in the flower. The style itself was extremely simple and
basic, which was my intent; the accessory was there to set it off and make it elegant. You can judge for
yourself from the picture. For the record, my instructors were very impressed; I received a grade of 100
for my presentation.
Your purse can also be considered an accessory. I tend to match mine to
what I’m wearing. When I select a purse, I consider a few things. What
will I be carrying? What will I be doing? What image am I trying to
project? Obviously, if you’re going out for a day shopping, you don’t
want a little clutch, or at least I don’t. I want something large enough to
hold my pocketbook, my car keys, my phone, some makeup (for touching
up), perhaps my tablet, my checkbook, a pen, and perhaps a small
notebook in case I need to jot something down. I also always make it a
point to carry a tampon and a napkin with me. Not for my own use, but
as I explained a long time ago about using the ladies’ room, you never
know when another woman may stop you and beg for assistance because
Aunt Flo came to visit unannounced.
Here is another thing to consider as part of your accessories: your keys.
Women’s key rings are very personalized to them; to some it’s almost a
fashion statement in itself. This was pointed out to me by one of my
nieces several years ago in a conversation we were having. She told me
that my keys were a dead giveaway of my gender, because they were boring. Girls like a touch of color and fun, she said. I started to pay attention, and lo and behold, she was
spot on! So I added a couple of cute keychains to the mix, and when I had to get a new remote key lock
for my car, I found one in a Barbie pink.
39
Another thing she pointed out. Girls will have multiple key rings. Guys tend to stack them all on one
ring. This was another little observation that panned out. I have one big ring for my boring boy self, and
transfer my car keys to a smaller, separate set when Mellissa is out to visit.
These are just little things that women notice, that you should all keep in mind. Ultimately, there is
nothing that you can’t ‘girl up’ a little bit in your presentation. I’m not saying be girly-girls about
everything; that’s as good a way to be read as any. I’m saying remember that the devil is always in the
details, and that goes more so for your feminine presentation. Anything that you can do to increase your
believability is something worth pursuing.
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Well! This was an interesting column to me. There wasn’t a lot
in the way of actual makeup tips; in fact, I think this column has
less true makeup tips than any I’ve written before. I think it may
be the longest one I’ve written also. I hope what I’ve written
will be interesting and useful to you all!
As I think I may have overstayed my welcome this month, I’m
going to make my wrap-up short and sweet this time, ladies.
Once again, I want to hear from you all. What would you like to
see more or less of in my column? Would you like me to go
longer? Am I going too long? Are there specific topics you
would like to know more about? Please, tell me! I said this at
the beginning of the column, and here it is again: my address is
[email protected]. Feel free to write me at any
time, I’ll always answer.
Before I go, a quick plug. I’m writing a column over at Sister
House, Tasi’s website, called Mellissa’s Beauty Corner. So far,
I have one column published, but I’m polishing up a second one
that will be up soon, with luck. These columns are focusing on
a single subject, and are much more in-depth than I go here
(usually!).
If you haven’t checked Tasi’s site out, you really should; she’s
busted her cute little tush to make it something special. Joining
the site is free and there’s a lot of good stuff there. I believe
there’s a link to Sister House in the back of this magazine.
Have a great June, dear readers! I’ll talk to you next month!
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Style Lessons from the “Mean Girls”
Tasi Zuriack |
Style lessons from the Mean Girls or how to dress like a teenager, not that some of you need
this advice. Still there are some fascinating takeaways from this smart, sassy and snarky
comedy that describes how female high school social cliques operate and the effect they can
have on girls. Of course what drives my interest is that early-2000s wardrobe of flippy miniskirts, couture tracksuits and pointy-toed pumps.
Now Lindsey Lohan (this was probably her best starring role) is not exactly my favorite actress,
but any film produced by Saturday Night Live (SNL) with a screenplay by Tina Fey will keep
you laughing … see this preview of the film. In an interview about the film, Tina Fey noted,
“Adults find it funny. They are the ones who are laughing. Young people watch it like a reality
show. It’s much too close to their real experiences so they are not exactly guffawing.”
Now you may find the ridiculous fashion rules — pink on Wednesdays, ponytails once a week,
jeans restricted to Fridays just a bit silly but there are a handful of notable fashion lessons
we’ve taken away from the movie.
When in doubt, go
monochromatic.
Fact: Styled right, a bold color worn from
head to toe almost always looks good,
whether it’s basic black, winter white — or
pink on Wednesday.
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Use makeup to bring out your best
features — just not all at once.
The conventional wisdom is that if you’re highlighting your eyes, you
should leave your lips relatively bare — and vice versa. We think that
accenting both can work if done correctly — say, a smoky eye and classic
red lip — but don’t then pile on the shimmer powder, brush on the bronzer and add a ton of lip
gloss.
Dress your attitude, not your age.
Think you can’t get away with short skirts, long hair, bright colors or
skinny denim past the age of 40? Guess again. When it comes to the
rules of “age appropriate” dressing, there are few hard-and-fast laws — if
you feel confident wearing a certain trend, you should go for it. In fact,
the older you get, the more you learn what works for you and develop
your own sense of personal style. And if you don’t believe that, then check out the Advanced
Style blog. However: do not blindly copy those styles in the teenager magazines, instead
go here.
Pick personalized jewelry.
Initial pendants and nameplate necklaces (hello, Sex and the City!) may have enjoyed a major
moment back in the early aughts, but they’re now back and better than ever. For a 2014appropriate update, try a bold pair of dangling earrings, a stacking ring or a statement
necklace.
Unsure about a potential wardrobe
purchase? Ask a friend!
In the immortal words of Gretchen Weiners: “I mean, you wouldn’t buy a
skirt without asking your friends first if it looks good on you!” Not always
possible for many of us, but seek the advice of a knowledgeable
saleslady. They are there to help. And you’d be surprised how often other customers will
42
venture an opinion when asked. Think about it … women love to give advice. Of course if you
have a well dressed girlfriend with you, then there’s your help. And it’s not that I’m stuck back
into the ’50s, but a full circle skirt looks good on EVERYONE. Trust me on this.
Shop according to what fits, not what the
size label says.
Every brand and designer sizes its merchandise differently. While you
may find yourself fitting into 8s at J.Crew, don’t panic if you’ve got to size
up to a 10 or 12 in Alexander Wang! And don’t get me started on denim
— most women I know own jeans in at least four different sizes. Remember, once the
garment’s on, nobody will be able to see the label — but if you try to squeeze yourself into
something that’s obviously too small, you’ll be fidgeting and generally feeling uncomfortable all
day long.
Don’t buy (or wear!) shoes if you can’t
walk in them.
Sure, those five-inch python pumps look stunning when you’re sitting —
but if you can’t actually walk in them, you’ll feel ouchy and look like a total fool. And probably wind up upside-down in a trash can, too. Even real
girls need to learn to walk in their stilettos
Make sure your
appropriate.
wardrobe’s
weather-
If there’s one thing we (love to) hate, it’s seeing fashion people looking
dangerously underdressed during NYFW in February, stepping out midblizzard in open-toed heels and sheer lace dresses. Don’t be a ridiculous
dresser — if temperatures are in the teens, layer up and wear a coat, or else enjoy that frostbite. If there’s a 30 percent chance that it’s already raining, for goodness sakes, put on some
wellies or at least a pair of sturdy moto boots.
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Don’t blindly follow a trend if you think it’s
ridiculous.
Chances are, just like Regina George’s “peekaboobs,” it probably is. Just
as I love to watch the runway models from Fashion Weeks in New York,
London, Paris, and Milan, it takes some major redoing to make them
street-wearable. There are probably 20-25 new (not really) trends every
season. Only a few may be you.
Above all, own your style.
With the right amount of confidence, you can make even the most outlandish or unconventional outfit look amazing. Just look at Susie Bubble,
who routinely piles on clashing colors with abandon, or Anna Dello Russo,
who regularly steps out dressed like a disco ball. Or the Plastics, whose
mega-miniskirts, slogan tees and pointy pumps aren’t exactly regulation
North Shore High attire.
The original article from Lucky Magazine has been adapted for the transgender girl. For more
ideas on how to dress stylishly, check our Pinterest page.
Dress Better Over 40
You Can Still Get Your Fantasy
Wardrobe!
By Cynthia Nellis
Too young. Too trendy. Too sexy. Too expensive.
Tell me your reason for having so much trouble getting dressed in middle age and
I’ll bet there are a million other women over 40 out there with the same trouble.
So why is it so hard for us to find clothes we like? For starters, many of us have
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very different bodies than we did 30 years ago. And it’s no longer enough to just
snatch up trendy pieces to wear out partying on the weekend like we did as
youngsters. Many stores aren’t much help either, because they push the hottest,
trendiest pieces and stack classics in the back of the store.
Some middle-age women combat the nothing-to-wear problem by sticking to the
same styles they’ve worn for years. Others buy loads of new clothes, only to find
they still have nothing to wear in their closets because they hate everything they
own.
Me? I have to confess that I usually have something to wear, only because I have
put some thought into every purchase. I’ve found that by building a dream
wardrobe -- then finding a balance in reality -- I end up with clothes I like.
Here are some of the questions I've worked through myself:
1. Fantasy: How would you dress if you had a limitless budget? Answer this
question and it will help clarify your true style. My dream wardrobe would consist
of amazing menswear-type pantsuits (of the $2000+ Ralph Lauren Black Label
variety) mixed in with some body-conscious Donna Karan ($1000+) and
something edgy or artsy (like Thakoon.) If I could spend anything on clothing, I’d
have plenty of ultra luxe cashmere, leather and suedes and the most fabulous
shoe collection (heavy on boots, which I love.) I frequently window shop in stores
like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus to see what these high-end designers
are making that I love.
Reality: Incorporate your fantasy wardrobe into a budget. Instead of being
discouraged by stuff I can’t afford, I get inspired and challenged to find similar
looks on a budget. Fortunately, some of the designers I like also make lowerpriced lines, like Lauren by Ralph Lauren. Once I realized that I like the textures,
cuts and colors of high-end designers, I was able to find cheaper pieces of luxe.
Affordable cashmere can be found at stores like Land’s End and every department
store has its own budget version of leather and suede.
2. Fantasy: How would you dress if you had the body to carry off
anything?
In my imaginary fashion closet, I’m 6 feet tall and a size 4. I wear skinny jeans
and look great in them. Clingy knits look amazing and I’m able to walk in 5 inch
heels. And most of all, my arms are perfect to show off in sleeveless styles and my
belly is flat so I can wear anything I want.
Reality: Dress for the body you have now. Playing with that pretend “perfect”
body image helps me realize that what I really want is to look tall and lean. That
may not be your projected ideal, but it’s mine. So I like sleek, long looks either in
monochromatic shades or body-skimming cuts. Heels – as high as I can stand
them – are a must for dressing up because nothing makes you look taller and
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thinner faster than heels. I still wear bare arms a lot – even though my arms are
much less than perfect – mostly because it’s hot where I live and I think showing a
little skin makes you look younger.
3. Fantasy: How would you dress if age weren’t an issue? If the word “ageappropriate” didn’t exist, would you wear microminis and zebra-print leggings? I
usually wear whatever I want as long as it flatters my figure, so this isn’t my
biggest hang up. But I do find myself questioning things like blue nail polish,
tattoos and bikinis. If age weren’t an issue I’d probably wear slogan T-shirts, rolled
-up jeans and flip flops most days.
Reality: Find the balance between ageless and age-appropriate. My fantasy
ageless look is less about sexy and more about comfort. So I definitely turn to
jeans and tees (no slogans, though) for every day. If you would wear miniskirts in
your pretend perfect world, try them now (maybe layered with tights or leggings
for more coverage.)
Nine Expert Tips for Walking in Crazy Heels,
Straight from Fashion Industry Pros
by Lucky Staffers
While New York Fashion Week's Fall 2014 shows as a whole had a serious shortage of high heels,
a number of major designers included impressively towering shoes amidst the abundance of flats.
On the catwalk, Erin Fetherston's dainty designs paired nicely with clear-sided pumps, while
Marchesa featured intricate, strappy sandals. The season's street style stars and front row
celebrities proved that the craziest-and at times, most uncomfortable-high heels are far from dead.
While we'll happily slip into a beautiful pair of towering heels any day, we figured we could use a
few tips from those in the fashion business who know the shoes best.
To that end, we asked around throughout NYFW for models' and celebrities' tried-and-true tips
for how to walk in sky-high heels. Click through the slideshow above for
your go-to guide for getting around in stilettos, and you'll be strutting it like
a pro in no time.
Hanne Gaby Odiele
"You need to have confidence and keep your head straight."
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Bella Thorne
"Walking up the stairs can be really hard, so what helps is kicking up your dress with
your feet. My heel always gets stuck on the bottom of the staircase, so I always have
to kick up every time. Kick them up, so they don't get stuck!"
Charlie Paille
"Don't think about anything! Be confident and just go for it.
Standing up straight is everything. No slouching."
AnnaSophia Robb
"Practice makes perfect, and focus on your core. Try not to think about it. And
wear shoes that fit-that's the absolute most important thing you can do."
Malaika Firth
"I try to fly! Stand up straight and walk softly."
Anmari Botha
"Find a shoe that fits and then practice a lot!"
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Gina Torres
"I would say keep your weight up. Think up, rise up, keep your posture
going-it's very important. You don't want to sink into your knees, you
don't want to sink into your feet. And keep moving-don't think about it!"
Kristine Zandmane
"Make sure you start off with a straight back. When you take the first step
make sure the other leg behind you is very straight so your legs make a 'V'
shape. Then, swing your hips!"
Marique Schimmel
"As long as you're confident, you can walk in high heels!"
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Belly Flattening Fashion Tricks for Crossdressers
and MTF Transgender Women
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 .
A slim waist is an important symbol of feminine beauty.
So does that mean all hope is lost if your tummy is your trouble spot?
Absolutely not, girlfriend!
Keep reading to discover 7 belly-flattening fashion tricks for crossdressers and MTF transgender
women:
Trick #1: Wear a shaping camisole
Corsets and girdles will certainly pull you in, but they’re not very comfortable for daily wear.
Instead, wear a shaping camisole under your clothes. It’s a wonderful alternative for trimming inches
from your waist and belly – while still allowing you to breath.
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Trick #2: Try a tummy-minimizing peplum
Peplums are very “in” right now and they’re a fabulous style for crossdressers and MTF transgender
women.
A peplum is a short overskirt attached at the waistline of a top, dress, or jacket that’s perfect for covering
a full belly. And thanks to the fit-and-flare styling, a peplum will also give you a sexy hourglass shape.
Trick #3: Avoid bottoms that sit too far above or below your
waistline
If you have a big belly, the waistband of
your skirt or pants should sit just below
your belly button.
If the waistband is too high, it’ll look like
your stomach is popping out below. If the
waistband is too low, you’ll get the
“muffin top” look.
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Trick #4: Wear a light colored jacket over a dark top
Wearing a light colored jacket over a dark top is a great way to downplay an ample tummy. The jacket
conceals excess poundage while the dark color underneath makes your belly recede into the background.
For the best results, look for a jacket with some shape. Princess seams are especially feminine and
flattering.
Trick #5: Just say “no” to tight clothes
If your belly is your trouble spot, you should obviously avoid wearing tight clothes.
Clothes that are too tight (including bras and panties) will dig in and create unsightly bulges – calling
even more attention to the area.
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Trick #6: Downplay belly rolls with a ruched top
Ruching (i.e. fabric that’s gathered along
the seam line) is perfect for concealing an
ample belly.
Unlike “flat” fabrics that reveal every
bulge, ruching hides what’s underneath –
including those dreaded belly rolls.
Trick #7: Avoid oversized clothes
A lot of people make the mistake of trying to hide a big belly under oversized tops. But all this does is
make you look even bigger.
Instead, look for clothes that skim – rather than drown – your midsection.
Now that you know how to deal with the most common problem area for crossdressers and MTF
transgender women, let’s focus on the positive …
Namely, your assets!
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Easy figure fixes
Fashion solutions for your body type
By Cynthia Nellis
An empire waist dress draw attention away from hips, from Donald
Deal.
Cynthia Nellis
Every woman has something about her body she'd like to hide, whether
it's heavy thighs, a pudgy tummy or a too-round bottom. With just a
few visual tricks, your problem areas will disappear and let your true
beauty shine through!
Bottom-heavy
If your hips are wider than your shoulders and your thighs are round,
you have a classic pear-shaped body. Dressing is a snap if you remember to
accentuate the positives: a shapely waist, delicate upper body and attractive
shoulders and arms.
Bottoms
 Avoid anything too tight.
 A-line skirts that hit around the knee area are ideal because they draw attention
away from problem areas. Miniskirts are generally a bad idea because they
accentuate heavy thighs.
 Pant waists should fall somewhere below the natural waistline for a better fit. A
straight or slightly bootcut leg is the most flattering. Avoid patterned or lightcolored pants. Skip fussy details like big cargo pockets, rouching or excessive
zippers around the hip area.
Shorts can be tricky, but for workouts and casual wear choose lightweight, loosefitting shorts (no bike shorts). Slimming side stripes on shorts can give the illusion
of sleekness.
Tops
 Avoid too-baggy tops or too-tight tops: the looser tops will make you look large
all over, the tight tops will make you look out of proportion to your hips. Look for
fitted -- not skintight -- T-shirts (something with some stretch) and button-front
tops. V-necks, turtlenecks and open collars all call attention to the face, which is
always a good thing.
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Jackets and blazers should hit anywhere but the widest point of your hips. That
could mean right below the waist to mid-thigh, depending on your height. Wear
jackets and blazers open for the best vertical lines.
Dresses
 Look for dresses that nip in at the waist and slightly flare out over hips and
thighs.
 You can pull off a full-skirted ballgown because it will hide heavy hips and
thighs.
 Try sleeveless and strapless dresses to play up pretty shoulders and arms.
An empire, or raised waist dress brings the eye up away from problem areas.
Careful, though. Sometimes this gets mistaken for a maternity look with fuller
figures.
Top-heavy
The apple-shaped body is usually softer around the middle and has heavier
breasts, with narrower hips and slimmer legs. Make the most of your womanly
figure by showing off your legs and great cleavage.
Tops
 Avoid too tight (plays up large breasts too much) and too baggy (just makes
you look heavier). Opt for fabrics that skim the body, preferably knits and wovens
with stretch for a better fit.
 V-neck, boatneck, turtle and mock necks and shirt collars are your most
flattering necklines.
 Play up nice cleavage with a peek, not a Dolly Parton-sized slice. Especially
appealing: a pretty lace-trimmed cami showing under a jacket or top.
Avoid full sleeves or puffy sleeves.
Bottoms
 Balance out a top-heavy figure with an A-line skirt that will give you the look of
a waist and more of an hourglass look.
 Choose flat-front, never pleated, pants that have a lower rise than the natural
waist.
 Five-pocket jeans are your friend! Front pockets on jeans help disguise a
tummy problem, while back pockets can help define a flatter rear common to topheavy women.
 Avoid anything too tight -- from pencil skirts to skintight jeans -- because it will
only accentuate top heaviness.
Play up nice legs with shorter (an inch above the knee) skirts.
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Dresses
 One-piece dressing is tricky for you. Best bets: A sleeveless black sheath, a soft
princess seamed dress, a strapless dress with corseted top.
Resist the urge to cover up head-to-toe: showing a little skin, whether it's bare
arms or shoulders, is much more flattering.
Body basics for every figure
 Wear colors that look great on you. Not sure what those are? Grab a trusted
friend and head to the mall. Hold up tons of colors next to your face and get
feedback from your friend. Hues that compliment most complexions: pink, blue,
white (you'll just need to change the intensity of these colors to suit your coloring,
i.e. hot pink for darker skins, carnation for fairer, ivory for olive tones, etc.)
 Nobody looks good in high-waisted, pleated pants with narrow ankle openings,
but manufacturers still turn these out in droves. Avoid!
Don't worry about being trendy when you look at what suits your figure:
concentrate on what flatters, and add up-to-date shoes, handbags and accessories
later.
Bald is Beautiful!
by Annette Brunette
Recently at the annual First Event transgender convention held in Peabody, Massachusetts
last January I saw a very nicely dressed lady...but that well groomed beard that she was sporting
just didn’t fit in! Having been out and about since the mid 90’s I’d seen a lot of strange sights
but most “gender benders” were trying to draw attention to themselves. Super high stiletto
heels, big big hair, ultra short mini-skirts etc... Without the beard I am sure this lady would have
disappeared under the radar. I later heard she was criticized by the gender junta for her
“incorrect” presentation. It seems the fashion police and their socially “correct” minions aren’t
just limited to the outside world. Much of it comes from within the community. Anyway I was
curious to hear the story behind this person and I wasn’t disappointed. It seems she was married
to a non supportive spouse who would let her attend First Event only under the condition that
she not shave her beard! Hey, it may not be a perfect situation but it’s a start, right?
I thought about this gender bending theme years ago when I was touching up my own pictures
with photoshop. (PS) I’d been fiddling and diddling with PS for the last 12 years or so having
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become reasonably proficient at fixing things. It seems
the majority of us want to become more beautiful, more
feminine. (i.e. more hair) What would things look like at
the other end? True gender bending, in other words,
not just dressing to fit in. (gender blending) I began to
experiment with myself and my friends. Now as the hair
that you see in these pictures (the mop) is my own
natural hair going bald was a bit problematical.
My friend and fellow victim Karen
Reeves is abducted, I mean,
INducted into the bald women hall
of fame gallery. The massive amount
of hair removal in this picture was
quite tricky.
It should not be assumed that going bald is the only new
fashion statement. Women can have beards, too! See for
yourself.
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Former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
also knows a thing or two
about gender bending. Brings
female pattern baldness to a
whole new level. Yes I know,
the dimensions and ears
probably don’t match
And who can forget Sarah Palin? Going
Rogue? How about Going Bald! Forget
about the Mama Grizzlies. The Mama
Cueballs are doing just fine!
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer shows off her
shiny new dome in between photo shoots for
Vogue. Marissa has been on a torrid pace
redesigning everything Yahoo related. From a
new look logo to brand new sports, business
and weather pages. Along with a completely
new email system, the Yahoo groups Neo
experience was warmly welcomed by the user
community much like ants in a picnic basket.
The nice thing is that these changes were
implemented literally overnight with no warning and no beta testing. We wish Marissa the
best of success in her new “follicularly challenged” look and feel she will be a shining beacon
for bald beauty queen aspirants everywhere.
As the old saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...but baldness goes straight to the
dome.”
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The Gossip Fence
Transgender In The News
New Study Finds Increase in Number of Top Companies and Federal Contractors with Gender
Identity and Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Policies since 2010
LOS ANGELES – Ninety-eight percent of the country’s largest companies now prohibit discrimination
based on sexual orientation and nearly 85 percent prohibit discrimination based on gender identity,
according to a new study from UCLA’s Williams Institute. The study also finds that 86 percent of the
top 50 federal contractors prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and over 60 percent
prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. Combined, these contractors represent 48 percent of all
contracting dollars awarded by the federal government—over $218 billion in spending.
The top ten Fortune 500 companies with gender identify and sexual orientation non-discrimination
polices include: Wal-Mart, Chevron, Apple, General Motors, General Electric, Ford Motor, AT&T,
Fannie Mae, CVS Caremark, and McKesson. The top ten federal contractors include: Lockheed Martin,
Boeing, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, L-3 Communications Holdings, United
Technologies, BAE Systems, McKesson, Humana, and Computer Sciences Corporation.
HHS Expected To Lift Blanket Medicare Ban On Sex-Reassignment Surgery Soon
WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to end Medicare’s
blanket ban on sex-reassignment surgery at the end of a panel review, according to sources familiar with
the process.
Medicare has for decades considered sex-reassignment surgery “experimental,” despite opposition from
many major medical professional associations and LGBT advocates, who say the ban denies necessary
care to transgender people. The private insurance industry has also been slow to adopt coverage options
for sex-reassignment surgery and related care, something advocates say stems from the Medicare ban.
That could begin changing in the next couple weeks, as an independent HHS review panel hands down
its ruling on a challenge to the Medicare ban filed last year by the ACLU, GLAAD, and the National
Center for Lesbian Rights. Lifting the blanket ban would not necessarily mean Medicare would then
cover sex-reassignment surgery, but would make it possible for Medicare officials to consider covering
the procedure. The change would allow the government study coverage options just as it does for other
medical procedures.
“AMA supports public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder as
recommended by the patient’s physician,” reads a section from the group’s bylaws. According to a May
2012 statement, the American Psychiatric Association “advocates for removal of barriers to care and
supports both public and private health insurance coverage for gender transition treatment.”
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Advocates closely watching the HHS appeal timeline believe a win is coming, but have been reluctant to
say so publicly. The advocacy groups directly behind the Medicare challenge declined to speak on the
record about it.
Some private insurance has begun covering sex-reassignment surgeries as well as associated care that
comes with it. But many companies are still staying away from the new coverage options, citing cost and
other concerns. Though cases are still working their way through the courts, current understanding of the
Affordable Care Act is that the insurance reforms in the bill do not force companies to cover gender
reassignment.
That’s partly why ending the Medicare ban is seen as so important among advocates, as well as
increased awareness around other health-related issues the transgender community faces. Companies and
insurers often take their coverage cues from what the government pays for with Medicare.
Transgender Lobby Days
Sunday, July 13, 2014 - Tuesday, July 15, 2014. Washington, DC, 20005
The National Center for Transgender Equality is proud to announce the 2014 Transgender Lobby
Day. Building on the historic Senate passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in
fall 2013, over 200 transgender and ally advocates from across the country will convene in
Washington, DC to educate their members of Congress and lobby for ENDA's passage in the U.S.
House of Representatives. Every participant will receive training to ensure our members of Congress
listen to our stories of workplace harassment and violence.
With our voices in the fight, we can move ENDA forward and ensure all Americans can seek and
keep jobs without hiding who they are.
Click here to learn more or to register and attend the 2014 Transgender Lobby Day.
Battery Charges Dropped Against Calif. Trans Student
After completing a restorative justice program, battery charges were dropped against 16-year-old
Jewlyes Gutierrez, reports the Transgender Law Center.
Gutierrez, a transgender student from Hercules, Calif., made national news after video surfaced of
her and three female classmates involved a physical altercation last November. Although all four
students participated in the fight, Gutierrez was the only one charged with a crime, finding herself facing misdemeanor battery charges. All of the students were briefly suspended from school, but
none of the three other girls involved — all cisgender (nontrans) — were charged in connection to
the altercation.
Trans teacher still banned from classroom, after being fired and reinstated
A transgender teacher who was fired by a Texas school says she is being kept away from the classroom, despite officially being reinstated. Laura Jane Klug had been teaching as a substitute at Lum-
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berton Intermediate School, but has said she was told not to return to her classes after parents said
they were concerned that their children might be “distracted” because she is transgender. She was
officially reinstated after a school board meeting on April 10, and at the time said she was “relieved”
to have her job back.
However, Klug said this week that despite publicly being reinstated, she has not received any
teaching assignments, and has now been asked to relocate to a position outside of the classroom. She
told LoneStarQ that she accepted the position that keeps her away from children, because she needs
the money and can’t afford to turn work down. She said: “I said I’m willing to do whatever because
I really need a paycheck. It doesn’t make me very happy, but I think it should placate them [the
parents] somewhat.
Klug, a pilot by trade, added: “I’m afraid that all this attention that I’ve gotten throughout the entire
situation might have ruined my chances of every finding pilot employment.”
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel: Military’s Transgender Policy ‘Continually Should Be
Reviewed’
After the 2010 repeal of the policy barring gay and lesbian service members from being open about their
sexuality, known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” activists turned their attention to the transgender policy,
calling on the military to allow transgender individuals to serve openly. But to this point, there has been
no review of the ban. Earlier this month, a Pentagon spokesperson told Slate, “At this time there are no
plans to change the department’s policy.”
In an exclusive interview that aired on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” Hagel said he’s now
ready to reconsider the ban. “I’m open to those assessments, because, again, I go back to the bottom
line, every qualified American who wants to serve our country should have an opportunity if they fit the
qualifications and can do it,” he said. Transgender issues are “an area that we’ve not defined enough.”
Hagel said his biggest concern is providing the medical support necessary to support transgender
individuals, especially if they are stationed in what he called “austere locations.” A recent commission,
co-chaired by a former U.S. surgeon general, found that there was no “compelling medical rationale” for
not allowing transgender military service.
Criminal Justice System Discriminates Against LGBT People
An exhaustive new report from the Center for American Progress and Columbia University makes
wide-ranging recommendations on federal policy changes that should be adopted to combat the
disproportionate incarceration of LGBT people and those living with HIV.
The guidelines include detailed outlines of "policy measures that federal agencies can adopt to address
discriminatory and abusive policing practices, improve conditions for LGBT prisoners and immigrants
in detention, decriminalize HIV, and prevent LGBT youth and adults from coming in contact with the
system in the first place".
The 84-page report includes numerous recommendations on how state and local law enforcement can
improve its treatment of LGBT people, including veterans, homeless people, and transgender
individuals, as well as steps to take to combat the criminalization of HIV.
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The brief makes a powerful effort to share the stories of McDonald and many others who have become
victims of failed justice policies that end up targeting those they claim to protect.
Laverne Cox Is The Leader Our Community Needs: “Your Lives Matter, Your Stories Are
Valuable”
Consider Laverne Cox one of the most visible and impactful trans role models of our time. Her work
in LGBT activism, her tireless effort in starting a productive conversation about issues facing the
transgender community and her role as Sophia in Netflix’s breakout hit Orange Is the New Black
have thrust her to the forefront of a new movement aiming to switch up the way we’ve historically
seen gender and sexuality. She’s inspiring change in the most unlikely places, and she doesn’t plan
on quitting anytime soon.
Fresh out of the GLAAD event that awarded her with the Stephen F. Kolzak award for her efforts in
eliminating homophobia, and ahead of the undoubtedly busy summer before her, we sat down with
Cox to talk about her continued activism, her take on trans progression in America, and what it
means to be a true LGBT leader.
Her appearance with Carmen Carrera on Katie in January became controversial after you were both
asked some pretty inappropriate questions. Couric later called the discussion it spawned a
“teachable moment.” The discussion continued to gain national attention with Janet Mock’s
appearances on Piers Morgan Live the following month.
Her character on Orange Is the New Black is also a trans woman. Does she think there’s a certain
benefit to casting trans women in trans roles, as opposed to cisgender men or women, as was the case
in Dallas Buyers Club?
Ms. Cox said “I have heard from so many trans folks saying that my character in Orange has given
them a way to talk about themselves with their friends and family. Folks have transitioned because of
this character that they find themselves do relating to. Folks who aren’t trans find themselves relating
to this character and the trans woman playing her. I believe that when we connect with people as
people all of our misconceptions about people who are different from us can melt away. Those are
the benefits for the audience. As an actor I want to be able to play a variety of characters as i think
most actors want to and I would never suggest an actor shouldn’t have that opportunity because I
want it.”
Ms. Cox will also be serving as the keynote speaker for San Diego Pride’s Spirit of Stonewall rally.
When asked “What do you hope to inspire in young trans people through your career and advocacy
work?” Ms. Cox replied “I want everyone to be inspired to be more of themselves and to ask
themselves what they can do to make the world safer for themselves and others to live authentically. I
want everyone to also think about how race, class, gender, sexuality and ability intersect to make the
world less safe for far too many and to begin to imagine how we as individuals can undo those unsafe
systems.”
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Governor presses for transgender teen's release
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut's governor is pressing for a transgender teen to be moved from a
Connecticut women's prison where she has been held without charges for a month. The 16-year-old girl,
identified as Jane Doe in court papers, has been held at York Correctional Institution at the request of
Department of Children and Families officials who said she was too violent and dangerous to keep
elsewhere.
A spokesman for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says the governor and the DCF commissioner agree the girl
should be moved to another setting as quickly as possible. Spokesman Andrew Doba said Friday the
governor hopes the transition can take place in a matter of days or weeks.
An attorney for the girl has said putting her in an adult prison violated her rights and he wants her placed
with a foster family.
Kansas: Local organizations promote understanding of transgender residents with billboard
In an effort to help raise awareness and visibility of the transgender community, a billboarding
featuring Adam O’Brien, senior in fine arts, was constructed alongside K-177 by Sunflower Pets.
The Flint Hills Human Rights Project funded the sign, which launched on March 31, International Day
of Transgender Visibility, which reads, “I am an art student at Kansas State University and an avid tattoo
designer. I am an older brother, a best friend, and a full-on nerd. I am a transgender man. I am
Manhattan.” The billboard, displayed through the month of April, was part of a series called the “i am
project,” with other billboards displayed in Wichita, Kansas City, Lawrence, Overland Park and other
major Kansas cities.
The idea behind the billboard and event was to spark conversations and promote open communication
between members of the Manhattan community. “It’s easy to dismiss transgender people when we feel
we cannot or do not relate to them,” Elle Boatman, founder of The Face of Trans, said.
Sore Winners: Christian Group Offended by Mississippi Businesses That Won't Discriminate
Against Gays
Not all Mississippi businesses plan to take advantage of a new law making it easier to discriminate
against LGBT people in the name of religion. The American Family Association, apparently, would like
to change that. In a blog post published this week, the fundamentalist Christian activist group printed a
list of what they called "Mississippi businesses that discriminate against religious freedom." That list,
which the anti-LGBT group says is "taken directly from a pro-homosexual website," includes a number
of businesses in the state who have agreed to display the sticker “We Don’t Discriminate. If Your Buying We’re Selling”. That sticker clarifies that the business in question will not refuse to serve a customer because of his or her sexual orientation.
The AFA believes this amounts to discrimination against Christians who might want to refuse to serve
LGBT people in the state: Ironically, this sticker represents the very promotion of
discrimination...against the freedom of religious convictions. Businesses that display this sticker believe
Christians should be forced, by law, to embrace homosexuality and deny their faith in personal business
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practices. Get that? If you advertise that you don't discriminate, you're persecuting people who want to
discriminate.
Michigan Business Coalition Forms To Push For Update of Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act
LANSING - Job providers from across Michigan's economic landscape announced May 1 the Michigan
Competitive Workforce Coalition, a partnership of business leaders and their companies who have come
together with the goal of working with public policy makers in Lansing to update Michigan's ElliottLarsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The coalition also
includes chambers of commerce an associations around the state.
"Rebuilding Michigan's economy means building Michigan's reputation as a state known for treating all
people fairly, recognizing talent, rewarding hard work and a shared commitment to doing what it takes to
strengthen our economy and attract jobs," said Jim Murray, President of AT&T Michigan.
Funding campaign under way for trans shelter
Brianna "Breezy" Golden-Farr and Elizabeth Howard are spearheading an unprecedented project that
addresses the absence of emergency shelter housing for transgender women in Oakland. Called Queens
Cottage Shelter, or QCS, the housing initiative, while still in its beginning stages, is quickly establishing
a foundation that the project's team, supporters, and community are hopeful about.
In partnership with Transitions House, a local transgender housing advocacy group, QCS created an
Indiegogo campaign last month to raise start-up funds. Clair Farley, Transitions House co-founder and
associate director of economic development at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, was able to
leverage her social media aptitude for the project and within one week of going live, the campaign had
surpassed the $5,000 goal.
At press time, the campaign had raised $9,475 with 22 days left to fundraise and there's one thing
Golden-Farr, Howard, and Farley are sure about – QCS is going to need more.
The QCS team intends for the shelter to be a starting point for transwomen to gain stability and access to
skills, resources, and health care in a safe and affirming environment. Golden-Farr and Howard foresee
space for 10 residents initially, each with case workers, and a van to provide transportation to the shelter.
To donate to Queens Cottage Shelter, visit https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/trans-housing-nowqueens-cottage-shelter. The campaign ends June 5.
Harvey Fierstein's Casa Valentina Will Drag On
Boys will be girls on Broadway for a bit longer than expected.
Casa Valentina, Harvey Fierstein's new play about husbands who identify as heterosexual but
congregate in the Catskills to dress and act like housewives, has added two weeks of performances to its
limited Broadway engagement.
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Directed by out two-time Tony winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Wicked), Casa Valentina opened
April 23 at Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Originally scheduled to close June
15, the world premiere will now run through June 29.
"Back in 1962, most men went to the Catskill Mountains to escape the summer heat, but others took the
two-hour drive to escape something else entirely: being men," read press notes about the drama, which is
inspired by actual events.
Casa Valentina recently received four Tony nominations, including Best Play. The cast includes Reed
Birney, John Cullum, Gabriel Ebert, Lisa Emery, Tom McGowan, Patrick Page, Larry Pine, Nick
Westrate, and Mare Winningham.
A film adaptation is "under discussion," Deadline reports.
Md Gov Signs Trans Nondiscrimination Bill Into Law
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signed into law the Fairness for All Marylanders Act, extending
housing, public accommodations, and employment protections to transgender citizens and visitors of the
state. When the law goes into effect on October 1, Maryland will become the 18th state — along with
Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico — to enact a statewide antidiscrimination law.
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October 19-26, 2014
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Scholarships Available for Fantasia Fair 2014
FANTASIA FAIR FOUNDATION and REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE, INC.
554 Boston Post Rd #187
Orange, CT 06477
Contact: Miqqi Alicia Gilbert Email: [email protected] http://www.fantasiafair.org
The Fantasia Fair Planning Committee will be awarding scholarships to the 40th annual Fantasia
Fair, to be held October 19 - 26 in historic Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Individuals receiving full scholarships will receive free tuition to the Fair, including all seminars,
workshops, banquets events, daily lunches/brunches, and shared room accommodations for seven
nights. The scholarships are open to individuals of all ages who demonstrate financial need.
Typically, six to eight scholarships are awarded and one of these scholarships goes to a couple. In
addition, a number of partial scholarships will be awarded. All scholarship recipients will be
responsible for their own transportation to and from Provincetown.
"We're proud to make this announcement" said Miqqi Alicia Gilbert, Executive Director of Fantasia
Fair 2014. “Each year, the Fantasia Fair Foundation offers a number of scholarships as another way
to help the community. Although we have been able to keep registration fees relatively low, we
understand that some people still find it financially difficult to attend. These scholarships are an
investment in the greater community. Scholarship recipients learn things at Fantasia Fair and then go
back to their local communities to share what they learned.”
Scholarships are open to individuals of all ages who demonstrate financial need. Applicants will be
required to submit an application that will describe why they want to attend Fantasia Fair and why
they need a scholarships to attend the Fair. Scholarships will be awarded based upon the judgment of
the Fantasia Fair Foundation Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
* Have a financial need
* Must have submitted a scholarship application by the submission deadline
* If an applicant is under the age of 18, they must be accompanied to Fantasia Fair by a parent (or
legal guardian) or provide, in advance, a notarized letter of permission from their parent (or legal
guardian)
* Must be willing to participate in and contribute time to the Fair during the week of Fantasia Fair
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Submission Deadline
All materials must be received no later than July 15. Be sure to include your contact information. If
you provide a phone number, please mention what name to ask for.
Scholarship Rules
* The applicant must meet the eligibility requirements outlined above
* The applicant must submit a scholarship application which describes such things as why you want
to come to Fantasia Fair and how your financial situation prevents you from otherwise attending
* The scholarship application must be filled out accurately and completely
* All scholarship-related material must be received no later than the stated submission deadline
 Following the submission deadline, the Fantasia Fair scholarship committee will evaluate all
submissions and select which applicants are to be offered scholarships
* Applicants offered a scholarship will be notified on or about August 15
* Applicants offered a scholarship must notify the Scholarship Committee of their acceptance within
2 weeks or risk forfeiture of that scholarship
 In the event that an applicants who is offered a scholarship is not able to attend Fantasia Fair or
declines the scholarship, another applicant may be awarded that scholarship.
Email:
[email protected]
Postal mail:
Fantasia Fair Scholarships
554 Boston Post Rd #187
Orange, CT 06477
Additional details about Scholarships are available at www.fantasiafair.org/Scholarships.aspx.
Information about the Fantasia Fair conference is available at www.fantasiafair.org.
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