september 2014 issue

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Pretty T Girls
September 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
September 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
Busting Down the Closet Door –How I Told the Wife– Teri Lynn
The REAL Reason the Trans Community Must Remain Allied
to the LGB Movement by: Beverly Copeland
Can You Make Your Nails Grow Faster –Web MD
How Do I Get Rid of Hangnails
Hairbrush 101
15 Hair Products Pros Swear By (But You've Never Heard of)
Find The Best Haircut for Your Face Shape
September Bride
The Adventures of Judy Sometimes
The Exploits of Barbara Marie
Nurse Barbara Speaks Her Mind
Tasi’s Musings
Keys to Success In A TG Relationship
Humor
Angels In The Centerfod
Mellissa’s Tips & Tricks
Panties In a Bunch—History of Lingerie
6 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Bra
Tasi’s Fashion—The Slit Skirt
Lucille Sorella
A Tribute To Robin Williams
The Gossip Fence
Shop Till You Drop
Calendar
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Transgender Pride Transgender Agenda
An Editorial by: Barbara Jean
The gays said let us first get our agenda and then we will come and help with yours.
The Stonewall Riots was the start of the GLBT revolution, it was started when Sylvia
Riviara, a transsexual fought back against the harassment by the NYPD. Prior to
then gays were pretty quiet, keeping in the closet, but after that more and more they
began coming out, getting vocal, demanding equal rights.
The gay agenda has pretty much been won. Many companies today have non discrimination policies
that include sexual orientation, they may now serve with honor in the military, and same sex marriage is
almost certain to become the law of the land.
The community has for years been known as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender community, but
this year in Los Angeles it was the Transgender, Lesbian Gay, Bisexual pride parade and festival. In San
Francisco Chelsea Manning was an honorary Grand Marshal for the pride parade. In many cities we are
seeing transgender pride. Pride marches, pride festivals, and other events where transgender people
show their pride in being transgender. Here in Las Vegas we have a week of transgender pride with
different events each day of the week.
But what is the transgender agenda, what must we now receive the help of the LGB in obtaining? Well
high on the list of course would be public and family acceptance, employment and housing protection,
better medical service, easy of changing name and sex designators on documents, public restrooms use
by our gender and not biological sex and of course somewhere in this list would also include the ability
to serve our country in the military.
Of course for us to obtain our agenda more and more of us need to come from the closet. Educating the
public first requires transgender visibility. Over the years we have tried to educate our medical
providers by speaking at colleges and universities, but what about the teachers and administrators in
schools, what about, the news media, what about our family, what about the general public, this is where
we need more work in transgender education.
Fear has kept so many of us in the closet. Fear has caused many transsexual to do all they can to be
stealth, for the cross dresser to keep things secret from family and friends and remain out of the public
eye. Pride shows that we are not ashamed of being transgender, but actually proud of who and what we
are. Pride puts more and more of us in the public eye, causing people to question their lack of
understanding and acceptance of us. Pride causes people to open their minds to education about the
transgender.
But in showing pride we also need to show pride in the community in which we live, volunteering to
help various causes that help everyone, not just those of us who are transgender. And yes, let’s do it
while at the same time showing the community that we are transgender.
Let us not hide in the dark of the closet anymore, let us step out into the light of day, let our numbers be
shown to the world. As more and more of us do our agenda of equality will be seen.
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Busting Down The Closet Door
How I Told My Wife
by: Teri lynn Richards
During the 8 years before I told my wife about my crossdressing, I would only
get to "dress" on weekends when she went to visit her parents, with our kids. I
would always have a ready excuse because we had a mini-ranch and the
animals had to be fed. My wife knew that both of us couldn't be gone from
home at the same time, so she never gave it a second thought, that I would stay
home when she went away.
After 8 years of being married and hiding my "dressing", I knew I couldn't handle that any
longer; plus I knew it was only 'when' I was going to get caught, not whether I would get
caught.
One Sunday afternoon, when the kids were out playing, I told my wife I had
something important to tell her. I remember it as if it happened
yesterday. As we sat on the sofa, I could see a worried look on her face. I
simply said that I like to wear lingerie. She replied: "Is that all you wanted
to tell me?" When I said that was all, she sighed, with relief and said, "OK,
I thought that you were going to tell me that you have cancer or some other
terminal disease. I'm sure glad it isn't that." Then she asked whether I like
to wear anything else, besides lingerie. I told her that I like to dress completely as a woman.
Now, don't paint yourself a picture that she was thrilled to hear what I told her. Her relief was
only that I wasn't sick. She asked me when "this" started and I explained that I started putting
on lingerie when I was about 5 or 6. She asked why??? I replied that I had no clue - I just
liked to do it.
Next, she asked whether I had any pictures of how I look when "dressed". From years of
"dressing", I had pictures of me in Teri-mode, so I showed them to her. After looking at them
for some time, she said that she had not expected that I would look that good as a woman, as
she thought I have no feminine features. I told her that it took me 8 years of practice to get so I
could look "passable".
Of course, my wife wanted to know what I did and where I went, when dressed as a woman. I
told her that I usually just go to one of our large Malls - the ones farthest from our house, to
minimize running into anyone who knew me. I don't remember all the other things we
discussed. I do recall her telling me that she was very concerned that someone from work
might see me and screw up my career in law enforcement. I told her that although it is no
longer illegal to "dress up", I would always be extremely careful and never put myself into a
position that would cause me embarrassment.
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(Interesting note here -- Although lesbians were openly accepted in law enforcement, because they
were viewed as climbing the social-ladder, cross-dressers were viewed with disdain and distrust,
because "those faggot sissies, trying to be women, cannot be trusted". Yup, from discussions about
TV talk-shows, like Springer & Maury, those are the comments I overheard from fellow cops. -- If
they only knew)
Well, after our discussion - I didn't know this for a long time - my wife
talked to a psychologist about our "situation". Quite a while after I
'came out' to my wife, I asked her why she had not told me to quit,
cease & desist, or she would divorce me. She told me that she talked
to a shrink and he informed her that there was no cure for
crossdressing. (Yeah - One intelligent and informed shrink)!
The shrink told my wife that she had two choices - live with it, or
divorce me. I guess our marriage was stable enough at that point, plus
we had a 7 yr. old son and 5 yr. old daughter, which I'm sure
influenced her decision to stick with the marriage.
About 4 years after I told my wife, she went back to work, to save for
college money for the kids. After being home with the kids for 12 years, this was a big change.
While working, I had 3-day weekends, so on Friday's I would "dress" and go shopping, etc.,
always rushing back home before the kids got out of school. I had many close calls, but always
managed to sneak in, just-in-time, with only my wife seeing me.
As I've mentioned in some of my blogs, on other sites, that if a crossdresser claims to be in
touch with his feminine side, he should demonstrate that to his wife. How? - Helping with
housework, being patient when out with his wife, when she takes a bit too long, looking for
clothes, etc.; and complimenting her on how beautiful she looks. Also, thanking her for the
effort she puts into looking good. At this point, the CD could add, "I appreciate your efforts
more than most men would, because I know how long it takes me to get ready when going out
in fem-mode."
I've always said that marriage is a 100/100% compromise. The husband must be willing to
compromise just as much as his wife; and she must be willing to compromise just as much as
she expects him to compromise. In addition, being loving, kind, considerate, gentle and helpful,
will go a long way to convincing your spouse that you have more than the average 'feminineside' in your character.
Over the years, as my wife saw that I wasn't going out looking for dates, or doing other stupid
stuff, she warmed up to the fact that I was basically still the same person she married - I still
loved her, loved the kids, provided for them, spent only my extra per-diem money on my feminine wardrobe, and was still devoted to family-life.
And, she saw that I didn't let my crossdressing consume my life, to the extent of making
the family suffer. I was being reasonable about it, and honoring her requests about keeping it
private from some of our friends - and, at that time, not letting the neighbors see me when in
fem-mode.
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(Fast forward - Once I retired and my wife was no longer afraid that I could lose my job, she
opened up to us going out as girlfriends; but she still had the request that we not tell our
kids. (A mistake, I believe. The earlier you tell the kids, the easier for them to accept that their
father crossdresses, as we found out umpteen years later, when at about age 28 & 26, our kids
found out; but that's another story.)
Now that we're both unemployed and we don't have to worry
that the kids might show up at the house, unexpectedly, I'm
free to live in fem-mode most of the time. My wife and I go out
as girlfriends and we do all the things we do when I'm not in
fem-mode. When in fem-mode, I do all the "guy" things everything in my daily-routine - shopping at Home Depot,
grocery shopping, picking up Rx's from Kaiser (haven't gone
to my Dr. yet, in fem-mode); car wash, getting cars smogged
and other car repairs - even showing the Rentals we manage
and taking applications from prospective tenants, etc., etc.
A word of caution - First, remember it's not "IF" your spouse will find out that you are a CD,
but "WHEN" she finds out. So, the best policy is to tell her before she finds out. It will be
difficult enough for you to answer her questions as to why you betrayed her trust and did not
tell her sooner, so don't continue to compound that problem.
Second - Don't claim to have a strong feminine side without demonstrating that to your wife on
a daily basis. It's hard for her to accept that you want to dress as a woman, when at the same
time you refuse to do something around the house, when she asks (of even if she doesn't ask),
that you consider " woman's-work. Nope, that will not get you any brownie-points!
Enjoy your femininity and share it in all aspects, with your wife.
Hugs,
Teri Lynn
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The REAL Reason the Trans Community Must Remain Allied to
the LGB Movement
By: Beverly Copeland
I often hear other trans women saying, "Why do we have to put up with being associated with the
gays? They don't want us. We are trans because of our identity, not our sexuality. We're different."
This overlooks the whole reason that we are part of the LGBT -- we are united due to our common
experience of homophobia, not because we are "similar". Transphobia is just a subdivision of
homophobia. Trans women are murdered by men who feel they threaten the men's own sexuality -- just
as they would murder gays. Homophobia is not something we escape by declaring ourselves to be
women. Anti-gay anti-trans social repression organizations know that our separatism only weakens us -we have always been an easy target for that very reason. And that's the kind of thinking THEY indulge
in. If we allow such distinctions to separate us, we doom ourselves to being a failed faction without a
support structure. Remember the Americans With Disabilities act? The original act actually would have
protected transgender people on the basis they were victims of a medical condition. And why were we,
in the final version of the act, excluded explicitly from any protection? Because we had no
lobby.
Because we were separate. Progressive hero Senator Ted Kennedy specifically agreed to
adding the exclusion so that the bill would pass quicker! Yes, we were "thrown under the bus."
In parts of the US which are very anti-gay, and anti-gay rights, if you are transsexual and agree to follow
a tightly defined process of HRT, SRS, and assimilation, you can receive support and acceptance from
medical providers and even some religious organizations. Some of us have made the mistake of viewing
this as "progress." However, it is actually an exercise of power against us. This phenomenon is a type of
conservative reaction to the existence of trans people, viewing us as being an anomaly which can be
"fixed" -- that is, in their view, a crossdressing male who is attracted to other males can be rehabilitated"
and become a straight woman. This is a type of "enlightened" right wing view which persists in a few
European countries even (notably Denmark, believe it or not). When such a warped underlying principle
does exist, the system is biased such that transsexuals can only get treatment by satisfying certain
conservative views of feminine appearance. Yes, even to the extent of skirts, heels, and coiffed hair.
This also requires being attracted to males, and intention to get SRS. It may also include a bias to
younger transitioners, and frequently excludes those who are not judged to be attractive, or dressing
conservatively, and may even have obstacles which block access by non-white patients. I know that
many of us fall into the favored category, but we are a minority. This paradigm is taken to an extreme in
Iran, where the penalties for being a gay male are so harsh that some willingly submit to SRS to avoid
them even though they are not actually transsexual -- official religious edict condones this and
recognizes it as, again, "fixing" a social perversion. That this kind of right wing "enlightenment" persists
in the US bible belt is no surprise, because it is in a sense the trans version of "Reparative Therapy" for
gays and comes from the same kind of thinking. The same Stepford Wives mentality in a Muslim form
rules Iran. In Iran it is seen as justifiable to turn gay males into attractive wives - a viewpoint abandoned
by mainstream medical knowledge in the 60's and 70's in the rest of the world. By embracing it
ourselves, we are surrendering some of our freedom to be queer, to be lesbian, to be non-genderconforming, and to be free from pressure for quick SRS. Submission also justifies the medical system to
tie our HRT privileges to our intention for SRS, or perception of how likely we are to achieve an
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"acceptable appearence" as a woman. It is an insidious invasion of our own ability to set our own path,
and in the final analysis it IS fueled by the same thing as always, homophobia. This is why we must
retain our unity and not retreat into a cloud of asserting "We're Normal Women!" and by implication
agree with society that the LGB are deserving of their contempt.
It's true that educating the public that we are not the same as the gays is a valid goal. Of course, the fact
that over 65% of us are either gay or bisexual or pansexual ourselves does tend to make it harder to make
our case that we're fundamentally different in every way.
Those of you who are doing well in your transition... I agree that your individual experiences do not
justify activism... and neither do mine. But as I've gotten older I've encountered individuals whose life
experience is one which can make Les Miserables look like a Saturday in the park. I've realized how
lucky I am, and it has left me with a desire to take whatever action I can to help others... the homeless
transgender, the HRT-less transgender due to medical or political bigotry or arbitrary exercise of power -- and oppose the system which spreads such an awful pattern of abuse still. Abuse at EVERY level. Yes
we're the lucky ones. We are fully accepted as women in society and our "tranniness" is not too
visible. It can remain ignored or be unseen by our employers or doctors or local greengrocer, whatever.
Many of you, I think you may find years from now you might get a broader view, and maybe like me
find a willingness to come out of stealth and say "Hey, I'm XY and I'm a woman and there are others like
me who you are treating badly!" Our allies in the LGB camp vary like we do, and there are a few who
are not our friends I agree, but for the most part I think that is due to their own fear, which is the same
fear or squickiness some of us experience when we buy into the idea we must disassociate from
them. Differences do not negate the homophobia we all suffer from and which unites us. We must
retain our sense of alliance, and live with the tolerance we expect from others.
Can You Make Your Nails Grow Faster?
By Lisa Fields
WebMD Feature
Dietary supplements. Rubbing garlic on your nails. Wiggling your fingers in the air for hours at a time.
Sorry, but no matter what you've heard, they won’t make your nails grow faster. You can't hurry your
nails, which grow at a fixed rate of about a millimeter a month, says dermatologist Bruce Robinson, MD,
of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. "But if you can get the nails to not break and therefore appear
longer, that's where things come into play," he says.
First, you need to know what’s true and what's false about nail growth.
Biotin Supplements Are Linked to Long, Stronger Nails: TRUE
You won't make your nails grow more quickly if you take this dietary supplement. But several studies
show that biotin can strengthen brittle nails, making them less likely to split or break, so you may be able
to grow your nails longer after taking the supplement regularly. Biotin is often sold by itself as a dietary
supplement or as an ingredient in vitamins sold to improve the look of the skin, hair, and/or nails.
"They all have significant amounts of biotin in them, plus calcium and silicon in some form," says
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dermatologist Amy Newburger, MD, of St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Medical Center in New York.
The Institute of Medicine has not determined a safe upper limit for this dietary supplement due to lack of
information about its possible side effects. Although it seems unlikely that someone could get too much
biotin, don't take large doses unless you're under the close care of a dermatologist or other doctor. "I
take it myself and do feel it helps with nails,” says D'Anne Kleinsmith, MD, a dermatologist in West
Bloomfield, Mich.
Busy Fingers Make for Longer Fingernails: FALSE
Some people believe that professional pianists, people who type all day, and other people who spend
several hours per day exercising their fingers have quicker-growing nails than other people, because the
extra blood flow to the fingertips speeds fingernail growth. Though there aren't any studies to prove it,
Newburger says that people who move their fingers constantly may, indeed, have slightly quickergrowing nails. Still, that doesn't necessarily mean longer nails. Why not? "Nails with more impact on
the tips tend to break more," Newburger says.
Moisturizers Help Maintain Nail Length: TRUE
Keeping your nails moist won't help them grow quicker, but it can keep them from breaking sooner.
"As we get into fall and winter when the air is much drier, nails crack and split more easily and therefore
stay short," Kleinsmith says. "Our nails need lubrication, just like our hands and skin, during the winter
months. Every time you wash your hands, put a little hand cream on; it's much richer and thicker than
just a body lotion." Wear gloves or mittens outdoors in cold weather, and use rubber gloves when you're
doing chores around the house.
"Once nails come out from under the cuticle, they're dead tissue, so there's no way to repair it," Robinson
says. "Detergents and dish soap can make the nails dry and split. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves around
any soaps or cleansers, even if you're only washing one dish or one window."
A High-Protein Diet Can Speed Nail Growth: FALSE
A protein deficiency can lead to weakened, slow-growing nails, so some web sites suggest that eating or
drinking more protein (even specialized protein shakes) can help the nails grow more quickly. Don't
believe it, and don't drink protein shakes for this reason alone. "Increasing protein intake is a myth as far
as strengthening your nails," Robinson says. "Provided that you're not protein-deficient -- which is
unheard of in the U.S. -- you are going to have the same nails."
Garlic Speeds Nail Growth: FALSE
Some women with long, attractive nails swear by garlic. They say that they rub halved raw garlic on
their nails regularly, or they mince garlic, stuff it into a bottle of clear nail polish, then paint their nails
weekly with it. They claim to grow longer, stronger nails quicker than their friends who don't know their
secret.
Why have people targeted garlic? Possibly because the bulb is high in selenium, and some studies have
linked low selenium levels to weaker nails. But no research has found a connection between garlic
ingestion or application and longer, stronger, or quicker-growing nails.
"These claims are a bit ridiculous," Robinson says. "There's no validity to this."
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How Do I Get Rid of Hangnails?
BY DEVEN HO PP
There is pretty much nothing worse than sitting at your desk at 10 AM, looking down at your hands, and
finding a hangnail (except maybe if this happens at 9 AM). How in the world are you supposed to let
that distracting, and yet all-too-familiar, foe just hang out there all day? If you happen to be in an environment where antibacterial soap, olive oil, cuticle scissors and
liquid bandages are readily available, you can skip the next few sentences. If not, summon every ounce
of patience and self-restraint you can muster, because we received these strict orders from celebrity
fashion manicurist Nia Cooper: DO NOT pull it out or bite it. Yes, we preserved her use of all caps for
dramatic effect. Put a bandage on the little devil, so you won’t be tempted to touch it throughout the rest
of the day. Once you get home, follow Cooper’s four-step instructions for how to get rid of a hangnail:
1. Thoroughly wash your hands with antibacterial soap and warm water.
2. Soak your nail in warm olive oil for 10 minutes to soften the hangnail.
3. Dip the points of your cuticle scissors in rubbing alcohol. Then cut the hangnail at the
base.
4. After it has been removed, apply a liquid bandage product over the area. They provide
an antibiotic and protective seal all in one. Keeping the area covered while it’s healing
will prevent infection.
Now that the pesky hangnail is gone, make good use of Cooper’s prevention tips to keep it from coming
back:
a. Do not bite your nails.
b. Drink lots of water to prevent dry nails.
c. Exfoliate your hands every other night, paying close attention to the cuticles, to remove
dead skin.
d. Keep your hands and nails moisturized at all times. (Looking for a new hand cream? We
love Lancôme Absolute Hand Treatment during the day because it has SPF 15. At night,
we’ve been turning to The Body Shop Almond Hand & Nail Butter. Remember: keeping
your hands moisturized is also important for keeping them looking young.)
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Hairbrush 101: Find the Perfect Match for You
By Sarah Ferguson
To create the perfect blowout or curls, we often rely on styling products, dryers and irons. But the brush
you use has a whole lot to do with achieving that look, too.
Paddle Brush
A paddle brush is the go-to for smoothing and straightening strands.
Use it before flat ironing for ultra-sleek results.
Round Brush
To create shape and movement or to add mega volume and lift, a
round brush is a must.
Ceramic Brush
When used with a blow dryer, ceramic-coated barrels radiate
heat and retain the temperature, so they double as a curling
iron and dry hair quickly and evenly.
Vented Brush
Air flow between bristles makes for a lighting-fast dry time
and less static. If you have frizz-prone hair, start with a
vented brush to speed up the process, but finish with a
round brush for a more polished look.
Mixed Bristle Brush
Get all the benefits of boar bristles, but with the detangling power of synthetic.
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15 Hair Products Pros Swear By
(But You've Never Heard of)
By Grace Gold
Bless hair stylists—we go to them with all our frazzled and frizzy
hair problems, and expect them to work instant magic. So what
are the secret weapons they have that we don’t? Here are the insider must-haves they swear by to help work their wizardry, including a nod to our favorite beauty supply store buys.
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Editor Picks
Executive Editor Courtney Dunlop knows how to keep her long raven
locks in a tidy bun that doesn’t slip out. The secret? While a ballet
dancer, she discovered Good Hair Days Magic-Grip Hairpins, $4 per
pack, at Sally Beauty Supply, and has relied on their grippy support
ever since. “Three of these pins are all I need to keep my waist-length
hair in a tight bun,” she says.
Contributor Grace Gold tried in vain to learn teasing technique for
years. The learning curve was finally broken on her first try with
Cricket’s Amped Up Tease Brush, $4 each. Use the tail to comb out
an inch section, hold it up, stroke downward, and the multi-level boar
bristles do all the work, making you look like a beauty school grad.
Two Buck Treatment
A Japanese color brand that fashion designer Rick Owens
swears by to keep his signature long tresses jet-black, Bigen
has now brought the ancient Asian beauty secret of moisturizing rice water to its Protect & Repair Deep Conditioner packets, $2. “It’s my secret weapon—it revitalizes dull hair and
turns it to silk,” says celebrity colorist Erin Bogart of New
York’s Sally Hershberger Downtown salon. When the pro applies it at home, she runs hot water over a washcloth and wraps
it around her hair to help the conditioner penetrate for soft and
shiny results.
Tug-Free Ties
You shouldn’t have to sacrifice strands every time you take your
hair down from a ponytail, says Rona O’Connor, colorist and
co-owner of Lukaro Salon in Beverly Hills. Try Blax Snag-Free
Hair Elastics, $4-$6, a seamless yet strong design that glides on
and off hair. “Everyone should use them, but they’re a definite
must for damaged bleached blondes who want to tie their hair
back,” says O’Connor. We love the matchbook style that makes
storage and dispensing super easy.
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At-Home Dryer Chair
What separates in-salon treatments from DIY versions is the controlled heat a pros seat provides—and let’s face it, blasting a blow
dryer over plastic wrap just isn’t the same. Jet Rhys, co-owner of
San Diego’s Jet Rhys salons, instead relies on the Gold N Hot Conditioning Heat Cap, $37. “I love this because the gentle surround
heat opens the cuticle, allowing
conditioners and glosses to
absorb into the shaft more quickly for shinier results,” she says. The
cap is remote-controlled with a washable liner and adjustable chinstrap to keep it in place as you multi-task or just relax!
Volcanic Hair Spray
If you need extra firm hold that doesn’t leave that
embarrassing flakey residue, this fast-drying spray contains volcanic ash
that fortifies the structure of hair. Framesi Lava Mist Hairspray,
$20, is a favorite of hair stylist Davin Testerman, who mists it all
over locks set in Velcro rollers for long-lasting beachy waves. “I
love that it’s lightweight and comb-able even though it’s high
hold,” he says. The formula provides UV protection and is ideal for
use with heat styling.
Highlight Helper
Face-framing highlights look beautiful when they’re fresh, but
are notorious for turning brassy and fading quickly. Celebrity
hair colorist Sharon Dorram keeps Nuance Salma Hayek
Healthy Shine Nourishing Oil, $10, on hand to protect and add
radiance to her highlights. A water lover, the oil proves essential
in her swim bag. “I apply before doing laps in the pool so that
the chemicals don’t penetrate my hair under a swim cap, and it
wards away that greenish cast,” says Dorram.
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The 10-Year Hair Dryer
With seemingly every new blow dryer purporting to be a
“professional” tool, New York City stylist and salon owner Eva
Scrivo says the Turbo Power Twin Turbo 3800 Ceramic Ionic
Dryer, $225, is the real industry standard. “It’s used by every top
salon in Manhattan. Nothing compares to the distribution of heat,
the shine it gives hair and the seven to 10 years it lasts,” she says.
After clients repeatedly asked to buy the dryer, Scrivo now sells
them, and says that the ergonomic design makes it easy for amateurs to handle, and will cut your typical drying time in half.
Dry Shampoo
Yes, we know that hair stylists are always obsessed with dry shampoo—and for good reason, since it helps us skip washing without
looking like yesterday’s lunch. But Judy McGuinness, senior stylist
at New York’s Mizu Salon, says Verb Dry Shampoo, $14, is her
must-have version because it’s a non-whitening powder with a nozzle that really gets in there to seriously sop up grease. “I use it at
night when I know I’m not going to wash in the morning, and it
saves me so much time since it absorbs all that extra scalp oil overnight,” she says.
Absorbent Towels
The first step to cutting down on drying and styling time is to make
sure your towels are pulling their weight. “I don’t care what kind of
hair you have, microfiber towels take out all the extra moisture, zap
frizz, and are only a couple bucks each—a total essential that will save
you time!” says stylist Angela Zweifel, owner of West Hartford’s
Sugar salon. Microfiber also dries quickly, is stain-resistant and won’t
shrink in the dryer like cotton does. Try Salon Care Long-Lasting Microfiber towels, $9 for a pack of 5.
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Full Hair Faker
Thirty percent of women experience thinning hair at some point
in their lives, and the emotional distress can be traumatizing.
Celebrity stylist Betsy Reyes turns to Toppik Hair Building Fibers, $25 each, for her clients at TV shows like “Saturday Night
Live” and “Entertainment Tonight.” “I use it to instantly thicken
the look of hair, to cover up roots between hair colorings, and as
an anti-shine under the glare of bright lights—this stuff saves
lives!” she says.
This writer’s aunt has used the product to disguise thinning and
gain confidence after breast cancer treatments, too.
Faster Drying Spray
Whether you blow-dry or air dry your hair, celeb stylist Stephen Salyers
swears by White Sands Porosity The Fix, $19, for quicker results. The
mist acts like concealer that “fills in” damage on strands, so that the
surface appears healthier and shinier, and it dries all around more
evenly. “Naturally drying hair can leave it looking frizzy, but this spray
allows hair to air dry smooth and silky,” says Salyers. The formula doubles as a detangler and heat protectant, too. OK, we’re totally sold.
Multi-Use Iron
Paul Mitchell has long been a salon
professional’s brand since its inception in 1980, but the brand debuted a
nifty new tool line this past year. Stylist and salon owner Kathleen Firth
of New York’s Raika Studio says the Neuro Smooth, $134, is her new
favorite flat iron since it both straightens and curls like a gem with
beveled titanium plates that prevent demarcation lines. You can program the temperature according to hair type for the least heat needed,
and it has an auto shut-off so you don’t have to worry all day that you
left it on while picturing your home going up in flames.
Fast French Twist
This no-fail trick to putting your hair up without a fuss is a
favorite
of Rhys, who always keeps a DCNL Black Diamond
Flamingo
Clip, $8, on hand for elegant emergencies. Simply gather your hair like
you’re going to make a ponytail, twist it around, and then roll the end
upwards to rest against your head. Finally, fasten the clip either horizontally or vertically to hold your hair in place, says Rhys. It’s certainly far more chic than our current plastic claw clip solution!
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Color Saver
“Most people don’t realize that hair is [like] fabric, and just like your favorite sweater that is exposed to sun and washing, it’s going to fade,”
says Doreen Guarneri, owner of The Look Spa Salon in Greenlawn,
New York. The stylist relies on American Culture Pure Blends Hydrating Color Depositing Shampoo, $10 each, which contains high pigment
semi-permanent color to replenish the wash-off that is lost while cleansing. The gentle sulfate and sodium chloride free formulas are safe for all
kinds of chemically treated hair, and come in a full range of shades.
Find the Best Haircut for Your Face Shape
Yes, you should consider your hair type and facial features when deciding on a hairstyle. But don't
forget another crucial factor: your face shape. Choosing a hairstyle that flatters it compliments
you from all angles. Three A-list stylists share their secrets on the best cuts and styles for everyone.
By Abbie Kozolchyk
FOR ROUND FACES: ASYMMETRICAL
"A round face looks really good with an uneven cut, meaning a mix of lengths,"
says hairstylist and Los Angeles salon owner Chris McMillan. (Emma Stone's is a
good example.) "If you add a deep side part and long, side-swept bangs, you'll
look slimmer." Use a light finishing cream, such as Ojon Animated Volumizing
Cream, to coax—and keep—bangs to the side.
FOR ROUND FACES: LONG LAYERS
"If you want to wear a center part, the way to make it work for a round face is to
have hair a few inches past your shoulders with layers that hit at the jaw," says
McMillan. "Ask your stylist to cut in a bit on the sides to
create subtle angles," as Kate Bosworth has. Prevent short layers from
frizzing, which can add bulk around your face, by smoothing on a silicone serum
like Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum.
FOR ROUND FACES: SLEEK PONYTAIL
An easy way to add definition is with a sleek ponytail secured at—or above—the
height of your ears, says hairstylist and New York and D.C. salon owner Ted
Gibson, like Fergie's here. The key? Keeping your hair smooth opposed to big and
bouncy, which can add bulk. Gibson recommends running a light lotion (try
HerCut The Ponytail Stying Lotion) on dry hair before pulling it back.
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FOR ROUND FACES: PIECEY BOB
The key to wearing hair above the shoulders is styling it imprecisely, says
hairsylist Jimmy Paul: "Think of Renée Zellweger when she has a bob. It's a soft,
layered cut worn intentionally mussed." Use a thickening spray like Samy Fat
Hair 0 Calories Thickening Spray and a round brush on damp hair "to add a bit
of movement and wave."
FOR ROUND FACES: DEFINED PIXIE
Try a pixie like Ginnifer Goodwin's, suggests Paul. "All those little pieces help
emphasize the cheekbones and eyes; it's almost as if you build in cheekbones
with this cut." Apply a pomade (we like Bumble and Bumble Sumotech) to
damp hair for definition and texture.
FOR ROUND FACES: ANGLED BOB
"Try long, dramatic layers that sweep along the chin,
and a shortening of the hair as you go back to the nape of the neck," says Paul.
"This cut gives you structure and angles. The hard lines of it balance out the soft
lines of a round face." Use a volumizing spray, such as Oscar Blandi Volume
Volumizing Spray, to add body at the roots for extra slimming, but be wary of
adding any at the sides—that can widen the face.
FOR OVAL FACES: BLUNT BANGS
"If your face tends to look long, cutting straight bangs across the brow line can
break up the length by creating the illusion of width," McMillan says. Keep
them blunt like Taylor Swift's, with one or two passes of a flatiron.
FOR OVAL FACES: CENTER PART
"A center part on hair that's shoulder-length or longer is nice against an oval
backdrop," says Gibson. To avoid looking too severe, add some soft waves,
like Hilary Duff's, with a beach-hair-mimicking spray like Fekkai Coiff
Oceanique Tousled Wave Spray. If you want a bit more texture, wrap
random sections around a large-barrel curling iron. "The effect is incredibly
romantic," he adds.
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FOR OVAL FACES: BOB WITH SIDE BANGS
"A collarbone-grazing bob with side-swept bangs helps break up a long face
and add softness," says McMillan. Carrie Underwood's fits the bill. Keep
bangs in place with a pea-size drop of light gel such as American Crew
Light Hold Styling Gel.
FOR OVAL FACES: EDGY SHORT CUT
"Though she has longer hair now, the iconic,
edgy short cut Rihanna had is perfect for oval
faces," says Paul. "It's definitely a 'notice me' look," he notes, so if you're
feeling daring, go for it. "There's something very sexy and feminine about
showing off your neck and ears with such hard lines." Use a medium-hold
gel (like Ulta Ultimate Styling Sculpting Medium Hold Gel) to make it
look piecey.
FOR SQUARE FACES: THINNED-OUT BOB
"A soft, tapered bob that hits right around the chin works beautifully on a square
face," says Gibson. To add texture like Keira Knightley has and offset any
severity at the jawline, mist on a dry shampoo spray (try Blow Faux Dry Dry
Shampoo), then flatiron the ends.
FOR SQUARE FACES: TOUSLED SHAG
Go for a shag with body, says Paul. Rachel McAdams's is a good example. Use
a styling cream such as Aveeno Nourish + Style Gel Cream to emphasize
layers and de-emphasize squareness.
FOR SQUARE FACES: WAVY ENDS
"Try waves from the ears down, which helps obscure any severity in the
jawline," says McMillan. Megan Fox's is a great example of this look on long
hair. Use a large round brush to smooth hair, then spritz on a wave spray like
Sally Hershberger Glam Waves Texture Spray
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FOR SQUARE FACES: LONG AND STRAIGHT
"The way Demi Moore wears her hair—really straight and long—softens square
angles," says McMillan. And the center part "opens up the middle of her face,
drawing attention away from the jawline."
FOR HEART FACES: BOUNCY BOB
For a heart-shaped face, "hair that hits right below the
jaw helps fill in the area around the chin, and
de-emphasizes the triangle," explains Gibson. To blur those lines even more,
add a bit of body, as Zoe Saldana has, with a round brush and volumizing
spray.
FOR HEART FACES: DEEP SIDE PART
With long hair, start with a clearly defined side part, then add side-swept bangs,
suggests Gibson: "The idea is to bring your eyes out."
FOR HEART FACES: LONG, LAYERED WAVES
"You want a few pieces of hair to fall in the area
between the ears and the nose to offset the width of the 'heart,' and you want
the longer layers to fill in around the chin," McMillan says. And any waviness
should be kept from the ears down, as it is on Jessica Biel here. "Fullness on
top only emphasizes the point at the bottom," he explains.
FOR HEART FACES: PIXIE WITH SIDE-SWEPT BANGS
"A pixie with soft side-swept bangs softens any hard features," says Paul. Carey
Mulligan is a classic. Finger-comb a light cream before going over hair with a
round brush and blow-dryer for smoothness.
22
Here Comes The Bride
September, a perfect month to be a bride. It can be warm, but not hot, it can be
cool and crisp, but not cold. The air is full of love.
The Most
Beautiful
Abby Lauren
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The Very Lovely
Alicia
The Gorgeous
Mellissa Lyn
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The Lovely Mother of the Bride
Carolyn and Daughter
Such a beautiful. Bride
Tammy Trueheart
The Lovely Carolyn
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The VeryLovely
Paula
Oh So Beautiful is
Dawn
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The Very
Lovely
Denese
DeMann
A Most Beautiful Gown For
Suzi Jet
The Lovely
Sabrina Austin
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A Very Lovely
Joan
A Stunning Bride is
Joanne
r es
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ll
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The Adventures of Judy Sometimes
Judy Daniels
The Host(ess)
For the most part I'm a pretty shy individual, its always been tough for me to be in front of a crowd.
In school I would become a nervous wreak when it came time to give reports in front of the class, I
would do anything to avoid it. During my 20+ year career working for the State of North Dakota I
occasionally would have to be in front of a group of my peers and somehow I always survived.
Sometimes I find it simply amazing that I was ever able to walk out my front door dressed
completely as a women. I guess my need to express my feminine self was strong enough it gave me
the courage to do what I needed to do to be happy. With that being said, I do my best not to draw
attention to myself by dressing in a fairly conservative manner as to blend in with women my own
age.
Obviously doing what we do doesn't always give us the anonymity we desire because of our physical
size or our inadequate presentation, but we do the best we can with what we have. I'm not sure if its
just by dumb luck that I normally don't have any problems while out or that its people just being
"Midwest Nice". I seem to have become much more comfortable being in the spot light the last few
years and almost enjoy being noticed...sort of. Around downtown Fargo I'm rather well known, I
mean, how could I not be, I'm virtually the only crossdresser in town...or so it seems anyway. If
nothing else, I'm at least the most visible one.
As most of you know I like to attend the weekly trivia contests at Specks, our group has been
regulars for a little over two years now. Along the way a few of the regulars have stepped up to the
plate and guest hosted trivia to give the staff a break from the weekly grind of coming up with
question. Nearly all my Sundress Thursday gals have hosted a least once and DeAnn the manager of
the bar has been hounding me to take a crack at it. Well, a couple weeks ago she caught me in a weak
(drunk) moment and I agreed to host on June 12th, which was last night. I spent the better part of last
Sunday afternoon coming up with 30 question, 10 questions for each of 3 rounds. My topic was
movies and I decided I would do 1 question each on some of my personal favorites. Coming up with
questions turned out to be fairly easy, just Google the name of the movie and most of the time you
had plenty of trivia or quizzes to choose from. The problem was sometimes you had to take the whole
25-30 question quiz to get the answers. Anyway, when I was through I felt I had a pretty good group
of questions and was confident my first hosting gig would go well.
Thursday finally came and I kept waiting for the nervousness to come, but it never did. All the way
up until trivia time I was calm as a cucumber. DeAnn started things off by explaining the rules as
usually and then introduced me and I received a round of applause and we were underway. The bar at
Specks is in a rectangle shape and for the most part every seat is taken so when you're inside the bar
reading question you are literally surrounded by trivia players on all sides. Well, it didn't take long
29
before they were like putty in my hands and I had them in stitches with my witty delivery of my
questions. I don't no where it come from, but the comedian in me just came out and I found myself
doing little impressions of characters in each movie and had everybody in the bar rolling in laughter.
Needless to say I was a big hit and DeAnn already has plans for me to host again. Oh and it didn't
hurt that we had about 50% more players than usual thanks to the posts I made on my Facebook page.
Yup...I think I may have just found my calling, lol.
Judy (I was born to entertain) sometimes
The Exploits Of Barbara Marie
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT
ABOUT HAVING A
PHOTO SHOOT??
BY
BARBARA MARIE DAVIDSON
Have you ever thought about having a photo shoot? Well, several months ago , I decided it was time as I
had thought about it for several years, but never did any thing about it. In June of this year, I approached
a lady that had been referred to me as she and a friend who was a photographer with the Savannah
Morning News were setting up a business to do photo shoots. They have picked a name – H & J
Enterprises/ Photo Shoots – for their business. Since they were just getting into the business, I got a
great deal for the shoot. She also gave me the option of her doing my makeup for the shoot or having a
friend of hers who was a makeup artist do my makeup . I decided to let her do it, as the makeup artist
would have been another +/- $50.00.
Before the day of the shoot it was decided that we would do it at my house. She came out about a week
before and looked a various rooms for possible backgrounds as well as both my front and back yards.
She also wanted to see some of my outfits and she chose four, three long dresses and one short dress that
she thought would work for the photo shoot. She wanted one half payment before or at the time of the
shoot and the other half when she delivered a CD with approximate 150 photos on it. Later she will
bring me a number of printed photos that have bee enhances, cropped and other wise edited for final
prints.
On the day of the shoot, they were to be at my house about 11 am but it was more like 1230 when they
got there. She immediately started on my makeup and hair while her partner, Jeffery, started setting up
his equipment. About 50 minutes later, she had finished my makeup and hair and I was putting on my
first of the four outfits she had chosen. This outfit was a long red dress with black trim and she had me
wearing a gold colored choker and earrings. We went out side in the back yard and shot the first series
of photos among the Trees with the limbs and greenery as the background. After several locations, it
was time for an outfit change as well as a change of location.
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This time it was a “orange” colored Vietnamese formal out fit with black
shoes and some of my jade jewelry. (Of note: a Vietnamese formal dress is a
two piece out fit consisting of a long dress slit up each leg to about mid hips
and a pair of off set color slacks.) First were some photos in my Library in
front of the bookcase and then the fireplace. From there we moved back out
side in a different location using the tree limbs and greenery as the backdrop
for the photos. Then it was to the front yard for a few more photos. By then
we were all hungry. Earlier in the day I had made some shrimp past (dip) and
used it to make sandwiches for us. Since Jeffery was allergic to seafood, I
made him a ham sandwich along with some potato chips and Sodas for all.
Digressing slightly, it is recipe time.. For the shrimp paste:
1 lb Peeled shrimp, cooked
1 1/2 blocks (12 oz cream cheese, softened)
4 heaping TBS Mayonnaise 2 tsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp Celery salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Several dashes of Worchester sauce ½ cup or one small onion, chopped 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Place the onion in food processor and puree. Add softened cream cheese, mayo, mustard, and blend
well. Then add the remaining ingredients and blend till smooth. Can use the shrimp paste as a dip or as
a spread for sandwiches or finger sandwiches. If to soft or “watery” can add a package of gelatin to the
mixture to firm it up.
After lunch, It was back to the photo shoot with a different outfit. This time it
was a short purple cocktail dress with my living room as the background for
the photos. Several were take in front of the baby grand piano followed by
several different poses on two of my antique sofas in my living room. Then it
was time for one more outfit change. This time, it was another multi-colored
long dress that I had actually bought to wear to my son’s wedding last year
only I did not go to the wedding. (When he was getting married, I was sitting
in my den having a double margarita and eating a low country boil that was
brought to me from the rehearsal party the night before. and watching a
movie.)
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I was about 530 pm (1730) when we finished the last set of photos. I think we
were all tired as it does take a lot out of you with the changes in outfits, getting
just the right poses and taking a number of photos of the same pose from
different angles just to get the right one. As they were leaving, Honor ( the girl)
said that she would have some photos ready for me to look at in about two
weeks. I was almost two weeks to the day she called and said she had a disc
with about 143 photos for me to look at. We looked at them together, and then
she said she would pick some of the better ones, crop and edit (touch up) as
necessary before presenting me with some printed copies. As she was leaving
she left me the DVD with the photos on it . I will say that this experience was
well worth the money I spent. So ladies if you are in the mood for some great
photos of your self, it is well worth the effort of find you self a good and reasonable photographer to do a photo shoot for you.
Barbara M Davidson
NURSE BARBARA SPEAKS
HER MIND!
By
Barbara Marie Davidson, RN (RET)
Well ladies, I was never very much of a sun worshiper when I was growing up. However; after I retired
about 6 years ago, I took a good look at myself and noted how “pale” I was thus I decided to do
something about it. SO, I started going to a tanning salon three times a week until I got a very nice all
over tan. Then I dropped it once a week to “maintain the tan”. Remembering that “men” whether one
is TG or TS over 50 should have their prostate checked at least once a year as well as a PSA (blood test).
Last fall, I had “skin/mole” check done while I was have my free Prostate (finger) check. My Prostate,
if any thing was “boggy”, no nodules and my PSA was lie 0.01 which was nil. (Most likely due to the
HRT I was on. However, I had a small raised place on my left cheek that the Physician Assistance was
concern about. A small biopsy was taken and the results were atypical tissue, which could have led to
small cancer on my face if left alone. Thus I have stopped the tanning all together.
Several weeks ago I was at the dermatologist office and while I was there, she did another “check” and
found an atypical looking mole on my forearm, which was biopisied. The results came back atypical that
could have led to a melanoma if left alone. It was totally removed this week. So Ladies what I am
saying is take advantage of the free Prostatic and Skin checks in your area. Since I have been full time
since 2008, I was dress en femme when I had my checks done. Whether one is dressed in their Bubba
Mode or En Femme take the time to look after your self. Between my Medicare and Tri Care for life I
have not had to pay anything out of pocket.
Remember this, also, for you ladies that are on or have been on HRT. If you are over the age of 50, you
might consider a routine mammogram as well especially if you have be on HRT for a while. However,
not being a genetic female, you may hope that you have extremely good insurance. Medicare will not
pay for it unless there is a documented problem (lump or drainage in a male breast). However, if you
32
are military, retired military, or eligible for the VA, then your problem is solved. The VA paid for mine
at my local hospital. A friend had been on HRT for about a year and developed Breast CA either the VA
or a military hospital did her surgery with a reconstruction and an augmentation on the other breast at the
same time.
Since the magical age seems to be 50 years, I mentioned this once before several years ago. It has been
statistically proven that regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, one should have a screening Colonoscopy when they reach age 50. If there is already a history of colon cancer, polyps, or other bowel
problems in one’s family, then that age drops to 45. Most colon cancers begin as a small polyp and it is
already proven that small polyps become big polyps and big polyps.. Many times the small polyp is
already pre cancerous and when caught early has the greatest prognosis for recovery. However, I gave
my self a birthday present for my 60th birthday . My post op diagnosis was “No Hits, No Runs, No
Errors, No Tics (diverticula), no Polyps, and no Cancer.” In other words normal as my doctor informed
me that I was good for 10 years. I went to Vietnam in December 2010 with a Vietnamese friend and got
constipated badly while I was there (usually it is the other way around). When I came home I had a
repeat Colonoscopy to see if there were any changers from my first one. My post Op Diagnosis was still
the same, so I am now good for another 10 years. Please remember, however, that blood in your stool is
not always from Hemorrhoids and that you should have a check up if you notice it as it could be a sign
of sinister things lurking in your colon such as ulcers, diverticula ulcerative colitis or worst.
Going along with the GI Checkup is an EGD or (EsophagealGastroDuodenoscopy) especially if one is
having difficulty swallowing (possible stricture) or burning in the lower esophagus (which could lead to
esophagitis and on to dysplasia (atypical lining of the esophagus) which could then lead on to bigger
things. Also, if one is having burning in their stomach which could be gastritis, which could then lead on
to an ulcer or worst. In my case I was having so difficulty swallowing some of my pills and had an EGD.
The doctor found an esophageal stricture and some mid gastritis but nothing else. The procedure was an
EGD with dilatation and biopsy. That was a year ago and no problems since.
Having worked the operating room for 45 years with 41 years as an RN as well as being the charge nurse
in Endoscopy for 14 of those 41 years, I felt that I should mentioned these things to everyone. Keep in
mind that doing some of the things mentioned above, could possibly save your life or that of a loved one
some day. Prevention is much better than the negative consequences for doing nothing.
Again, I say that race, sex, sexual orientation knows no boundaries as to your GI Tract. So Ladies, tae
care of your selves and your love ones and live a lone happy life together.
Barbara Marie
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Tasi’s Musings, September, 2014
Greetings from Merida
Perhaps the best know of Yucatecan handicrafts is the “hipiles” and “ternos”, the
traditional formal attire of the Mayan woman, locally known as “mestizas”. It’s a
process involving about 6 months of painstaking hand-made embroidering to
achieve the garment’s magical combination of colors that makes of each terno a
true masterpiece.
The term “terno” comes from the fact that these dresses consist of three pieces.
The first one, known as “jubon”, is a wide, flat, richly embroidered square
flounce that is attached to the neckline of the second piece, the hipil. The latter is
a white, knee-high square dress, with embroideries and a lace-trimmed hemline.
The third part, called “fustan”, is a long, straight waist-slip, which is worn under
the hipil and is also embroidered and lace-trimmed. All the embroideries are
done using a technique known as cross-stitch.
A terno is complemented by a special kind of Mexican shawl,
known as a “rebozo de Santa Maria”, after the village where they are
made. The color of the rebozo is chosen to match that of the terno’s
embroideries.
You will see the dresses worn by mostly older Mayan women as
everyday wear, but fancier versions are most often worn by dancers
and artisans at special events and are priced accordingly as they
could take up to six months to produce with the beautiful embroidery.
You will see many of these beautiful dresses in Merida and they are
available should you wish to make one your own.
I hope some of you will come join me at Magic in Merida next
February in Merida.
In the News
Helping transgender women change their voice. Erisis, a transgender woman, is trying out Eva, a mobile phone app that may be
the first of its kind. Transgender men and women who want to raise
or lower the pitch of their voice can go through a series of breathing
and pitch exercises designed to help with what can be the most
difficult characteristic to change — their voice.
“What I often hear is, ‘I pass as a woman until I open my mouth,’ ”
says Kathe Perez, a speech language pathologist who designed the
34
Eva app. Erisis, who writes a column called “Ask a Transwoman,” hears from many transgender women
and voice is a singular attribute that defines who we are.
Nondiscrimation Protection Guidelines Issued. The Department of Labor issued guidance Tuesday
stating that transgender federal employees and employees of federal contractors are covered under nondiscrimination protections that apply to sex. It follows an executive order President Obama issued earlier
this summer specifically extending employment protections based on sexual orientation and gender
identity.
Although not a transgender story, this is one amazing Mom. The teen
girl dress-code police have struck again. But when educators in North
Carolina sent high school senior Violet Burkhart home on the last day
of class over her outfit’s length, they probably didn’t expect the girl’s
mother, Amy Redwine, to come up with such a creative response. In
order to protest the school’s humiliating actions, Redwine decided to
wear the supposedly offensive dress to her daughter’s graduation.
But here is a transgender story about a Mom with a MtF transgender
daughter and it’s a real tear-jerker. Debi Jackson says, my daughter
knows she’s a girl, God knows she’s a girl, and “That’s Good Enough”
for me.
Most of us know Andrej Pujic, whose modeling as both a man and a woman
have made him famous.In 2011, Andrej Pejic was the breakout star in the
fashion world, turning heads as a male model who walked the womenswear
runway shows for powerhouse designers such as Marc Jacobs and Jean Paul
Gaultier. But on a recent July afternoon in New York City, a gold nameplate
necklace in script letter falls at just the right spot on the model's chest so that
any onlooker could clearly read "Andreja" and subtly understand the message
Pejic is now revealing to the world: The renowned androgynous model
underwent sex reassignment surgery earlier this year.
Books, Movies, and Television
John Wojtowicz is the man behind Dog Day Afternoon, which starred Al Pacino. He robbed a bank to
support his lovers sex-change operation. An incredible story, The Dog, is in theaters on August 15th.
Canada’s OUTtv is coming up with its first transgender series by ordering the single-camera comedy,
“The Switch,” to series. The show is led by YouTube star and transgender Julie Vu, an IT manager who
loses her job and home when she disclosed her real sexuality to the world. Find out more about “The
Switch” here.
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Fashion and Beauty
Sexy Has No Expiration Date. American Apparel posted a photo of their new lingerie ad starring 62year-old actress, Jacky O'Shaughnessy. The caption read: "Sexy has no expiration date." At the time,
Vogue reported it was her natural elegance that made her a perfect fit for the brand. Something to
remember when dressing yourself. Elegance sells and sexy elegance sells even more. Want to know
how, check out the Sister House Lookbook.
WHOWHATWEAR has a fascinating article on slit skirts-the new sexy. Check it out, then go to the
Lookbook and see both our short and long slit skirt versions. Another reason to have beautiful tanned
legs. You can read our earlietr article on slit skirts on TG Forum here.
So, you’re new to crossdressing, or you unfortunately purged and regretting are looking for a new
wardrobe. Or you just want to update your look. What then are some essential pieces that you need.
Aleigha tells us what. Want to guess?? Here they are:
Classic handbag
Black skirt
Black blazer
5 crazy scarves
Comfortable pumps
Dress shirt
And as an added bonus, there are some great styling
hints for you over 40 gals. Aleigha is always fun to
watch.
A Womans View on Being Sexy. I did an earlier piece published in TG Forum on Do You Think I’m
Sexy which talked to the crossdresser’s self image of sexy which is not necessary flattering. But
achieving that sexy look without wearing mini-skirts, double-D boobs, or skin tight clothing can be
achieved by following some of these practices from Cynthis Nellis at About.com.
Another way to look sexy is to take a cue from Scarlett Johansson and wear menswear. A tuxedo on
a woman -- either worn literally with a shirt and bowtie or with a feminine cami -- is super sexy.
Wear Red Lipstick
Pale lips may be trendy, but nothing does the job like red. This is my very favorite tip as nothing is quite
as striking as red lips. Use lipliner for a perfect appearance, choose a creamy matte in a red that best suits
your skin tone (blue-reds for darker skin tones; orangey hues for olive; true reds for blondes). Use a light
hand for the rest of the face because the lips should take center stage. Over 40, beware harsh reds
because they can look too stark on your mature skin.
Wear a Hat
Nothing attracts attention quite like a hat. First, it takes guts to wear one. Second, it takes panache to
36
carry it off. Combine the two qualities and you get major sex appeal. Stay with classic shapes -- the
fedora, the beret -- to make it easier to pull off. No one pulls off hats better than the British and Kate
Middleton has ushered in a new era for hats for women around the globe.
Accessorize with Shoulder-Duster Earrings
Skip every other piece of jewelry, pull your hair back and make sure your makeup stays soft. This look
goes great with bare shoulders and updos, too. Definitely an after-dark look. Long, bold earrings look
gorgeous with short hair and updos. Now I know crossdressers love their long hair, but nothing is quite
as glamorous as an updo. Here’s how to do one or have your hairstylist show you how. It’s worth the
effort.
Make It Metallic
Gold, silver, copper and pewter are especially luminous when you're going for vavoom. Look for simple
shapes (the story here is the fabric and color, not the line of the outfit) and tones that flatter your skin
color. Pass on major jewelry and makeup to let the metallics shine. You can even use metallics in your
makeup alone, by opting for shimmery eyeshadows (but be cautious if you are over a certain age) or
bronzers for a golden glow.
Adopt an Exotic Look
Harem pants, sarongs and embroidered items are all borrowed ethnic looks with tons of feminine charm.
The mandarin-collar dress (cheongsam) from China is flattering, chic and always intriguing. The idea is
richness and ornamentation to create an exotic, sexy look.
Wear Shades
Perhaps the single sexiest item you can own are a great pair of sunglasses. They add tons of mystery,
look cute even on top of your head and actually serve the practical purpose of protecting your eyes. And,
yes, you can wear them indoors when you want to make a major fashion statement.
Stay Soft with Touchable Fabrics
Forget everything you've ever heard about hardcore leathers or sparkly sequins being heat-inducing.
Cashmere, silky satin, buttery soft suedes are the real scene-stealers. Touchable fabrics not only invite
another's touch, they have the added bonus of feeling great against your skin so you feel pampered and
sexy.
Play Peekaboo
No need to bare your breasts, even with lace. Nude linings, camisoles and slips all keep you covered
while the lace itself stays really suggestive. Even lace trims add a sexy, alluring look to everything from
a simple jacket to a black skirt. Cutouts are another way to show slivers of sexy skin without baring it
all.
Humor
All that you need to know: A Man’s Guide to Women. You need to watch until the end.
This one is unbelievable, Ray Jessel with a surprise song
Special
A new survey on crossdressing which is worth your time from Jack Molay, founder of the
37
Crossdreamers site. It just takes a few minutes.
So until next month,
Hugs……Tasi
Keys to success in a TG relationship
(Author and Source unknown)
First and foremost. You have to learn to accept yourself and love yourself as you are. Then you can be
comfortable being accepted by others. A spirit of acceptance will go a long way for both partners.
Where you direct your energy is very important. Fight for Love and for the relationship and not just to
win the argument.
Communication skills.
Learn reflective listening skills to effectively communicate your needs. When your partner says
something paraphrase feedback before you answer to make sure they understand, you understand,
their point and question. Then give your answer.
Have realistic expectations.
Complete honesty with each other and get your TG story straight incase one of you have to explain
something the other will not be blindsided.
This one is often overlooked. Learn how to talk to each other without hurting their feelings. Show
respect and gratitude. Sometimes it’s not what you say but how you say it. Don’t say things with the
intention to hurt.
Negotiate to get everyone on the same page about children, relatives, finances, religion, sex,
boundaries, space, household chores, who should know and who should not and any other issues you
might have. DON’T make rules or promises that can’t or won’t be kept.
Don’t assume anything…have the conversation.
Fair fighting skills. Agree an arm touch is to say you are getting too worked up. So if one person is
getting to emotional you both agree an arm touch is an appropriate signal to calm down.
Avoid gunny sacking. Don’t save up problems for later. If you have an issue, put it on the table or drop
it. Don’t save it for months and then lay it on them when you are mad.
Describe behavior- Don’t label. It is important to not to label them or the behavior. It is okay to
describe the specific behavior you do not approve of. "I don’t like it when you ______" is better than
"you are a ______".
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Avoid button pushing. We all know our partner’s buttons…Don’t push them!
Avoid historical clubs. Don’t bring up the past. Deal with the here and now.
Manage time and place.
No breaking things or destroying property.
Avoid criticism. Do not attack a person’s character or personality or blame them.
Contempt. Don’t show contempt, do not abuse or insult.
Defensiveness. Don’t deny any responsibility – Making excuses, making arguments, saying not me.
Stonewalling Shutting down, turning away. Don’t just get mad and shut down and refuse to talk. It will
not help or solve anything.
Schedule checkups. How are you doing? Anything coming up, anything I should know about?
TG relationship killers are….
Capacity for judging
Capacity for negativity
Capacity for contempt
Capacity for distain
If your partner or someone else has these capacities it may be better not to tell them about CDing.
In closing. There are ups and downs in every marriage. There will be times when you feel negative,
judgmental, contemptuous or even disdainful and you will blame it on the other person’s personality or
habits or whatever you can find to blame it on. At times like this you have to think about the positive
things and do things as though you were in love. When things get bad in a marriage you have to suck it
up and fulfill your obligations.
Negativity can and will ruin your marriage. If you think you are anywhere near the babe or stud you
were when you first met or the wonderful partner they dream about, think again. It happens in all
marriages, we get bored, frustrated and resentful of the things in life so we put it all on our partner. If
our partner were different we would be happy. This kind of thinking is poison to a marriage and to your
happiness in general. Negativity, judging, contempt and distain should be banned from your marriage.
39
Humor
A TOUGH OLD CATTLEMAN FROM
JINDABYNE COUNSELLED HIS
GRANDDAUGHTER THAT IF SHE WANTED
TO LIVE A LONG LIFE, THE SECRET WAS
TO SPRINKLE A PINCH OF GUN POWDER ON
HER OATMEAL EVERY MORNING.
THE GRANDDAUGHTER DID THIS
RELIGIOUSLY UNTIL THE AGE OF 103,
WHEN SHE DIED.
SHE LEFT BEHIND 14 CHILDREN, 30 GRANDCHILDREN, 45 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, 25
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN,
AND A 40-METRE HOLE WHERE THE
CREMATORIUM USED TO BE.
40
Angels In The Centerfold
Denise DeMann
Joanne
41
Mellissalynn’s Tips & Tricks
Wow. Girls, summer is over. School’s back in session for the kids, the leaves are starting to turn colors,
and pretty soon we’re going to be done with our sundresses and sandals for the year. I hope you all
enjoyed your summer as much as I did! This was an incredibly busy one for me.
The annual Decatur Celebration was held in August. Decatur Celebration is an annual three-day street
fair held here in wonderful central Illinois. We have a carnival and a bunch of street vendors selling
stuff and most importantly to me, musical acts! We always have a few bigger-name performers, and this
year was no exception. The headlining act was Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. I saw seventeen different
acts in a three-day period! I also ate some great food, spent more money than I probably should have,
and overall had a wonderful time.
A couple of weeks after Celebration, my Tri-Ess group went to the
Illinois State Fair. Well, actually, three of us went; most of the
group had other things going on that night. We had a BLAST! We
ate, we did the midway, where I won this fellow, we bought some
stuff, and generally had fun being accepted as three women at the
state fair.
Some bad stuff happened to me this month also, though. My van
was rear-ended, and the insurance company declared it a loss due to
age. The good news is, I get to keep the van AND I get the money
for it. So it isn’t a total loss. I’ve already picked up another van for
the amount I’ll be receiving.
My youngest son dislocated his knee again, the third time in three
years. I had the unhappy experience of listening to him screaming in
pain again; this is a sound I’d happily never hear again. We have an
appointment with a specialist soon to see what can be done to stop
this from happening any more.
Tell me how your month was! I love hearing from my readers. The
address is the same as it ever was, [email protected].
Send me your stories, your pictures, your ideas, your tips, your
tricks, and your comments; I love to hear them all.
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Let’s start by talking about BB creams. A BB cream, sometimes also called a beauty balm, con pull
multiple duties in your makeup arsenal. It can be a sunscreen, a concealer, a foundation, and a primer,
all in one. They can be expensive, though; I just bought a BB cream for use in my salon that cost me
$65! Well, lean in, ladies, because Mellissa has a little secret recipe for you to use to make your own
homemade BB cream.
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Here is what you’ll need:
1 teaspoon of liquid or cream foundation (your color, of course!)
1 teaspoon of moisturizer, preferably with SPF
½ teaspoon of a skin-brightening, anti-aging, or blemish-busting serum
½ teaspoon of a primer
A small, reclosable jar
A bowl
Stir the ingredients together in the bowl until fully blended, then transfer them to the jar. If you want a
little more coverage, you can add a few drops of foundation. If you’d like it to be a bit more sheer, add a
little more moisturizer. To use, take just a bit (about the size of a pea) and apply to the center of your
face, blending outward.
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Did the summer leave you with a tan line that you might not want to be visible? Here’s a fast trick to
conceal it! Apply a cream bronzer to the pale area, blending it in. Apply a small amount of translucent
powder over the top. The lines appear to have vanished!
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Here’s a nifty trick for penciling in your eyebrows. Take a spoon and hold it up to your brow, putting
the tip near the inside corner. Trace the spoon’s rim to get that perfect curve!
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So you’re in a rush, but your hair is a mess. Here’s a stylist’s secret: the top layers are what is usually
visible! Concentrate on those areas, and you’ll have a good-looking hairdo in half the time.
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I was in the grocery store the other day, and there was a lady directly behind me who was utterly
gorgeous! The only flaw in her look was the clumps of mascara in her lashes. Ladies, here’s an easy
way to avoid having that look. Before you apply your mascara, take a piece of tissue or a paper towel
and roll your wand over it. This will remove the clumps and give you a nice, even layer to give up those
beautiful lashes.
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I have an issue with moisture on my lips. My lips dry easily, especially when wearing lipstick. This will
often cause my lipstick to develop a crease. I found this tip in an old beauty books from the 1990s!
Take a small bit of eye cream and rub it over your lips. Let your lips absorb it, apply your lipstick as
usual. This works! My lips stay moist and supple, and my lipstick looks much better for it.
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One of the biggest things clients ask me for when doing their hair is volume. No one wants her hair to
be flat and limp! Here are a couple of ways to give your hair (or wig) some lift.
One of the easiest ways to get volume is to flip your hair while you’re drying it. I do this a lot with my
hair. Basically, as you dry your hair, flip your head and let your hair hang upside down. Gravity does
the work for you, even with fine hair.
Another trick is to use a dry shampoo spray, preferably a clear one. The trick here is to mist it directly at
the roots of your hair, then style as usual. The shampoo will cause the hair to plump a bit at the roots,
causing it to bulk up.
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I live near Decatur, Illinois, the soybean capital of the world. As such, I see bizarre uses for soy
products all the time. Well, this isn’t a bizarre use, but it’s a good one. This is a quickie recipe for making a soymilk body scrub. You’ll need:
½ cup of plain soy milk
½ cup of olive oil
¼ cup of honey
1 cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of coarsely ground oats
Put the oats and sugar in a bowl and mix them well. Add in the soy milk, honey, and olive oil. Mix
well.
In the shower, scoop this mixture onto your skin. Massage it in using circular motions for about two
minutes, then rinse well. Pat dry as always. This will brighten dull skin, get rid of flaky patches of dry
skin, and hydrate your body.
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One of the most annoying things in the world to me is to buy a pack of makeup wipes and have to throw
half the pack away because they’ve dried out. It’s infuriating! To avoid this from happening, store your
wipes upside down. This will help distribute the moisture through the package when you got use them
again.
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Angie, a reader from San Diego, wrote me and asked this question. “Mellissa, my nail polishes are
sealed shut! How can I get them to not dry themselves closed?” she writes. Well, Angie, I’m going to
share two tips here, one to unseal the bottle and one to prevent it from happening again.
A trick I’ve found for unsealing a bottle of nail polish is, I take a small amount of polish remover on a Q
-tip or a cotton ball. I turn the polish upside down and run the cotton around the bottom of the cap. The
polish remover will seep into the threads and loosen the cap.
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To prevent the polish from doing this again, here’s what I do
with my polishes, both at home and in the salon. After I’m
finished, I wipe the threads with a bit of polish remover on a
cotton ball to clean any excess. I then take a small amount of
petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) and apply it to the threads.
This will keep any excess polish from drying on the threads
and sealing up the bottle. I hope this helps!
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Here’s a neat idea for doing your lips that seems to work.
Instead of doing your liner, then lipstick, reverse it! Apply
your lipstick first, then apply a liner in the same color along
the edge. This will make your lips look more crisp, and also
will give the illusion of width and plumpness.
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When your hair has some shine to it, your skin will look
more radiant. Your hair will shine naturally if you add some
fish and nuts to your diet. These foods will kick up the
production of the fatty acids that give your scalp the natural shine-inducing oils.
To add shine more quickly, use a silicone spray to mist some shine into your hair. This works especially
well if you flat-iron your hair immediately afterward. The silicone will reflect a great amount of light!
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The other day at school, one of the girls was using an eyelash curler. This
upset me, because she was using it incorrectly. Not only was she using it on
her lashes after having already applied her mascara, she wasn’t opening it
fully before trying to remove it from her lashes!
Ladies, when using a lash curler, you should always do sot before applying
your mascara. You contaminate the curler with your mascara otherwise, and
basically create a breeding ground for germs. The eye isn’t an area you want
to be playing around with germs!
Secondly, when using a curler, you don’t want to squeeze too hard on the
lashes. You want to apply a gentle, firm pressure, but not so much that you put a crease in the lashes.
This can lead to breakage, and no one wants that! And please, make sure the curler is fully opened
before you try pulling it away from your eye. This can be painful otherwise…
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Time is short, but your nails need some love! Here’s a fast way to help revive a polish or give natural
nails a shine. Rub a little bit of olive oil over each nail! This not only gives your nails a shine that looks
like a top coat, it’s good for your cuticles as well. This can even cause your nails to grow more rapidly!
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One of my ladies came into the salon the other day and, while I was working on her, asked me if it
looked like her hair was thinning out. I told her that I didn’t’ see any sign of this, and asked her why she
was worried. She told me that she knew this ran in her family, and she was fighting it off as hard as she
could. She asked me if I knew anything that could her lp her in her struggle. I asked her what kind of
hair brush she was using, and recommended to her that she use a natural bristle brush. This brush will
massage the scalp as the hair is brushed, which causes the circulation to increase. More blood means
more nourishment to the hair follicles, which means, of course, more growth!
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Just because summer is over doesn’t mean to lay off the sunscreen, ladies! Keep applying that stuff and
stop the nasty free radicals from attacking your skin.
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And that, dear readers, brings us to
the end of another month’s tips and
tricks! Next month is October, and
we all know what that means…time
for dressing up in our favorite costumes and having fun! I’m going to
delve into my cosplay (cosplay is a
fancy word for wearing costumes)
tips and tricks for next month’s
column so be sure to stay tuned.
If you have any cosplaying ideas or
tips or tricks you want to share with
me so I can pass them on, feel free
to write! The address is the same
from the beginning of the article:
[email protected] . I
really would like to hear from you.
In the meantime, the ladies here in
the US enjoy your Labor Day
weekend, and everyone else, I hope
you have a great month!
46
Panties in a Bunch: Lingerie Throughout History
We're stripping down to the details.
By Liana Satenstein
1. Linen Undies, 3000 B.C.
Undergarments in Ancient Egypt remind me of
America in the 1960s or a beach in the south of
France: no bra required. Servants wore loin
clothes with no tops (like the ones pictured
above), while higher-ranking ladies, like
Cleopatra, had the luxury of covering up with
full-length tunics.
2. The Organ Pulverizer, 1890s.
The corset, aka the über-bra from hell, came to
popularity during the 16th and 17th centuries in
France. The corset pictured here is from the
Victorian era (c. 1890s) dubbed the "Wasp
Waist." Confused why? It was supposed to cinch
the waist and make your bosom bloom like a
wasp's. Notable Facts: These corsets were so
tight they often caused miscarriages, deformed
the organs, and morphed the ribs. Oh, the price
of beauty.
3. Androgynous Silk Sacks, 1920s.
No more freakishly squeezed waists or jumbled
organs here (nice, liberation!). Like the fashion of the 1920s, clothes as well
undergarments became more boyish and less constraining. Modeled after
bloomers, the fabrics were looser, more comfortable, and took on a flapper look.
4. The Wonder Years, 1990s.
The WonderBra was a revolutionary creation, or every late bloomer's savior in high
school and beyond, because of its amazing push up abilities. In 1994, WonderBra
featured a billboard advertisement with the buxom supermodel Eva Herzigova
coyly holding her bra straps. The ad was so sultry, it was thought to have created
car accidents.
5. The Best Secrets, 2013.
Scratch boring bras and undergarments hailing from the school of minimalism, the
'00s were all about glamorizing your panties. For example, take the bejeweled
bodices on leggy demigoddesses, like this $10 million dollar Fantasy Bra by
Victoria's Secret worn by supermodel Candice Swanepoel. Nicknamed "The Royal,"
the bra contained over 2,400 precious gems including rubies and sapphires.
47
6 Things You Didn't Know About Your Bra
By Dinsa Sachan |
Your bra’s sole purpose in life is to support you and lift you
up—kind of like a best friend for your breasts. But women
don’t always choose their bras as carefully as their friends.
“A lot of women don’t take the time to find their right fit,” says
Ashley Kelsch, founder and bra stylist of online luxury lingerie
store, Teddies for Bettys. In fact, a May 2005 worldwide study
by lingerie manufacturer Wacoal found that eight out of 10
women are wearing a bra that’s the wrong size. “If you’re
going to wear the wrong size bra,” Kelsch says, “it will not be
able to provide the necessary lift to your boobs. They will sag
due to gravity's effect.”
Talk about a downer. Want tips on finding the perfect fit? Get
them here. In the meantime, find out more fascinating facts
about this wardrobe essential.
Certain bra sizes are interchangeable.
After trying on bras you discover you’re a size 34D in one brand and a 36C in another—what gives?
Let’s set the record straight. “Bra cup size is a very subjective measurement to begin with,” says William
Bruno, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. “There is no standardization of cup sizes
among bra manufacturers.” For example, different brands may define a "C" cup differently. “Because of
this, women may wear a certain size from one place and feel this is the same size they should wear when
shopping at all stores,” says Bruno. Rather than getting stuck on wearing a particular size, Bruno
recommends focusing on finding the bra fit that works best for your bust. “It could be a ‘C’ at Victoria's
Secret and a ‘B’ at their local department store,” he says.
Support doesn’t come from the straps.
Many women think bra straps provide most of the breast support. In truth, it’s the band that does the
heavy lifting. “Our engineer found that almost 90 percent of the support comes from the band and not
the shoulder straps,” says Lisa Zaccario, store manager at the Paramus, New Jersey location of Intimacy,
which has boutiques throughout the U.S. that offer professional bra fittings and designer bras. “Most
women will have better posture when wearing the proper-size bra because if the back band is loose, the
weight of the breasts is shifted to the shoulder strap.” This can pull the body forward and cause you to
slouch, especially if you have a full bust.
“The straps provide a little extra lift,” says Dawn Kenney, lingerie brand Wacoal’s national consultant
manager. “But if the bra fits properly, you should be able to slide your straps off your shoulder and not
see any loss of support.”
Underwire bras don’t cause cancer.
Chances are, you’ve gotten that scary viral email warning about underwire bras putting you at risk for
cancer. “This is a myth that many believe,” says Jené Luciani, author of “The Bra Book: The Fashion
Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra.” "The theory is that if the underwire bra is very tight and it’s riding
up on your breast a bit and digging in, it would put pressure on your lymphatic system, causing it to not
function properly. And that would give rise to a tumor. But medical science does not support this
48
theory."
According to Breastcancer.org, a non-profit education organization: “There is no scientific evidence to
support these rumors. Only one scientific study has looked at the link between wearing a bra and breast
cancer. There was no real difference in risk between women who wore a bra and women who didn't wear
a bra.”
It’s OK to sleep in a bra.
If you feel more comfortable tucking your girls into a bra at night, go for it. In fact, if you’re busty,
you’re better off not leaving them to the mercy of gravity, even overnight. Allen Gabriel, M.D., associate
professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda,
Calif., says, "Wearing a bra to bed has benefits for women with large breasts or implants. It won't
prevent sagging, but can possibly delay it in women over size B/C."
Just make sure that you’re going to bed in a bra that doesn’t have underwire and is not too tight.
“Restrictive bras, especially those with underwire, can be harmful if the wire sits tight on skin and
pinches it,” says Gabriel. “This can develop into a blister or a wound and even a long-term scar.”
Your bra size can and likely will change.
Your body is changing constantly, and so is your bra size. Here’s a shocker: “Bra size can change three
to six times a year,” notes Zaccario. “So we ask our guests to stop by the store at least every six months
to see if they’re wearing the proper size.” Your bra size can vary due to many factors, including weight
gain or loss, medication, especially if it contains hormones, or menstruation. “In women going through
menopause, breasts can enlarge and can grow up to two cup sizes,” explains Zaccario.
Your bra has an expiration date.
Even your bra needs a day off. Zaccario notes that the same bra should not be worn two days in a row.
“The elastic should have at least one day off in between wearings,” she says. “This prevents the band
from stretching out too quickly.” Zaccario also recommends washing bras with a lingerie-safe detergent
in cold water.
Unlike diamonds, bras aren’t forever. If you have at least three bras in your wardrobe—and really, you
should have at least that in rotation—expect your bra to last about a year to a year and a half. “The best
advice is when you are wearing your bra on the tightest hook for more than three to four weeks, the bra
has reached the end of its supportive life,” adds Zaccario. Bra funeral not required.
49
The Slit Skirt – Sexy and Sophisticated in
All Lengths
Tasi Zuriack
Crossdressers have great legs so what better way to display them then a slit skirt that creates
both a ladylike and an alluring look at the same time. Think of it like wearing a miniskirt,” said
fashion director Anne Keane. “I mean, those skirts are totally sexy! You have to go with
something somewhat demure up top like, a T-shirt with a crewneck or a button-down.”
Slit skirts are sexy in all lengths
Executive fashion director Alexis Bryan Morgan agreed vehemently: “No sex going on, above or
below! And definitely tuck in the shirt—you want to see your waist.”
Not only are these skirts perfect for a night out, thanks to their curve-hugging, silky fabrics,
but the lightweight canvas versions work for more casual looks, too. Plus, the lace-up detailing
allows you to show off just the right amount of skin (in the most flattering place) for any occasion! Versatile because the thigh-slit skirts can be by taken from day to night with the switch
of a jacket or top and adjusting the lacing to show more or less leg.
A few years ago Angelina Jolie flashed her leg at the Oscars in her remarkable red carpet gown
and dresses with slits became immediately trendy with shoppers who wanted to show some
skin.
The truth is that slit dresses and skirts are a classic, especially for formal looks. While the thigh
-high slits may resonate on the red carpet, in real life you can get lots of bang for your fashion
buck by trying a small slit.
Not only are slits sexy, they are flattering: older women can wear slits to carry off longer skirts
and dresses without looking matronly. And shorter women can use the strong vertical element
of the slit to make themselves look taller and leaner.
50
The trick to wearing a slit is to make sure you are showing off only what you want to show off
(the last thing you want is a wardrobe malfunction.)
Well maybe. I admit to loving the 50s and 60s look and remember a woman with a rear slit
pencil skirt with just a peek of a lacy red slip showing. It was super sexy.
Here’s how to wear a slit skirt or dress:
See this skirt and more at the
Sister House Lookbook
See this skirt and more at the Sister House Lookbook
• Leave thigh-high slits to the celebrities. All you really need to do is suggest a little skin,
not expose it all. It’s the idea of the slit that makes it sexy — just a small can be a sexy style
addition.
• Check your Spanx. The last thing you want to show when you sit down is the leg of your
foundation wear, so make sure that any body-shaping gear is well out of range of the slit.
• Wear hose or tights. If you’re not comfortable going bare with a slit, don’t shy away from
hosiery — especially sheer black pantyhose which are chic again — to give you a bit more
coverage than bare legs.
• Go long. Love the look of long skirts and dresses but don’t love the fact that all that fabric
makes you look bulky? Try a longer silhouette with a slit for a simple fashion fix.
• Stitch it up. A too-high slit is an easy fix; simply stitch it up a bit for more coverage.
• Go easy on the rest of the look. Things can easily get out of hand when you add a
voluminous top, bulky accessories, elaborate lace-up shoes or any other distracting fashion.
51
Let the slit take center stage and tone down the rest of your look. A simple top and jewelry
that doesn’t distract work (the slit is the statement here.)
• You don’t need perfect legs. Since you won’t (hopefully) thrust your entire leg out of your
dresses with slits (like Angelina Jolie does), only a bit of leg will peek out until you sit down,
and even then you can cross your legs so the slit is on the bottom and less leg shows. This is
one time when bronzer and spot-on sleekness count because you may be showing lots of leg.
• Consider a Statement Shoe. We love a flat sandal with stones or studs to add an
unexpected edge. If flats aren’t your thing and you need a little height, try a wedge of some
sort–perhaps a cork bottom to add interest? A higher heel will make your legs look longer with
the slit. Ankle details (ankle boots, wrap ankle) also work really well with the slit and add to
the look. Other options that would work: wedges with animal-print details, color-blocked straps
or something with a touch of metallic that gives your look a burst of shine.
• Don’t take it to work. Unless it’s a really small/modest slit, this is one look (like sheer tops
or too-short skirts) that’s best worn during your time off. If you do dare the slit skirt for work
(and honesty, it’s a great look for a pencil skirt) pair it with a very conservative top to balance
the sexiness.
Now a special add-on feature since I have your attention. Many of you celebrate the many
PRIDE events around the country during the warm weather months. We have put together this
special outfit that you can wear to PRIDE or any event to celebrate LGBT diversity and it shows
the world that you are indeed a classy woman.
Radiate your “rainbow” at any diversity
event
All our outfits are in the Sister House
Lookbook with interactive pictures to
make buying easy for you.
All arrangements are by “Evgeniya”
exclusively for Sister House
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The Top 5 Bra Styles Every Crossdresser and MTF Transgender Woman
Should Own
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 .
With so many bra options to choose from, it’s no wonder so many crossdressers
and TG women get confused and wear a bra that’s the wrong size or style.
In my last post, I discussed how to find your correct bra size. Now I’ll show you
how to select the ideal bra STYLE.
Keep reading to discover the top 5 bra styles every crossdresser and transgender
woman should own:
1. Front closure bra
Front closure bras have a clasp in the front of the bra
instead of the back. These bras tend to have wider set
cups – making them ideal for girls with broad rib cages
and/or widely spaced breasts.
2. Convertible bra
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Once of the biggest complaints I hear from crossdressers and TG women is that
most bras have straps that aren’t long enough for them.
Convertible bras offers a perfect solution. Convertible bras have removable straps
that can be worn in different ways – including crisscrossed. Because of this, they
have longer straps than regular bras.
3. Balconette bra
Balconette bras have cups that are cut horizontally
across the bust. This is a beautiful cup style that’s
particularly flattering to wide rib cages and/or wide
set breasts.
Most balconette bras are padded, so they’re also
great for giving “the girls” some extra oomph.
4. Wireless bra
Underwire bras offer maximum support, so they’re
ideal if you wear breast forms. However, they can
be hard to fit if you have a wide chest.
Consider wearing a wireless bra instead. Wireless
bras have a more forgiving fit, so they’re much
more comfortable.
If you want to wear a soft cup bra with breast forms, look for a pocketed bra or
attach the breast forms to your chest with tape or adhesive.
5. Adhesive bra
Adhesive bras are a backless, strapless bra style
that’s attached to the breasts with adhesive.
These bras are fabulous for creating cleavage, so
they’re a must for your femme wardrobe. (Click
here to learn more about how to create cleavage
with an adhesive bra.)
Obviously, you don’t need to limit yourself to these 5 bra styles, but they’re a
great place to start.
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Robin Williams: In Memoriam
bY: Mellissa Lynn
On August 11, 2014, we lost a great comic, actor, and individual. That person, of course, was Robin
Williams. In the days since, we’ve learned that he was suffering from depression, as well as the
beginning onset of Parkinson’s disease. Sympathies and best wishes go out to his family and close
friends. The world is a smaller, sadder place for his departure.
We in the TG community should have special reason to mourn Mr. Williams’ passing. In more than one
film, Mr. Williams, either in his own role or while interacting with others who were presenting in a
transgendered fashion, showed the TG character in a positive light. In Hollywood, this isn’t something
that happens often.
In one of his earliest films, The World
According To Garp, one of the main
characters is a TS woman named Roberta
Muldoon, portrayed sympathetically and
well by John Lithgow. Mr. Lithgow has
portrayed other TG characters, but never
as well as in this movie. Although not as
fully presented as in the John Irving
novel, the character is quite believable as
a post-operative woman. Here’s a short
clip from the film:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/mv-y2NkK/the_world_according_to_garp_film_roberta_muldoon/ .
Robin Williams himself, of course, played a
crossdressing man in Mrs. Doubtfire. This
was in many ways the typical Hollywood
comedy where the man cross-dresses for any
other reason that just to enjoy being a
woman. Mr. Williams put some effort into
his portrayal, though, and that’s one of the
reasons why the movie works. While he
doesn’t in any way make an attractive
woman, in the end, he does come off as a
believable one. The ending of the movie, in
particular, is quite positive.
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Another movie that Mr. Williams was
in that dealt with being transgendered
was The Birdcage. This was the
American remake of the French film La
Cage aux Folles. The movie also
starred Nathan Lane as Mr. Williams’
partner, who ends up portraying a
woman in order to help their adopted
son. The movie is a comedy, but Mr.
Lane’s character, again, is played
sympathetically, if a bit over the top.
While this is a small portion of Mr. Williams’ filmography, all of these films were notable performances
by brilliant actors, and were all positive portrayals toward the TG community. I wonder what films Mr.
Williams had left in him to give us? We’ll never know. A legend has been lost, and our lives are poorer
for it.
Las Vegas TransPride
November 19th-23rd.
The Center
501 N. Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas Nv.
Five Days of Events to Bring: Pride, Awareness, Remembrance,
Celebration, Support, To the Transgender Community and Allies.
For Information Contact
[email protected]
Web http://lasvegastranspride.org
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The Gossip Fence
Transgender In The News
Google+ kills off “real names” policy
Google has decided to reverse its long-standing policy requiring users to use their real names to make profiles on the service
as of Tuesday, according to a post shared on the official account. The move comes after Google+ head Vic Gundotra
suddenly departed in April, marking the beginning of a shift for the service.
"When we launched Google+ over three years ago, we had a lot of restrictions on what name you could use on your profile,"
the post begins. As time went on, that rule softened to allow "established" pseudonyms and let YouTube users to bring their
usernames over from the service.
Google+ has been criticized not only for preventing users from protecting their real identities, but causing confusion among
them. In January, one transgender woman tried to send a text message to a colleague but sent a Hangout from her Google+
profile instead, outing her.
"We know that our names policy has been unclear, and this has led to some unnecessarily difficult experiences for some of
our users," the post continues. "For this we apologize, and we hope that today's change is a step toward making Google+ the
welcoming and inclusive place that we want it to be."
Equality Michigan Petitions Michfest to End Exclusionary Policy
Equality Michigan launched a petition urging organizers of the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival to put an end to their
'Womyn Born Womyn' intention on Monday. The rule, which festival organizers insist is not an official policy, has been
described by many as transphobic.
"[W]e reject the premise that transgender women are lesser than, we reject that this belief is a tenant of feminism, and we will
no longer respect the 'intention' or that 'leaving the onus on each individual to choose whether or how to respect it' equates to
inclusion," Equality Michigan wrote in a blog post. Later, the organization calls upon lesbian, gay, and bisexual people to
"stand up, even if it is to our own, and make it clear that transgender women deserve to be treated as women in all settings,"
and adding, "The time has come, we are drawing a line in the sand, this 'intention' can no longer stand."
The petition calls for an end to the "womyn born womyn" intention, for festival cofounder Lisa Vogel to meet with leaders in
the transgender community, for vendors and workshop leaders to publicly voice support for an end to the policy, and for
artists and attendees to boycott the festival and instead perform at and support trans-inclusive women's events. Additionally,
the petition calls on performers already committed to this year's festival to denounce the current policy from the stage, and
commit to not participating in future years.
Ill. warns insurers about discriminating against transgender people
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The state of Illinois has cautioned insurers about discriminating against transgender people. The Illinois Department of Insurance bulletin issued to insurers this week details nondiscrimination provisions in the federal Affordable Care Act along with Illinois laws.
Backers say the move was prompted by concerns for transgender people’s rights, a focus for some LGBT rights advocates
after Illinois legalized same-sex marriage this year. Several other states including Oregon, California, Massachusetts and
Vermont have recently issued similar statements to insurers.
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The guidance reminds insurers that both excluding and denying coverage based on a person’s gender identity are illegal.
Maryland Eliminates Trans Healthcare Exclusions
FreeState Legal, the legal advocacy organization working on behalf of low-income LGBTQ Marylanders, announced Tuesday
that the state of Maryland, in response to the threat of a lawsuit, has changed its employee health care policy to provide
insurance coverage for medically necessary care for transgender state employees.
The gender dysphoria benefit provides coverage for medically necessary transition-related care, including hormone
replacement therapy and certain surgical procedures. The standard established for what constitutes medically necessary care
closely tracks the “Standards of Care” issued by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the
leading international authority on health care for transgender people. The benefit is effective immediately, and applies to all
participants in the State Employee & Retiree Health & Welfare Benefits Programs, including the spouses and dependents of
current employees or retirees.
The policy change makes Maryland the fourth state in the nation to provide nondiscriminatory health coverage to transgender
state employees, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE).
See How Changing Your Gender In Alaska Is As Easy As Counting To Three
Alaska Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell, a Republican candidate in the state’s upcoming U.S. Senate race, recently received praise
from a group not often solicited by members of his party. The Alaska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union issued a
press release celebrating his decision to allow citizens to pick whichever gender they wish when applying for a driver’s
license.
According to the new rule, any Alaskan – without surgery – may choose whichever gender he or she wishes. Mittman and
Treadwell apparently agree that extending this courtesy to the transgender community is worth any potential abuse and
confusion that may result. “All Alaskans must be able to obtain a driver’s license that accurately reflects their gender and
avoids disclosure of sensitive personal information unrelated to their ability to safely drive a motor vehicle,” Mittman
asserted. “The government should never needlessly intrude into mandating specific medical procedures.”
The requirement as it previously existed, however, did not mandate any surgery in order to receive a driver’s license.
Canada: Trans memorial in Barbara Hall Park washed away and resurrected
Before the ribbon was even cut, the newly renamed Barbara Hall Park near Church and Wellesley was the centre of\
controversy last month when city staff washed away a chalk memorial to fallen members of the trans community.
But hours later, chalk in hand, the community flooded back to the empty brick wall, then just a faint outline of the original
memorial, and recreated the colourful mural. Lit from above by rainbow lights, the memorial — still going strong more than
three weeks later — features a large white transgender symbol surrounded by the names of friends murdered or lost to
suicide.
This time, there are new words scrawled at the bottom in bold capital letters: “YOU WILL NOT ERASE US.”
Now, the community has been promised a permanent memorial by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (see Kristyn Wong-Tam’s
policard), Milloy adds.
The erasure was an honest mistake by city staff just doing their job, says Wong-Tam, who apologized to members of the
community at the unveiling of the park’s new name on July 16.
Transgender Violence Escalates in 2014 in US
The past several months have left many in the transgender community struggling for answers as multiple murders and violent
assaults have been perpetrated throughout the United States. The level of violence has notibly increased in 2014 and more
reports continue to come into the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal ranging from harassment to murder. Since May
2014, the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal has reviewed numerous incidents of murder, violence and harassment against
transgender people:
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• Tiffany Edwards was murdered in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Kandi Hall was murdered in Maryland
• Zoraida Reyes was found in a suspicious death behind the Dar Queen in Anaheim, California
• Yaz’min Shancez was found murdered in Fort Meyers, Florida
• A Transgender teen is being held in an adult prison without any charges against her
• Two bomb threats against the Pride Parade LA 2014 in Los Angeles for showing transgender films
• A transwoman was violently beaten in Indiana
• A transwoman was attacked and her wings broken in Seattle Pride 2014
• A transwoman violently attacked with transphobic slurs by two women in Seattle, Washington
• A transwoman was attacked at a California Pride event- the person who assaulted her then went on camera to glorify his
assault against her
• A homeless transwoman was brutally attacked in Atlanta, Georgia
• Two transwomen brutally assaulted on a MARTA train in Atlanta, Georgia
• Two transwoman were ordered to remove makeup to gain their drivers licenses in South Carolina
• A transwoman was harassed going to a bathroom in Minnesota
* information can be viewed on these attacks within the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal by registering for an account
and querying our extensive data repository.
In all of these attacks, no gender identity hate crime charges have been pursued against any of the perpetrators or
suspects. Although some investigations have very quickly apprehended the suspected perpetrators, investigators and
prosecutors are still not willing to press the hate crimes statute. Often, law enforcement appear to not be able to identify the
differences between sexual orientation and gender identity. This confusion leads to no hate crime charges being levied and
suspects able to not be prosecuted for transphobic crimes against transgender people.
Most incidents still go unreported to police or the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal. Each and every day, a transgender
person suffers oppression, violence and harassment due to their gender identity. Recent statistics for 2014 by the TVTP
indicates that a transgender person is reported murdered every 38 hours. It should be noted that only 6% of the world is
reporting in currently to the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal and the number of UNREPORTED murders, violence and
harassment are much higher.
The Transgender Violence Tracking Portal collects data on anti-trans* violence in order to protect the transgender community
and help us be better-informed advocates for change.
Transgender* people make up 1 to 1.5% of the world’s population but about 400 times more likely to be assaulted or murdered than the rest of the population. These crimes are more likely to be violent, and are often meant to intimidate the entire
community. Many of these crimes are left unsolved, which makes it doubly important to track and hold law enforcement
accountable to solving these crimes.
How do I report an incident?
Is it a hyperlink or webpage? http://data.transviolencetracker.com/submit_link Simply copy and paste the link and let us
know. More detailed report of a personal attack? http://data.transviolencetracker.com/Inc_Reporting
Opponents of Houston equal rights ordinance fail to qualify for ballot
HOUSTON — Opponents of Houston’s LGBT-inclusive Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) fell short of qualifying for a ballot
referendum, Mayor Annise Parker announced Monday afternoon. The petition needed at least 17,269 valid signatures from
registered Houston voters to put a repeal of the ordinance before voters in November. City Attorney David Feldman said Monday
the number of valid signatures submitted for the petition came to only 15,247.
The group behind the repeal effort submitted more than 5,000 petition pages last month containing approximately 31,000 signatures.
But Feldman said his staff had found many invalid pages, most notably because some of the circulators who collected signatures
were not qualified Houston voters, as required by law. In such cases, all the signatures the circulator gathered would be void,
Feldman said.
Supporters, including Parker, said the measure is about offering protections at the local level against all forms of discrimination in
housing, employment and services provided by private businesses such as hotels and restaurants. Opponents, however, say the
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ordinance is an intrusion on their rights, and that they do not want the LGBT “lifestyle” to be imposed on their communities.
Parker said she “fully expects” opponents to take legal action challenging the city’s findings, and will delay implementation of the
ordinance for now. “I’m confident that the courts will agree with the strict interpretation of the rules set out in the charter for the
requirements and that the courts will protect the integrity of our petition process,” she said.
Why We Don’t Know the Size of the Transgender Population
In 2001, Kerith Conron was working on LGBT issues in Boston’s health department. She discovered that homeless transgender
people were sleeping on benches because the shelters, which were segregated by gender, didn’t know what to do with them. As
a result, transgender people weren’t included in the city’s assessment of who needed shelter. But counting the transgender
population nationally remains a steep challenge. The U.S. Census Bureau doesn’t ask who is transgender, 1 nor do the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. But even if they did, the responses might not be reliable because some people are afraid to
answer, while others disagree on what “transgender” even means. If you see someone cite a statistic about transgender people in
the United States, you’re seeing a rough estimate at best.
Gary Gates is an LGBT demographer at the University of California Los Angeles School of Law’s Williams Institute, which
studies sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. He is responsible for one of the most frequently cited
estimates of the transgender population — 700,000, about 0.3 percent of U.S. adults. That figure is based on data from two
surveys. One, conducted in Massachusetts in 2007 and 2009, found that 0.5 percent of respondents ages 18 to 64 identified as
transgender. The other, done in California in 2003 to look at trends in LGBT tobacco use, found that 0.1 percent of adults in
California identified as transgender. Using the surveys to get to the 0.3 percent estimate “takes a lot of statistical gymnastics,”
Gates said.
He acknowledged his estimate has “substantial limitations,” adding that the only way to do better is to use nationwide surveys.
Gates has spent most of his career trying to convince survey writers to better include LGBT Americans in their research. Major
breakthroughs have been made. In 2013, after years of consultation, the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey included a
section on sexual orientation. As a result, nationally representative data is available for the first time on lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans — but asking questions on gender identity is still a long way off. That’s partly because there is disagreement
about what it means to be transgender, and because of some people’s reluctance to identify themselves that way.
The National Transgender Discrimination Survey, conducted in 2011 by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, sheds light on why some people resist the transgender label. By reaching out to online
trans forums and community organizations, the survey collected data from 6,450 individuals with a multiplicity of trans identities. Seventy-one percent said they hid their gender or gender transition to avoid discrimination and 57 percent said they were
delaying their gender transition for the same reason.
Discrimination doesn’t just produce a reluctance to be counted; it can also create an institutional reluctance to count transgender
people. Some survey writers are concerned that questions about gender identity won’t be received well by respondents.
Given the challenges of going beyond the “male/female” survey option, it’s easy to see why it’s tempting to shelve the
transgender question. But leaving a minority group uncounted isn’t acceptable to Gates — he described it as “demographic
malpractice.” Having seen the hard-fought gains on sexual orientation statistics, though, he has hope that gender identity will
make it into mainstream surveys.
“It’s going to be a long time until we have better data,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough battle … but it’s a worthy cause.”
Transgender Healthcare Barriers In Kentucky
Jayden Thai is currently conducting a research project under the supervision of Dr. Stephanie Budge as part of their
doctoral program, collaborating with Kentucky Health Justice Network. The aim of this project is assess the healthcare
access and barriers of transgender individuals in Kentucky (including but not limited to people who identify as
transgender male/transman, transgender female/transwoman, genderqueer, stealth, binary, non-binary).
To qualify for the study, participants must identify as transgender, have sought/received healthcare services in Kentucky,
and are over the age of 18. Participation involves completing an online questionnaire that will take approximately 10-15
minutes to complete.
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The information collected may or may not benefit you directly; however, you will have the opportunity to reflect on
experiences with accessing healthcare. Some people may find this to be helpful. Additionally, the information learned in
this study may be helpful to others in understanding how transgender individuals access healthcare in Kentucky. This
could lead to important applications in public health services and social justice advocacy.
It is important that the research reflects the wide range of identities and experiences of those who have sought/received
healthcare in Kentucky, so it is strongly encouraged that the participation of individuals who are often left out of other
studies, e.g., those who live stealth and people with non-binary identities.
If you are interested in being a part of this study, you can complete the questionnaire at the below link.
http://surveymonkey.com/s/kytranshealth
If you have any questions, please contact Jayden Thai, [email protected].
AMA Votes on Transgender Rights
The AMA House of Delegates approved a report by its Board of Trustees that supports the right of transgender individuals to
change the designation of their sex on their birth certificate without requiring sex-reassignment surgery.
The vote by the delegates at the AMA’s annual policymaking meeting in Chicago last month attracted publicity in lay publications. Many states require sex-reassignment surgery in order to change the designation on a birth certificate.
Awesome Campaign Reminds Boys That They're Free To Wear Pink
From an early age, kids are often told pink is a "girl" color while blue is for boys, perpetuating the idea that only girls can
wear pink clothing. In 2012 a photo of a young boy wearing pink shoes caused an Internet firestorm, simply because he was a
boy wearing pink shoes. But now, gender stereotypes, beware. A new social media initiative is working to show support for
kids who choose to wear the rosy color, regardless of their gender.
This new campaign is the brainchild of Martine Zoer, founder of Quirkie Kids -- a Kickstarter-funded line of pink tees for
both boys and girls. Zoer successfully raised enough money to fund Quirkie Kids back in March, and now she's using the
brand to further promote her message of acceptance and individual expression through social media.
To join the online movement, all you have to do is repost this image of a boy wearing a pink shirt or post a picture of your
own child "expressing themselves through their clothing," along with the hashtag #freetowearpink, on your social media.
Gender identity not a choice: University of Alberta professor
University of Alberta professor and Director of the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies & Services, Dr Kristopher Wells asked why
anyone would want to choose an identity that would result in a lifetime of discrimination harassment and violence.
“These young people who feel ashamed or who face stigmatization or discrimination because of who they are. For transgender
people their identity is not a choice, the choice to live a full, authentic, rich life is the choice” he said. Wells said studies show these
young people are more likely to turn to drugs, alcohol and suicide.
But he said there is progress with people of all ages are coming out and the internet is one of the reasons why, as they can now find
communities that accept them as one of their own.
“Having language being able to name one’s reality is critically important and that’s why we see children coming out at younger and
younger ages” Wells said, “That’s why we see families changing and supporting these children to be loved, ultimately this is what
all about”.
N.Z.: 4 in 100 secondary students say they are transgender or not sure: survey
A University of Auckland survey of more than 8000 New Zealand secondary school students finds 96 of them say they are
transgender. Another 202 students (2.5 per cent) have reported being not sure about their gender, the survey finds.
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The 8166 randomly selected students aged from 12 years answered the anonymous, 608-question survey on handheld internet tablets
in 2012. The study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health (2014;15 January online).
The majority, 7731 (94.7 per cent), reported being non-transgender, and 137 (1.7 per cent) did not understand the question.
Students put into one of four categories
Students were first asked “what sex are you?” and their age in years. They were then asked the question: “Do you think you are
transgender? This is a girl who feels like she should have been a boy, or a boy who feels like he should have been a girl?”
Based on responses to the transgender question, students were categorised as either non-transgender, transgender, not sure, or didn’t
understand the question.
ADVISORY ALERT: LGBT Killer On Loose In Metro Detroit
DETROIT - Detroit police are looking for a murder suspect in Metro Detroit. So far there have been three victims, however,
two of them survived. All three were shot in the same area of Metro Detroit, Palmer Park, known for being a red-light district.
The person shot and killed on Aug. 15 appears to be a transgender woman, but police have not released an official statement.
Police say that the shooting appeared to be a hate crime, according to WXYZ.
Local media including ABC Channel 7 and The Detroit News both report the story, misgendering all victims.
If you have any information regarding the suspect or any of the murder victims please call the Detroit Police Dept. at
313-596-1200.
Oregon Medicaid to cover gender reassignment, other treatments for transgender patients
PORTLAND, Oregon — Oregon's Medicaid program will soon pay for gender reassignment surgery, hormone therapy and
other treatments for transgender patients, becoming the third state besides the District of Columbia to extend coverage to
gender dysphoria treatments, officials announced. Oregon joins California, Vermont and Washington, D.C., in covering
gender dysphoria treatments under Medicaid, Askini said.
A panel of health experts added the condition to the list of treatments covered by the Oregon Health Plan, the state's version
of Medicaid, which provides publicly funded health coverage for nearly 1 million people.
The coverage for gender dysphoria, previously known as gender identity disorder, is set to begin Jan. 1. The Oregon Health
Authority still must formally change its rules to eliminate a prohibition against covering gender reassignment surgery — a
process that's has already started and will involve a public comment period, said Karynn Fish, an agency spokeswoman.
Oregon insurance regulators in 2012 ordered private insurance companies to cover treatments for gender dysphoria. A lawsuit
forced the state to cover treatments for public employees.
With Medicaid patients gaining coverage, the last segment of Oregon's health insurance market not required to cover gender
dysphoria treatments is the Oregon Educators Benefit Board, which covers school district employees, Askini said.
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