Cosmo Girl?

I have mentioned a couple times here in Cyrsti's Condo about how I was tricked into receiving a deeply discounted subscription to Cosmopolitan Magazine. What happened was when I was buying clothes one day, I was offered a "free" subscription. Of course, nothing is free and the subscription turned out to be only five issues which would automatically renew unless I followed a convoluted set of instructions to cancel it.

Amazingly though, I found plenty to interest me in a publication targeted mainly to "female identifying persons." Even more impressive is I found that definition in the editor's comments. For some reason my subconscious is tuned into anything remotely related to transgender issues when I read (or even scan) another article or post.

Elle Rose

Later on in the issue (May) I found out why the editor singled out "female identifying persons" for her mini editorial. It turns out Dove is running an advertising campaign called "#Show Us - beauty isn't binary" because 70 percent of women don't feel represented in media and advertising. Further more, model and trans activist Elle Rose of South Africa was featured in the ad.

#Show Us issued this statement March 28:The lack of true representation in the media of women of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and identities is glaringly obvious. ... Dove has undertaken a survey of women which found that 70 percent of them still do not feel represented in the media and advertising.

All of this takes me back to the photo album I was asked to pose for a year or so ago here in Cincinnati. 

It's about time we transgender women are included in the main stream media. As the Cosmo editor wrote so well, we are all "female identifying persons."

Cosmo Girl?

As I have mentioned previously here in Cyrsti's Condo, I have become a regular reader of "Cosmopolitan Magazine." Of all places, I started to read it in my waiting rooms at the Veteran's Administration. I started out as a skeptic, wondering what in the world I have in common with all these impossibly skinny and beautiful young women...but not all as you can see in the picture.

Along the way though, I found all these wonderful articles on what women feel, mostly about the world of men. I even found an article celebrating the virtues of dating a transgender man!

Every now and then too, I read a reaffirming article on makeup. For example, I found out I was applying my blush the correct way. Over a fresh coat of foundation.  I never felt there was any other way all these years. Even though I don't consider myself anywhere close to the cutting edge in makeup application, I seem to find an idea or two in every issue.

FYI...a whole years subscription to Cosmo costs me less than fourteen dollars.

A small price to pay to give me yet another look at what I have missed in the world of cis-women.

I need all the help I can get!

Laverne Cox

From the LGBTQ Nation:

"Laverne Cox is making magazine cover history yet again.

Cox, who appeared on the cover of Time in 2014, is the first transgender woman to appear on the cover of Cosmopolitan.

The trans actress and activist graces the cover of Cosmopolitan South Africa, which has been given an LGBTQ makeover for a special “Say Yes To Love” issue.

Inside the covers of the magazine, readers will find a handwritten note from Cox."

Now, how about an issue from the U.S?

Reportively, understanding and support from the state side population has declined for the LGBT community, and we need the most positive feedback we can get from transgender women such as Laverne Cox.

I have to say, with the current attacks on us by the administration in Washington, a decline in support is no surprise. Yet, I still see trans acquaintances I know still support t-Rump. Sad. 

Parenting 101

Recently I found this little tid bit of huge parenting advice passed along by a transgender server Liv Hnilicka in Minnesota to a little girl. From Cosmopolitan:

In the post,(Hnilicka) describes the interaction,"which involved the dad coming up to her and saying, "My daughter just asked if you were a boy or a girl. I didn't want to speak for you so would you like to talk to her?"

Hnilicka then went over to the table and told the little girl that she liked her hair ribbon and answered her question with, "I heard you asked if I was a boy or girl. I think the important thing to remember is that everyone can be anything they want to be in this world. And it's also important to try to be the best selves we can be for our family and friends. And even to strangers. So to answer your question, I was told that I was a boy when I was little and now I live my adult life as a girl. It sounds complicated but it's actually pretty simple. Do you have any questions for me?" 

The little girl then smiled at her and said, "Nope!" 

Hnilicka went on to write: she wanted to post the story publicly for a multitude of reasons, one of which was that it was very different from the types of interactions she usually has with strangers. 
"Just this morning I was waiting for the bus and this man walked by me and kept smiling at me and then finally said, 'Cut that faggoty shit out.' And I'm like, 'I'm just in the world; I'm just waiting for the bus. It doesn't have to be this big conflict.' So yeah, this interaction was so out of the ordinary that I felt like I needed to run to the mountain top and shout it to the world. Clearly it's resonated with people.

YES!!!

Cosmo Missed One!

Cosmopolitan came up with this top ten list of the "Top 10 Lies Men Tell Women" because:
The average dude fabricates something six times a day-that's twice as often as women-and with #LiesMenTellWomen trending on Twitter right now, some dudes are being called out.
All the normal ones are on it like "I'm stuck in traffic" and "This will be my last beer."
The one they missed?
"I just tried on your clothes once honey. I hated it and will never do it again!"