Laverne Cox and the Politics of Trans Beauty

From the Daily Beast, a lengthy post about Trans is Beautiful becoming more than just a hash tag:

"In 2015, transgender actress Laverne Cox told the world that “trans is beautiful.” Two years later, there’s proof of that everywhere you look.

Carmen Carrera

Take just the past 30 days, for instance: Transgender model Carmen Carrera walked the runway at Chromat’s New York Fashion Week show, YouTube star and fashion icon Gigi Gorgeous released a new documentary, and Cox has been rocking the awards-show red carpet—as well as the press circuit for her new CBS drama Doubt—in an array of stunning dresses and gowns, like the remarkable one-shoulder chain-link get-up that she wore to the Grammys.

But wait, there’s more: French Vogue announced its first transgender cover model Valentina Sampaio, model Anjali Lama became the first transgender woman to model at India’s Lakmé Fashion Week, and teenage transgender TV star Jazz Jennings got her very own doll sporting a white beret and a tiered tulle skirt.

And there is so much more! Go here.

It's How you Carry Yourself that Counts!

I know a ton of transgender and even cis women who would die to look like many of the gorgeous trans women or even drag queens they see, but for most of us, it just won't be in the cards-in this life anyway.

In the meantime, a great alternative to being presentation obsessed is being attitude  obsessed. Not that you shouldn't always try to put your best foot forward as a trans woman (even if in heels or tennis shoes), the proper attitude can take you a long way. Let's check in with Connie:

(Recently) " I was approached, separately, by a trans man and a trans woman. Both of them were just beginning their respective transitions, and I can only guess that they felt the need to approach me because I looked as though I could be some sort of mentor to them. Although I was dressed for the work I was doing (jeans and T shirt), I do think I was presenting well. More than that, though, I think my confidence level just shows (maybe even via an aura?). Whatever it is, it has to be the same thing that either draws someone in or leads to the "scowl". 

As I've said many times before, my FFS is a Fast & Friendly Smile, and I will give one to anyone who makes eye contact with me. If I get a scowl in return, it's not my problem, but their's. In the two cases mentioned above, had I been dressed up in a dress and heels, I may not have seemed so approachable, but I still would have smiled!

No matter how dressed up a trans woman is, the one thing she should not forget to wear is a smile on her face! :-)"

The "smile" accessory was one of the earliest additions to presenting I learned when I started to navigate the feminine world. I faced (no pun intended) the fact that most of the world would "read" me but I was able to "disarm" them with a smile of my own.

If a person is predetermined not to like a transgender women, be a bitchy one to make sure they never will!

Gigi Goes Gaga Over a Girl

From People Celebrity:

After coming out as gay male in her teens and later as a transgender female, Gigi Lazzarato thought she was done coming out.

But that all changed when the YouTube sensation known as Gigi Gorgeous, 24, met model and activist Natalia “Nats” Getty, also 24, last February.

“It’s crazy how life takes you on these roads that you’d never expect,” Lazzarato says in the current issue of PEOPLE of coming out as a lesbian to her 2.4 million YouTube channel subscribers in September. “I never thought I’d fall for a girl. But I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Gigi and "Nats"

Keeping A Breast of the Situation

Today, I'm following up on a post we did yesterday here in Cyrsti's Condo which discussed breast size obsessions in cross dressers and transgender women. To be fair, genetic women are right there too, with the amount of "boob jobs" being done these days.  My brother's daughter in law got one a year or so ago.

Yesterday, as I was updating my insurance on the car I just bought, the 40 something woman behind the counter was a picture perfect ideal of how a woman her age could look.  She was wearing a low cut top of some sort which showed enough cleavage to make her whole outfit seem "interesting" but far from sleazy. Perhaps she was showing off her new breasts?

From Google + yesterday I received this comment from Michelle Hart (no relation-I don't think) :

"It's amazing just how fixated some CD's get with having breasts that are way too big for their body structure. I know that some do it to try and make others believe that they are ultra feminine while others do it for the shock value. Most trans women will be told by their doctors to have breasts that will actuate their bodies but it is up to the individual as to what size they will want to be."

Thanks Michelle!  Here is my simple formula I came up with when I was sleeping through geometry:  "Guys like big Boobs.  If I become my "own girl" I want to have big boobs too.  Then more guys will look at me too." (You see now why I flunked geometry!)

I have used the beautiful Gigi Gorgeous above who is publicizing her new breasts along with the pronounce- ment she wanted them bigger, but the doctor couldn't do it.

Finally, where I think many cross dressers, transgender or genetic women miss the breast boat is...there is a breast size which fits your body size properly.   For example, on a torso such as mine, to naturally "fill out" fashions I would need to grow from my current "C" to a "D" cup.  As HRT was working it's magic, I still had to add to my cup size as I went along.  Now I'm to the point of having a "little help".  Plus, let's not forget the plethora of push up bra's on the market.  "Back in the day" I too resorted to the painful taping you see on many cross dressing pictures.  My problem was (on top of the discomfort) was the more time I spent out in the world, the more the tape began to "slip" and I was back to zero again.



What the world sees as "feminine" certainly is defined by breasts to a large extent.  The woman yesterday was defining hers to an extent but her hair was done, she was dressed office casual too.  Most cross dressers I see make an effort of missing the overall point of where they are trying to get to.  Unless of course, their goal is a big boob shot on line.

Cyrsti's Condo "Trans Woman of the Day."

A week or so ago we mentioned a "surprise" transgender beauty's appearance on Project Runway All Stars.  The show brought together a group of popular/established fashion bloggers from around the world and Gigi's Gorgeous New's Network blog made the cut!

During the show, Gigi proved she was much more than a pretty face as she owned the runway to the delight I'm sure, to transgender women around the world.

I have followed her YouTube videos for quite awhile and was particularly impressed when she came out as transgender and the work she has done which included her sister. (Thanks to many of you who pointed her video's out too!!! You are the best!)

In the -10(F) degree weather around the Condo, Gigi's work is certainly a thawing influence.  She is just another example of how bright the future can be for transgender men and women everywhere.

Of course you can follow the link above to her Blog.