Showing posts with label Mandy Sherman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mandy Sherman. Show all posts

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Euphoria

As we cross the transgender frontier, so often we encounter the "one step forward, two steps back" phenomenon.

Of course, the euphoria comes when we seem to build momentum and keep moving forward. My latest success came today at a coffee shop Liz and I go to occasionally. The young woman at the counter (not the barista) kept complimenting me on how nice my new hair style looked. I was walking on cloud nine for the next hour of so until we got back home.

If you follow any of the same blogs I do (or Connie, here) you will understand the concept of gender freedom, or euphoria. Stana, Mandy Sherman and Paula Goodwin come to mind. All of their blogs can be accessed on my blog list. At one point of time or another, each has written about their successful forays transitioning into their non birth (but desired) gender.

Being selfish, I feel as if any step forward is/was earned the hard way through more error than trial. I remember quite well, the days of being stared at (at the best) or snickered at (at the worst).

I have made myself a solemn promise I will never take any of my steps forward as being "more trans than thou." It's incredibly bad karma. After all, I too (like Connie) have the big wrists, which at one point in time were good for swinging a baseball bat. Plus, I am stuck with a big boned larger body.

So, I will take my positive strides when I can get them and I hope you can too.

Saturday, June 10, 2017

I "Doesn't" Know It!

I was reading with interest Mandy Sherman's  latest blog post concerning her spouse and clothing Mandy wanted to wear. More specifically, a pair of white sandals. I'm paraphrasing now, but Mandy's wife all of a sudden was against her wearing the sandals which in the past had met and passed inspection. Obviously, Mandy was a bit confused.

I guess, no matter how far we transgender women journey to play in the women's sandbox, we still never come to the understanding of how a cis woman's thought processes work.

I face the same things with my partner Liz, and finally come up with I have a 50/50 chance of being wrong (which I am a lot!)

In my case, trying to get away without wearing a bra comes to the top of the list. It's like passing inspection from Mom on the way out the door with the best passive aggressive remark being, "You aren't really thinking about wearing that, are you?" I'm to the point now, I immediately turn around and pick something else to wear.

And then there is the "no comment" remark which is even worse. I ask her about my hair or clothes and hear nothing in return. So normally, I force her hand and go my merry (or not so) merry way because I know deep down I will hear about it later.

I believe the whole issue with most transgender women and/or cross dressers is we never had the in depth "training" cis-girls grow up with. In fact, I am more than a little envious I never had the chance to learn from an early age what it was like to grow up in the girl's sandbox. My feeling is, cis-girls are more affected by the mean girls before they form their own cliques to survive.

As I was Mtf transitioning one of my biggest lessons was, never totally trust a cis-woman's smile because often it hides a knife behind the back. As time has passed though, I have become quite adept at dodging most blows, or at the least, not letting them bother me.

Cis- women too I feel, use the changing of the mind to throw shadows which they learn at an early age. Flip the gender and wonder what it would be like to be growing up as a girl around brothers and figuring out ways to survive.  Hey! Changing my mind will and did confuse them.

But since I did not benefit from growing up as a cis-girl, I can say I don't understand it. But then again, I can change my mind and say I do and Mandy good luck with those white sandals!


Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Kristin Beck Part II

We received several comments concerning Kristin Beck's run for office in Maryland. One is from our resident Cyrsti's  Condo MODERATE Republican Pat who wrote: "Regardless of your reason for supporting Kristin Beck keep in mind that her positions of the major issues are rock solid and supportable. Also keep in mind that Steny Hoyer has had a strangle hold on that seat for over 3 decades and all he has done is spend and push a socialist agenda. Lets support Kristin and lets hope she can beat Hoyer and finally bring some sense of freedom to the long suffering people of that district.
Pat

And: (from Mandy Sherman) : Unfortunately I can't vote for her because I don't live in her Congressional District. But I certainly wish her all the best and hope that she succeeds beyond her wildest dreams! We need some good Congressional representation...

Go Kristin!
Hugs,
Mandy








Kristin Beck

Thanks to both of you and obviously I don't live close enough to Kristin's district to help (except sending a few shekels her way.) Hopefully you can too!  https://www.gofundme.com/beck4congress

Pat, you will be happy to know that for once we agree! Politicians (all of them) should have term limits. For all the blather we hear out of Washington, none of them can seem to work together to get anything done.

Finally, I have two thoughts. I know you are thinking only two??

Who would you rather have speaking at all for the rest of the transgender world, goof ball Jenner or Kristin? (Rumors are already swirling of a possible cancellation of "I am Cait," 

And at what point does Kristin get tired (probably already is) of having the trans and Navy Seal tags slapped on her? 

Of course I can't say. I only know it's comforting to have her (Kristin) as an example rather than you know who.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Me and You and A Post Named Boob?

It's bad when I have hit a writers block on my second book and Cyrsti's Condo at the same time. I would suppose you could call my morning "blocked"

On the other hand, I rely on some of you to help me unblock my noggin and you did it again this morning when you considered the physical (rather than financial) pain of beard removal. To catch you up, due to my age, I must go the electrolysis route versus laser, which will only work on dark colors of beard. (Not gray)

"Paula Goodwin commented:
It's the top lip that hurts most!
And 
Being retired, I'm in that boat with you - gray beard (laser being ineffective) and likely never being able to afford electrolysis. Regrettably I didn't have laser on my beard area (like I did for my arms and legs when they weren't gray yet.)

I had some test spots done on my side-burn area and upper lip with electrolysis back in the day...and the pain - even with numbing cream - was awful. And this from someone who had a root canal done without Novocaine years ago. The pain made it an easy decision...

I guess that's what razor blades and MAC makeup are for..
And:
So very Happy for you,must feel very fulfilling at long last :)"

Mandy @ Paula, OUCH! 
Shelle, thanks :)

Here are my choices going forward it seems. Finally the long term financial prospect tunnel I'm looking at doesn't seem to have a train coming at me and I might be able to afford Electro and/or breast surgery this year. Right now I think I would opt for the latter. Mandy is right (about shaving and Mac makeup) although I hate it. Plus I never really know when my estrogen ingestion is going to be a problem with the Doc's. I know "the Big E" does not have everything to do with breast size but it does with over all feeling for me.

At the least, life is not boring!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Don't You Love it When a Plan Comes Together?

When I have the time, I browse other blogs I have linked up here with. Recently Mandy Sherman and Paula Goodwin wrote about experiences which jogged my noggin. Specifically, Paula was writing about an experience she had with a "leaking boob" and Mandy about her experiences traveling as a woman on vacation. Of course, like many of you-been there-done it. Some of the experiences were extremely humorous-some close to tragic.

Bottom line is presenting as a woman is a labor intensive activity. I clearly remember the days when I was cross dressing a couple days a week. It seemed each time I would almost put the whole deal together until I was out for awhile and my panty hose started to slide down my hips, my heels became instruments of torture, my bra hurt too and I am not going to even mention my wig and makeup!

Slowly and all too surely I learned the basics of blending, comfort and style. I was mostly too stubborn with blending as I thought it was some sort of "right of passage" to wear a dress and heels where I was the only woman doing so. Of course, dressing for comfort such as women do brought me a much better enjoyment in the clothes I was wearing. (And not be a slob!) Ironically style has always seemed to come to me easily. Perhaps it's because of all the years I spent observing women of all shapes, ages and sizes.

Then, the more I transitioned and began HRT, a whole new plan emerged. One which involved attitude over appearance as a major factor. More on all of that coming up in a later Cyrsti's Condo post...stay tuned kids!

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Cyrsti's Condo "Yesterday's Coffee"

Lots to get to from our Condo "mail slot!"

Mandy Sherman returned from yet another trip and checked back in and commented (on Alana's picture and the post "Going Commando"):
Have been out of town visiting our son (wish I could have been wearing a skirt) and just got back, so I can get caught up on prior posts. Gee, thanks so much for the mention, Cyrsti! I really appreciate it! And Alana, you look great! Keep up the good work!
Mandy

Then, of course Connie chimed in with her "ain't that special" brand of Pacific Northwest humor on my "kitchen based beauty help":  
Olive oil? So, you've gone past cross dressing and on to salad dressing? You already were full of vinegar, anyway.

Good point! This week some have thought I was full of a "little too much vinegar" concerning my comments about Indiana hiding behind religious freedom to LGBT discriminate.
From my responses I was even called a hater. You can follow all the comments back and forth in the archived posts. Be forewarned though, I do get passionate and I could have pulled out my old musty history degree but didn't to make myriad points. But-understand-until you have walked a mile in my shoes, experienced what I have experienced (including military service)- only then you can comment on my passion.

I will get to all of that in my next post!







Monday, March 30, 2015

Going Commando?

Interesting title right? In many circles the phrase defines a person who is wearing no underwear. Sort of like more than a few of the generics you see in the summer and wonder exactly what are they wearing under that sun dress?  Now that I got your attention, this post has nothing to do with any of that.

Instead, after my Google+ friend Alana sent me this picture, I thought it was an incredible time to connect a couple Mtf gender transition thoughts. First of all, I commented to Alana how much I liked her pictures and how natural she looks!  From her own comments (and I paraphrase) the right hair style can do a lot to replace "FFS" (facial feminization surgery.) Yes! The more one does this transition thing, the more you do begin to get certain ideas through your thick skull. I am writing about me of course. I am around or live with three very out spoken generic critics, and for whatever reason, no one bothered to tell me "soft bangs" on my face might be the way to go. "Maybe" I would have asked them what they knew anyhow. Surely that can't be a reason for ideas? Nah!!!

Plus, about a month ago, when I needed a new foundation, I brought my partner Liz for guidance. I was looking for my shade as much as an actual brand (I do the best I can afford.) I knew you should try to match the foundation shade to the skin on the back of your wrist-but-I was literally geeking when Liz pulled out this small piece of clear heavy plastic which actually had all the shades on it. All I had to do was pull it out and matched shades until one literally disappeared. Really? It was that easy? And, guess what, I use less foundation and look better.

Alana is proof you don't have to go overboard (or commando) to be a feminine success. Another example is Mandy Sherman. Go to her blog  and check out the "Miss-Identified Again" post!

But....if you want to go commando under your sun dress this summer-think of it this way-make sure the wind is not blowing hard, forget what your Mom would say and you only live once!


Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Bagging Saks?

Sorry for the delay in answering my mail! First of all- our Cyrsti's Condo post on the Sak's transgender discrimination debacle stirred up several great comments:


The first from Mandy Sherman who mentioned her trips as a youngest with her Mom to Saks and then commented:   Saks management apparently doesn't believe that we, as a group, have sufficient disposable income to patronize their stores. Thus they make it known of their scorn for us, and they can't see that they are suffering any harm from their actions.... If they treated us right, I (for one) would prefer shopping in the manner Mom did, with all the attention she got from clerks. (Obviously not as often as she did, but then, I'm not an executive's wife!) 


The second from Alana Jane:  I suspect that it's because of Texas and their neo-con far right evangelical beliefs. I say if you want a good shopping experience go to Nordstroms or Bloomingdales. You can get a personal shopper to assist you. That said, a judge needs to slap these Texas yahoo's with a sever damages penalty. 


And the "Fabulous Connie Dee" added:  Sure, Sak's can get by without making sales to transgender people, but they are really concerned about losing sales because of having a transgender employee. They should recognize that this negative publicity may cause them to lose much more than a transgender employee ever could. We, as a group, can boycott, but we really need to expose these people and their ideals [sic] for what they are - [SICK]


Last but far from least -Pat:  It would seem to me that they have the wrong team of high priced, white shoe, lawyers handling this case. From my experience there are some lawyers who will habitually 'over-lawyer' the case and throw every gauntlet down. A defense lawyer should keep in mind that he is a simple and humble defense lawyer. The job is to parry the thrust of the plaintiff's case, not to strike back and enrage the opposition.


I took excerpts from all the posts due to length constraints but you read them in their entirety here.  Good job ladies (and Connie) for providing every idea from geographical bias, to legal angles, to financial considerations on this story.  I'm a firm believer if you follow the money, you will discover the true basis of many decisions.  Like Mandy said, if you can indeed afford the Saks shopping experience-you can afford not to shop there.










Monday, December 22, 2014

Do Blondes Have More Fun?

Paula and Mandy both commented on the Cyrsti's Condo post Historical Blond (hysterical?):

Paula GoodwinDecember 22, 2014 at 4:22 AM
  1. The Blond Bombshell is still an aspiration for some of us! As my natural colour became lighter (grey) I found that using a wig of my original colour (Dark Brown) no longer looked natural as my skin tones had changed as well. However the grey did age me so I have just gone blond, being the wrong side of 50 I was a little worried what people would think when I was pretending to be a bloke, but so far no negative comments.
  2. Lucky you! Blonde would be nice....

    Every time my hair gets lighter, I get comments from my wife, which lead me to darken it up. She definitely rebelled at the highlights I tried...and it took several months for them to completely disappear!

    So I just stick with as close to my natural color (back in the day, since I'm gray now) as I can get.
  3. Thanks ladies!  Looking back, I can see when I tried to go very blond was a mistake (I looked like a bloke, Paula) but going with a honey blond shade, I began to come and go in society.  My wife however, disliked any shade of blond on me- which (looking back) I think had more to do with her prejudice against other genetics than me. Also Paula, I'm a firm believer in NOT following the hair length rules and color shades on women of age.  Do your thing, own it and society will too-unless you are squeezed into a mini skirt and 4" heels in the mall. 
  4. Mandy, sounds like you may be going through what I went through.  I am lucky Liz wants to play with my hair as much as I want to experiment with it.  The whole process is fun because it fits my shortened attention span! 

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

How Many Words IS a Picture Worth?

I have been meaning to write a post "focusing" on pictures here in Cyrsti's Condo for a minute now. Finally, I'm going to try to make some sense of a complicated concept.

If you are like me, pictures don't really represent what I think I look like.  So, either I try to play with them or just don't put much emphasis on them.  Years ago, I think I could take a better picture than what I really looked like. As an example,  I have used a picture on the left which is actually 10 years old and quite possibly the most commented picture I ever put on line...but...presenting to the public in this outfit was quite a different story for several reasons.  The picture itself as you can see, is essentially what I call- a picture of a picture-taken from a mirror reflection. It wasn't a "fake", but an adjustment designed to garner all the false adulation one can get on line-which does us NO good in the public eye.

Now, lets take my "red" picture below for an example.  I was getting a little better with my "poor person's" photo manipulation.  It's a blurred mirror shot too...without showing the camera. Nothing new about the process, just check out the close ups of the famous movie actress's of the 1930's and 40's.

Bottom line though, although I did feel as if these pictures made me look better than I actually did, they were only moments in time.  My feminine life was maturing and I was moving on.

Now, let's get back to pix and one I originally saw on Femulate from Paula Goodwin (left).  I positively love this!  I see a proud transgender woman in her musical element and the strength in her eyes! I could go on and on about Stana's and Janie Black's photo's and not even scratch the surface of trans women who also are able to present themselves wonderfully with a picture!

As far as I go, I can only say, I'm kind of working on pix,  and was pushing my very talented and creative partner Liz to help. She took the easy way out and just underwent major shoulder surgery. So, she will be "one arm short" for a couple months.  Excuses-excuses!!!

Perhaps for the first time in my life, I want the special picture or to which represents my spirituality with nature, writing, inner self etc.  I actually thought about sending in a picture to Femulate-but decided I don't have one which fairly represents where I am in life. To hell with looks.  Sadly, the subject was send in your fave photo and I don't have one-yet!

Finally, here is Mandy! Rightly or wrongly, I always look for a transgender person's picture who is not in the same room all time or a motel room- like Mandy!   OK, I'm a photo snob!!!



Sunday, November 2, 2014

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

"Kerplunk!" another Sunday Edition from the Condo has hit your virtual front porch! Well, kids, another week has flown by and swept up October with it and brought in some chilly weather in Southwestern Ohio! My hot cup of "Joe" tastes good this morning!

Page 1.- The week that was - or wasn't.  Of course the week that was, included Halloween-otherwise known as "All Halla's Eve" (Holla back) for cross dressers everywhere.  Three of the blogs I follow on a regular basis; Femulate, From "me" to Mandy, and Janie Black all featured some sort of Halloween experiences. I enjoyed the differing perspectives!

We also had a wide range of other "happenings" to reflect upon, such as the first Condo complete guest post ever from Pat, Helen Boyd's post on Trans Partners and our look at "Bob Seger" .

All in all, a busy week!

Page 2.- The Battle goes on.  The tragic discrimination faced by active duty transgender U.S. military members goes on and was brought to the public's eye this week yet again by Army Captain Sage Fox  shown left. Captain Fox essentially was told to go away after she was told she could transition and come back.

This continues to happen to trans military members and I think will, until these very key and vicious mid term elections are out of the way in our country.  Obama could do away with the injustice with a stroke of his pen, but continues not too and the Pentagon says it would be up for a study which is a fate worse than death for any issue.  What a "study" means is: We will sweep it under the rug and spend unneeded money until it goes away and we are working in some sort of other fat cat bureaucratic job.

Let's remember though, Veterans Day is coming up November 11th and it will; be a time to revisit the sacrifices of all veterans -transgender or not!

Page Three.-Positive success stories. 
Lynn Conway
There used to be a site that showed so many others that came out a while back. It listed the doctors, scientists, teachers and business leaders that had successfully transitioned. Many on that site were originally in stealth but came out to show the world who they were. I remember Gwen Smith and Melanie Phillips sites that showed us so much information and helped us weed through all the BS sites. Lynn Conway's site Allowed us to see others that were successful. It was these women that helped pave the way for so many to follow.
Absolutely Michelle and thanks!!!  I remember quite early in the game, I too found Lynn's extensive site and was positively dazzled and depressed at the same time.  Dazzled at the amount of transgender women who were so successful and living what I perceived to be the impossible dream. Which led to my depression. At the least though, she showed me what could be possible! 
Page Four.- The back page.  Well kids it's time to get to the store before the Sunday football games start.  I'm sending good vibes out to all of you along with continued thanks for stopping by Cyrsti's Condo!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

We "Gotz" Mail!

I was kicking around Cyrsti's Condo, wondering what to write about today, and a bunch of you stepped up and helped me with several fun and informative comments.  On certain days, my mind is on overdrive with ideas and others, it's very much on "sleep" mode!

In no particular order, I'm going to try to pass along the highlights of the comments and direct you back to the individual post for more.

The first comment comes from Cheri about my "Bitchy"  Quote of the Day:
I love this. That's how I feel today!
Thank you!
Hugs, Cheri


You are welcome!  I'm not sure if there comes a point in our transitions (especially if you take HRT) when the ability to be a bitch just comes with the territory.  Or, as my genetic friend Missy says, women are just mean away, so you have to be a bitch to survive!

Paula Goodwin commented on our Glamour, Goddesses and More post:

My boss asked me to pick him up a copy of Mayfair (quite soft porn, but would now definitely not be considered suitable for work!) I complied with his request, when I returned to the office I walked up to his desk handed it over after sheepishly pulling out my copy of Waterways World which I had hidden inside it. From that day on the girls in the office never let him forget what a *%$@#er they all thought he was! 

Thanks Paula, who by the way is heading on a vacation to Malta where she will need a swimming suit. That "fashion frontier" is obviously very unforgiving and I have given the idea quite a bit of "what if" thought on occasion. I do feel now, with HRT, i would have less to worry about in a swim suit-but still, it would be highly challenging.  Fortunately, I have never been much of a water person, so unless Liz would really want to go, I would never miss it!

This comment goes back a bit and involved the Pinterest picture I chose which for all the world looked like a young cross dresser in his college dorm room.  Back in the day, I actually went to two different colleges and one had a very active fraternity/sorority system.  Although I never did see them, it was rumored a couple of them did get together and a couple frat boys would be "chosen" for a sorority makeover.  Here was the comment from Mandy: 

Maybe I can sneak out this way without my friends seeing me? I did (go to college.) And I was (a fraternity member.) But I wasn't (asked to dress up.) Might have had something to do with the fact that I didn't live on campus...or more likely, they didn't think I'd be pretty enough?

Will never know for sure...

The young cross dresser on our left is neither Mandy or myself.  It's not hard to speculate what happened to him after his sorority "make over" and if the rest of his hazing involved going out with the rest of the girls that night!

I will have more comments soon in a future post!!!

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

"Momma" in the Kitchen!

My mother fit the stereotype of long dresses and high heels all the time, back when I was a kid...I can remember helping in the kitchen on the holidays, and her heels clicked as she walked back and forth... Now that she's in a nursing home, no more heels, and no more dresses. In fact, the only one she has there, is the hot pink number I posted about earlier...that I probably could borrow if I lost some weight.

I remember reading articles in some mainstream magazines about Dr. Biber, but from the 80's, not the 70's. Wish I had kept the magazines...but they went away, for obvious reasons. Nowadays, every time I go through Trinidad, CO on the train, my thoughts turn to him...and the new girls he "minted", many of whom traveled on the Amtrak train, due to its convenience (no other public transportation nearby.) Kinda distracts me for a while.

And lastly...it's a good thing we bought our new Ford a year ago...because for some odd reason, in the future, I won't be able to "un-learn" Oprah's comment about "buying a new car." Never heard it before...and it's unforgettable. Not gonna happen! LMAO!

Cheers!

Mandy


Ok Mandy, I have to ask- can you buy used parts?  :)
(Unnamed cross dresser in picture!)
How do you make this work?
Hmmmn, I don't think this was exactly what I ordered for my car in the mail?

Friday, August 22, 2014

Cross Style

Whatever label we want to stick on ourselves-cross dresser, transgender, gender fluid or whatever, our style becomes an integral part of us.  As we make the migration into the girls sandbox of the high maintenance gender, style is as big a part of our lives as most of the genetic women in the world.

Of course most of us (of age)  go through our formative cross dressing years without much guidance.  We knew what we wanted to look like from the confines of our masculine world.  If guys thought we looked like women, we passed and all was good.  Then of course, if we pursued it further, we found the world put so many other expectations on us as we transitioned.  As I have mentioned here in Cyrsti's Condo and beat it to death in "Stilettos on Thin Ice" (my book), when you play in the girls sandbox you need their approval to go forth in the world.  Everyone looks at women-especially other women.

I write often here in the Condo about my style which although it has always ran counter to many of the other cross dressers I met along the way is still a definite style.  Similar to the great majority of genetic women.  (The ones who don't where I live are the females.)

So, while I am dazzled anymore about why my posts from three years ago were so into what I was wearing and today are into what I am thinking-I took the time to pause and consider why.

The simplest answer is HRT has helped me to either give the world a highly androgynous view of me or a feminine one.  But, I thought, not so fast-I do routinely out style my genetic female friends (except Liz) and why is that?

#Bohemian StyleThe simplest answer to that (for my simple mind) is DUH! the most attractive women in the room are the ones who look like they aren't trying.  It's tough to do that, being genetic, transgender or cross dresser. My example is the woman on the left.  She is an example of my ideal style.  Now, just between us girls, we all know, I'm not getting there in this lifetime.

Instead, I go the next best route and try to incorporate as many of the Boho/Gypsy aspects of her style into mine.  The beaded necklaces alone represent my increased awareness of Native American and earth based spirituality.

Plus, when I go this route, I have a deeper understanding of the Stana's and Mandy's of the world.  I think I have read so much of Femulate I know exactly what would be in Stana's wardrobe and I'm beginning to learn the same insight from some chatting I have done with Mandy Sherman.

Our paths through the sandbox are the same, often the fun part is how we look getting there.  One of the oldest sayings in the cross dresser's handbook was the excuse we dressed in women's clothes only because a mans' was so boring.

All true to be certain,  but if you are not able to "let your girl flags fly", you simply will be missing much of the fun.   As you can imagine from the woman above, back in the day, I really wanted to be one of the girls letting their freak flags fly and I am over joyed the style is coming back!

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Good morning "Condo-ites" or at least it is here in Southwestern Ohio U.S.A. All too often I forget to say "Hi!" to all of you reading around the world and on all the ships at sea.  I'm humbled-and thanks! Around here at least,   our too "sexy" for Ohio beautiful weather is till hanging around!  The coffee (Joe) is on and we have plenty to cover!

Page one.- Dressing in Layers.  Last week in a couple different posts we covered the lengths most of us had gone through to hide our feminine "collection" of items which we have worked so hard to find.  So far, one of the best I have read comes from our "Purging Revisited" post, from Mandy Sherman.  I have added the link for you to follow back and read her "hide and seek" story.  Speaking of Mandy, she like Paula has mentioned her blog in comments so I am now linked to both here in the Condo.  In addition to the natural "reciprocation" of linking though, I think it's useful to provide a look at the different layers of our community we reach out to here. From what I can read, Mandy may be at a different level of her transition than say Paula or I and an all together other place than Stana.  Then throw a Pat in from one angle and a Janie Black from another and that is why I find the layers of our community so fascinating!

Page 2.- Trans-Terfs.  Once again last week, I couldn't keep my over opinionated arse out of the time consuming, often crazy hate mongers tossing cheap shots over the web.  Always safely tucked away from behind their computers.  The best of the worst actually came from a person from the transgender side of the fence who basically laid out her case for a person not being "allowed" to be a transgender activist or speak about being trans until they have been living trans for five years.  I did get a chuckle when, with her best male ego,  she said she had this incredible amount of experience living on the gender frontier, so bow down to the all knowing her.  And, oh by the way, listen to her radio show...somewhere. I forever will be amazed at how much the trans terf's try to eat their own young.  The fortunate thing is, the person I am talking about is probably around my age-which means we are on our way out anyway!

Page 3.- We Had Fun!  Too much serious stuff just kills me around here. To combat it, I try to toss in a few of my "smart arse" ideas of what I think could be going through the person's mind in the photo.  In reality of course, all are un-named cross dressers from my Pinterest site.  So, also in reality, I don't know for sure any of them aren't genetic.  But as they say on gambling sites around here "for amusement purposes only!"

Speaking of Pinterest, it has become yet another "guilty pleasure" I didn't need.  What I do like like about it is though, it gives me a chance to express what fashions, style and other interests in my life are all about.  To put it in perspective I have about 2500 pins (pictures) on 52 boards. If you are interested, just Google it and search Cyrsti.

Page 4.- The Back Page.  Such a week!  I tried to get to all of you one way or another who sent in your fabulous comments!  I can't tell you how much they mean to me because believe it or not, writing a blog for an extended period of time takes on a life of it's own and not often an easy one!  I wish you all the best!!!


The Double Edged Gender Sword

Image from JJ Hart. Wife Liz on left. The longer we live as transgender women and trans men, often we find many aspects which represent a do...