Red Heads Have More Fun?

 Yesterday I watched the vintage movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" with Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Of course Marilyn played the dumb blond  and Jane the brunette played her more sensible friend. 

One of the benefits of being a woman is you are able to change your hair color on occasion and in fact I spent years as a red head before my hair stylist suggested I let it grow out to it's natural shade.  

So as we were checking out two of the major types of women with major hair color differences yesterday, it just so happened, the redheads checked in yesterday also.  You may recall I have featured Jayde Dent here on the blog before. She is a local transgender woman from the Metro-Cincinnati, Ohio area who is fortunate to have married a woman who essentially transitioned with her.

Here is Jayde as a redhead:

Photos Courtesy Jayde Dent

And as a blonde:

You can choose your favorite!

Latina Transwoman "Endry Cardeno" Makes the Cover!

First of all I must give credit to a link I have on the blog to a site called "A Gender Variance Who's Who" by "Zagria"  I'm a history fanatic and Zagria's documentation of historical transgendered and transsexual women and men is nothing short of amazing! Check it out if you haven't.
Equally amazing is the Latina beauty "Endry Cardeno" who she featured in her latest post.

 I normally don't like to repeat content from blogs I follow unless I really am impressed by content or appearance.
Guess which I'm impressed with here?

Actually I'm impressed with more, read on:

Endry Cardeño, who underwent a sex change when she was 17 years old, shot to fame as a popular star of the soap opera "Los Reyes" ("The Kings") and has since acted in several films.
The transsexual actress is from Cucuta, Colombia and is an icon for LBGT (lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender) rights.
She initially faced criticism from conservative sectors of society upon first assuming her role in the soap opera but now enjoys a large following!

Another Feminine Myth?

The number one feminine mystique is the bathroom. My opinion is that women who want to protect their "Alamo" from a trans woman are just trying to perpetuate the rumor that something magical happens behind the closed doors of the bathroom-other than the obvious.
The number two most misunderstood gender mystique is a woman's purse. A purse can come in many sizes from very small to a veritable suitcase. In many ways a woman's handbag can say as much about her as anything other part of her external being.
A well worn bag could represent a woman who has a family and spends her time and resources on them. On the other hand a plain girl with a glitzy purse could be showing a glimpse of a more adventurous inner self.
Regardless of all of that, what does a woman carry in that purse anyhow?
As I become more experienced in "hand bag" basics, here is what I need in my purse to survive in the world.
Of course I need my ID's and and my bank card as I try to carry very little cash. Even though I don't deal with credit cards I seemingly accumulate other plastic cards at an alarming rate. From grocery stores, to gas stations to the various restaurants I go to-everyone offers a card. Yes I do use them and I'm fairly sure I have a million bonus points and my own personal jet waiting for me when I cash in.
Then there is the makeup. I wish I could say I was a "natural beauty" and didn't need makeup.....
For added weight I always make sure I save my change. I never know when my financial empire is going to crash and I will need those coins!
To be certain I can never find my keys or anything else in my purse (karma for all the years I made fun of women) I make sure I throw all kinds of miscellaneous things in for fun.
Of course there are the feminine hygiene products I carry in case I run into someone elses' monthly emergency in the bathroom. Or how about several receipts I don't know even where they came from mixed in with a few Kleenex's?
Now I understand why the contents of a woman's purse was always such an off limits subject.  Explaining to someone the whys and hows of what's in the bag would give away the obvious. I need everything in there for my life...DUH!
Don't be sticking your hand in there...something could bite you!

Never Go To The Grocery Store Hungry!

Everything looks good at a grocery store when you are hungry.
Quite a few things look good too when you are growing your own hair.
I just got out of the car when I noticed the tall strawberry blond across the parking lot putting her groceries in the car. I really admired her soft curls blowing in the wind and wondered how it will feel when my own hair grows to that length or longer.  Hopefully as long as the next woman I admired in the store. She was "more mature"( like me) and was brushing her long straight silver streaked hair from her face with her hand. I can only imagine how long it has taken for her hair to grow that full and long!
Of course most of the women in the store were wearing that "who really cares" wind blown look. Many more were respectable in pulled back pony tails and a few shorter styles framing their faces.
The best part of the whole experience is knowing now sooner more than later I will be able to color and style my own hair-and make my own choices.
As it turns out, shopping for food was secondary to hair fashion research!

I Love This!

No Work for Delhi's Transgendered Models

From the "Hindustin Times"
While Australian male model Andrej Pejic has struck million-dollar deals shooting for women’s clothing, Delhi’s own transgender models, as stunning as they look, are denied a fair chance thanks to homophobia.
Saloni (born Rahul Monga), with her porcelain skin, dimpled cheeks, and 36-24-26 frame, can give a complex to any woman. But, when the 21-year-old law student approached a coordinator with her portfolio and admitted that she was biologically, a man, he demanded a hefty fee for her ‘unusual gender’. “After keeping me waiting for months, he pushed me out of his office saying ‘tum to na aurat ho na mard ho, tumko kaun kaam dega.” (you are niether man nor woman, who will give you work)
 Chahat (born Danish Khan), 23, the winner of Queer Queen 2010 (a beauty competition organised by Space Foundation, a gay rights NGO), could also never get a break due to discrimination. “I have always wanted to model and after winning the competition, my confidence shot up. Coordinators were very impressed by my pictures, but when they got to know about my gender, they asked me if I could please men, and shooed me away,” she says.
Modelling agencies say it’s not easy to convince clients. “Not many would be convinced about using transgender models for a shoot,” says Pranav Awasthi of Glitz Modeling. Others feel it’s time the industry got rid of prejudice. “A person’s gender is of no concern to a designer. If a transgender blends into my concept, I will work with her,” says designer Rina Dhaka. Ad guru Alyque Padamsee says, “Transgender models must write to the Advertising Standard Council of India against discrimination.”

"Gayest Cities In America"

From the Advocate comes their third annual list.

The Advocate, a prominent publication for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities, has come out with its third annual list of the "Gayest Cities in America." And the list has critics buzzing.
An intro to the article says The Advocate is ignoring well-known gay havens such as San Francisco, Provincetown, West Hollywood and Northampton, Mass., and focusing on "the per capita queerness of some less expected locales."
The winners, some very surprising:

CAPTION

By Douglas Pulsipher, Salt Lake CVB

1. Salt Lake City2. Orlando
3. Cambridge, Mass.
4. Fort Lauderdale
5. Seattle
6. Ann Arbor, Mich.
7. St. Paul and Minneapolis
8. Knoxville, Tenn.
9. Atlanta
10. Grand Rapids, Mich.
11. Little Rock, Ark.
12. Portland, Ore.
13. Austin
14. Long Beach
15. Denver
Those who take issue with the list are legion. Comments on The Advocate site include: "Grand Rapids, Michigan? LOL!" ... "How Palm Springs and Miami are not on the list SHOCKS me. Salt Lake -- really?"

My own personal surprise was that Columbus, Ohio wasn't on the list and I have to agree about Salt Lake. Didn't think the Mormon's had it in them!

What is to Become of Me?

I passed along a post (Natural Woman) not long ago when BFF asked what sort of style woman would I become when I went full time.
Would I put as much time and effort into my hair, makeup and style as I do now.
Indirectly the same subject came up as a chatted with a transwoman who was actually working as a female. When the conversation came to makeup and hair and fashion, she essentially said "well, I used to do more of that stuff when I was a crossdresser."
Once again after thinking about the comment. (Which I considered to be yet another slight at the hands of a "more advanced" trans life form.) How would I be?
I can tell you I won't change that much. As much as I see a great percentage of the genetic female population ignore their image; I see many more excel at theirs.
If the higher "trans life forms" want to blend with the bland genetic females that is their right.
I feel my right is also a priviledge to exercise my life as a transwoman to be as stylish and attractive as I can.
Why would I have come this far to do less?
BUT if you look like trans actress "Jamie Clayton" in this picture...
Go for it!

Maybe A Different View Of The Holiday's?

I know what you are thinking. A different outlook from Cyrsti? No, that's not possible! Yeah, right!
During this part of the year many of us go 100 miles an hour.
The most we can hope for is to think about slowing our lives down and celebrating our friends and family.
But what about our own transgendered selves?
Are we missing so much in our lives by looking for the future and not living the present?
We just can't wait for that new outfit or the next dose of hormones or the next procedure to make us our own dream woman.
I'm guilty too!
This is my Christmas greeting to you.
If you are in a very dark closet, may the dim light coming from under the door be your guide to the future!
If you are living the life in your chosen gender, slow down and feel  the inner satisfaction of your new life.
If you are in transition, try to enjoy a once in a lifetime gender trip most humans will never consider or even experience.
Wherever you may fit, I just want to thank you all for being here and Merry Christmas!

2011 Transgendered Milestones

Lavern Cox

As the the year comes to a close it seems everyone has a year in review.       
In our transgendered world 2011 was a very active year with several positive milestones.
"Laverne Cox"  recently wrote about transgender acting milestones in the "Huffington Post".
From "Chaz Bono" and "Harmony Santana" to her own acting career, she covers many transgendered acting successes in 2011 and the hopes for more in the future.
Here's a short look at the past year.

Yasmin Lee

In an article about transgender performers in the December 8-14, 2011 issue of Backstage, Simi Horwitz writes, "Casting director Sig De Miguel ... looks forward to the time when a character's transgender status is incidental to the script and an actor's trans identity is irrelevant to casting. 'You may be born male, but you're a woman now,' De Miguel says." De Miguel represents a growing number of industry professionals who are open to casting trans actors in roles that aren't necessarily written as trans. He cast three of the films in which I acted in 2011. He also cast Harmony Santana in Gun Hill Road. In 36 Saints, one of those films, I play the effusive party promoter Genesius. Nowhere in the script does it say that she is transgender, nor is it inauthentic to the story that she is.
The highest profile fictional transgender film character of 2011 was the controversial role of Kimmy in the blockbuster The Hangover 2. The role was played by transsexual adult film actress Yasmin Lee. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Yasmin a few years ago. She seemed very sweet. I hope this high-profile role has opened other doors for Lee.

As always, follow the link for more!

Transgender "Stylin' and Profilin' "

A person's style (or the lack of it) defines our place in the public's eye no matter what gender we are!
The guy with a beard and ball cap may not be a "redneck" at all and the beautiful woman ahead of you in line may be transgendered.
On a recent post I featured the style of a couple women I follow here on the blog. I didn't however explain much about my own or how the whole process works to me.
I would define "style" as a very vague but very concrete thing. How you look is very concrete how you arrive at the look isn't.
The problem with style is it is so very fluid and seasonal.  I love the fact I live in a climate which has four distinct seasons I have to adjust to.
Surprisngly I have a difficult time coming up with the answer of what my style is and how I adjust to the ever changing fashion world.
I almost always wear jeans and rarely wear heels except on boots but I'm sure my style would not be considered less than feminine. I love long hair and can't wait for mine to be long enough to be styled but in the meantime wigs will have to do.
In the summer months I love the short flirty skirts with bare soft, shaved legs and can't wait for whatever breast growth the hormones give me next summer to "fill out" sleeveless tops.
My style essence dictates two absolutes.  The first is I present the same basics I mentioned above to the same people all of the time. They then have a better chance to know a me as a person.
The other absolute is I try to emphasize a positive. Most of the time with me my breasts and hair are my positives. In the summer I use my legs.
Obviously style is a highly personal experience. You see and notice women who excel or fail miserably at it all the time.
Once you begin to discover your style, you can't begin to measure the fun you can have!

This Week's "Horror" Scope!

Libra (September 23- October 22)
Break out of the routine and let your baby have his way this week. As it goes, there is likely going to be a struggle for power in where you go and what plans you want to set. While it’s nice to have traditions, understand you’ve done them all as good as you can and something new will live in your memory books must stronger; seriously, listen to what your honey has to say!
Nothing earth shattering this week.
The only juicy part is the use of the "his" word with baby-and me! Is he or isn't he!!!!!!!!!!!

"Horror Scope" comes from "the Frisky". My term not theirs.

Poetic Justice?

It takes a male supermodel (Andrej Pejic) to model a push up bra!

Nuture Your Transgender Style!

Style! We all see it and admire it. Style seems to be this vague yet concrete visual of who you are.  Men have a decided simpler edge in the style department. Fewer choices and in most cases women to help them with their choices.
Women of course have it much tougher. Everyone looks at us-men and women. Two girls I follow continually here on the blog are "Stana" and Janie". They define style at it's best.
The fun part with their style is they are so different yet so similar in how they approach it.
Examples? Just take a look at their blogs (linked here). Janie's Christmas pictures and Stana's pix of her latest trip say it all.
It's easy to think some of us are born with a unique sense of style. Is it just an accident that certain scarf or pair of shoes you just have to add to your wardrobe look so good on you?
Obviously not. A quick follow of Stana alone shows the complete dedication she has to her style and it shows.
On one of her blog posts she recommended a site which takes a total approach to style. "Nurturing Beauty" by Ginger Burr. I followed her advice and subscribed to her blog (free). Ginger's latest offerings included one called "How to Dress Cozy Without Feeling Sloppy".
As I read it, I started to think how it applied to my current situation. Essentially, Ginger writes about how you can feel good about your style even when you know no one else will see you. As I still live the dual male/female dynamic for a short time, I constantly think of what I can do to further the transition.
Of course there is the well known  female underwear worn under male clothes, but what else? I started some time ago wearing my breast forms any time I'm not working in guy drag.
Ginger's advice took me to a whole new level of what I can do to always feel better about my style if I'm out in public or at home doing the dishes. None of her advice meant you should wear a fancy cocktail dress all the time but you should make sure your work clothes fit well at the least. Subconsciously you need the sense of well being. I'm paraphrasing of course, check the link for more.
I know so many of you here have your own wonderful unique style. Some of you have discovered your style and nurture it. For those of you that haven't, check out Janie, Stana and Ginger for great hints!

Check this wonderful transgender journey!

Phillipine Womanless Engineer Pageant

Enjoy this "before and after" womanless beauty pageant video!

So Little Time-So Much Thought

As my time grows ever closer to severing my ties with the most invasive male portion of my life, I find it harder and harder to stay focused on my job. My job is the only real part of my life I live as a male. It is until the first of the year...I am done. (Yes I do have a way to support myself.)
Here's an example from today.
I do have a circle of friends who know me in one of three ways-only as a guy, only as a girl or maybe both (rare). On occasion I communicate with them by text message. I'm the first to admit "texting" is not the greatest form of communication and I have been known to text my friends who only know my real self (girl) from my male job.
Here's my question. Do I text more as a guy when I'm working as one? Is that possible? I know what you are thinking "Cyrsti has too much time on her hands if she all she has to do is think of this?" Ironically I'm thinking of this while I am working!
The point is I do think my remaining maleness does creep into my texting and I am certain I go through "detox" when I come home from my job. Even my texting is different. I think.
Also, another interesting answer to a long standing question is coming soon.  What will be the most powerful influence on my life? Will the lack of a male "detox" period in my life or the effects of hormones have quickest effect. I'm sure many of you reading this have gone through the same process and have your own answer. I'm guessing you would tell me "detox" will have the biggest initial impact until the hormones begin to really take effect. Then again all of our results are highly personal and will vary.
One point is certain. No one should ever wish time away.  I'm trying hard not to wish part of this month away.  So far I haven't been very successful.

And...Speaking of Lea T...

She just landed her first major magazine cover.

Womanless Beauty Pageant Transgender Style!

Miss Pacificana returns to Guam for the first time in nearly 5 years.  Here are a couple of the transgendered contestants!

Here's your link for more! Miss Pacificana 2011 contestants <http://bit.ly/o9Z0QM>

Mixing Beauty and Transgender Ideals?

From the "Huffington Post"

"Amos Mac and Zackary Drucker Explore One Transwoman's Experience in TRANSLADY FANZINE (PHOTOS) 

With his latest effort, the burgeoning publishing mogul (Mac) shifts a gear that looks to me like a focus from the people to the artist -- the rich, mesmerizing and artistically elevated art publication, TRANSLADY FANZINE. "

 

As I checked the post this paragraph specifically stood out to me:

 "There's Drucker applying makeup from a Louis Vuitton makeup case, before another photo, a glamour shot of three purring blondes -- is one of them Drucker? Do all blondes look alike? What about the homogeneity of femininity and how Drucker owns and subverts it? I mean, she's a girl and wants to be pretty, right? Don't we all? Are transwomen allowed to just be fucking pretty for a minute, or is she required to be a constant embodiment of a struggle? How exhausting. Radical feminist and queer communities can be terrified and punishing of a transwoman's desire to "pass," though "passing" often just means "looking good," something I -- a feminist and queer -- personally strive for every day and no one gives me any shit about it. What about the longing to be stealth, to simply be your gender without all the politicized hassle, so many marginalized people trying to snag you for their own? Maybe a girl just wants to throw on some eyeshadow and hit the mall, jeez. An essay by Drucker, included in the publication, outlines a female's lifetime of negotiating fashion for self-expression, with somewhat higher stakes. Mac includes text, as well, a thank-you letter of gratitude and solidarity from photographer to model, and the stakes here are higher, as well."

WELL SAID!!!

Video Artist Zachary Drucker