Bond Girl

"Back in the day", I remember distinctly looking for more information anywhere I could find it when I learned there was a transsexual woman who landed an acting job as a James Bond girl. Of course I found out her name was Caroline Cossey.  She appeared in the 1981 James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only." Following her appearance in the film, she was outed in the tabloids and ended up as the first transgender woman to pose for "Playboy" in 1991.In 1992 Caroline Cossey married Canadian David Finch and they currently live in the Atlanta, Georgia area. As far as I can tell from the information I can find.

She still has an active Twitter account which you can follow if interested. It should be remembered after Cossey was outed and lost her career, she became a true pioneer fighting for transgender rights.

Caroline Cossey

LGBT History Time

"From Denmark one day in June 1952 did there arrive at the Bronx home of Board of Education carpenter George Jorgensen and his wife, Florence, a letter from 26-year-old George Jr., or Brud, as the family called him, who, several years earlier, following a brief service in the United States Army and a term of employment at the New York office of the RKO-Pathe newsreel people, had relocated to Copenhagen to pursue a career as a magazine photographer. Brud's tone suggested that there was something he wished to share."


For the letter she wrote go here to the Daily News of New York.

Just a Cross Dresser?

Before I get to the post, here is another comment from our "Did You Hear" post:

Alice BrouleApril 30, 2015 at 10:45 AM

SVU Season 4, Episode 21 was an episode about a pre-op transsexual girl. It was dark and sad but nonetheless well done. Worth watching.
I've always loved the show..

As have I Alice and have always respected the longevity of the show!!

The other day, I had a message on Facebook from a person who identified as "just a cross dresser." 

I responded just??? The comment though, says it all when our "communities" mix. Connie brought it up in our last post when she mentioned for whatever reason, her friend (who had been on HRT for years) became increasingly isolated. She also preferred to identify as a cross dresser. I would suggest (just as a female does not equate a woman) HRT does not identify a transgender person. (As Connie would I am sure.)

I think too, a major factor with HRT is "passing privilege." Yes, it IS a major move and yes it does help one to gain more of the precious "PP". But, in no way in this lifetime (there are not enough hormones in the world) will I ever be able to look like all the beautiful cross dressers or trans women on Pinterest. As Natasha said in our last post, (I paraphrase) just because you are out as a cross dresser or trans woman does not mean you hang out with others of like persuasion. Truly, I don't much. (Another blog post.)

So, there is no such thing as "just a cross dresser." By far, the days I identified as a cross dresser were the toughest of my life. I was hiding behind my dresses refusing to face who I was and managing to make many others just a miserable as I was deep inside.

You cross dressers! It's cool to be who you are!!! Life is too short to not embrace it!

More Background

I know I was a little vague on the background history from one of my recent posts which went into the questions I got from a long time acquaintance.

I'm going to pull excerpts on both comments then back track into info. The first comment comes from Connie:
 "Cyrsti, it seems as though this friend of yours has either been frustrated for a long time or is challenging you to give an explanation as to why cross dressers are different from trans people - or both (most likely). Perhaps this person has even undergone conversion therapy, but the last three questions certainly do have cynical undertones that could be based on shame and guilt." - and- 
"I would give answers to these six questions that would be similar to yours, but I'm much more intrigued by the motivation of your old friend in asking them. The bigger question, I think, can be drawn from between the lines - not necessarily from the lines being drawn."

Connie, frustration may be too simple a term. He carries with him to this day a deep resentment towards a transsexual woman we both knew during her transition (all the way to SRS) "Me thinks" one or both of them went to far and he still carries frustration. 

And there is the "tale of two therapies." About the same time, both of us went to probably the only gender therapist in Ohio at the time (1980's). For some reason, he came away thinking therapists were enablers basically only in it for the dollar. Ironically, my wife and I went and I came away with the advice my gender dysphoria was not going away and both of us would have to live with it if our relationship would survive. 

Our lives actually went separate ways for years before he made contact on Yahoo. During that time, he actually made contact with a cis man somewhere on line and corresponded with him as a generic for a year or so. At the least I tell him he does a great job of living by the "Hypocrite Code".  Finally, he got out of a long term relationship with a wife who recoiled about any idea of cross dressing and married another woman in about a month. Did he tell the "new wife"? Of course not. 

Another comment next.

Cyrsti's Condo "A Touch of Class"

Famous French transsexual Coccinelle in the 1962's Beach Casanova

Cyrsti's Condo "Woman of the Day"

Danielle Marelli is a 20 something  transsexual movie and television actress from Orlando, Florida. Born male on July 16, 1991, Danielle grew up a feminine child and was diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder of Children at age 8 years old and began to transition.

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover today is Miranda Lombardo MISS TRANS NACIONAL MÉXICO 2014.

What is She Really Saying?

One of the comments here in Cyrsti's Condo I didn't have a chance to respond to yet came from Thomas Braylen:

A guy generally is a female actually is actually the tone of voice to fit. There are lots of operative products and services who have aided attain a great difficult wish. Any transsexual or a man or woman that has gone through sexual change surgical treatment is usually a brand new rising breed.

We have heard from Thomas before, but still don't know exactly where he is from which is why the translated version coming through to us, looks the way it does.  If Thomas is saying what I think he is, he brings up a huge point of how we sound in the world as transgender women or cross dressers.  

Indeed there are tons of "self help" voice coaches and guides on line and depending on where you live-trained speech therapists to help.

As far as I go, I do the best I can to cover the feminine vocal basics. I move my voice up in my diaphragm, stopping at a point well away from producing a falsetto voice and, that's about it. As I was just getting by vocally,  I became more aware of what I was saying and which gender I was saying it to.was becoming more important than how I sounded saying it.

Then there was the Trans Ohio Symposium class I attended last spring taught by Kent State University's Kristen Precht-Byrd.  She presented a fascinating look at "gender speak" (my term) - or- how the genders speak to each other. Her title is "Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics." and she essentially put down on paper what I was learning on the job.

These days, I'm having more and more people not noticing me at all, until I talk. It just doesn't rank high up my list of concerns. If I was younger and in a day to day job, I'm sure the pitch and sound of my feminine voice would be more of a factor to me. I'm just lucky it's not and I'm just lazy.

Finally Thomas, yes, the stories of transsexual women and men seem to be everywhere these days and all of that is very positive.  Even more positive is the Janet Mock's, Carmen Carerra's and Laverne Cox's of the world are redefining who we are as people , not just items of curiosity.  

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover goes back a few years and spotlights transsexual French singer and actress Marie-France Garcia - Parisian pop icon of the 1970s.

Cyrsti's Condo "Remembers"

Aleshia Brevard, Actress, Writer, Director, Professor, and the first transsexual in primetime TV:

Follow the link above to her website!

Exotic, Sexy Elegance

When I locate a picture like this, I understand totally what many men (and women) find so exotic and alluring about a sexy transsexual woman. Once again here in Cyrsti's Condo is Suzanne Gagliardi:

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover pic of the day in "the Condo"  is the beautiful MtF transsexual woman Suzanne Gagliardi - another Mama Mia! from Italy.

I do love this outfit!!!

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our cover feature here in the "Condo" today is the Italian transsexual beauty Maria Roman rocking her LBD! "Mama Mia!"

Cyrsti's Condo "Gossip Corner"

I'm the first to admit, when a transgender or transsexual woman has been rumored to be "seeing" a sexy starlet's man, I do more than just pay passing attention to the Hollywood "babble"machine.


Not long ago J-Lo (Jennifer Lopez) was in the news because of her boyfriend's (Casper Smart) alleged hookup with Xristina Marie, shown on the left.

Now, there is former Playboy Model Kendra Wilkinson's hubby being hooked up with transsexual model Ava Sabrina London.  (Shown below.)

Like anybody else, I get bored with watching an endless stream of reality shows featuring tough redneck truckers or impossibly old "mountain men" - so a few "impossibly" sexy transgender women and their "supposed" exploits in the dating world does add some spice to my television.

I mean, don't we really think sooner more than later most all of these beautiful Hollywood marriages will break up?

My only point has always been when I see the genetic women on the daytime talk shows not so coyly pick on just the men involved, I just want to hear head bitch Jennie Garth say, hmmmn, has J-Low lost it in the sack?

In Honor of the World Cup!

The country of Brazil is hosting this year's "World Cup" in soccer and our feature cover in Cyrsti's Condo is Brazilian beauty MtF transsexual model  Ariadna Arantes,  as transwoman and boy:

Trans Politico's?

As we know, the quickest way to true change is to not run and hide as a portion of transgender or transsexual women and men do.

Around the country, more and more political candidates are doing just that.

In Oklahoma City, A transgender candidate who is a former Oklahoma City police officer has advanced to a runoff for a state House seat.

Democrat Paula Sophia will face businessman and former pastor Jason Dunnington in the Aug. 26 runoff. The winner will take a seat at the Legislature as there is no Republican in the race.

House District 88 includes trendy neighborhoods such as Heritage Hills and the Midtown, Plaza and Paseo districts.

Sophia used to patrol the district she seeks to represent and retired this year to run for the Legislature. She was engaged in a brief legal battle with the city after becoming a woman in 2001, but ultimately returned to the force.

She is also a transgender vet who fought in Dessert Storm.

Also, in Montgomery County Maryland, a historic battle of a gay politician running against a transgender woman is taking place. (or has) as openly gay state Sen. Richard Madaleno is trying to fend off a challenge by openly transgender woman Dana Beyer.

I guess it's tough to tell me times aren't "a changin'!

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover today is the MtF transsexual beauty from Greece, Jenny Hiloudaki.

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our cover feature today is the beautiful transsexual woman Sophia Abella from the Philippines:

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover today is the gorgeous Mtf transsexual woman Maria Roman

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature Sunday cover here in "theCondo" today is transsexual pioneer Phoebe Smith