Cyrsti's Condo Featured Trans Woman of the Day

There is no way I could simply call Veronique Renard our Cyrsti's Condo Cover Girl of the day.  She is so much more!

Read on! (From Wikipedia)

"Véronique Françoise Caroline Renard (born 26 May 1965 in Jutphaas, the Netherlands) is a Dutch author and visual artist. She is also known as Pantau, a name that was adopted after meeting the Dalai Lama at an audience at his home in McLeodganj, Dharamsala, India in 2000.


In 1982, at the age of 17, Renard transitioned to being a trans woman with the support of her family, friends and people in her hometown. Renard's mother renamed her Véronique. In 1983, Renard was granted permission by a court in Utrecht to change her legal name, she added her second name Françoise (after her best friend), and third name Caroline (after Caroline Cossey, a British model who appeared in the 1981 James Bond-film For Your Eyes Only with Roger Moore).

Initially unaware of the phenomenon of transsexualism and gender reassignment surgery (GRS), Renard conveyed in her 2007 memoir that the international media attention around Cossey in 1982 regarding her transition helped Renard to self-diagnose her own gender dysphoria. The day after reading about Cossey in a Dutch tabloid, Renard consulted her doctor and shortly after, the Amsterdam Gender Team. Renard was diagnosed with Klinefelter's syndrome, having 47 chromosones (XXY). Females have an XX chromosomal makeup, and males an XY. Renard started hormone replacement therapy soon after. She completed her physical transition 18 months later in 1984."

As a side note, for some reason the picture of Veronique in the bikini took me back to yet another Cleveland, Ohio Tri-Ess meeting I attended so many years ago.  One of the main "gossips" of the evening centered around a member who wasn't there who was reported to be so accomplished that she could wear a bikini to the beach with no problems. She was also "rumored" to have been on the verge of "going all the way" and transitioning into a full time woman. But the story went on she had found the love of her life, an understanding genetic woman and now she had put her decision on hold. Plus there was another very accomplished and attractive "participant" at the meetings who for all intents and purposes put the rest of us to shame in the looks department. The last time I saw her at a meeting, she too was telling everyone she had met a genetic woman and was "hanging up the dresses."

I have always wondered what happened to the two of them. Were they actually able to "pull back" from the transition brink and lead lives as guys?  More than likely I will never know but I have theories.  I believe whatever gender switch is thrown in our noggins can never be turned completely off.  Of course how far the switch is thrown, say from cross dresser to transsexual sex change does vary. But in one way or another the "urge" is always there.

Speaking Of "Tri-Ess"

If you are a bit younger, check this vintage (circa 1989) Phil Donahue video with Tri Ess cross dressers on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen, JoAnn went on to be an influential member of the transgender community and was a founding partner of the Transgender Forum.  She passed away in June of 2013 but "TG Forum" is still going strong.

This video does give an idea of how far we have come thanks to people like these who were brave enough to step out of their closets and educate the world.

Rocking the Denim Style!

I have told the story many times around here in Cyrsti's Condo of when I was taken to task years ago for wearing slacks and/or jeans to my early Tri-Ess meetings.  Why would I wear pants when I could wear them the rest of my life?

The fact of the matter was, I liked what I wore and was still too new into my style process to understand totally why. These days I've come to a "Boho-Tomboy old Hippie" style to describe me. I know it sounds kind of a loose "tossed together" style but actually I know exactly what I want to wear.

Of course denim fits in exactly and I do I have two or three pairs of favorite jeans plus a pair of denim leggings. Recently I found an example to pass along to you from "Just Fab" called "Real Women Denim."  Of course as with any other fashion style I see, my primary concern is if I can adapt it to my body style.

Here's an example.  My denim leggings are very close to the style on the right. I'm fortunate enough that HRT is just beginning to give me a basic feminine shape in my hip/butt area.  I wear the leggings with a long sweater which drapes over my hips and a pair of slouch boots. Similar to the ones shown to the left..

My goal is to minimize my large upper torso and bring more attention to my hips and thighs which I consider is a plus for me. I have also seen quite a few women do the same look with a long blouse rather than a sweater. I also love to add a bright color fuzzy scarf for fun.

The look also works for me in other ways too.  First it's a comfortable style which can be sort of dressed up or down slightly. Plus,  since I'm increasingly seeing the same peeps on a routine basis I can't be wearing the same thing continually but want to stay within my style parameters. Different sweaters, skinny jeans and a couple other pairs of leggings and I have increased my wardrobe dramatically without killing my budget.

Such is life for a transgender gal trying to make up for years of lost time!