Trans Women "Down Under"

It was all glam and glitter at the Ms Gay and Ms Transsexual Australia
competition at the Shoppingtown Hotel, Doncaster on Saturday as
beauties from around Australia vied for the illustrious titles.

No Comment.  Even I'm "wordless"!!!!

Transgendered Photo Shoot

Jessica Rosen is an American portrait and fashion photographer living in Sao Paulo, Brazil. About her series, The girls from Avenida Mem de Sa, Rosen writes:
‘I have spent the past three years working closely with a community of transgender sex workers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All of the subjects of these photos were born biologically male and have since taken steps toward feminizing their identity. They have created their notion of the ideal woman and then move towards performing that role as naturally as possible. These photographs are an exploration of the performance of gender and identity’.

 This is quite a unique collection and I will post a few more of them in the gallery.

The First Lady of Trangendered Social Sites!

Perhaps you've heard of "Chloe Prince" and the "PINKessence" transgendered web site.
She was featured several years ago in an ABC Primetime Special. The 2009 television news show was arguably one of the first attempts to realistically look at a trans woman's journey.
Today, Chloe made a second major television appearance with her wife on the "Anderson Cooper's" new show called "Anderson".

"Chloe Prince and Renee today"

Chloe started her life as Ted. He dominated Chloe's life; was happily married to Renee for eight years and had two children.
Ironically, a severe reaction to a bee sting triggered a drop in levels of the male hormone, testosterone.
As his skin softened and he developed a more womanly shape, Ted discovered he felt more comfortable with his body, and ultimately underwent gender reassignment surgery.
For the complete story follow any or all of the links.

"Ted and Renee"

If you have never checked her "Pink" site, make sure you do it also!

New and Old Links

I was invited recently to link up with a blog called "tvChix". Admittedly, I had never heard of it but none the less flattered that Simone ( from the site ) had heard of my little blog. At first, second and third glance the site seems to be a unique compilation of all different kinds of transgendered blogs and web sites. From intellectual and political transgendered sites such as "Tranifesto" and "TransGriot" to crossdresser shopping sites and clubs, the links are there. Of course you can take a look from my "hook up" links too.

The "old" link I referred to,  is the site which continues to be my "gold standard"- "Femulate". Stana just ran a great post on another set of photos from the "Miss Eng" womanless beauty pageants from the Philippines.

"Miss Eng contestant from "Dream Girl's" pageant."

The name comes from the engineering school which has been doing these pageants for years. One of the interesting "disclaimers" I read said the contestants were "straight as sticks". Really? Obviously it mattered to some one!

What is a Freak?

First let's find an "Official" definition:
freak ¹  (frk)

n.

1. A thing or occurrence that is markedly unusual or irregular: A freak of nature produced the midsummer snow.

2. An abnormally formed organism, especially a person or animal regarded as a curiosity or monstrosity.

3. A sudden capricious turn of mind; a whim: "The freaks of the psyche can no more be explained than the Devil" (Maurice Collis).

4. Slang

a. A drug user or addict: a speed freak.

b. An eccentric or nonconformist person, especially a member of a counterculture.

c. An enthusiast: rock music freaks.

You all probably know where I'm going with all of this. For some reason lately I've been on a tangent with "F" words. Check my recent blog post!
I guess I was looking for some good in the definition of "freak". Being a child of the 60's, freak of course was not entirely a bad term.
Looking at the definition above from "The Free Dictionary" the slang "b" definition certainly refers to the 60's lifestyle.
The number two definition brings me to a couple other "F" words. These two are fear and faith.
Being viewed as a "curiosity" will be overcome by education from the transgendered world.
Being viewed as a "monstrosity" is completely ugly and brings back one story in particular. The Tennessee legislator who wants to "stomp a mud hole" in any trans woman or trans man who seemingly threatens him.
His story evokes fear in me and probably some of you too on some level.
The fear however is a powerful motivator for me. 
"Fear" leads me to my final "F" word-"fire".
Fear fires me up to have faith in myself. In my own small way, I'm trying to add my own definition  to the dictionary: 
When you call me a freak, I do operate in a gender flux situation which could in turn confuse or educate you.
Just don't be the monstrosity when you find out who I am. My faith will overcome your fear.

Holding Penalty-Fifteen Yards

I had to make a Super Bowl reference on the day of the big game.
First of all, the ditz that I am scheduled a colonoscopy the day after the game.
My Super Bowl menu was then set. Chicken Broth, yucky medicine and water.  For those of you who have been through them, you know I'm watching the game from the toilet.
Definitely not the most fun and glamorous evening I had planned but then again much better than colon cancer.
As with everything, there are bright spots. I had been gaining weight with the hormones and spending too much time writing-so! Why not start the diet the hard way!
On top of all of this, I've become impatient with my perceived lack of progress. Today at least until the next hot flash or twinge in my breasts.
While I'm on the topic, calling them breasts is so formal. Sure I have heard numerous genetic women call them breasts, boobs, boobies and of course "the girls".
I like the girls!
Maybe when I get to the official "jiggle" point with my breasts, maybe I'll will get a bottle of champagne and rechristen them "The Girls!".

Rocking the "F" Word!

What's worse, being called the "T' word (Tranny) or the "F" word (Faggot)?
I just wondered because not to long ago I think I heard someone call me that behind my back.
Actually the "F" word is a real warning sign for me.
Tranny is a word of ignorance to me unless some one in the transgendered community uses it. The public has not yet been conditioned yet to "gender" slur words.
The "F" word is a hate term to me. It is no different than using the "N" word with Black Americans.
The word also is a violent word to me. When I hear it directed at me or others, I'm automatically on guard and watching my back.
I equate the process with all the transgender violence we read about.
The only fortunate part of this process is that I haven't seen or heard it much in my life.
The sad part is I could be an exception.

Prom Date

On occasion my restless spirit will scan the "zillion" channel television service (I pay too much for ) for something good to watch.
I failed and ended watching yet another "angst" ridden prom movie. Doesn't matter which one. They are all the same.
As I watched, I thought how great I felt to not be that age again. Then I tried to remember what the experience was like.
First of all, I was not the social hit in high school. I transferred to the biggest school in my county from one of the smallest in the 10th grade. Culture shock was a gentle term compared to walking into a school of 1600 kids at the age of 14. For once, the desire to run home and put on girls clothes was the least of my problems.
For three years I did stay basically invisible and made good enough grades to get into a pretty good private college and went to my Junior and Senior Proms.
My junior prom was basically the girl choosing me because she needed a date.  She was my first real date and seemingly we had a good time but never went out again. I do remember not really wanting to wear her dress.
My senior prom was much different. I was socially active and had a steady girlfriend from the other high school in town. Interestingly my time with her was one of the few times in my life I didn't think about being the other gender. She was tall and blond and my old "60" Chevy Convertible just happened to be running good. The
big night included visits to both proms and dinner of course in a supper club in Dayton.
Looking back over the years, I guess my biggest fantasy was how it would be to have the guy be embarrassed to find a spot to pin the bouquet on my strapless gown.
Ironically I never reached that point but I did get a chance to go back to the very same supper club decades later. It closed and reopened as a gay venue and as such I had many chances to visit the very same women's bathroom my date used so many years ago.  I stopped and carefully adjusted my makeup the way I imagined she did. We spent the summer together before I left for college and she became serious about finding a husband in the Vietnam War era.
Tragically, my date committed suicide years later. Rumor had it she was depressed over losing her looks and husband again. (2nd marriage). How sad she couldn't have felt worth in herself as a woman past the mirror.
So much for just watching a harmless prom movie.
Here's the only other "catch" in the 8th grade. I broke my collarbone playing football. The doc said he was just going to stabilize it and it would heal. The quote was "he won't be wearing a low cut dress anyhow"!
Wow was he wrong!

Pre Spring Cleaning of Email Box

Feels like spring in February here so I thought I would go back through some old stories and bundle them up and pass them along.
The first is about "Andy Cass" in the UK who tried a "do it yourself" sex change.
Forunately Andy survived it and is now "Kirsty".

The next story is about a fork lift driver who retired two years early after sex change surgery.
I'll pass along more as the "cleaning" continues!

"Lizzie's Retirement Party"