This Dad "Nailed" Father's Day

I saw this picture yesterday as I was making my usual stop at Stana's Femulate site. Stana couldn't remember when she found it or who it was except the picture was a "Father/Daughter" combo. Well of course "dear old Dad" was absolutely stunning but I wondered just what the daughter was thinking.

Being me of course , I do have a couple ideas of what might have been going through daughter's mind. Behind the smile:

1.- Dammit! Who would have thought at this time in my life, I would have to compete with Dad for attention?
2.-Does anyone really think this was the first time he has dressed this way for a womanless beauty pageant.
3.-Where the hell is Mom and is she the smart one for not being in this picture.
4.-When Dad is not looking, I'm going to see if those shoes fit me.
5.- Just where the hell did he learn to pose like that for a picture?
6.- Wow! I hope I inherited his gene's and not the ones he wears!
7.- Got cha! She is not my Dad at all, she's my boyfriend!
                                         8.- Wait a minute, is that MY new bag?

Here's your link over to Femulate for more.

"Warshin' Off the Makeup"

Yes kids they do have drag queens up in the Pacific Northwest and here is a documentary about one on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen. Doesn't cover any new ground but covers the old ground well:

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My Mirror and Pastries

Of course over the years from a closeted cross dresser into the transgender life I lead now, I have fought epic battles with my mirror. But I'm not alone, I see genetic women who have fought and lost the same game daily.

It's a tough battle. Both Genders pay attention to us. It's the age old question of "do women dress for women - or men?" Easy answer, women overwhelmingly dress for ourselves. Sure I want to look nice for guys too but if I'm not getting a passing grade from the women in the crowd, I need to keep trying until I do.

None of this was an easy process to work my way through.

First of all my mirror is a Stone Cold Bitch. By law she deals in one dimension (hers) which just happens to be a much different one than the public. My first conversation of the day is "Bring it Bitch!" But we both know I need her as a tool to help me. As long as she stays away from that dishonest feedback deal. I have finally come to the conclusion I don't look as good as she says I do but not as bad as I think I do.

Second, I was stuck right in the middle of several dominant forces.  I was a guy attempting to appear as a woman in public but I was going about it in all the wrong ways.

I was dressing for men from my perspective of what a man wanted to see. Cool, except I was leaving out a huge majority of the population who could make my journey easier-women. If I was going over the top with the such forgettable "Rodeo Clown Drag Queen" look, then I was missing everyone.

And finally, I knew very few  of the "tricks" of the style game such as fashion, sizes and shopping.

As the years passed painfully by, even I began to realize the path I was taking was going all wrong and I was lost. Of course life is better now as I became honest with myself.  Even the mirror and I get along now. No matter what she says I know my limitations and similar to any woman I try to do the best to work around them. In fact, just last night she was whispering sweet nothings into my ear as I finished dressing, brushing my hair and touching up my makeup. Finally I was ready to head out to a mainly straight bar/restaurant last night hosting the fabulous Rubi Girls.  I knew I was far from the sexy "thang" she said I was but I did feel  I wasn't over or under dressed for the night which is exactly what I tried to do.

Of course all of this progression has been something I have tried to over think for years. Actually, I came to a fairly simple conclusion.  As I do with many things in my life, again I was trying to shortcut the femininity process in me. For years I thought simply the best clothes, wigs and makeup could take me where I wanted to go.  As it turned out the process was similar to eating your favorite donut. Tastes great eating it but the sugar buzz and empty calories don't last long.

If you are a novice in our world as a cross dresser or a transgender person, just take a second and look around.  There is nothing wrong with eating a tasty pastry but if you are losing your buzz in a big hurry-it may be time to look in your mirror and think about a new diet.

Into the Main Stream

Any time I open my email account and the lead news story is 'M' or 'F'.-  Outdated ID's worry transgender people. I immediately paid more attention.

This story actually originated in San Francisco through the Associated Press:


"Most U.S. residents don't think twice about the gender printed on their government-issued documents. But those "M'' or "F'' markers — and the legal and administrative prerequisites for switching them on passports, birth certificates and other forms of identification — are a source of anxiety and, even, discrimination for transgender individuals.

The rules vary from state to state, agency to agency and even clerk to clerk. But a transgender applicant generally has been required to submit both a court order approving the gender change and a letter from a surgeon certifying that the person underwent irreversible sex reassignment surgery before obtaining a new document. Over the last few years, though, the emerging movement for transgender rights has been quietly pressing the issue, persuading state lawmakers and federal and state agencies to simplify the lengthy and often costly process.

Advocates recorded their latest victory Friday, when the Social Security Administration announced that it would no longer require proof of surgery to alter the gender identification of individuals in its computers and records."

One of the "Advocates" is Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality who was quoted as saying:

"Most people may not see this as a big deal, but transgender people know that this seemingly small technical change will protect their privacy and give them more control over their own lives,"  Since 9/11, it's become  incredibly important to have accurate and consistent identification. Without it, you can't open a bank account, you can't use a credit card, you can't apply for a loan, you can't get a job, you can't vote, you can't get insurance."

For more on this story and it's far reaching implications, go here.

Hot Fun? In the Summertime?

Here we are. Approaching the middle of my second summer on HRT. How's it working for me? I can easily say "better" if for no other reason than I have an idea of what's coming as we really make our way into the hot steamy "dog days of summer" here in Ohio.

This summer I plan on embracing the heat, not whining about it.  So far so good mainly because we have had a fairly mild summer.  Around here, most of us have been raised to learn to appreciate the good weather because the hammer is always around the corner.

I'm also a better "prepper"  I was able to avoid the sunburn issues of early last year with my own concoctions of lotions and oils. I remembered very quickly sun and I had seen very little of each other over the years. While I certainly didn't want the skin texture of an old saddle, I did prefer not to do my impression of "Ghost Girl".

This year also, a stable flow of meds at least until the fall makes life easier. Last summer I was tossed back on to a minimum HRT dosage while I waited for the VA to come through for me. I learned all too quickly how fast my body can fall back to it's accustomed testosterone. The sleeveless tops I was beginning to finally get used to wearing were becoming even more "iffy" with any sort of returning muscle definition. I certainly will never have thin arms but I prefer not to have the biceps of a baseball player.

One thing is for certain, at my age I should not be wishing anytime away and begin yearning for the cool crisp days of fall. Plus after I absolutely froze in a relatively mild winter around here last year, the idea of summer doesn't seem so bad!

Classic CrossDressing

This video on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen is a rather lengthy look at a classic cross dresser episode on the old television show "Boy Meet's World". The nice thing about this show was it had a real meaning:



 

Style, Creativity and More!

If you read the background on this video, the YouTube presenter doesn't have any info where it came from or who it was. Too bad because it is incredibly creative, well done and more than a little sexy! Check it out on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen:

Bag Lady

We have covered more than our share of "heavy" topics here in Cyrsti's Condo over the past several days. I figured today may be a fun one to "lighten up" a bit.

To begin with, the all powerful NFL decided to lighten women everywhere by issuing new rules and regulations on the size of "bags" being allowed inside the stadia'. Now, if we are so inclined to do so, the stylish themed purse we overpaid for in the team store can't be brought in if it is bigger than a clutch. So much for style points!

This mandate doesn't really effect me anyhow.  I make no secret I was and am a huge trans woman sports fan and the one NFL game I went to as me- I carried no bag at all.

No problem,. During my formative years, nearly all the female sports fans near and dear to me wouldn't be caught dead carrying a purse into a game anyhow. Unless they were helping to sneak adult beverages in before the step up in security. So, I was trained by the best. Carry an ID, cash in your jeans pocket and get down to fun at the game.

As with most of the girls  though, I have a fairly decent lineup of purses ready willing and able to accessorize my daily life. The whole subject is fun to discuss and we will one of these days.

By the way, it didn't surprise me much but my searches for that one special "football jock in drag" picture was hard to find. A reminder of those pesky running backs "back in the day" when I played the game. I wasn't allowed to bring my purse then either!

Social Security Steps Up

From ThinkProgress  Victory for the Transgender Community!:


"Today marks an important victory for the transgender community, even though it may appear to be a small paperwork technicality. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that it is now much easier for trans people to change their gender identity on their Social Security records. All that will now be required, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality, is for individuals to submit government-issued documentation reflecting a gender change, or a certification from a physician confirming they have undergone appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition.

 This is a significant departure from the previous policy, which required documentation of complete sex reassignment surgery. Many trans people never undergo such procedures, either because they are too expensive, because they do not want to lose their procreative ability, or because it simply isn’t an important change for them to make to find authenticity in their identities. The SSA change eliminates this high standard for trans people to obtain the appropriate documentation for the gender that reflects how they live their daily lives. Though Social Security cards do not display gender, the SSA does maintain that information as data, and it can impact other governmental programs. For example, individuals seeking coverage under Medicaid, Medicare, Supplemental Security Income, or other public benefits could face complications if their gender markers do not match from form to form and identification to identification. In addition to an invasion of their privacy, the discordance could even lead to a denial of benefits.

 The new change will eliminate the obstacles trans people can face to access protections they often need because of other forms of discrimination they otherwise experience in society."

This is positively HUGE for people like me!