Steffani's First Time

Just another "natural" on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen:

Do Something Dammit!

Here's the Email I got in response for standing up in support for transgender homecoming queen Cassidy Campbell:

Cyrsti, Incredible.

" You are among over 2,500 people who have taken action to lift up the transgender homecoming queen, Cassidy Campbell, and stand against bullying. Because of you, we've smashed our goal of sending 2,500 messages of support to Cassidy. Will you forward the email below to five friends who'll stand with us and help reach our new goal of 3,400 messages to Cassidy Campbell?"

 The more of us who stand together now paves the way for more transgender people being voted homecoming queens and kings, student body presidents, and even national elected officials. That's the hope you've given Cassidy and other transgender young people--the hope to dream bigger and be themselves. Here are more messages of hope you've given Cassidy: "You won a great victory. Not only for yourself, but for all of us. You single handedly gave courage to those who needed it (myself included)."

Send the email below to five of your friends to help our effort generate 3,400 supporters. This challenge is minor compared to what Cassidy has faced and if we work together, we can help end bullying in our schools and communities."

Sincerely, Mara Keisling Executive Director National Center for Transgender Equality


http://www.transequality.org/take_action/standwithcassidy.html.

Personally, I can't believe how incredibly tough Cassidy's life has been. Deciding first to run for queen and then perhaps being a little naive of how bad the ignorant bigots tirades would be. NOW is the time to silence the haters!

Back when I was in high school (before electricity) I wonder if I would even have had the guts to enter a womanless beauty pageant?  (didn't have one)
AND 
This is you closeted peeps chance to make a statement!

Does the Dress Really Make the Person?

Received yet another thought provoking comment on the Cyrsti's Condo "Pass the Make Up" post:

"As my guy self everyone I deal with has come to accept me for all components that they see. I am generally friendly, involved, caring and willing to give my honest opinion on any subject. When I do get out and about while dressed I pretty much am the same person. I do not try to fool anyone.

If I am perceived as a large older man in a dress I hope that most people think that I did not do a bad job getting dolled up and that I look decent, friendly, pleasant, involved, friendly and willing to give an honest opinion on any subject. I am the same me. I suppose as I guy I am not distasteful in appearance or presentation. I expect no less of myself when dressed. Pat"

I thought Wow! this was a major discussion point with my wife and I "back in the day".  She was certain I was different as a woman and not necessarily in a flattering way.  Of course, since then a lot of make up has gone under the bridge and I am drastically a different feminine person than I was then. I can tell you now there is only one other person in the world who could speak to how much of me carries into both genders.

Similar to Pat, my inner self has carried through, standards, spirituality etc. On the other hand, the more completely I cross the gender line, it's natural my feminine self does change. You all know how much I push the idea of socialization before surgery here in Cyrsti's Condo. As I pursued in earnest what a life as a woman was really life, I also learned quickly I wasn't out to fool anyone either.  To hell with the old male/female gender binaries.

I'm fairly sure Pat would agree the only big difference we have is experience. But, when it all comes down to it, you can throw out the cross dresser and transgender labels and go with who you are. Good is good...male, female or trans. Gender does not dictate personality. If you were a bastard before SRS, your chances of being a bitch afterwards are good.

So if the dress does make the person, it's because we are all just mirrors anyhow.  It's what behind the mirror that really counts.

Is It Too Late Not Too?

Awww right, I'm almost 64. If you are close to my age, surely you remember these lyrics from the Beatles classic:

When I get older losing my hair, Many years from now, Will you still be sending me a valentine Birthday greetings bottle of wine?

 If I'd been out till quarter to three Would you lock the door, Will you still need me, will you still feed me, When I'm sixty-four?

I can almost guarantee you that when I heard the song the first time, I had serious doubts about living until I was 64! Now that I'm almost to 64, I decided to celebrate the upcoming occasion here in the Cyrsti's Condo for once.  Mainly because of these reasons:  One, I don't care if someone knows my age.  Two, I'm still standing unlike many others I used to know ( if I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself) and Three, I perhaps could provide some insight into the process for those who may be considering it.

Feedback has been amazing.  Everything from I was called "just another old guy on hormones" to "like you, I considered transitioning but I'm too old" and there was Shelle.

Although we have never met, Shelle and I have become transgender sisters of sort. It turns out we share several powerful life experiences with this gender trip we are on.

Recently Shelle wrote a great post on her blog called "Why"?  In the post she answers a few of the questions of why she transitioned when she did:

"I am repeatedly ask by people why did you wait so long to transition,I have ask myself the same question a thousand times,I can only guess that like most people like me I thought that if I practiced “immersion therapy” I could cure what seemed to be wrong in my life.I like most trans women of my age group thought that by immersing myself in in the hyper-masculine world I would be somehow magically cured that it would rub off on my psyche and cure the fact that in reality I was a woman,But with little support and few coping skills the whole shared only proved to be a complete failure and things just continually got worse all my life not better or less confusing but more and more the focus of my everyday thoughts.

It wasn't until around 17 years ago when I met my last wife and shared from the beginning who I was with her and she in turn was not only supportive but with her love and everyday help I began to feel emboldened and the fog I lived under began to clear I saw a more clear path to the person I needed to become to finally have some sense of peace in my life and really begin to grow again."

Visit Shelle's blog here and if you haven't guessed, she may remember the song too!

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of "da" Day"

No off the wall writer (like me) who penned this quote!

"Write Drunk, Edit Sober"  Ernest Hemingway.

Hmmmnn, very profound, that "Ernie" guy!

Cyrsti's Condo "Horror Scope"

Time flies when you track your year a week at a time by "star gazing" and as my b-day rapidly approaches here is another rather sexy "scope" from theFrisky:

Libra (September 23-October 22): Your body and mind will be operating on two different wavelengths and as much as you may feel active, your brain may find a way to hold you back. Yes, this will make you one lazy lay, but no matter, because there is luck in your partnerships now. So, whether it’s a dependable booty call or your boo, trust they will be able to hold up your end as well as theirs.

Nice! Already I'm craving some warmth as the weather starts to cool into fall!  Follow the link above for your own "scope"!

Fight the Bigots and Haters

There is a site where you can add your support to the young transgender woman Cassidy Lynn Campbell who was bullied after her Homecoming Queen win.
Go here.

Wide Wonderful World of Wideo's!

OK, I couldn't come up with enough "V" words for the title so what's the harm in a bit of creative license?  (Very little!)
As I lined up yet another male to female transformation video for the Cyrsti's Condo big screen, I began to think how unfair most of them are to the majority of us.  Here we are, daily scraping by to transition, present and carve out a world in our non birth gender. It's just unfair how "female ready" some of these guys are. But is it really?

A couple indicators I look for in a video is the size of the person's shoulders and an indication of height. With many, I'm simply amazed with how small they are.  Over the years, I have known or seen transgender women, cross dressers and/or drag queens who have been built the same way.  The best example I remember comes from 260 years ago one night when I was at an amateur drag show. One of the performers was absolutely the most petite, effeminate males I have ever seen and obviously a stunner in drag. On the other hand, I had to mentally shudder at the possible bullying and abuse this kid had to take. In fact, he was subjected to it there.  An especially creepy "admirer" in the crowd was scaring the hell out of the kid and rightfully so before he was removed.

So I guess (as with everything) Momma Karma giveth and taketh away. But regardless of how far the video subjects have traveled in their transitions, there are more than a million very entertaining, educational and amazing videos on the subject. Like this one from a drag queen:

Transgender Morphing

I found this interesting video to pass along on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen which features a series of MtF transgender before and afters.  This one is a little different in that the gender images are "morphed" from male to female. Take a look: