My Husbands Looks Better in Lingerie?

Here's the full title: “My HUSBAND Looks Better in Lingerie Than I Do . . . DAMN IT”. It is a new book which actually has a target release date of Spring 2014, and is a companion memoir to “Hung in the Middle: A Journey of Gender Discovery” written Alana Nicole Sholar.

Here's more from Alana's spouse:


I had been friends with Alan for nearly 30 years and our past included a three-year intimate relationship. However, when I saw ‘Alana’ for the first time in December 2006, I told ‘her’ I thought she was a freak and I didn’t want to have anything to do with her. Two years later, December 31, 2008, we were married. (Alana tells her side of our story in her memoir and you can read Chapter 1 at her book’s website). Of course, my response to Alana came from MY ignorance and lack of experience with the trans-community. 

We live in a small town in Kentucky, so there is much ignorance and lack of experience with the trans-community in this area. It is our hope that sharing our journey together can help eliminate the ignorance and foster acceptance of trans-persons, not only in our small town, but all over the world. However, acceptance is not instantaneous – it comes through a process – at least it did for me. My process began at intolerance, advanced to tolerance, eventually became acceptance and grew into love. I’m a Kentucky girl raised in the Baptist faith and would have never dreamed I’d be such a staunch advocate for the trans-community, BUT, here I am – and mine is a ‘wonderful world.’

I am especially impressed and interested in this wonderful couple's story because of their proximity geographically to where I live.  So, I know quite a bit about the populace around them. I'm not going out on too much of a limb by saying, gaining transgender acceptance by anyone is not an easy path.

If you, like me, want to read more , follow the link above!

Crossing Christie's Bridge

Under the white hot spot light of a rumored future bid for the United States Presidency, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's true spots are beginning to emerge.

Perhaps you international visitors here in Cyrsti's Condo (no relation) have heard the story of how last summer, the governor's aides basically shut down partial access to one of the busiest bridges in the world supposedly as a political "punishment". As the story broke, Christie broke down (not on the bridge) threw a couple aides under the bus (not on the bridge) and tried to apologize. Turns out the governor's blood is still in the water and the political sharks are circling.

If I lived in New Jersey and was affected by the bridge move, I would be bitter too.  Yet another arrogant move by another politician.  Not much new there. What indirectly does affect me though, is Christie's recent veto of a bill  this week that would have eased the process by which transgender individuals can change the gender markers on their birth certificates.

From the Philadelphia Gay News:

 The proposed legislation, which both chambers of the New Jersey legislature passed last year, would have allowed the state to issue amended birth certificates for individuals who have undergone clinical treatments for a gender transition, including such methods as hormone therapy. Current law requires gender-reassignment surgery for certificates to be changed. In his veto memo, Christie said the bill could provide an opportunity for individuals to commit fraud. He contended that “New Jersey already has an administrative process in place to streamline applications to amend birth certificates for gender purposes without court order. Under the proposal before me, the sponsors seek to alter the amended birth-certificate application process without maintaining appropriate safeguards.” 

Look, I'm no expert concerning the validity of why Christie vetoed the bill but his reason sounded suspiciously similar to the politicians in my city which refuse to offer across the board protections to TGLB citizens...those protections already exist.  When indeed they don't.

At the least, the governor is doing me a favor by marking him off of any candidate I may be interested in.  I'm intently following the Republicans and other third parties such as the American Independent Party, to see if there is any chance of restoring a semblance of a strong two political party system  Looks as if Christie will block the bridge again and he's out.

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl of the Day"

Todays featured Cover Girl is Plastic Martyr, who I have seen identified as an androgynous model- if you are into labels!

Tasi & Company

I feel some sort of a "kinship" to Tassi Zuriak.  She another of the "blogging sisters" I have corresponded with who are dedicated to many hours of time and effort to produce quality blogs. Here in Cyrsti's Condo, I've added links where you can check out Tasi's Fashionable TG Woman blog and now, here is another of Tasi's efforts called Sister House for you all to check out.

Over the years, I have found it interesting how different paths certain blogs take.  For example,  Stana of the Femulate blog and I share age and a few similar experiences but her gold standard blog takes her visitors into more of her daily life and fashion.  I have a tendency to be more into transgender news, events and of course my own opinions.

Then, if you take Janie Black for example, she is younger and really questions the basis of gender and sexuality in the world.

Toss in Shelle, Paula Gee and Pat (who should have her own blog) and all the various diverse layers of our culture come to life.

It's all so fun and difficult to stay up with because the younger gen transgender women and men are busy writing their own future too! The future is bright! Now, where the hell are my bifocals?

We Are Everywhere

Like many other folks, I have a tendency to think transgender women and men come from bigger urban areas.  Plus I think many of us tend to focus on the too "amazing" before and after MtF  transitions, rather than noticing how far the person had to go on their gender transition journey.  This video on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen is a little of both:

Becoming More Visible

A "Kick Starter" fund raising campaign has been started for a film project called "Becoming More Visible".

The project,by Pamela French and photographer Josh Lehrer, challenges viewers to examine their own complacency in regards to transgender youth homelessness. According to recent statistics, a staggering 40 percent of America's homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (TGLB).

I have written here in Cyrsti's Condo of my meeting with just one of the 40% (a young transgender woman) who "grew up" all too fast on the streets of Detroit and L.A.  So very different than my sheltered closet here in Ohio.

What stood out to me at our meeting at Trans Ohio was her fierce pride of who she was and her determination to do what ever it took to elevate her status.

I know many of you here in the Condo do peek out from your closets and wonder what you can do to make a difference without jeopardizing your life (that's cool-I'm not judging you) but here is a chance to slide a few bucks to this effort. (one dolla' minimum).  Check out the link above for more.

The Next Time You Look at an American Flag

Did you know?

Transgender Americans serve our country in uniform at twice the rate of the general population yet they are forced to keep their gender identity a secret or risk being discharged. While the United States military made a tremendous step forward within the realm of social justice and fairness with the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” nothing was done to remove the ban on transgender individuals from serving in uniform, a uniform I proudly wear as an officer in the Naval Reserve.

I didn't write this.  Will Smith, a heterosexual, African-American, church-going, Catholic military officer did in the Washington Blade and there is more:

The issue of transgender service is personal. Equal rights and the struggle for fair treatment under the law is analogous to the civil rights struggles of my parents and grandparents. As the great civil rights activist Julian Bond once said, “No parallels between movements for rights is exact … but we are far from the only people suffering discrimination — sadly, so do many others. They deserve the law’s protection and they deserve civil rights too.”

Most of you Cyrsti's Condo regulars know I'm a transgender veteran and the lack of rights suffered by transgender service members goes against the very basics of what our country was founded on- the right to fight for the freedoms we cherish.  Instead of fighting to protect the freedoms we are denied,  by an archaic system.

Thanks Will!!!!

Go here for more of the post.

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day"

"I used to have a strong body and a weak mind. Now I'm stuck with just the weak mind."

Cyrsti Hart

Heavenly Make Over

My first real makeover certainly wasn't as dramatic as the previous post by Adrian Acosta but at the least, something I can identify with.

Some time ago I have related this story in Cyrsti's Condo but it fits again now.

As I was really getting out of the closet and going to cross dressing meetings in both Cleveland and Columbus, one of the meetings offered free makeovers by a guy.  At the time, I thought my "look" was about the best I could manage.  For the most part, I was still experimenting with a bewildering array of make up products, shades and colors.  In addition, I never had the money or the courage to take advantage of one of the make up "pros" at one of the local department store makeup counters. (Remember, this was in the early 1980's.) That evening, the thought of having a man do my makeup almost sent me running but I hitched up my big girl panties, took off all my makeup and sat down.

He did wonders.  There is a school of thought that a male makeup artist can do better with a male face because he has experience with them and understands the nuances of beard covering etc. I don't know about any of that but when he finished with me I was nearly speechless- which is almost as rare as embarrassing me. Not only did I think I looked great, I received all sorts of compliments from the group. Even the "A-list" snooty cross dressers were impressed and I received a rare invitation to go with them later on in the evening. The "take this bitches" moment came when it was me who attracted the undivided attention of a man in one of the venues we went to.I've added the "red" picture to my left because that wig is similar to the one I was wearing that night.


However, as the bewitching hour approached, "Cyrstirella" had to return to her reality and go home to a male existence which she was never sure of.

Sure experiences such as the make up night provide all kinds of great memories, then again, there were huge learning moments I missed, which turned into major dark episodes of my life.

More on those later!