Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature model today is androgynous Tima Marso from Moscow, Russia...probably a secret Putin favorite!

Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day"

 Food for thought : " A man in women's clothing is nothing short of obnoxious. On the other hand, a guy who uses clothing, makeup and hair to BECOME a woman is not."

Lynne S.

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl of the Day"

Our featured cover person of the day in the Condo is Anderson Brooks and here is is his bio from Model Mayhem:


My name is Anderson Brooks, I live in Los Angeles. I started modeling and acting when I was 8 years old and as a kid worked for brands like GAP, H&M, Sony, and Sean John to name a couple. I was signed with LA Models and LA talent for years but as my look got more edgy and androgynous I stopped working through them so much. I currently work mostly as a nightclub performance artist, host, and gay nightlife personality. I guess my whole goal in everthing I do is showcasing myself as my own original creation and stripping away gender rules and limits with my own brand of gender-bending. I am and plan on remaining 100% male.

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.