Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day"

"Fade to Grae?"

Recently, I presented a "Flashback" post and photo on female impersonator Grae Phillips (left) who, according to Cyrsti's Condo visitor:Lynn Davis  who commented: "Grae just sort of vanished."

Indeed Lynn and here is what I think happened. 


From the very beginning, Grae was a drag queen who could sing and perform as a woman, rather than a parody. Good enough to parlay her act into a singer for a real group or band.


 By then, Grae was in a prime spot back then to cash in on the "real life Tootsie" idea as well as the "explosion" of talk shows eager to "expose" any cross dressing issues.


Today, all I can find is a series of sales pitches and old videos of Grae as a woman and a man.


I have also considered Grae was sort of a womanless beauty pageant winner who hit the mainstream and disappeared just as quickly when the beauty and fame began to fade.


If anyone else has any other facts or ideas, please let us know!

 

The Beauty of Chaos?

Continuing on our brief discussion into Gender Flux and the science of "Chaos" Pat commented:


It was the chaos that resulted from mutating genes that propelled evolution through the ages. The theory is valid. Chaos will keep people engaged and will allow what may not be considered status quo today to become acceptable and become status quo in the future.
You and the others you mentions on the edge of the knife cutting a path forward.
Good observation and keep up the good work.
Pat


Thanks Pat, as I said, somehow I was "born to chaos" and gender just has always seemed to be a huge part-because of the basic insecurity it causes in human nature.




Changing the discussion further are the believers that the inherent weakening of the male "Y" chromosome will happen over the evolution of the human race (no time soon) leading to a genderless race.  Or those who believe in all the genetically or chemically altered food is altering the genders too.
I fairly sure at my age, I won't see much of all of that happen if it does, but I do know the younger generation approaches the aspect of gender differently than mine does.  To the point of being brain washed by narrow minded- scared parents.


The problem I have is stereotyping who will accept my transgender status.  For example, I was caught by surprise by "gender slur bitch" when I would expect it from a group of rednecks.


Such is the beauty of chaos as a science?  It's the inner beauty that counts.

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our cover feature person today is Danya Khalabuzaris, androgynous MtF model.

Cyrsti's Condo "Flash Back"

Grae Phillips was one of the first glamorous transvestite/female impersonators I saw back in the 1980's on talk shows such as Phil Donahue. As I remember it, Grae's story was he couldn't make it as a male singer in New York, happened (??) to discover he could be a very convincing feminine singer-with a very convincing look:

Gender Flux

As I was waiting for the surgeon to work his magic on Liz's shoulder, I devoured a couple copies of a magazine called Fast Company. 


In particular, an article about Generation Flux.  It's less a demographic designation than a psychographic one: What defines GenFlux is a mind-set that embraces instability, that tolerates—and even enjoys—recalibrating careers, business models, and assumptions. Not everyone will join Generation Flux, but to be successful, businesses and individuals will have to work at it. This is no simple task. The vast bulk of our institutions—educational, corporate, political—are not built for flux.


I thought quickly-the world is definitely not ready for gender flux - or is it?  I was also impressed with the fact there is a mathematical discipline called "chaos theory" for people like me who unknowingly embraced a form of chaos my entire life.


Taken on a much broader scale, the future is a very scary place for most.  And, as transgender women or men (and cross dressers who take on the appearance of their non birth gender) it's significant we are beginning to take our rightful place in all of these changes.  Plus, as the article said, the successful people and institutions in the future will accept "flux." It's already happening now with our youth and their approach to gender. 


Through chaos comes change and for all of us working at Gender Flux Ground Zero. ( Pat, Mandy, Stana, Janie, Jen and so many others.) We all know it is not for the faint hearted but we have a huge chance to make a positive change.


The world needs to experience gender flux as well as all the changes society is going through.  Welcome to our world!

Gender Slur Bitch II

Thanks all for the quality comments about the generic lesbian who sought me out for a slur:
From Jen Smith:


Has this 'gender slur bitch' forgotten that gays and lesbians used to be ridiculed, humiliated, and excluded from attending "mainstream" events, bullied at school and in public, beaten, and so on?????

Oh.... wait.... they still are.... too.... Just like she did to you.

Grrrrrrrr!!!! Blood boiling over!!!!!


Pat:


It is sad that a group that would demand equality of treatment and opportunity would turn around and cut down and cut off others that are only seeking similar equality. It is hard to tolerate bigotry. Since Liz is a member she should be afforded the right to associate with whomever she pleases.


Paula:


Maybe it's because we are all musicians, but the everyone in the LGSO and LGSW are fully accepting of each other regardless of sexual preferences, gender identity skin colour or indeed anything else except technical ability


Paula, I do think it is important to note the woman I encountered was not the "norm" in the group, although I'm fairly sure she is one of the "lead dogs." As a group though, we do know there is quite the vocal group of radical feminists who are militantly opposed to any transgender gender ideas.  Maybe "gender slut bitch" is one of them.


Pat, you are right and I told them, why are they discriminating against one of their "own" regardless of what they think of me. Never got an answer. It's important to note Liz was only looking for a group of open minded "like thinking" women.


Jen, I'm going to be kind and say "GSB" has not forgotten and decided to establish her own social circle of those socially abused in a similar way. However, she is stuck in some vintage "Little Rascal's" comedy short where the girls had one club and the boys had another.  So, not being invited to either, she started her own exclusive club. Unfortunately, GSB hasn't realized the world is changing.


By the way, the group sent out invites to a political meeting Monday and Liz responded "I was considering coming, but my transgender partner was made to feel unwelcome."  We will see how far this will go!

That's NOT My Daughter

Today was my partner Liz's shoulder surgery so we packed up too damn early to spend five fun filled hours in a hospital outpatient surgery center.


Very quickly, she was checked in and I was left to my own devices, which sometimes is not good.  I was on my best behavior though and was concentrating on my breakfast sammi, coffee and magazine.  The place was empty until a 40 something couple came in with a early teen kid with long straight hair who I assumed was their daughter. "She" had her arm wrapped and shortly went back to see the Doc's.  Mom came back out and sat close enough for me to comment on how much I liked her boots and what happened to her daughter? She just smiled and said that's my son.  We get that a lot (gender mistake) of that with him because of his hair.  Of course I said "that's cool!" 


At that point she asked who I was there with and I said my partner and it was their turn to be surprised.


Seems like it was just a week ago when I ran into a similar situation.  (Check back to our Cyrsti's Condo post-Open Mouth-Speak Diversity.)

Cyrsti's Condo "Star Gazing"

This week, the star's managed to settle down a bit after last weeks' high energy "Friskyscope" for all of us Libra's everywhere!


(September 23-October 22): If people can’t get your sense of humor, accept it and move on. Forget trying to be friends with everyone now, because that would be impossible. Know where you belong and be willing to stay fluid, as in feeling out the right people to be around. No more being lazy about where you place your energy — forcing a square peg to fit a round hole won’t be worth it.


Humor so dry it was born in the Saharan Desert mixed in an oasis of sarcasm describes my sense of humor-so I guess this scope fits!  Now for our guest sign this week!


Capricorn:  (December 22-January 19): You’ll have nothing to complain about now. Mysteries of the universe will seem to simplify and be much easier to control. Hell, you won’t even care for the flaky people in your life muttering about the garbage they usually do, as you will have a divine attitude about life and there will be nothing that can take you down.


Don't boo hoo if we missed you! Go here for more!