Earlier today in one of my email boxes I saw an email with the title "Transitioning?" It came from a source which posts veterans job openings, so I took a look:
Hello ,
Like you, I too served to protect our nation. Now it is my mission to help connect veterans with career opportunities like this one with the Central Intelligence Agency.
~ Jasen Williams, Marine Corps Veteran
TRANSITIONING? SERVE UNDER ANOTHER SYMBOL OF NATIONAL SECURITY.
Somehow I don't think the CIA is recruiting transgender women or men transitioning their gender!
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Cyrsti's Condo Art Choice
I just found this picture and wanted to pass it along as it jumped off the page and spoke gender volumes to me. .Femininity and androgyny just to name a few!"Leave 'Em' Laughing"
My continuing saga with the Veteran's Administration took a decisive turn yesterday.
About two or so, I saw a call coming in from my Patient Advocate office...quickly catching you newer Cyrsti's Condo visitors up-I am a transgender veteran and I am under a co-pay medical program with the much maligned VA. They are mandated to provide HRT care for me. Sounds simple, right?
For the most part it has been-except-in typical bureaucratic fashion, I got stuck in a classic "Catch 22" (A requirement that cannot be met until a prerequisite requirement is met, however, the prerequisite cannot be obtained until the original requirement is met.) I was approved to be prescribed the HRT meds through the VA pharmacy but no one would prescribe them. I fought for approximately six to eight months to get approval for them (VA) to pay for an outside endocrinologist to approve my meds. Fast forward two years later and all of the sudden it was happening again!
My advice to any or all of you who may be facing a similar situation-be a persistent bitch. I called three separate advocates nine times in a week and finally got a real answer, presented to me in a simple fashion I could understand. For once, the guy who called me was interested in not just using me as a ping pong ball and bouncing me to another person. He told me just to get approval from my primary VA Doc and all was good. Wow.
Perhaps the second best point came when I was getting ready to hang up and I said "Thanks Dave". He said, "You're welcome, but the name is Jason." I said sorry, but that's fine, I'm not a "Mister" either.
About two or so, I saw a call coming in from my Patient Advocate office...quickly catching you newer Cyrsti's Condo visitors up-I am a transgender veteran and I am under a co-pay medical program with the much maligned VA. They are mandated to provide HRT care for me. Sounds simple, right?
For the most part it has been-except-in typical bureaucratic fashion, I got stuck in a classic "Catch 22" (A requirement that cannot be met until a prerequisite requirement is met, however, the prerequisite cannot be obtained until the original requirement is met.) I was approved to be prescribed the HRT meds through the VA pharmacy but no one would prescribe them. I fought for approximately six to eight months to get approval for them (VA) to pay for an outside endocrinologist to approve my meds. Fast forward two years later and all of the sudden it was happening again!
My advice to any or all of you who may be facing a similar situation-be a persistent bitch. I called three separate advocates nine times in a week and finally got a real answer, presented to me in a simple fashion I could understand. For once, the guy who called me was interested in not just using me as a ping pong ball and bouncing me to another person. He told me just to get approval from my primary VA Doc and all was good. Wow.
Perhaps the second best point came when I was getting ready to hang up and I said "Thanks Dave". He said, "You're welcome, but the name is Jason." I said sorry, but that's fine, I'm not a "Mister" either.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
I Love Being a Girl
I know, cheesy lead in right? Surprise, right?
Actually, the whole mind set I'm referring to is one that I am just beginning to scratch the surface of-vintage fashion. First of all, I have had to develop a whole different mind set-heavily in grained decades in my noggin. Slowly and all so uncertainly, I no longer have to look at the generics around me and yearn to be them. I'm to the point I can be them- to the point of enjoying to the fullest the interests and lifestyles of their world. In fact, since I never take it for granted-so maybe I can enjoy their world more as I embrace it more than they do.
Whatever- now it seems, more than a few of my "unreachable" feminine fashion icons of my youth are being brought back!
Plus, some of you may remember, I'm a historian by degree and have a certain respect for things-well old. So why not add vintage fashion in? Recently, I was overjoyed when I found on Twitter, a site called "Queens of Vintage" (no-not drag queens) a lifestyle blog about all things vintage - written and curated by Lena Weber.(left)If you are curious or interested, follow the link above!
A Close Shave?
It seems the past couple of days here in Cyrsti's Condo, have been getting back to basics. Yesterday we touched on the subject of leaving the house presenting as your preferred gender. I received a thoughtful comment on the subject through Google Plus and Jennifer S saying a lot like me, she runs the gamut of genders on occasion. One of the main objectives is not acting like anything is wrong of course.
Today, if you go back several posts to one of my "made up" scenarios, you will see yet another match of a picture of an unknown cross dresser on Pinterest to a possible circumstance. Many of the "Condo's" usual suspects made this one fun by adding comments. Here is a little secret on this post; I was in a hurry and only said the cross dresser in question was caught by surprise by his little sister, in his Mom's clothes. Paula correctly noted that Mom must be hot with that wardrobe! Then, surprise-surprise, came the leg comments as Mandy and I began to discuss if he had shaved his legs or not.
I for one, have been fascinated by the subject-period. If you take womanless beauty pageants or Halloween for instance, shaved legs are a fairly decent way to separate the more serious woman wannabe's from the just having a good timers.
Sadly, I'm so old, I only remember a few of the times in my life when I was able to shave my legs and wonder now how I got away with it. I wasn't cursed with tons of body hair, but what I had was very dark in color. Like so many others, I became fairly good at hiding my leg hair with a combination of panty hose (which I hated). After the first couple of layers, I felt like I was suiting up for football again. Plus, when I could shave my legs, the electric sensation I felt was simply amazing.
Fast forward more years than I can remember and now shaving my legs has -yes-become part of my everyday life of what I do to maintain my feminine existence. Plus, over the past several summers, most generics have simply gone "bare legged" in the warm months. That's OK too because even though I am far past my mini skirt days, the cool breeze on my legs under a long flowing skirt in the summer, makes the shaving process worth it. (And ooooooh so feminine!)
So again and again the fascinating part of being a "clod" (sorry! a clog) in the transgender/cross dressing community is-no matter where you find yourself today, may not be where you may be tomorrow. If you take me and my panty hose saga for example; years ago I used hose to cover leg hair and hold up my hip/butt pads. Now, they are simply part of my fashion/style I simply don't use much until the cooler months when I wear tights and leggings.
None of it makes anyone right or wrong, except I do think almost everyone agrees, guys do have the potential to have classically beautiful feminine legs. Just don't tell them!
Today, if you go back several posts to one of my "made up" scenarios, you will see yet another match of a picture of an unknown cross dresser on Pinterest to a possible circumstance. Many of the "Condo's" usual suspects made this one fun by adding comments. Here is a little secret on this post; I was in a hurry and only said the cross dresser in question was caught by surprise by his little sister, in his Mom's clothes. Paula correctly noted that Mom must be hot with that wardrobe! Then, surprise-surprise, came the leg comments as Mandy and I began to discuss if he had shaved his legs or not.
I for one, have been fascinated by the subject-period. If you take womanless beauty pageants or Halloween for instance, shaved legs are a fairly decent way to separate the more serious woman wannabe's from the just having a good timers.
Sadly, I'm so old, I only remember a few of the times in my life when I was able to shave my legs and wonder now how I got away with it. I wasn't cursed with tons of body hair, but what I had was very dark in color. Like so many others, I became fairly good at hiding my leg hair with a combination of panty hose (which I hated). After the first couple of layers, I felt like I was suiting up for football again. Plus, when I could shave my legs, the electric sensation I felt was simply amazing.
Fast forward more years than I can remember and now shaving my legs has -yes-become part of my everyday life of what I do to maintain my feminine existence. Plus, over the past several summers, most generics have simply gone "bare legged" in the warm months. That's OK too because even though I am far past my mini skirt days, the cool breeze on my legs under a long flowing skirt in the summer, makes the shaving process worth it. (And ooooooh so feminine!)
So again and again the fascinating part of being a "clod" (sorry! a clog) in the transgender/cross dressing community is-no matter where you find yourself today, may not be where you may be tomorrow. If you take me and my panty hose saga for example; years ago I used hose to cover leg hair and hold up my hip/butt pads. Now, they are simply part of my fashion/style I simply don't use much until the cooler months when I wear tights and leggings.
None of it makes anyone right or wrong, except I do think almost everyone agrees, guys do have the potential to have classically beautiful feminine legs. Just don't tell them!
Cyrsti's Condo "Star Reading"
Here we go kids! Another visit to our astrological signs from theFrisky. First, my Libra sign is rather subdued this week:
(September 23-October 22): It’s all about keeping your word. Building trust is a sport at times and if you want to achieve the level you want, it’s going to take time. Like anything that has true substance, you have to let it settle. Be willing to lay low in the passenger seat and have your actions speak for themselves, as you keep it real with your priorities.
No problem! The way my partner Liz drives, I lay low in the passenger seat anyway!!! Our guest sign this week comes from the sign of Aries , which seems to be a good match - to sit back and watch from the passenger seat!
(March 21-April 19): When a door opens, step in — like when sexual tension springs up in a platonic place. Yes, go hog wild on all the no strings love you can get now. However, don’t be the aggressor, because clumsiness will plague you from being as smooth as you’d like. Let them ignite the flame and they will!
If you didn't see your sign, don't pout and boo hoo which will run your fancy new mascara! Go here for yours!
(September 23-October 22): It’s all about keeping your word. Building trust is a sport at times and if you want to achieve the level you want, it’s going to take time. Like anything that has true substance, you have to let it settle. Be willing to lay low in the passenger seat and have your actions speak for themselves, as you keep it real with your priorities.No problem! The way my partner Liz drives, I lay low in the passenger seat anyway!!! Our guest sign this week comes from the sign of Aries , which seems to be a good match - to sit back and watch from the passenger seat!
(March 21-April 19): When a door opens, step in — like when sexual tension springs up in a platonic place. Yes, go hog wild on all the no strings love you can get now. However, don’t be the aggressor, because clumsiness will plague you from being as smooth as you’d like. Let them ignite the flame and they will!
If you didn't see your sign, don't pout and boo hoo which will run your fancy new mascara! Go here for yours!
Monday, December 8, 2014
What Will the Neighbor's Say?
One topic I don't believe we have covered much at all here in Cyrsti's Condo is how most of us "made a break" for it past the nosy neighbors-when we were/are beginning to make the first steps out in the world to experience this "girl thing."
Looking back, I would do everything the smart way by going to neighboring larger cities and dressing there. But then play the odds of getting caught by venturing out in my home town. (60,000 population) The more I found I felt increasingly natural in the feminine world-the more I threw caution to the wind. Actually, my "sneaking" around caused me untold suffering in my marriage when I was caught.
Years later, of course it's a different world for me now, but I still wonder on occasion, what the neighbors do think! My house I own and am trying to sell-changes out neighbors every six months, so I really don't care. Interestingly, there used to be a kid who lived down the alley who around Halloween made a point of going out of his way to speak to me. I thought he may have had ulterior motives when one evening after school he showed up wearing a long blond wig. Of course, a month later, he had moved.
More interestingly yet, has been the last year or so I have spent down at Liz's house. For one, her neighbors do not move and have seen the various "shades" of me. By "shades" I mean from total androgynous guy to transgender woman. Bottom line is, I don't care what they think and Liz always "pronouns" me feminine when she speaks with them.
I know one has to reach a certain point in their transition to feel the same way I do and per norm I have paid my dues to get here-but- I'm fascinated at the number of experiences I read from other cross dressers or possible transgender women. Yet another facet of our community which is unbelievably complex and diverse!
Looking back, I would do everything the smart way by going to neighboring larger cities and dressing there. But then play the odds of getting caught by venturing out in my home town. (60,000 population) The more I found I felt increasingly natural in the feminine world-the more I threw caution to the wind. Actually, my "sneaking" around caused me untold suffering in my marriage when I was caught.
Years later, of course it's a different world for me now, but I still wonder on occasion, what the neighbors do think! My house I own and am trying to sell-changes out neighbors every six months, so I really don't care. Interestingly, there used to be a kid who lived down the alley who around Halloween made a point of going out of his way to speak to me. I thought he may have had ulterior motives when one evening after school he showed up wearing a long blond wig. Of course, a month later, he had moved.
More interestingly yet, has been the last year or so I have spent down at Liz's house. For one, her neighbors do not move and have seen the various "shades" of me. By "shades" I mean from total androgynous guy to transgender woman. Bottom line is, I don't care what they think and Liz always "pronouns" me feminine when she speaks with them.
I know one has to reach a certain point in their transition to feel the same way I do and per norm I have paid my dues to get here-but- I'm fascinated at the number of experiences I read from other cross dressers or possible transgender women. Yet another facet of our community which is unbelievably complex and diverse!
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Cyrsti's Condo- The "Balls of the Belle?"
Today, we are featuring a montage of pictures from the cross dressing event extraordinaire-the Atlanta Cotillion :
I have never been, but from the outside looking in with pictures, the event seems to be intermixed with a liberal mix of gay men, cross dressers, and even some trans girls mixed in!
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