1 Pretty T Girls February 2014 The Magazine for the most beautiful girls in the world

A publication of Pretty T Girls Yahoo group 2 Pretty T Girls The Magazine for the most beautiful girls in the world

A publication of Pretty T Girls Yahoo group 3 In This Issue

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Editorial by Barbara Jean 4 De-Puff Your Eyes with Easy Remedies 5 How to Fake Bigger Eyes 6 The 5 Rules of Daytime Eye Makeup 7 Must Have Secrets for Beautiful Eyes 8 Intensify Any Eye Shadow 12 11 Girly Things Men Wish They Could Do 13 The Exploits of Barbara Marie 15 The Adventures of Judy Sometimes 17 A Passing Tip for CD’s 18 Tasi’s Musings 19 Humor 24 Angels In The Centerfold 25 Mellissa’s TG Tips 27 Your Questions Answered 32 How To Wear A Long 33 One 5 Ways 34 Tasi’s Fashion Blog 35 5 Ways to Drop Five Pounds (With Your Clothes) 38 Breast Forms 101 Everything You Need to Know 40 Lucille Sorella 45 10 Staples to Every ’s 48 New Book By Carolyn Olson 52 The Gossip Fence 53 Shop Till You Drop 65 Calendar 73

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Dream Dream Dream An Editorial by: Barbara Jean

In preparation for his role as Tootsie, Dustin Hoffman said that his look as a woman had to be very convincing, he did not want to be seen as a CD, or a drag queen, he did not want people to turn to take another look, or laugh or anything like that. If he could not be made to look convincingly like a woman he was not going to do the movie.

Does something sound familiar? How many of us are fearful of going out the door because we fear that others will recognize us as being a man dressed as a woman?

The makeup artist did their magic on Mr. Hoffman and he did look very convincingly like a woman, but then he told them, “Now make me beautiful”. They told him this is as good as it gets.

In the YouTube video Dustin said he wondered what would his life be like if he was born a female? Being seen as a woman is one thing, but how would things be different if we were actually born female? I think it is a question that we all ask ourselves.

I remember reading where many years ago for a transsexual to get that letter for the surgery they had to invent a childhood as a girl. What would it have been like for me if I was born a girl instead of a boy? No doubt I would have been given dolls and toy kitchens to play with instead of trains and balls, and I guess rather than playing baseball I would have been playing something like hopscotch or jump rope. Like most boys I took my interest in things mechanical and went on to a career in electronics, but what if I was born female, what would my interest have been then? Would it have simply been to be a homemaker, or would I have gone on to become a nurse, or a secretary? I wonder in high school age what kind of boy would I want for a boyfriend. Would he be a jock on the football team, someone with bulging muscles, a nerd? What kind of man would I eventually marry? Someone with plenty of money, or a hard worker who spends more time and energy at the office, or someone who shows lots of affection for me, or would he be a total jerk?

So many of us who are transgender, especially those who are transsexual wish that we could get pregnant. To me being pregnant one has a life growing inside of them, they are actually creating a life. But what if I was born female, what if I was pregnant would I still feel this way or would I be complaining about things like backaches, morning sickness, labor pains and other discomforts related to pregnancy? Dress our age…. Oh how pretty the clothes are for little girls. The clothes for little boys are simply a sized down version of what adult men wear, but for little girls the are nothing like Mommy’s, they are far prettier. It seems that as a girl gets older the clothes become a little more simplified. Not as pretty as those for the younger girls.

5 Now there is one segment of our community known as “Adult Little Girls” where they dress as little girls age 6-10, play with their dolls and have things like tea parties with them and otherwise act as a little girl of that age. Just as we have our gatherings like Southern Comfort, they have something they call camp where they get together and play, and inside they would play those children’s board games like Candyland or the Barbie game, or color in their coloring books all while drinking hot chocolate. I can imagine the talk among them about school, their imagined Mommy and Daddy, and how nasty the little boys are to them.

Yeah, if we were born a girl, what would our childhood be like? How would life be different for us then and how would life be different for us now?

Now make me beautiful…. Hmmm, when a woman is getting ready for a date or to go someplace special, she has that pretty dress on, has spent much time doing her hair and makeup, and when finished she looks in the mirror, I wonder what she sees. Does she see herself as beautiful and pretty, or does she just decide this is the best it can get? The beauty industry makes millions telling women that they will not be beautiful unless they use this or that product. How much money is spent on diet products because the industry make the implication to women that only thin women are beautiful?

And so I dream and wonder, what would life have been like, and how would things be different if I was born a girl? De-Puff Your Eyes with These Easy Remedies By Tara Rasmus

Whew. Dear readers, tell us we're not the only ones that are a little partied-out right now. Between holiday traveling, eating, drinking, and socializing we're not looking as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as we'd like (especially when facing friends and family members that we don't see very often - hello, reunion time).

When the going gets rough and the skin gets puffy, you may be tempted to shell out for the latest de-puffing cream or roller thingy in the hopes that it'll get your eye area back on track. Happily, there are a bunch of easy, simple, and natural tricks that you can do (almost!) for free, even if you're in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Read on for our primer in de-puffage - your in-laws will never know how many hot toddies you had last night.

Avoid Salt One of the easiest ways to prevent eye puffiness is to the amount of salt in your diet. Avoiding fast food is an obvious one, but we've even seen a difference in our eye area when we overdo it on the soy sauce at a sushi dinner. This tip may seem obvious, but many processed and packaged foods contain a surprising amount of sodium, so read your labels and always opt for low-sodium if you can - or better yet, cook with whole foods so you can control exactly how much seasoning is in your food.

If you do end up overdoing it with the salt (or alcohol, which can also contribute to puffiness in the 6 A.M.), make sure you glug a big glass of water before bed to flush things out.

Cucumber Slices Even if you avoid the sodium and stay hydrated, sometimes allergies or sleep deprivation can still cause you to wake up with irritated eyes. When this happens, a great natural way to soothe your eyes is - you guessed it - cucumber slices. Hey, they're a cliché for a reason: cucumber's soothing qualities plus its high water content help put you on the fast track to a brighter visage. Simply slice up a cold cuke, lay the slices over your eyes, and relax for 10-15 minutes to reap the de-puffing benefits.

Tea Bags If your puffiness is a little bit more severe, you could shell out for an expensive eye cream with antioxidants and caffeine added in. Or, you could just open your kitchen cabinet and use one of nature's remedies: tea! Both green and black teas have caffeine and antioxidant superpowers, but herbal teas can also be incredibly soothing. Simply steep two tea bags in hot water for a few minutes, allow them to cool, and then place one over each eye - and make sure to enjoy the aromatherapy while you're at it!

Cold Spoons If your eyes are burning and itching due to an allergic reaction, cold spoons can constrict irritated blood vessels, reducing redness and swelling at the same time. Simply chill spoons in the refrigerator (for quick chilling, you can use the freezer, but make check the temperature of the spoons on the back of your hand to ensure they aren't too cold), and then place one over each eye, curved side down. The best part about this tip is that it requires no prep work - you can keep two spoons in the fridge so that they're ready to go anytime you need a quick pick-me-up.

Potato Slices A lesser-known solution for puffy, irritated eyes is basic white potato. Potatoes are thought to have astringent qualities - plus, the starch in potatoes can have an anti-inflammatory effect. To reap the benefits, slice up a chilled spud (no need to peel it first) and apply slices to your eyes, swapping out with new, cold slices every 5 minutes or so. It might be a modest proposal, but it's one that works.

How to Fake Bigger Eyes By Jaclyn Sciara, Beauty High

Whether it be restless nights, allergies making eyes puffy or naturally small eyes (the list goes on and on) we all want our eyes to appear larger. This can seem hard to accomplish but with a few tricks and tips, you can achieve a larger looking eye in no time. From eye liners to sleeping habits, we've covered the basis of getting those beautiful eyes to pop. Take a look at the tips below and enjoy your bigger eyes!

White eyeliner: When applying liner to the water line, you want to opt for a white or blush toned liner to make the eye appear brighter and bring more light to that part of the face.

Eye cream: It's never too early to start applying eye cream underneath eyes before you sleep. This will help to treat and hydrate the delicate tissue underneath the eyes, allowing you to wake up with fresh, de-puffed eyes. Puffiness can make your eyes look smaller, so de-puffing is always a plus. 7 Concealer: Try using a salmon pink color concealer under the eyes. This will work better to neutralize out those blues and purples that naturally come with the area under your eyes, and neutralizing these colors will help to brighten up, and therefore widen, your eyes.

Curl lashes: It may seem the oldest trick in the book, but there's a good reason for that! Curling lashes before applying mascara helps to open up the eye, then once mascara is applied it accentuates the bigger, wider lashes.

Double coating: Don't be afraid to double up on your mascara and apply two from the lash root to end. Mascara works to brighten and open up the eye, drawing more attention to them, and two coats of a mascara that won't clump helps to really make your eyes look huge.

Follow the crease: When applying eyeshadow, follow the natural shape of the eye and you'll notice dramatic results. Place the darker color in the crease of the eye and lighter shades on the lid for optimal results.

Brows: Bold brows aren't just a huge trend because Cara Delevingne looks amazing. Filled in, strong brows frame the face and make your eyes pop, so skip the tweezing and opt for a brow pencil instead.

The 5 Rules of Daytime Eye Makeup

by Jessica Hagy

Brazen liner, glamorous glitter and mega-lush lashes are a few of our very favorite things, but we know—much to the dismay of our drama -loving hearts—that they’re not always appropriate for daytime settings. To help us walk the fine line between what’s suitable and what’s overkill for the office, we got the five rules of daytime eye makeup from professional makeup artist Tanya Chavez.

1. Avoid Black & Glitter “First, I believe makeup should be fun and highlight your beauty. However, if you work in a corporate or conservative setting, ‘too-much’ eye makeup is not work appropriate. For example, a dark smoky eye is a no-go for everyday wear at the office. Avoid using colors like black, dark blue or anything glittery,” Chavez advises.

2. Master Subtle Liner If you love liner, but don’t want to look overly done Chavez has two great techniques for subtle liner. “Dash the eyeliner pencil into the lash line—it will make the lashes look fuller,” or “use a cake eyeliner 8 (a water activated, usually potted liner) with a stiff, flat brush. Apply the eyeliner under the lash line for a ‘non-eyeliner’ look.”

3. Lighten Up Your Smoky Eye If you love yourself a good smoky eye, don’t feel like they’re completely banished for daytime. If you opt for “more subtle tones like plums, greys or browns you can create a lovely daytime smoky look. Apply the darkest tone close to the lash line then blend upward toward the crease. You want to create a sunset effect. Then finish it off with a couple of coats of black mascara,” Chavez says.

4. Keep it Simple If you need inspiration for the perfect daytime eye makeup, Chavez shared her recipe. “First, I apply a skin tone eye base to brighten my eye. Second, I apply eyeliner under the lash line to make my lashes look fuller. Third, I fill in my eyebrows. The eyebrows frame your eyes, so never forget to define them. Lastly, apply several coats of mascara. It's a clean, fresh look for everyday.”

5. Wear What You Love The most important rule to keep in mind? “Never wear anything you are not confident in. Makeup should bring out our inner confidence. If you love bright shadows go for it, but be sure all colors your skin tone and compliment your eye color,” Chavez says. When in doubt, tone down the glamorous looks you love to interpret them for day, and do you, girlfriend.

Must-Have Secrets for Beautiful Eyes WebMD

Break Away From Basic Brown Bright eye makeup looks great in a magazine, but are you wondering how to really use those colors? Blending them with the neutrals you already have is a great approach.

Start with a light base over your lids and place sheer color in your crease. For a night on the town, replace your basic black or brown liner with a colorful pencil.

Play Up Your Eyes Make the most of your natural eye color. For green or hazel eyes, try shadows and liners in the purple family. Neutral shadows make green eyes pop. Deep navy and other blues make blue eyes brighter. Brown-eyed girls can wear just about any hue, and neutrals with red and brown undertones really enhance darker eyes. 9

Yes, You Need a Separate Eye Cream Eye creams are made just for the thin, sensitive skin around your eyes. They may be less irritating than regular face creams. Use fragrance-free eye creams because fragrance can irritate eyes and cause swelling or even allergic reactions. Tip: Keep eye creams in the refrigerator. The cool temperature can help puffiness.

Hello, Bright Eyes! Bright eyes mean health and beauty, but sometimes we need a little help. Redness-relief drops offer an instant pick-me-up, but don't use them for more than three days or they can make redness worse. Line your inner rims with white pencil to make your eyes look brighter, or use black liner at night for the same effect. Yellow- based foundation or eye primer can help with red skin around your eyes.

An Expert Cover-Up Nothing says "I need a nap" like dark circles! The key to covering them up is moisturizing first. Next, apply primer before putting on your concealer. Be careful not to overdo it. Too much concealer draws more attention to the area. For really dark circles, go for a smoky eye, which draws focus away from the under-eye area.

Shed Light on Dark Circles Dark under-eye circles are caused by too much pigment, swollen vessels, or fat loss -- and yes, lack of sleep. Rest up! Retinol, brightening ingredients, chemical peels, and lasers can help, too. Still can't get rid of them? Hyaluronic-acid-based injectable fillers help by adding padding to skin under the eyes. 10

Send Bags Packing Puffy eyes? We've all been there! Next time, try an eye cream with caffeine to help get rid of extra water. Cool compresses can be a quick fix. And cutting back on tea, coffee, alcohol, and salt can help. If you notice more bags as your birthdays start to pile up, a CO2 laser or surgery can tighten your skin.

Optical Illusions If your eyes are deep-set, stick with medium tones on the lids, go lighter in the contour, and stress the lash line. Skip colors that are too dark. For close-set eyes, highlight the outer corners and avoid dark shadow on the inner corners. Pull wide-set eyes together with dark shadow in the inner corners

Shimmer at Any Age Sheer, delicate sparkle is ageless. It brightens your eyes and adds texture to your eye makeup. Just remember to moisturize your lids before applying. And stay away from shadows that are too metallic.

Living With Laugh Lines You smile with your eyes, too! Years of squinting and smiling etch lines into thin skin around the eyes. Eye creams with retinol and hyaluronic acid plump up wrinkles and renew skin. Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin shots ease crow’s feet. Lasers or injectable fillers can erase any creases left behind. 11

Long-Lasting Eye Makeup Layering makes eye shadow and eyeliner last. For maximum staying power, use eye primer over your whole eyelid. Then, dust your lids with loose or pressed translucent powder. Apply eye shadow, blend, and apply powder again.

Solutions for Sagging Skin Look for eye creams with antioxidants, retinol, and peptides. They can prevent and improve sagging skin. Laser treatment tightens skin for a non-surgical lift. For extremely saggy skin, eye-lift surgery (blepharoplasty) removes extra skin for a firmer, younger look

When You've Been Framed Girls with have a few makeup tricks to make their eyes stand out. Medium colors and intensity make eyes look fresh and bright. Heavy makeup makes your eyes disappear into dark shadows, because your glasses act like a shield that keeps natural light from getting to your eyes. Avoid dark colors in the crease, especially if you wear reading glasses. It can make eyes look hollow.

Arch Support Comb your eyebrows with a brow or spooly brush so you can see areas that need to be filled in. Use a pencil or powder to add color to gaps, then use your brush again to pull color through. You never want your brows to look like they were drawn on. Finish with brow gel to keep color and shape in place. Think of it like hairspray for your eyebrows 12

Curl Your Way to Pretty Lashes As we age, our lashes grow straighter. Use an eyelash curler to help open up your eyes and prep your lashes for mascara. False lashes offer a dramatic change to your eyes, but they don’t have to look fake. Make sure you trim the strips to fit your lashline. Use a minimal amount of glue, and let it dry a bit before placing lashes on with tweezers.

Get Long, Lush Lashes You can easily get thicker, fuller lashes for your alluring eyes. There are many over-the-counter lash-lengthening serums. There's also one FDA-approved prescription serum, Latisse. It lengthens and thickens lashes and is safe and effective.

Intensify Any Eye Shadow

by Deven Hopp

If you’ve ever fallen in love with a fantastically vibrant eye shadow on the shelf, only to find the color falls flat once applied to your eyelids, then this quick tip is for you. With a little help from a trusted makeup bag essential you can get the greatest pigment payoff out of your favorite eye shadows.

To instantly intensify the color of any eye shadow, you only need one item: a white eye shadow pencil or pencil eyeliner. We used Lancôme Le Crayon Kôhl Eyeliner in Blanc to make the blue hues of L’Oréal Colour Riche Eye Shadow quad in Blue really pop. Beauty bonus: this trick also helps your eye shadow stay in place longer.

Step 1: Outline your eyelid or the area you would normally apply eye shadow.

Step 2: Fill it in with the white pencil.

Step 3: Use a flat brush to press the eye shadow onto your eyelid.

Step 4: Finish your eye makeup as usual. That’s it–bold color in just a few simple steps! 13 11 'Girly' Things Men Wish They Could Do Without Judgment The Huffington Post | By Alanna Vagianos

For a long time, women have fought -- and are still fighting -- to overcome gender roles and expectations. However, it's important to remember that rigid ideas about what men and women "should" or "shouldn't" do isn't just bad for women.

A Dec. 17th thread asked the men of Reddit, "What girly thing do you really want to do or try but it is socially unacceptable?" Responses ranged from cuddling etiquette ("Being the little spoon") to fashion woes ("Toe ") and showing emotion ("Crying in public without getting judged").

Here are 11 of our favorite answers:

1. Have more stylish options. As bradleynowell252 pointed out, "Girls just get so many choices on nice things to wear and still look good, even in a casual manner." It's true that while women can wear "masculine" clothing free of judgment, the same can not be said for men in "feminine" clothing. "Also, fancy . It's a shame that only women get to have awesome in their headwear without any social stigma," lokiikol noted.

2. Be able to talk about other men being attractive. Kbjami brought up an important point when he wrote: "Talking about how hot Brad Pitt is. I'm not gay but I find Brad Pitt quite attractive. Actually just talking about how attractive males are in general." We completely agree, men should definitely be able to compliment other men. And Brad Pitt is very attractive.

3. Order "girly drinks." "For just once, I'd like to get to order yummy pink drinks with chunks of real fruit that guys secretly like but can't order because they'll be made fun of," responded Reddit user Dwarf--shortage. We think everyone should be able to drink Flirtinis, Mudslides and Fuzzy Navels -- they're delicious!

4. Get treated to a spa day. We can all agree that there are few places more relaxing than a spa. So why is it only socially acceptable for women to attend these heaven-on-earth establishments? Euphuist said that he would love to get a "Mani/pedi, face mask, all that jazz. Colour me intrigued."

14 5. Carry a purse. Emmy_Bee was one of the first to comment: "Not gonna lie. A purse would be hella convenient." And Riverchimp pointed out some of the exciting things one could carry around in a purse: "Could you imagine how much beer you could fit in a purse? Probably 8 cans. 8 friggin cans! With you all the time!"

6. Dance like no one's watching. Sadly, rigid gender roles even follow men to the dance floor. As Charbok wrote, "When I get drunk I love to dance like a girl. I'm a big fan of twerking. I also like to dance with my arms up, like in a girly way."

7. Wear makeup. Although the politics of beauty culture are quite complicated, and no one should feel compelled to wear makeup all the time, it can be a really fun way to express oneself. Unfortunately, men rarely have the option of wearing makeup without judgment. As RamsesThePigeon noted, "I'm a decent- looking guy, but a little eyeliner and some foundation could still work wonders for me."

8. Get pampered by women. Chivalry and tradition teach young men they should buy meals and movie tickets, but many responded that they would like to be wined and dined once in awhile. We agree with kbjami on this one, "I also love flowers and think girls should also buy men flowers." While no one -- man or woman -- enjoys being ditched after a drink, Radiationshield had a point when he wrote: "Get a girl to pay for my drink, then disappear like a phantom in the night."

9. Wear . Baseballwiz definitely said it best: "Wear yoga pants. I've worn them in private before. it feels like kittens hugging your legs."

10. Have fun with one's children without being judged. Chairforceveteran put it perfectly when he wrote: When walking through a parking lot, holding my daughter's hand, we usually skip. I get the dirty looks from men and women alike. I'm making my kid happy, why so much hate? Also, when my oldest was 4 ish, she asked me to wear a with kitty ears so we would match. We went to iHop and a dude would not stop staring at me.

11. Be able to show emotion without being labeled as gay or a "p*ssy." Whether it was crying over a sad movie or simply relating to a guy friend, an overwhelming amount of respondents felt they couldn't be openly emotional or sensitive without some sort of backlash. "Sometimes if I'm upset I wish I could just cry and not feel bad about it," Thee_Gonz admitted. If this isn't proof that strict gender roles hurt men, we don't know what is. 15 The Exploits of Barbara Marie

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A PRISONER IN YOU YOUR OWN HOME?

BY

BARBARA MARIE DAVIDSON

Have you ever been a prisoner in your own home? That is a question that many of us, at one time or other, have had to deal with. Some of us are still dealing with it today. Until my son met the lady that is now his wife of 4 months, there was no problem. Once she found out about me, she was accepting of my lifestyle in every way, as she had never met “Bill”, only Barbara. They dated for about 18 months before “tying the knot” in June,

However, there was a slight problem as she came with two children from a previous marriage. Her Ex is a “man of the cloth” and has a church about 25 miles from Statesboro, where we live. Neither of the children knew about me when my son and Sydna started to date. The problem laid in the fact that my son would call me to see where I was before he brought the kids out to the house to pick up pecans and pick the apples or pears off my fruit trees. If I was at home, I had to stay in the house or in my bedroom until I was given the all-clear sign. If I am out and about, I have to stay away until I received the all-clear sign. By the same token, if I wish to visit them, I have to call first to make sure the kids are not at home as the father gets them two weeks each month.

The 14 year old boy may have found out from some of his friends who knew about me, but it was his father who actually told him all about me. Its funny that I have never met his father nor do I know anyone in Sylvania who would know about me. However, with that being said, It is up to him (the 14 year old) when and if he wishes to meet me. Until then, I still have to play the “game”. As to the 10-year-old girl, she does not know about me at all and until she asks, they have decided not to say any thing to her at all.

I am saying all of this as I am quit sure that many of you may have dealt with this issue or may be still dealing with it. It is something that we must endure when we choose to change our lifestyle to something that is out of the norm. My Daughter still has not told her daughters about me. They only knew “Papa” and have no clue as to who I am now. I have not seen them in almost 4 years now. One is 10 and the other is six. My daughter still calls me dad and she has accepted me to a point. Her husband is still having issues with it. My other son is ok with it as well as his wife. His 10-year-old stepdaughters never knew “Bill” – only Barbara, thus they have no problem with me.

Another issue, completely opposite from the one above, is being house bound due to an injury. One can go stark raving mad if you are house bound or worse, bed ridden for two or three weeks straight. That happened to me last month and continued over into this month (October). I went to step up on a curb and lost my balance and should have just let my self-go, but instead I tightened 16 the muscles in the back of my legs and did not fall. However, I felt a sudden “Charlie horse” in my left thigh. That was I tearing my hamstring muscle. (Of note a MRI done a week later showed the partial tear which would not require surgery and a large hematoma in my left thigh) Only bed rest, heat and tincture of time would take care of it.) I am on coumadin, which is a blood thinner. The day before I hurt my leg my PT/INR (bleeding time) was 2.8 – normal for coumadin is 2.0 to 3.0. The day after I hurt myself it was 3.9, thus I had a significant bleed into my thigh which resulted in quite a lot of swelling and PAIN. About the only thing I could do was struggle to get out of bed and with a cane, hobble to the bathroom or to the kitchen. Thank goodness that my Vietnamese friends come to my rescue and brought me food every other day for the first 10 days. Each time they came over, there was enough for 2 days. It was easy for me to take a shower every morning and let the hot water flow across my thigh. It really felt good. After my shower, I would moisturize my face put on some “traces” of makeup and a clean nightie” and it was back to bed. There is something about a little makeup making a girl feel better, even if she were not going out

After about two weeks of “bed rest” I was able to sit in my lounge chair/recliner in the den (for a change of scenery) with the heating pad and watch TV. It is maddening when your days consist of bed rest and watching the same shows over again. Thus I really felt like a prisoner in my own home. I had a friend, who is also a nurse, who would come over and keep me company for a while. As the swelling and pain began to subside, leaving massive bruising, I would either ace my thigh or she would put a Thigh HI Ted compression on my leg as I could not do it my self. On several occasions we would go out for a short time and wind up at Ruby Tuesdays for lunch, then it was back to the recliner in my den. Some one would get my mail and the newspapers when they would come over. You might say at this point I really was a prisoner in my own home. My constant companion was my Lasa Apsha (Murphy) and he had to be let out 4 or 5 times a day, which was a real chore for me in the beginning. However, he and I worked it out for him and he did not mess up to my knowledge.

As to the two issues mentioned above there is no real comparison other than that fact that I was a prisoner in my own home in each of the issues. One of then could be resolved through out reach and enlightening the public or the family members as to your /my lifestyle, hoping that they will understand and accept you as the person you are or have become. The other is a situation, which you have no control over and must roll with the punches. So I wish all of you well in which ever situation you might find your self..

HUGS

BARBARA MARIE 17 The Adventures of Judy Sometimes

The Annual Christmas Get Together By: Judy Danials

Every year a group of ladies I've known since high school organize a little get together at one of our local pubs and we all bring a dish or snack to share. My wife and I have been going to these for years and after I came out I started to go dressed and most everyone has adjusted to the change without any problems...with the exception of one gal.

I've never really been good friends with Anne, but up until the time I came out our friendship was at least corrigible. I know she is very uncomfortable with my dressing as she has told me so on several occasions. I don't go to any great lengths to avoid being at places I know she'll be at because after all I am an invited guest as is she.

Over the last few years I have been inviting several of my "new" friends (those who have met me this way) in attempt to show Anne and a couple others that my dressing isn't really a big deal to the majority of friends who join us year after year.

Last night my wife and I along with our friend Brittney were the first to arrive and decided to just sit at the bar until the two that organized this year’s gathering showed up. To our misfortune Anne was the next to arrive and I could see on her face that she wasn't thrilled with my presents. Now, maybe I'm a bit vain, but I've long suspected that she’s jealous of the way I look when I'm dressed. OK, I realize I'm no Marilyn Monroe, but I do pretty well with what God has given me to work with. Anne is extremely heavy and very self conscious of her size from what others tell me. I suppose it didn't help any that I was looking rather festive in my sparkling set and black skirt and heels while she was in , but hey, that’s the way I roll.

It was several minutes before the next guests arrived and during that time she never even looked at me once, even when I said hi to her. Eventually more guests arrived and we moved from the bar and pushed several tables together in an attempt to keep the party all together. In all we had about 30 in the group and our table formation started to resemble a scrabble board, lol.

Throughout the evening we moved around a bit in an effort to chat with as many guests as possible. Many of the ladies complimented me on my outfit and suggested I was a bit nuts for wearing a skirt and heels in what was forecast as a blizzard (no snow, but 60 below wind chills), but, what the heck, it’s the Holidays and a girls got to have somewhere to show off her fancy outfits right ?

After several cocktails I noticed on open spot by Anne and plopped myself down next to her and started chatting with Julie who was in the chair to my other side. It wasn't long before I noticed Anne get up and move to another area in our group and decided that tonight apparently wasn't going to be the night we 18 would be singing Kumbaya my Lord together. When it came time to say our goodbyes I noticed Anne made an effort to get to everyone...except me that is.

So, I guess I can't expect to win everybody over with my dazzling personality, but I guess that’s the way the world is...her loss right ?

Judy (Happy New Year) sometimes

A Passing Tip for CDs Angela Gardner (Reprinted from TG Forum)

While we often go on about how it’s important to be who you want to be and dress how you want to dress without worrying so much about passing, from time to time we bring you hints on how to blend in as a woman. You may not actually be passing — as in convincing everyone who sees you that you were born female — but we hope these tips will make people accept you as a feminine person, even if they think you’re male.

Today’s tip is best utilized in slightly chilly weather: the kind of weather that requires a light sweater or . If you have been out and about on such a day, or evening, you may notice that many women walk with their arms wrapped around their torso just below their breasts. This is particularly true if it is a bit windy. If you stop to think about it you will realize that the skin on a woman’s breasts, unlike the skin on your breast prosthesis, is sensitive to the cold air. That leads women to shield their bosoms from the cold air by doing the arm wrap thing.

You may have perfected your feminine walk, swaying the hips a bit (don’t over do it!) staying loose, and moving your hands freely, not holding them stiffly at your sides, but if you stride along in chilly weather in a light sweater or jacket with your breasts proudly leading the way people will subconsciously wonder why you aren’t reacting to the cold air flowing over your pulchritude. They may assume you are having a hot flash, or that you are just one of those people who finds cold air bracing and healthy. (What’s wrong with those people?) Whatever they think you will have broken the first sacred rule of passing — don’t draw too much attention to yourself. As long as you are one woman in the crowd who is acting more or less like all the others you won’t get that second, closer examination that makes them say to themselves, “It’s one of them chick dudes.” (I actually heard a toll taker at the Lincoln Tunnel say that.)

Practice the arms around the torso walk and the next time there is a chill in the air put on a light sweater and boldly walk the street as if your breasts need protecting from the elements so they don’t get colder than a polar bear’s nose. Good luck passing! 19 Tasi’s Musings, February, 2014

Greetings from Merida

Merida is a city of about one million people with a significant and growing expatriate population. Of course the largest single influx of newcomers to the Yucatan are other Mexicans, mostly from Mexico City and the northern states. However it’s estimated that there are 5-6000 Americans and Canadians here along with another 18 major nationalities, largely from Europe and Central and South America.

One of the benefits of an expat population in this somewhat forgotten part of Mexico is the culture and the energies that they bring with them. Many of the cultural events of the city were started by expats, the Yucatan Symphony being one example. Our English Language Library (MEL) is another example.

Because we so appreciate the Yucatan culture and want to do our part to keep it alive and well, almost everyone who comes here ends up doing something to give back. We once had a project where we interviewed expats all along the Riviera Maya… eight cities in all. In every single one of them, the expats were involved in local dog shelters, spay and neuter clinics and some sort of projects to help children of lesser means. Here in Merida, expats are involved in food banks, nursing homes, education support programs, libraries, children’s services and shelters, HIV/AIDS education, free English lan- guage schools, environmental protection, encouragement of artistic talents, animal protection, pet rescue and adoption programs, women’s services, and Christmas/present-giving activities

I personally contribute once a month to a local children’s education program by picking up free food from a local grocer and taking it to the school, Hogar Neuva Vida. The school supports 24 young girls by providing them free education and meals throughout the week. Our men’s club contributes about 10,000 pesos a year to them along with a variety of other services.

And it’s not limited to the expat community. My friend and attorney owns a small hacienda (in ruins) near Valladolid (middle of peninsula) and at Christmas time, he took gifts to all the children in the village where it’s located (about 100 children). Small things are appreciated by these small village children.

20 In the News

G rayson Perry and his alter ego, Claire, to receive the CBE. Grayson is an interesting person. He’s a well known trans- vestite in the UK and a world-renown potter by trade. His works have been displayed in many shows. The 53-year-old will be at Buckingham Palace at the end of the week to be awarded the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, but the Queen, who has met him face-to- face, chooses to remain at her residence at Sandringham.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Grayson recalled the moment he met the Queen, saying: "I thought the Queen’s eyes were going to pop out of her head when she saw me. I was probably the first tranny at the palace, although one or two may have slipped through unnoticed." Unfazed by Grayson's appearance, the Queen then asked him what he did for a living to which he replied that he "made pots". The father-of-one was dressed in a short red and blue floral dress inspired by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and was carrying a black patent leather as he came face-to-face with the 87-year-old royal.

Secrets of the Living Dolls. I’m not sure if this is news or humor, but we now have a new variation of the fetish crossdresser. Robert (right) is one of a growing number of men for whom time off means time spent dressed in an elaborate body suit, complete with breasts and a vagina, designed to make them look like the glamorous women they are not.

Unlike transgender people, ‘maskers’, or ‘rubber dollers’ as they’re also known, do not feel born in the wrong body. For them, dressing up as a member of the opposite sex is a simply a way to have fun. ‘They’re not freaky people, they’re not weird, they’re just like you and me,’ explains Barbie Ramos, the owner of Femskin, a company that makes the $850 custom -made silicone outfits worn by maskers. Do they look passable? Hardly, but see for yourself here 21

Transgender Travelers. TSA recognizes the concerns members of the transgender community may have with undergoing the security screening process at our Nation’s air- ports and is committed to conducting screening in a dignified and respectful manner”. They have created a web page titled “Transgender Travelers: Special Considerations.” to address the issues when trans- genders travel.

Unmasking The Religious Right War In America against the LGBT community. Alvin McEwen of the Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters blog. has spent the last year putting together a booklet that is a handy guide for detecting those tactics, debunking and eviscerating their talking points, and giving you the information and tools to develop counterprogramming against them entitled How They See Us: Unmasking The Religious Right War In America.

The biggest transgender moments of 2013. In late 2012, Vice President Joe Biden made the claim that transgender discrimination would become "the civil rights issue of our time." In the year since his statement, America certainly has seen progress, both politically and socially, towards the full inclusion and validation of transgender-identifying individuals within our society. From solidified rights for transgender minors to representation of trans people and experiences on mainstream television -- what is means to be transgender is receiving arguably more mainstream recognition than at any prior point in our history.

11 'Girly' Things Men Wish They Could Do Without Judgment. For a long time, women have fought -- and are still fighting -- to overcome gender roles and expectations. However, it's important to remember that rigid ideas about what men and women "should" or "shouldn't" do isn't just bad for women. A Dec. 17th thread asked the men of Reddit, "What girly thing do you really want to do or try but it is socially unacceptable?" Responses ranged from cuddling etiquette to fashion woes and showing emotion . Here are 11 of our favorite answers.

What Does Transgender Really Mean? Is Wikipedia misleading us? Julia Serano and Susan Stryker take on Wikipedia. An interesting article about this much discussed and much misunderstood term.

Books and Movies

Drag Becomes Him. Directed by Alex Berry and produced by Basil Shadid and Dual Power Productions, "Drag Becomes Him" is a behind-the-scenes foray into the personality and passion of entertainer Jerick Hoffer, also known as Jinkx Monsoon, a drag queen Seattle’s The Stranger dubs "the best f**king performer in Seattle." Originally released as a five-part web series, "Drag Becomes Him" is slated to become a feature-length documentary in summer 2014.

New Transgendered Reality Series. Jenna Talackova, the transgendered model who took on pageant king Donald Trump, is back home in Vancouver after a summer and fall in the spotlight as the star of her own reality TV series. The series première, Brave New Girls, is Sunday, 7 p.m. on E!

22 A new online talk show in the Miami area created by Jasmine Ford, who starting this week will be lending her voice -- and face -- to Miami's transgender community with her talk show, The Gender Experience.

Ford, 41, describes her middle class upbringing in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as traditional, where topics such as gender disorders were never discussed. She recalls how other children around her would "solidify their gender identity and begin learning and mimicking the appropriate behavior prescribed for their sex." But for her, and others like her, this did not happen. Read her full experience in the link above.

Fashion and Beauty

There’s not a modern style icon quite like Kate Middleton. See this review of her 2013 looks from Marie Claire UK. This is one amazing woman. If you haven’t seen it, the 2011 movie, William and Kate, is available on You Tube

You need a “Fairy Mother” Beverly Johnson -- owner of Bra-makers Supply in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and teacher of bra-making –fits the bill. Women (and men) come from all over the world to take a professional bra-maker’s course in Hamilton from the “fairy bra mother.’’ Why is there so much interest about bra-making? It’s all about fit. Many women do not have evenly-sized breasts. Read all about Bra Secrets in our Sister House Library.

100 Years of East London style in 100 seconds. Really fun and interesting to watch

The Return of the Tight Squeeze. When Sarah A. Chrisman received a blue silk rose-patterned corset from her husband for her 29th birthday, she reluctantly allowed him to lace her into it. She believed then, she said recently, that corsets “deformed, broke bones, tortured and killed.”

But Ms. Chrisman, 33, a massage therapist and Victoriana enthusiast, quickly grew fond of her new . With constant wear — even sleeping in it — she said that her posture improved, that she ate less and that she transformed not only her wardrobe (from frumpy tees to fitted ), but also her size, from 32 to 22 inches.

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Plus size fashion is a hot topic in the fashion world and retailers are finally getting the word. Jessica London, a favorite for crossdressing shoppers, announced that it now offers an extended size range--up to a size 40--for many of the brands modern, classic , designed exclusively for the plus size woman. Check them out.

Willam Belli is one of my favorite comedians/drag queens. You’ll find him in my Comedy Theater on Sister House. Willam has now done a makeup tutorial that will have you smiling for 13 minutes. There’s actually some real hints in there too somewhere.

Humor

10 Reasons Why Women Are Strange From my friend, Judy, in Fargo, ND. A wild police chase in the snow. It happened in Canada, but could happen wherever you snowbirds are J Or watch this crazy bride do the French can-can. So until next month

Hugs……Tasi 24 Humor

A psychiatrist was conducting a group therapy session with four young mothers and their small children. "You all have obsessions," he observed. To the first mother, Mary, he said, "You are obsessed with eating. You've even named your daughter Candy." He turned to the 2nd mom, Ann, and said, "Your obsession is with money. Again, it manifests itself in your child's name, Penny." He turned to the 3rd mom, Joyce. "Your obsession is alcohol. This too shows itself in your child's name, Brandy." At this point, the fourth mother, Mrs. Smith, quietly got up, took her little boy by the hand, and whis- pered, "Come on, Dick, this jerk has no idea what he's talking about. Let's pick up Peter and Willy from school and go get dinner.

Always choose a memorable password!!

A lady helps her husband install a new computer. Once it is completed, she tells him to select a password, selecting a word that he'll always remember. As the computer asks him to enter it, he looks at his wife and with a macho gesture and a wink in his eye, he selects a word: mypenis. As he hits "enter", to validate the selection, his wife collapses with laughter and rolls on the floor in hysteria!!

The computer had replied: TOO SHORT- ACCESS DENIED!

25 Angels In the Centerfold

D e n i s e

D e M a n n

Trixie Deans

Suzanne Jeffries 26

E l l e n

Mellissa Lynn

T a m m y T i T n r a u e h e a r t 27

Mellissalynn’s Tips & Tricks

February is here! Winter’s on the tail end (I hope!), and spring is just around the corner. Time to start getting ready for open-toed weather! By that, I mean that it’s a good time to start working on those tender toes and start getting them ready to look gorgeous.

So now I’m a graduate of cosmetology school and am working on getting myself into a salon. I have an offer; my mom’s best friend has an extra chair open and ha offered it to me. I very well may take her up on it; at this point, it’s the best offer I have on the table.

Also, I may be spending quite a bit of time en femme to help prepare for a wedding! My niece’s best friend is getting married in May, and would like me to do her hair and makeup. So we’re looking at a consultation in March, the bachelorette party (where I get to be one of the girls!), and then the wedding itself, which I’m invited to attend as a female. I’m also an alternate as a bridesmaid, if needed. It’s not the same as being the bride, but hey, it’s still being a girl at a wedding, right?

So what about all of you? What’s your plans for February, or for the spring? Do you have a wedding to attend, as a boy or a girl? Are you going to be a groom, or (lucky girl!) a bride? Write me at [email protected], and tell me all about it!!

Sigh…it must be close to Valentine’s Day, I feel all romantic and giddy and girly! It was hard to concentrate enough to write this, but here is this month’s column…

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I’m going to start this off by airing a pet peeve from the salon. Ladies, when you go in to get your hair styled, or, more importantly, cut, please remember what I’m about to tell you. As a stylist, it’s very hard to cut someone’s hair when she has her legs crossed! It throws off your body angle and can actually lead to a bad do. Also, it’s hard to do a service when a client is on her or his phone. People tend to tilt their head to one side when talking on a phone, and to lean forward when texting. Again, this can lead to a bad haircut. Personally, I stop a service if a client is using their phone, and wait until they are ready for me to work again.

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Do you feel that you have a need for a slimmer face? It’s the season for lots of food, lots of stress, and lots of sitting inside while the cold winds are howling outside, and that can add that little bit of fullness that you might not want. Well, here are a few tricks you can try with your makeup to hide that puffiness.

Bronzer can be your friend in this crisis. Cream bronzers work best. Apply the bronzer diagonally in the hollow of your cheekbones to give yourself a little bit more of a chiseled look. The bronzer will also draw the eye upwards and downwards. This will narrow your face visually. Start by making the fish face, where you suck your cheeks in and pucker your lips. You’ll see the indentations immediately. Take your bronzer and apply it from your hairline downward to the outer corner of your eye. Blend this in well; remember, there’s no such thing as too much blending!

Another trick is not only useful in slimming your face, it’s also a good way to soften and shape your jawline. Apply your bronzer downward along the hairline to the jaw and blend inward toward your nose. Perform this technique on both sides, then make sure you’ve blended your makeup well.

The last trick is for under the face. Your bronzer will help conceal that little bit of extra chin, or perhaps a wattle, that’s crept up from nowhere. Tilt you head back and apply the bronzer right under your chin. Blend well along the jawline and down into your neck. Make your bronzer darkest directly under your chin and lighten it as you spread out. For best effect, take a second, clean brush and blend some more after applying.

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So, for my monthly discussion (rant) about hygiene and makeup, let’s talk about public restrooms once again. This one is fairly obvious, and yet people never think about it. When you go into the restroom, male or female, what do you do even before you wash your hands? You flush! Ever consider how many dirty, grimy hands touch those handles? Especially in restaurants and fast food places, germs abound at an alarming rate, even in places that look clean. A recent suggestion in one of the women’s magazines states that this might be the single leading cause of the spread of the common cold. My solution? When I finish, I get a little bit of toilet paper before I flush. This is easier for a woman to do in a stall than for a man to do at a urinal, I know. , and there may be times that, as a man, this won’t be feasible. Just be sure to give your hands a very good washing afterward.

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This question came from Leesa, a reader in Australia. How cool is that? Anyway. here’s her letter: “Mellissa, I have a really prominent adam’s apple. How can I use my makeup to hide this?” Well, Leesa, I’ve done some research, and sadly, there isn’t a lot to do with makeup tohelp.Having said that, I have found a couple of ideas that you can try. You can try a dusting bronzer or contouring makeup. You’ll want to go one to two shades darker on the area that protrudes. Darker colors can visually shrink an area; conversely lighter colors make an area look larger. Aply the lighter colors to the area around the adam’s apple. Depending on how far your adam’s apple sticks out, this may completely conceal it. Good luck, Leesa, and I hope you write me back to let me know how this works.

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You just found a great fragrance and you can’t wait to try it out. However you don’t want to knock people out because you put it on too strongly. Try applying a pump on each side of the neck, and one on each wrist. If you have drier skin, use a little more; for oilier, use a little less. For an added softer effect, sprit a pump in the air and let it drift down onto you. This will lightly scent your hair as well.

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Do you flat-iron your hair? If you do, here’s the salon trick for getting smooth hair with just a small touch of volume. As you flat-iron a section, start curving the iron inward a bit as you near the ends. This gives the hair a subtle bit of curvature, which adds volume.

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This bit of information is for the girls who do their own nails, or have them done professionally. Do you know the difference between nail polish and nail lacquer? Nail lacquer (aka nail enamel)contains more pigment than regular nail polish, and will give a longer-lasting manicure. For those of us who can wear polish for longer periods of time, this is great. However, if you’re going to be removing your polish after an evening out, you might wish to go with regular polish that’s a little easier to remove.

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I’m sure all of you have heard the words “free radicals” before. Do you know what it means, though? This is something that we spent a LOT of time discussing in my esthetics classes. Basically, free radicals are defined as follows: “An atom or group of atoms that has at least one unpaired electron and is therefore unstable and highly reactive. In animal tissues, free radicals can damage cells and are believed to accelerate the pro- gression of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and age-related diseases.”

For the purposes of beauty, free radicals can cause signs of premature aging a.k.a. blemishes and wrinkles. There are plenty of things you can do to help rid yourself of these agents. Exercise, rest, and a proper diet all go along way. Additionally, there are all sorts of agents on the market to help counter the effects; these agents are called anti-oxidants. I’m not going to go in-depth on the subject here, as this subject can fill entire books.

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Here’s a little health tip that doubles as a beauty tip as well. Did you know that crossing your legs at the knee can put pressure on your leg veins? It’s true! That pressure can cause spider veins to form. Not such a big deal in the winter time when we’re wearing long or pants, but this summer, when the hems get shorter and the legs get visible, that’s not a good look at all. So, instead, try crossing your legs 30 at the ankles.

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When showering, experts recommend that you should give your conditioner at least three minutes in your hair before rinsing it out. This gives the conditioner time to really penetrate into your follicles, and almost acts as a deep conditioning treatment. This makes your hair softer and less likely to split. What I like to do is to put a shower on after applying my conditioner, then tend to other parts of my hygiene ritual while the conditioner has its time to work.

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While we’re on the subject of showering, let’s talk about shaving. Did you know (you probably did) that shaving causes your skin to lose moisture? Yep! When you shave, you also remove part of what dermatologists call the acid . This definition is from Wikipedia: “The acid mantle is a very fine, slightly acidic film on the surface of the skin acting as a barrier to bacteria, viruses and other potential contaminants that might penetrate the skin.” Not only that, but shaving, even when you think it went perfectly with no nicks, ALWAYS causes nicks, be they microscopic in nature. This again can allow bacteria and viruses to penetrate your body. Healthy unbroken skin is the body’s primary defense against disease.

Why am I telling you this? I want to urge you to resist the temptation to dry shave. Using a shaving cream will help restore your moisture, and provides an easier surface for the razor to glide across, protecting you more from nicks and cuts.

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Here’s a great idea for removing clumps from your mascara. Take a paper towel and roll your wand along it. This will remove excess product, and help prevent clumps from happening.

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So you’ve just finished applying your makeup, but it’s looking a little dull and matte. Try this trick to get a quick bit of glow happening. Use either a facial serum or a couple of drops of oil, and apply to your fingertips. Tap your fingers over your cheeks and brow. The little bit of moisture from the oil will pick up light, giving you a natural looking sheen.

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Do you ever find your hair takes too long to dry? Here’s a hint I picked up at school a short while back. Use a paper towel, or an old T-, to blot your hair before using the dryer. The blotting will absorb more moisture than a towel. After that, when drying, aim the nozzle at the roots, where the hair is usually most wet.

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Let’s talk about eyebrows for a second. Do you have eyebrows that curl upwards, or go in all 31 directions? This is a good sign that your brows need trimmed. This is a good way to do so. Brush your brows upward. Using cuticle shears, trim the strands that extend past the of your brow. Brush your brows back down, and you’ll find them neater and much more manageable.

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This is a nifty way to try out a haircut without actually getting one. Take a photo of yourself against a black background (use a lighter background if you have black hair!). Print the photo out, then use a black marker (or other color for black hair) to mark your hair down to the length you’re considering. If the look works for you, go for it!

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Here are a couple of ways to use mascara that you wouldn’t normally think about. Did you know that you can use mascara to quickly conceal grey hairs? Yep! Find a color that matches your hair and use it to color your roots. Be sure to wipe away any excess; this is one time that a little dab’ll do you!

Another alternative use for mascara is as a liquid liner. Find yourself a small, clean brush and dip it into your mascara, then apply to your eyes. This is a trick that several pro makeup artist use to get a bit of smudge-proof, intense color.

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Try this one if you’re between washings and your hair looks a little oily. Apply a little translucent powder to your hair, then run a paddle brush through. The paddle brush will pick up and remove the excess and the oil will be absorbed.

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And so ends February’s column! I’m off now to do some housecleaning and . Doesn’t that sound fun? Well, it can’t all be shopping and evening , can it?

If any of you have something to share with me as far as ideas, or tip or tricks, or want to tell me how well something I’ve suggested works, I’d love to hear about it. Or, if you want to volunteer to come and clean my house, PLEASE feel free to let me know that too! You all know my e-mail address by now, I hope, but just in case, here it is yet again: [email protected]. I hope to hear from you as I did Leesa!

Have a good month, girls! I hope you have a great Valentine’s Day, and maybe even find something cute and feminine awaiting you then. Talk to you all in March!

32 Your Fashion Questions, Answered

Real Simple Fashion Director Victoria Sanchez-Lincoln tackles some of the questions we got when we put out this call on Facebook: If you could ask anything about style, what would it be?

Q: How can a beautiful, proportional, and very curvy plus size like myself wear and/or skinny jeans without my legs looking like Christmas hams?

A: When picking leggings or skinnies, stick to dark tones: black, inky indigo, charcoal, even dark bur- gundies or teals. (Brighter colors will emphasize thighs; darker colors will slim.) For a flattering alterna- tive to skinny jeans, look for slim or straight-leg cuts. Neither of these offers a skintight and leg-hugging fit. Instead, the silhouette is more columnar, falling in a straight line from thigh to ankle.

Up top, be playful with your choices, wearing brightly colored or embellished blouses and tees that will draw the eye. To visually lengthen your look, finish it with a or jacket—a tuxedo style is a great pick—that hits mid-thigh.

Q: I need help figuring out how to style all the ankle that are now out. Tuck skinny jeans in? Roll them?

A: Luckily, there’s no hard-and-fast rule. Really, this is more about what looks best on you and works with what you own.

Rolling your jeans and showing off a little skin between cuff and top of is a younger, hipper look. Note: The roll should be minimal, not chunky or wide, so for the best results try this with ankle-length skinny or slim-cut jeans. This look also works better with sleeker, more feminine boots, maybe with a stacked heel—nothing about it should look clunky.

Tucking your skinny jeans or leggings into boots can make you look taller and leaner because you’ll cre- ate one continuous line. But don’t stop there: Work the look with (opaque or sweater styles) worn with pencil or full circle skirts and flirty dresses. As for the boots, you have lots of latitude here: Wedges, western-inspired styles, Chelsea boots, even high heels all lend themselves beautifully.

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Q: I love the fashionable these days, including statement necklaces, but I always struggle with to wear with them. Don’t want anything too matchy-matchy or loud, but then what’s best—posts, hoops, dangly earrings? Or must we skip earrings in this case?

A: What it comes down to is this: Do your ears feel naked without earrings? If the answer is no, skip them knowing that your will make a big enough statement.

But if you feel unfinished without earrings, simple studs are almost always the best choice. Look for a pair that coordinates in some way with your necklace, whether that means matching stones, colors, or metals (or all of the above). And be sure that you stick with the same style: No wearing a ladylike neck- lace with pyramid studs, for instance. Save them for something edgier.

The exception to the rule: If your dress is spare—a minimalistic LBD—feel free to go bolder with your earrings. Here, hoops or dangling numbers that complement your necklace would help bring focus and a bit of drama to your ensemble. But fair warning: Try this only with a restrained black dress. Florals, prints, and peplums have enough going on.

Q: I need to know today’s . I see so much clothing that looks like either nightclub, golf club, or matronly. What is the stylish, classy professional wearing to the office these days? If you say jeans, I’ll scream.

A: The short answer is: Look for materials that are comfortable but have an inherently dressier feel (, chiffon, cashmere). Try pairing, say, a flowy jersey top with relaxed or—sorry!—nice jeans (if your work environment permits) for an outfit that toes the line between office-appropriate and easygoing polish. Chic accessories will make a big difference, too: Tying on a beautiful printed silk will elevate virtually any outfit. How to Wear Long Denim Skirts By Shannon C ,

One fashion trend that has been surprising style reviewers is the abundance of people wearing long denim skirt. No doubt due to the versatility and universality of this timeless skirt, it is clear that we find it hard to stay away from denim. It is also true that the longer the denim skirt, the better. Especially in today's ever-shrinking hemlines and waistlines, it is great to have denim options that offer more coverage without sacrificing style or creativity. Gone are the days when denim was one color, one cut, one size fits all. Today's long denim skirts are as varied as the hips they rest upon, and there are many creative, stylish ways to pair a long denim shirt for warm or cool weather, day or evening, for casual or even more formal attire. Learn from experts what the basic styles of long denim skirts are this season and how to wear them to flow with the style trends.

The Main Styles of Long Denim Skirts Long denim skirts have come a long way from the one a-line cut that first popularized them. Today, a long denim skirt may feature an asymmetrical hemline, be constructed of patchwork cuts of different colors or styles of denim, skim the knees or the ankles, feature ruffles, fringe, or sleek shiny denim, offer front or rear buttons, pockets or no pockets, front, side or back zipper or on, slimline or flared, 34 pleated or spandex. There are as many different styles of long denim skirts as there are wearers, and it is easy to find a unique look in a long denim skirt with just the click of a mouse button as you start shopping the wealth of online retailers who offer long denim skirts for purchase from the comfort of home. Vintage denim skirts are also enjoying a resurgence in popularity, and browsing a local vintage store can yield some great finds.

How to Wear Long Denim Skirts Long denim skirts are literally that ubiquitous fashion must-have that can pair well with nearly any new fashion trend. The key is to pick the right style of long denim skirt as the trends change. Long, sleek a-line denim skirts can pair well with flowing tops that feature lace or ruffles. A pair of cream or nude classic pumps can give an asymmetrical hemline denim skirt just the right touch of elegant sass. With the new resurgence in hats as a this season, the long denim skirt is the perfect choice for western wear or rodeo days when paired with ruched cotton and a pair of strappy or boots. One style tip to note is to take care not to pair denim with too much denim. The long denim skirt is best used as an accent rather than the main course, and can really benefit from the addition of some vintage chic with chunky or layered bangles or necklaces, dangle earrings, and a snappy bolero. If you can find a long denim skirt with some fringe or lace, consider a pair of strappy heels and sheer top for a sexy look.

One Dress, 5 Ways By Farnoosh Torabi,

Spring is about to be sprung. That means fashion shows, outdoor parties and, of course, the upcoming wedding season, encouraging us to stretch our wardrobe dollars to the max. But what if I told you that you could wear one single dress five different ways? Stylist and fashion maven Amy Salinger explains how to take full advantage of the versatility of one single dress.

Start with the "LBD" Salinger suggests starting with a black , also known as the "." "It's one of those pieces that is universally flattering," she says. "The great thing about it is that you can get a quality little black dress for under $100 dollars, sometimes under $50…Find a great one that you can wear multiple ways."

Look #1: Casual Weekend You might not expect a little black dress to transform for a casual weekend look but it is possible. Add a cross-body messenger bag, layer with a jacket and finish with flat riding boots to make the black sheath dress more relaxed. Be sure, however, to add a pop of color or pattern in the jacket to keep it fun. It's a look best for going to brunch, running errands and all other daytime activities.

Look #2: Conservative Office Next, Salinger says switch it up by layering underneath. "You won't even recognize it's a dress any- more," she says. Put on a tailored shirt under your dress and compliment it with a cardigan layered on 35 top to complete the look.

Look #3: Night Out What about the evening, date night, going out? You're still covered. Make your LBD chic with a light- colored , pop of color and dramatic accessories. "Pair the little black dress with a light colored blazer and really brightens it up," suggests Salinger. And just like everyone should own a black blazer for the colder seasons, she says we should also have one in white when the temperature heats up.

Look #4: Creative Office For the creative professional, the LBD can be styled into a more edgy, but conservative, work look. Again, the key is to incorporate layers. Add a layer under with a colorful collared shirt and another on top. Instead of the cardigan, be on trend this spring with a . Leather will be big this season, according to Salinger, and a shrunken leather jacket will be just right indoors and outdoors.

Look #5: Wedding Or Event Finally, it's not spring without weddings. Believe it or not, the same dress can even work for a formal event. "You can personalize it through the accessories," says Salinger. A unique handbag and necklace will really make the look shine and a black tuxedo blazer with short sleeves will help you go from the ceremony to the reception seamlessly. Tasi’s Fashion Blog Blend or Not…What Outfit Should I Wear? Tasi Zuriack

I was reading a rather interesting article about the decline in American morality and manners being brought about by the decline in dressing standards. We see it at all levels in our society from lowering SAT scores to the increase in road rage. This preoccupation with casual dress and the declining attention to standards of any kind has an obvious impact on our crossdressing community. We, in general, tend to prefer a more feminine dress instead of ratty jeans and sloppy sweatshirts.

A CD friend of mine said that a couple of GG friends have refused to go out with her because she is always so put together (hair, nails, outfit, etc.). They tell her they don’t always want to do that, but wouldn’t be caught dead having her look better than they do. Another friend in an undisclosed western state started a Thursday group and expressed similar feelings. The ladies started to dress better and even came to her for advice.

Now the axiom within the crossdressing community has been to blend-in, not standout, even though my friend Vickie may disagree (she’s around 5-0 and 115 lbs and gives a runway model a run for her money). And I have to agree with Vickie although I held that belief too until Stand out vs Blend-in just recently. The average crossdresser is likely to be 36 noticed anyway due to height, mannerisms, voice or dress, so why not make the most of it. Watching the buying habits of CDs on Sister House only supports my theory that most of us in the transgender community want to feel sensual and be noticed, hopefully in a positive way. After all, all women want to feel beautiful and confident.

So the trick here is to be very well put-together so the first glance that we get while shopping in the mall, or walking into a restaurant is an admiring glance, saying “I like what that woman is wearing” and believe me, they will notice, both the good and the bad. We need to take off the ‘ of invisibility,’ by creating our own unique, personalized look that boldly says, “See me.” They are the ones who see their bodies as a blank canvass and their clothes and accessories as their ‘I’m Awesome’ .

Unfortunately far too few crossdressers think like real women when it comes to dressing and prefer to perhaps just capture a look that they’ve seen on someone else rather than experiment with all the possibilities in their closet. It took my own wife to show me how to mix and match clothes and accessories to achieve a myriad of looks with just a few basic pieces. We talk about some of these techniques over on Tasi’s blog, the Fashionable TG Woman.

So how do we demand positive attention without seemingly to try. That’s a bit of a loaded question because the answer is “It depends.” And yes, age appropriate, or perhaps I should say body appropriate, is a consideration if you want an admiring glance. Knowing your fashion style well is important in knowing how you dress and express your inner self. And whereas your fashion style is another article, I want to start you down the right path to two very different classical looks that any of us can achieve and which are knockouts.

I, for instance, love a dress, but look far better in slacks because they lengthen the line of my form. We just need to be flexible in our approach to clothes knowing that the special look can be achieved when we understand how the elements of fashion come together for the total look. We can become our own fashion icon.

So, let’s look at some possibilities. When building up your attractiveness, it’s enormously useful to have a go-to outfit. For many of us, that’s going to mean a pair of jeans, heels, a blazer, and a bag you’re glad to carry.

There are a staccato of choices but jeans and pants have become a cornerstone of American culture, a version can be found for most shapes and sizes. Check the Sister House Boutique for a wide variety of sexy and colorful choices in many different fabrics. Same for heels and – say stilettoed, blunt-toed, cropped or lapeled.

How do I know this is a go-to outfit for attraction? Very scientific research. Lisa from Privilege puts it this way: “First, I cast my mind’s eye back over the years, and realized that whenever I felt the time had come to make my intentions clear to a man, I wore jeans, a white shirt, and pearls” ….Second, I reviewed Pinterest. Yep.

One of the most prevalent outfits? Jeans, jacket, heels, 37 bag.”, See some of the possibilities here.

Of course, some of us just don’t like pants. We don’t like the way they feel, the way they look, or both. How then to choose a go-to? Despite Pinterest’s fondness for and skirts and maxi-dresses, I don’t think those are the most attractive solutions. I think it’s got to be a dress. One that allows for movement, but highlights your favorite bits. Check out this article on my blog, but be sure to scroll down at least halfway.

Devastingly attractive and still comfortable featuring black leather boots

If you don’t care for pants, it’s quite likely you’re fond of your bosom, as they said in previous centuries. And somehow, with all that leg showing, I think you’re going to want to wear boots for stomping around. For two feet on the ground, there’s little quite as attractive as an effortless, enthusiastic, authoritative stride (and most of us are pretty good at that J.

You will notice, being the insightful lot that you are, a certain sturdy quality to these outfits. Yes. That’s true. The single most attractive outfit you can own ties directly to your fashion style, whatever that may be. But your fashion style is also quite likely to act as a net plus in your life, i.e., Attractive, so perhaps it’s not just my preferences at play. Remember, those who dare, attract.

Try a little daring. A little stomping. See what transpires. So, until next month, may you be the beautiful woman that you are. Hugs, Tasi

From Style Crone 38 5 Ways to Drop 5 Pounds (With Your Clothes!) It's about wearing these slimming combinations--no working out or calorie-counting required. By Julia Malacoff, REDBOOK

Full waist-cinching skirt + thin knit sweater

Great for people who are bigger on the bottom, a full skirt hides a multitude of sins, and keeping things light on top helps create the illusion of a tiny waist.

Faux-leather + tweedy, boxy jacket

The faux-leather material really sucks you in, drawing a streamlined silhouette on your bottom half. Up top, the jacket's boxy shoulders create an "upside-down triangle" ef- fect, which is very slimming.

Strategically-paneled dress

Dark side panels have an optical illusion effect, the result of which is a thinner-looking you. 39

Little black dress + bright cropped jacket

A classic black sheath works on so many body types, while a bright jacket draws the eye upward, distracting from what's below.

Boxy structured top + slim ankle-crop pants

This look is great for anyone with a bit of a tummy -the structured top covers it right up. Plus, the contrast between a wider top and slim pant shrinks your bottom half.

40

Breast Forms 101 - everything you need to know!

What is a Breast Form?

A breast form is a prosthesis worn either inside a bra or attached to the body to simulate the weight, bounce, feel, movement, and especially shape of the natural female breast. Depending on the material or shape used, these qualities can be achieved to different degrees.

More expensive modern breast forms are designed by computers and can even be attached to the chest. They can be worn while bathing, sleeping or even during strenuous activity.

The Medical Purpose for the Breast Form Industry

The main intent behind the commercial breast form industry has been to supply genetic women with replacement prosthetics to restore physical symmetry and to restore peace of mind following the devastating effects of breast cancer. This year alone, over 180,000 women will be diagnosed with some form of breast cancer (of that number over 45,000 will die because of the disease). Traditional treatments in the involve chemotherapy, radiation or hormonal therapy to halt the spread of the cancer, coupled with a removal of the affected tissue areas. The traditional removal method is called a “radical mastectomy” or “modified radical mastectomy,” and involves removal of the entire affected breast, the lymph nodes under the arm, and possibly the lining over the chest muscles. In recent years, new techniques have been used in which it is not necessary to remove the entire breast (lumpectomy or partial mastectomy).

This results in an industry that produces a wide range of prosthetics for a large (unfortunately) market. The range of products which are available to the post-mastectomy patient (to restore the visual and physical balance between the affected breast area and the non-affected area) is amazing.

How the TG Community Benefits

Most medical insurance plans allow for at least partial reimbursement for the purchase of breast forms and surgical each year (section 6109A of a 1974 Medicare ruling). Unfortunately, this is limited to genetic women who have had breast surgery, and the TG community can not take advantage of this. The TG community can benefit from all of the work by this industry to develop materials and form shapes that resemble the natural female breast as closely as possible.

Materials Used in Commercial Breast Forms

The predominant material used in the more expensive commercial breast forms is silicone gel inside a very thin, slick plastic shell with tapered edges. Other materials such as rubber/latex, foam, or cotton batting are sometimes used. Here are the main qualities of each of the types of materials used to help in deciding if a certain material is right for you:

Silicone Good Points: The material gives the form a comparable weight, movement and feel of a natural breast. The silicone can be colored; many forms of this type are available in a variety of shades to match skin 41 tone. The material of this type of form warms to your body temperature and feels very comfortable. Bad Points: Silicone forms are expensive, ranging anywhere from $100-400 U.S. per form.

Rubber/Latex Good Points: Cheaper alternative to silicone, while still retaining some of the qualities of silicone that make it so desirable. Bad Points: While still having some of the qualities of silicone to a certain degree, rubber/latex can not dare to match the weight, feel or movement of even the cheapest silicone forms.

Foam Good Points: Commercial foam forms are very cheap and can even be easily homemade. Bad Points: Will not likely have the drape, weight or movement approximating a real breast. The primary goal of this type of form is to approach the shape of the natural breast.

Cotton Batting Good Points: Very cheap and easily home made. This can be a good way to estimate what cup size might fit best for your frame and body type. Bad Points: VERY light and has no draping qualities. This type of form will not move the way a natural breast would due to its lightness. The goal of this type of form is usually to restore the visual and physical balance of a missing breast.

Types of Forms

Commercial breast forms come in all shapes, materials and prices to meet a variety of needs. With all the choices available, it can sometimes be difficult to make sense of all the terminology.

Symmetrical This type of form can be worn on either side of the body. Triangle (tri-corner): This is the most general type of form, and offers the most complete and natural bra fit for most users. Teardrop: The name implies its shape. The tapered end is used for a better fit either under the arm or on the upper part of the chest. Heart Shape: This type of form has double extensions, both for under the arm and the upper chest wall.

Asymmetrical These are forms that are designed to be left or right side specific. Curved Teardrop: This is essentially the regular teardrop type with one rounded portion of the teardrop having a slight extension for the upper chest wall. Extended Triangle: This is a modification of the symmetric style. One of the lower corners of the triangle will have an extension which goes under the arm for better fitting in a bra with some wearers.

42 Other Types of Breast Form and Accessories

Thin Shell Breast Forms: These usually serve as an augmentation for surgeries that remove only a portion of the breast. They can also be worn as breast pads to augment the size of smaller busts. Attachable Forms: These are a newer type of form that is becoming quite popular. Such forms are usually silicone and more expensive than the non-attachable types. They are temporarily attached usually by velcro (hook side on the form, soft pad side attached to the chest by adhesive or surgical cement). Attachable Nipples: Most breast forms do not have a pre-formed, colored nipple built in to the form (only a very few do). Several manufacturers carry nipples that can be applied to forms that do not have this feature. Unlike the form itself, this accessory is rather cheap. A pair of silicone nipples usually costs about $20 - $40 (U.S. dollars).

What are the parts of an attachable breast form?

An attachable breast form consists of two parts. One piece is an upside down “V” shape with the soft half of velcro on one side and an adhesive on the other. The other part of the form is the form itself, with the hook (rough) half of the velcro permanently attached at points on the back side of the form. This type of form allows the wearer to be free from most special considerations that are necessary for other forms (special bras, having to wear a bra to wear the form, etc.).

What are the advantages of this type of form?

With this type of breast form, the form is very securely attached to the chest wall and can be worn for a wide range of activities including sports and swimming (generally safe in chlorine and salt water). They also tend to move with the wearer more naturally than non-attachable types (in my experience).

How are they attached to and removed from the chest?

After doing this a few times it only takes 5-10 minutes to complete the attachment process.

Attachment 101 1. Shaving the chest area (if necessary): The area must be free of any hair for the attachments to hold properly. 2. Preparing the skin: This type of form will usually come with an exfoliating creme that is applied to the area that will be covered by the attachment. The exfoliating creme will help clean off any dead skin, oils, soaps or shampoos that build up over time. Doing this helps the attachment stay on for the longest 43 period of time. 3. Marking the position for the attachments: Place the attachment on the form in the proper position, then put on the bra you will be wearing. Place the form in the bra and position it to the correct location. Pull the bra strap down and away from the form and use a pencil (usually comes with the form) to mark key spots on the attachment to help in placing on the chest. Take off bra and form and carefully detach the attachment from the form. 4. Attaching the attachment: Remove the adhesive cover and place on the chest. Hold in place for several minutes to assure a good bond. After doing this several times, it becomes easier, and the attachments stay on longer - up to a week, depending on your skin type. 5. Attaching the form to the attachment: Hold the form over its intended location and depress the middle of the form slightly toward the chest so that the upper portion connects first. This is to ensure a better drape. 6. Detachment: 7. Detaching the form from the attachment: At all times holding the attachment to the chest, slowly pull the form away from the attachment, starting from the armpit area.

Detaching the attachment from the chest wall: “This might sting a little.” You have been warned. It is a gigantic Band-Aid. If any hair is underneath, this may hurt a bit, but generally, it is far less painful than you might think (it is also easier if the support is removed in the shower or when wet).

Do I need a special bra to wear a Breast Form?

This depends usually on the fashions you wish to wear while using your form, but for a more seamless look, a full coverage bra will be better suited to a breast form. Most breast form manufacturers also carry special lines of bras that contain a pocket that the form can be placed in to reduce movement of the form while worn.

How long can I expect my Breast Forms to last?

Many silicone forms have two year warranties, and you should be able to get at least that much life out of one. “Casual” wearers (not full daily use) should be able to get much longer form life spans than this; possibly 5-10 years or more. Fiberfilled or foam forms are not as resilient as silicone over time and may change their shape, decay, or become compressed. The time involved is dependent again on how much the form is worn.

Taking Care of Your Breast Forms

For silicone forms, at least one manufacturer recommends “washing their breast forms after every use with mild, soapy water and patting dry with a soft towel.” Some forms come in containers that are pre- molded to hold the form in its intended shape and it is recommended to store them in the container when 44 not in use.

While temperature extremes should not adversely affect a form for a short period of time, storage tem- peratures should probably stay at more moderate levels.

Fitting Tips

The range of options available in breast forms is truly astounding. Some manufacturers make over 500 different shapes, sizes and colors of breast forms for the needs of different body types, breast shapes and surgeries. Since many in the TG community will be starting from scratch, matching a form to an existing breast will not be a factor. The most important tip to be stressed is: Don’t exaggerate the size!

Many of us wish to pass as well as possible, and this point was stressed to me by my fitter. Nothing will draw attention more than a bosom that looks too buxom. By the same token, also, if you have a large frame, a smaller cup size can look unnatural. Try for as natural a look as possible, and that can be one less worry in passing.

Breast form sizing is a little different than bra cup sizing. As much difference as there is in bra cup size or size, or… between different manufacturers, there is as much difference between sizes of natural breasts. Instead of letter cup ranges, breast forms are usually numbered (smallest sizes having the lowest number). There will typically be 2 or 3 numbers within a given cup size range. This will affect not only the depth of the form but the volume and coverage of the form as well.

If you are lucky enough to be fitted for a form by a professional, they recommend bringing a favorite bra that fits comfortably. Look in the phone book under “breast forms,” “prosthetics,” or “orthotics” for lo- cal retailers.

Reasons why it may be difficult to receive a professional fitting For women that have had breast cancer, the experience can be devastating, both physically and emotionally. The fitter I had explained that the loss of a breast is a very painful blow to a person’s self- image and sense of femininity. Many women have a very hard time looking in a mirror after surgery. Many women also experience rejection from family, spouse or loved-ones (Does this sound familiar?).

Because of this, stores that sell breast forms and offer professional fittings offer an atmosphere that is very private, and also male-free. My fitter said some women may be very vocal about this privacy if it is “violated,” and the store can suffer because of it (both financially because of lost business, and reputation in the post-surgery community). If you wish to be professionally fitted for breast forms, it would be a good idea to respect these wishes (to promote more shops doing business in the TG community). Call first and inquire whether a shop can help. Some stores will not do so (see above reasons), but many more stores are seeing the opportunity in the TG community and are very friendly and willing to help.

Expect personal fittings to be arranged at low-traffic times or after-hours to lower the chances of conflict with other customers. 45 Top Six Makeup Tips for Transgendered Women

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lucille Sorella is a GG (genetic girl) who teaches crossdressers, transsexuals, and transgender females how to look, act, and feel like real women. Her goal is to help T-women express their inner and outer femininity and increase their confidence as women. She has a professional background in fashion, beauty, dance, and natural healing and has been working with the transgender community for the past 12 years. Her website is loaded with useful information and is located at http://www.flat2fem.com/index1.html .

Is makeup a mystery to you? Do you feel like you have two left hands when it comes to apply- ing makeup? Does your makeup make you look more like a clown than a beauty queen? If the answer is yes, my latest blog post is for you!

The good news is that ANYBODY can master the art of beautiful makeup. You just need the right strategies. To get you started, here are my top six makeup tips for crossdressers and transgender women:

Model: Kayh Anderson

1. Invest in good makeup brushes

Quite simply, it’s impossible to apply masterful makeup without the right tools.

Forget about the tiny, cheap applicators that come packaged with eyeshadow, blush, powder, etc. Upgrading to high quality brushes will immediately upgrade the look of your makeup.

Here are the basic brushes you should own: Foundation brush Concealer brush Powder brush Blush brush Flat eyeshadow brush Eyeshadow blending brush Lip brush

46 2. Use color correctors

If you have skin issues like a beard shadow, blemishes, or dark circles under your eyes, the solution is NOT to bury them under thick concealer. Your makeup will look much more natural if you start with a color corrector.

The idea behind color correctors is to use a complimentary tone to neutralize imperfections.

This allows you to achieve beautiful skin with less makeup.

For example, you should use a pink or red corrector to neutralize a dark beard shadow – or a green corrector to neutralize redness.

You can find color corrector tutorials on YouTube or learn the basics from makeup artist Chris Scott in my Stepping Out Secrets Program.

3. Don’t ignore your eyebrows

A mistake I see many crossdressers and trans- gender women make is leaving the house with ungroomed eyebrows.

Since eyebrows create the frame for your face, they are literally one of the first things people notice about you. Why allow misshaped brows ruin an otherwise good makeup look?

If you can afford it and dare to go out en femme, get your eyebrows professionally shaped. A good esthetician can groom your eyebrows so they look good in both girl and guy mode (if need be). Also, be sure to check out my previous article on eyebrow feminization (including a step-by-step video tutorial).

4. Practice, practice, practice

Makeup is like any other skill – the more you practice, the better you get. And the better you get at doing your makeup, the prettier and more convincing you will look as a woman. A fun way to practice is to find makeup tutorials on You- Tube that you can follow along with. Here are some good ones:

Easy Beginners Makeup Tutorial 10 Minute Evening Look Makeup Tutorial Day Makeup Tutorial For Mature Skin 47 5. Book a lesson with a professional makeup artist

If you struggle with your makeup skills, one of the best investments you can make is a lesson with a professional makeup artist.

A good makeup artist will teach you proper makeup application techniques, help you find your best colors, and ensure that you are applying your makeup correctly. This is important because all the practice in the world won’t help if you are only reinforcing bad technique.

6. Take good care of your skin

Your skin is literally the canvas for your makeup. Proper skin care can go a long way towards improving your skin’s texture and appearance. Not only will this make you look better, it’ll help your makeup go on smoother and last longer.

Here are three simple skin care tips to keep in mind:

Avoid using harsh soaps on your face. Use gentle facial cleansers only.

Apply facial moisturizer daily.

Use a face mask at least every other week. (This is a great ritual for pampering your inner woman!) 48 10 Staples for Every Woman’s Wardrobe

Invest in timeless pieces, and you’ll never be at a loss for what to wear whenever the occasion calls for something special.

The Elements of Style ] It’s a familiar scene: A harried woman stands in front of her closet, surveying the clothes, wailing to herself, “What do I wear?” While such behavior may seem a bit extreme when you’re getting dressed to run a few errands, the absence of appropriate attire is a legitimate lament when an invitation to a black-tie wedding arrives or you get a call from a headhunter. With these wardrobe essentials on hand, though, you’ll always know what to reach for.

Black Pants

A sleek pair of black trousers with a flattering fit not only transcends trends, it is a master of multitasking. Without question, black pants are one of the few wardrobe staples that you can wear with just about anything else in your closet (including many of the other pieces shown here).

49 French-Cuff

Nothing elevates a pair of trousers, a skirt, or a suit like a classic French-cuff dress shirt. The simple upgrade of the cuffs adds elegance to an otherwise ordinary shirt and helps create a look that will feel as appropriate for pitching a new client as it does for hosting a casual Sunday brunch.

Black Pumps

Sorry, Prince Charming, but if Cinderella were around today, her of choice would undoubtedly be a black leather pump. This perennial fashion favorite has withstood the test of time because it is the go-to shoe for day or night, jeans or trousers or skirts, dressy occasions or more casual events. Whether perfectly plain or adorned with a subtle pattern, a pair of black pumps adds polish to any outfit.

Day Dress

Since pants are now an acceptable form of dress for myriad daytime celebrations, the day dress doesn’t get as much play as it used to. But a sophisticated shift is often the easiest and most appropriate choice for such semiformal festivities as luncheons, recitals, and afternoon bridal showers. And when you (re)discover how little effort it takes to zip into a dress, you’ll find it a pleasure to give your pants a well-deserved rest. 50 Black Suit

In the business world, a perfectly tailored black suit is a fail-safe gold standard. But it has appeal beyond the workplace: When you show up anywhere dressed in a well-fitted jacket and skirt, you look proper, polished, and modern. That’s why it is important to invest in the best-constructed suit you can afford, even if it means spending more than usual. Not only will you rely on this fashion overachiever as an ensemble but you can also really get your money’s worth by wearing the skirt and the jacket as separates.

Evening Dress

Whether it’s a ball or a little cocktail number, a black dress is synonymous with chic, sophisticated style. And one that boasts beautiful yet simple design elements, like a V neckline, a fitted waist, and a floaty skirt, will come out of the closet time and time again. The right accessory, whether it’s a string of pearls or patent-leather flats, will make the dress appropriate for or something slightly less formal.

Dressy Jacket

Wearing a dressy jacket is an effortless way to upgrade almost anything in your closet. The bouclé fabric and open design make it not only timeless but also cross-generational, so get ready to share it with the other women in your family. You can swap it with your for a cocktail party, your twenty-something sister might pair it with jeans, and your mother can throw it over a skirt and a shell.

51 Evening Clutch

While a daytime bag feels a bit cumbersome during evening festivities, you still need an option for nighttime that’s big enough to hold your essentials. This one has room for your cell phone, cash, keys, and lipstick (yes, an essential). And it features a stowaway chain strap for those times when you’d prefer to have your purse hanging from your wrist or shoulder—making it much easier to hang on to your cocktail.

Wrap

There’s nothing that complements an evening dress as well as an understated, equally sophisticated wrap. And while a silk-and-cashmere is no substitute for a , it will keep you warm when your ex- posure to the elements is limited to quick jaunts to and from the car— and it will go just as capably with more casual attire, like jeans.

Metallic Strappy Sandals

Think of silver (or gold) as your nighttime neutral—subtle enough to go with everything from black to red to a plethora of patterns. A slight platform adds comfort to these 4¼-inch heels, so you can dance all night in them.

52 New Book by Carolyn Olson

Once again our dear girl Carolyn Olson has been busy and has just re- leased her new book -- "More Tricks of the Trade -- A Beginners Guide To Cross-Dressing" is now available on Amazon Kindle under her name.

If you liked the first "Tricks" book you will really enjoy the sequel. "More Tricks" is full of helpful hints from well-know writers and Vanity Club members and complements the original "Tricks." Both guides are designed for the new cross-dresser, but can also help any reader who wishes to improve on their femininity and style.

Printed copies of the book are expected to become available around the end of January 2014 and will cost $10. they will be available from Magbooks. MagsInc (www.magsinc.com) under Reluctant Press. Signed copies of the book will also then be available from Ms. Olson herself for $12.

I hope you will like the book as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

I can be reached at: [email protected]

Love, CC

More Tricks of the Trade Available on Amazon Kindle asin # B00HMR9G9A. Price is $4.99

The Original Tricks of the Trade Available on Amazon Kindle asin # B00AOI3Z82.

A Kindle is NOT required to read Kindle books. FREE APS are available from Amazon Kindle that will allow you to read Kindle books on PC, Mac, I-Pad, I-Phone, and many other electronic reading devices.

53 The Gossip Fence Transgender In The News

U.S. Supreme Court puts same sex-marriage on hold in Utah

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday put same-sex marriages on hold in Utah, at least while a federal appeals court more fully considers the issue.

The order grants an emergency appeal by the state following the Dec. 20 ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage violates gay and lesbian couples’ constitutional rights. More than 900 gay and lesbian couples have married since then.

The high court order will remain in effect until the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decides whether to uphold Shelby’s ruling.

The action now shifts to Denver, where the appeals court w ill consider arguments from the state against same-sex marriage as well as from the three gay and lesbian couples who challenged the ban in support of Shelby’s ruling. Shelby and the appeals court had previously rebuffed the state’s plea to stop gay weddings pending appeal.

The 10th Circuit has set short deadlines for both sides to file their written arguments, with the state’s first brief due on January 27. No date for argument has been set yet.

Android and Google+ confusion outs trans woman

Google is facing renewed criticism over the integration of Google+ into its Android operating system after a transgender woman was outed when using Google's Hangouts app.

Since the release of the latest mobile software Android 4.4, codenamed KitKat, the instant messaging app Hangouts has become the default text-messaging app on phones and tablets running with the newly installed operating system. But the behaviour of the app is confusing even to seasoned Android users, and can result in personal information being inadvertently shared. If a message is sent as an SMS, the recipient only sees the phone number it came from, but if it is sent as a Google message, then they can see the sender's entire public Google profile.

When typing a name into the Hangouts app, if there are not many results in a users address book the app begins to search Google+ for matches instead; a simple mis-click can result in users sending a message revealing more contextual information than they intended.

When Google+ was launched, the company faced criticism over its insistence that users use their real names on the site. That policy was weakened in the months following its launch, and now Google allows 54 people to use "established identities" as well as real names. But as vice president of product, Bradley Horowitz, wrote in 2012: "It’s important to remember that when you change your name in Google+, you’re changing it across all services that require a Google profile."

Appeals court rules gender change does not invalidate marriage

INDIANAPOLIS | The state law limiting marriage to opposite-gender partners cannot be used to invalidate a marriage if one partner later changes his or her gender identity, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday. However, Democratic Monroe Circuit Judge Valeri Haughton rejected the divorce petition. She ruled the marriage was automatically invalidated when Davis' birth certificate was changed and the union consisted of two women. Haughton said she could not dissolve a marriage that is not a legal marriage because it already is void.

In a 3-0 decision, the appeals court overturned Haughton's finding.

It ruled that Davis and Summers' marriage remains valid, and must be dissolved through traditional means because at the time of their wedding they fully complied with the state marriage law that reads, "Only a female may marry a male. Only a male may marry a female." Appeals Judge Paul Mathias said the state's ban on same-sex marriage does not apply in this case because Davis and Summers did not enter into a same-sex marriage. He said there is no provision in the Indiana Code that voids a legal marriage simply because one of the parties to that marriage changes his or her gender.

Connecticut Becomes Fifth State to Require Transgender Medical Coverage

Joining California, Colorado, Oregon, and Vermont, Connecticut will become the fifth state to require health insurance providers to cover treatments related to gender transition.

A December 19th bulletin prohibits a health insurer from implementing blanket policy exclusions for transition-related care. Insurers will still be allowed to evaluate the medical necessity of any given treatment on a case by case basis, much like they’d evaluate any other insurance claim.

Citing a 2011 statute that added “gender identity or expression” to the state’s antidiscrimination law concerning employment, public accommodations, housing, credit, public schools, and other areas, including health care, the Connecticut Insurance Department considered lawmakers' intent and extended equality into health insurance practices. The bulletin goes on to state, “medically necessary services related to gender dysphoria should not be handled differently from medically necessary services for other medical and behavioral health conditions.”

It is unknown what impact this new directive will have on health insurance premiums within the state of Connecticut. If history is any indicator, any increase will be negligible.

20 Years After Brandon Teena's Death, Trans Rights Still Have a Long Way to Go

On December 24, 1993, 21-year-old Brandon Teena was sexually assaulted by John L. Lotter and Marvin Thomas "Tom" Nissen. Lotter and Nissen forced Teena into a car and drove him to an isolated area in Richardson County, Neb. There Lotter and Nissen — acquaintances of Teena's — took turns raping him. 55 At Teena's gravesite, he is erased in death, just as he was erased in life. Despite going by the name Bran- don Teena, his headstone lists him as "Teena R. Brandon," his birth name, followed by the words, "Daughter, Sister, and Friend."

Teena's death, along with the murder of Matthew Shepard in 1998, became a catalyst in the push for na- tional hate-crimes legislation, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2009, 16 years after Teena's death.

Michael Silverman of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund believes that even 20 years after Teena’s death, there’s still a long way to go for transgender rights.

"The transgender community still faces tremendous rates of violence, unemployment, and poverty, and a lack of access to proper health care and public accommodations," Silverman said in a statement Monday. "Yet despite these challenges, transgender people across this nation continue to forge ahead, living authentic lives, and overcoming immense obstacles. As we honor the memory of Brandon Teena, a man who lost his life simply for being himself, we are emboldened to carry on his legacy by staying the course in the relentless pursuit of safety, equality, and dignity for transgender lives."

Businesses encouraged to support LGBT community

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Equality Project is starting a new initiative to encourage business to show support for the state's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

Executive director Christopher Sanders says the group is providing business owners with small "Equality Means Business" window stickers to place on their front doors. Sanders said the stickers show that a business agrees to hire employees and serve the public without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity. The group also is keeping a list of businesses that support the initiative on its Facebook page. CDC Clarifies Guidelines for Transgender Women’s Access to Cancer Early Detection Program

This afternoon the Centers on Disease Control (CDC) published revised guidance clarifying transgender women’s access to lifesaving preventative care under the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program—a program designed to provide cancer screening for low income women. Earlier this fall, a transgender woman was denied access to breast cancer screening under this program, because the CDC excluded transgender women from care based solely because they are transgender. This policy denied transgender women equal access to cancer screening, placing them at personal risk and generally exacerbating the health disparities and poor health outcomes experienced by the transgender community.

Obama administration may add taxpayer-funded sex-change operations to ObamaCare, Medicare, Medicaid

The law may fund costs related to gender reassignment, according to Andi Medici in FederalTimes.com. Since 1981, federal law has barred federal tax dollars from paying for "transsexual surgery" through programs like Medicare and Medicaid. On December 2, the HHS Department's appeals board decided that the “National Coverage Determination” should be reconsidered, opening the door to taxpayer- funded sex-change operations.

Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, conventionally known as ObamaCare, no longer explicitly 56 states that the federal subsidies will not require coverage for transgender-related surgeries.

Since the ACA does prevent "discrimination" on the basis of gender identity, however, and the federal government is publicly revisiting a 1981 law preventing federal coverage of “gender reassignment” sur- gery and related costs, it is possible the federal government will be covering those costs under the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

The Affordable Care Act already provides a great deal of coverage potential to transgender people, particularly because “gender identity disorder” is considered a pre-existing condition, something insurance companies can no longer use as a criteria for rejecting coverage.

The federal government has been under pressure to change laws regarding coverage for transgender people for years. In October, The Washington Times reported on two transgender women who demanded federal law be changed to stop alleged discrimination that does not allow federal grant coverage for mammograms for transgender "women."

Sex-change chemicals linked to fracking

Just when you might have thought the debate over shale gas and oil could not possibly get more acrimonious, here's something that is likely to raise the temperature even further. US scientists have announced this week that they have found "gender-bender" chemicals in water at fracking sites. Their research – published in the latest issue of the journal Endocrinology – reports discovering endocrine disrupting substances that disrupt hormone systems in almost every sample of water they tested near shale gas wells.

They went looking for 12 of them from five sites where spills are known to have occurred in Colorado's Garfield County, an intensively drilled area, and in several places along the Colorado River, “the drainage basin for the entire drilling region”. Oestrogenic substances were the most frequently found, occurring in 89 per cent of the samples. EDCs were also found in control samples taken from areas with no or little fracking, but at much lower levels, leading to the conclusion that “natural gas drilling operations may result in elevated EDC activity in ground and surface water.”

“There is evidence that hydraulic fracturing fluids are associated with negative health outcomes and there is a critical need to quickly and thoroughly evaluate the overall human and environmental health impact of this process.”

TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY: Suicide attempts common

Forty-one percent of transgender people surveyed said they had attempted suicide, compared to 1.6 percent of the population as a whole, according to this 2011 report from the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. The report found higher rates of suicide attempts among transgender people who were harassed or bullied in school and those who were rejected by family.

Transgender Law Reaffirms San Diego Schools’ Approach, Says Board President

Students across California are now able to use bathrooms and lockers based on the gender they identify as instead of their biological sex starting this week. The same applies to gender-specific teams and other 57 programs.

San Diego Unified Board of Education President Kevin Beiser said San Diego schools were already working to accommodate at least three transgender students this year. The new law will mean clarifying districtwide policies for issues that have been dealt with on a case-by- case basis until now.

“Students can’t just willy-nilly decide to use one gender’s facilities over the other," he said. "There’s a deliberate process by which counselors, parents, administrators and staff are involved in consultation with the child to make sure that this is the right thing to do.”

Transgender Rights '20 Years Behind' Gay Rights Due To Smaller Population

In David Crary's recent Associated Press article exploring the hurdles facing the transgender rights movement, Michael Silverman — executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund — said, "My sense is that we are 20 years behind the mainstream gay and lesbian movement in terms of public understanding."

"The fact we've had so many victories on behalf of gays and lesbians means transgender people are now on the radar - and with it comes the nastiness," said [Dru Levasseur, director of Lambda Legal's Transgender Rights Project]. "There have been so many advances regarding marriage that the anti-equality groups are shifting to target the next set of upcoming victories on transgender issues."»

Beyond the battles for a trans-inclusive Employee Non-Discrimination Act and public accommodation protections, the transgender rights movement is also focused on getting health care coverage for trans- medical needs as well as lowering the higher rates of incarceration, poverty and violence against transgender people.

"Fewer Americans know transgender people [as well as they do gay people] at this point," Silverman said, "and that presents an opening that opponents of transgender rights can exploit." Also, despite the recent visibility of trans people in the media like celebrity Chaz Bono, infamous Wikileaker Chelsea (previously Bradley) Manning and Orange is the New Black's Laverne Cox, a recent study by Gays and Lesbians Allied Against Defamation reported that 12 of 20 appearances of trans characters on TV portrayed them as either clownish or sociopathic, hindering public acceptance and understanding of trans people and their struggles.

«However, Dru Levasseur of Lambda Legal questioned the notion that - in the court of public opinion - transgender rights was a tougher sell than gay rights. The key to winning more acceptance, he said, was a willingness by transgender people to share the stories of their lives. "Being who you are - being brave enough to be yourself. People can relate to that," he said.»

Despite the 2012 launch of the "I AM: Trans People Speak" video campaign designed to lets transgender Americans tell their stories, I AM currently has 69 videos uploaded while the anti-bullying campaign "It Gets Better" has easily over 1,000. Granted, you don't need to be LGBT to make an "It Gets Better" video, but the fact that many celebrities and companies helped bolster the IGB campaign may reveal two important allies the trans movement needs in order to sway public opinion and ultimately advance their cause.

58 HRC Honors the Life and Legacy of Minister BobbyJean Baker

“One thing I know is that through everything, the good and the bad in even the real ugly [things] that transpired in my life and on my journey in 2013 - I never lost my Praise.” -Minister BobbyJean Baker

It was a joyful evening at the City of Refuge United Church of Christ, with a diverse gathering of LGBT people gathered to bring in the new year with song, prayer, praise and exhortations of hope. Among those gathered was Minister Bobby Jean Baker, the head of the Transgender Ministries, at City of Refuge and the Fellowship of Affirming Ministered both founded by Bishop Yvette Flunder. “BobbyJean” as she was affectionately known, was looking forward to a future filled with hope, while thoughtfully reflecting on the year 2013.

At the conclusion of service, after hugging nearly everyone in the sanctuary, she offered her dear friend, Deacon Bobby Weismann a ride home. Within a matter of moments, Minister Bobby Jean was killed in a vehicular accident by a hit and run driver. Her passenger, Bobby Weisman was able to crawl out of the car and survived the ordeal. Within the first hour January 1, 2014, Minister Bobby Jean Baker, we lost our sister in this earth realm; a fierce transgender rights activist, someone whose life was committed to liberation theology through her ministry and daily praxis. We lost a beloved praise and worship leader, and one of the founding members of the Transgender Choir, who perform nationally.

BobbyJean passions ran deep, willingly sharing the many challenges she endured. She remained un- daunted by her challenges, and instead used them as fodder for ministry to encourage others speaking courageously and authentically from her life experience. Hers was a heart that beat for those marginalized: people affected by homelessness, survival sex workers, the incarcerated and, most importantly, anyone needing to be restored to faith, having been wounded by toxic and damnatory theologies, ministers and ministries. In keeping with liberation theology, her life’s work was to inspire, and deeply engage people “from the margins of the larger community” who needed someone who would treat them with mutual respect and love them unconditionally. Minister BobbyJean Baker’s life and ministry was the embodiment of restoration, hope, bold humility and resilience.

On behalf of the Human Rights Campaign, we recognize, value and honor the work of Minister Bobby Jean Baker whose work touched thousands. In each and every community there are those unsung heroes whose work brings about transformation. BobbyJean transformed the lives of many for the better. May we all find the grace and love to intentionally reach out to those on the margins of our respective communities, and invite them to the table with sincerity and authenticity.

Prejudice plague transgender people

Between the 1st of January 2008 and the 31st of October 2013, 1 374 killings of Trans people were reported in 60 countries. This shows a significant sustained level of violence against Trans people. A new report by the UN Development Program (UNDP) investigates and discusses the situation of Trans people all over the world.

Over 78% of the documented murders were executed in Central and South America. Many of the victims were also brutally raped and tortured, their bodies mutilated and discarded.

Although the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) continues to emphasize that states 59 have an obligation to protect all people from discrimination or violence on the ground of gender identity, there is an increase in documentation of how states continue to violate Trans people’s human rights. There is also a growing number of reports suggesting that states fail to protect Trans people against abuses by third parties and refrain from ensuring Trans people’s enjoyment of basic human rights.

The challenges facing Trans people are numerous. They are, for example, in just as much need of health services as any other human being, but the capacity to identify health risks, protective factors or health outcomes for trans people is severely limited. This is in large due to a very small number of surveys that collect data about gender identity. For the vast majority of Trans people, a physical examination will also disclose their gender identity, and health records routinely disclose this information. This makes Trans people highly vulnerable to ignorance and prejudice, including fear of violent reprisals if health professionals breach confidentiality.

UNDP works with many issues linked to Trans people’s day-to-day lives, though the major focus of UNDP has been through the lens of HIV and human rights. The fact that someone it Trans does not limit that person’s entitlement to enjoy the full range of human rights, and the legal, economic and social marginalization of Trans people affects every aspects of their lives. Current HIV monitoring and prevention interventions for Trans people is inadequate.

Questions arise over district attorney's decision to charge transgender teen

HERCULES -- A growing public campaign is putting pressure on the Contra Costa County district attorney to drop battery charges against a transgender teen -- filed after a fight at Hercules High that occurred after the student had endured days of taunting and harassment by classmates.

A petition on Change.org posted Wednesday by the sister of Jewlyes Gutierrez has garnered media and public attention from around the country, said Charles Ramsey, president of the West Contra Costa school district. He questioned why the district attorney's office, which has limited resources, is pursuing a matter that he believes had already been resolved.

"People are talking about this," he said. "It doesn't seem to be fair. You're prosecuting a victim here? It seems like this is really a school issue. They took care of it at the school site." The students involved in the fight were suspended and later apologized to each other, Ramsey said. Since the incident, there has been no further harassment, he added.

The petition by Valerie Poquiz says Jewlyes was taunted and bullied because of her gender identity. After one of her classmates spit gum in her face, Jewlyes, 16, sought help from the assistant principal, but the issue was not properly addressed, the petition states.

"On Nov. 15, 2013, Jewlyes was pushed over the edge," according to the petition. "Due to continued harassment, a fight ensued. Out of fear of physical violence, Jewlyes finally stood up for herself. Several girls who were tormenting my sister then physically attacked her. This was captured on video and shown on the news."

Jewlyes said what's happening to her isn't fair.

"I was getting picked on and bullied and it doesn't seem right that I'm getting charged for anything," she 60 said. "If anything, it seems pretty messed up. I got badly injured from this incident because there were three people against one and it really affected me. I'm still emotional about it. I don't feel safe at school."

Republican attacks respected Hawaiian leader

The President of Hawaii’s Republican Assembly has viciously referred to a respected transgender teacher and leader as a "transvestite drag queen" in a bizarre attempt to criticise sex ed programmes.

Right wing extremists are on the attack in the islands over sexual health curriculum “Pono Choices”, which is a teen pregnancy and STI prevention programme based on giving youth medically accurate information to help them make informed choices.

Among the many angry tirades is a piece by President of the Hawaii Republican Assembly Tito Montes, which has been reprinted in the Hawaiʻi Free Press. Montes says she is “a transvestite drag queen who wears lipstick, eye liner, a dress, a padded bra and earrings” and refers to her as ‘he’.

AB 1266 repeal effort stays alive

Anti-gay activists working to repeal a California law designed to protect transgender students may get their chance to put a referendum before voters in November.

On Wednesday, January 8, Secretary of State Debra Bowen issued a letter to election officials statewide notifying them that random samples have shown that Assembly Bill 1266's opponents have gathered enough valid petition signatures to get a full count.

The last county to report, Los Angeles, submitted its signatures Wednesday morning with a validity rate of 77.8 percent. That meant that the statewide validity rate was 79.93 percent, with all 58 counties reporting. The measure needed a rate of 77.45 percent to trigger the full count, so it just barely met that threshold, according to figures from the secretary of state's office.

John O'Connor, executive director of Equality California, another supporter of the law, stated, "Californians are relieved that the referendum did not qualify for the ballot during the initial signature verification phase, but are alarmed that this harmful attack on transgender students is proceeding to a full count. We vow to defend this law so that all students, including transgender students, can fully participate in school and get a fair shot at an education. As the next phase of signature verification proceeds, we are treating this as a pressing threat and will work tirelessly with our coalition partners to defeat this measure."

The Privacy for All Students coalition has been working for months to repeal AB 1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act, which gay Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) authored and Governor Jerry Brown signed into law last August. The law went into effect January 1.

AB 1266 aims to make sure that transgender youth can fully participate in all school activities, sports teams, programs, and facilities that match their gender identity.

61 How TSA treats transgender travelers

Transgender Travel: Special Considerations

TSA recognizes the concerns members of the transgender community may have with undergoing the security screening process at our Nation’s airports and is committed to conducting screening in a dignified and respectful manner. These travel tips will explain the various screening processes and technologies travelers may encounter at security checkpoints.

Preparing for Travel

Making Reservations: Secure Flight requires airlines to collect a traveler’s full name, date of birth, gender and Redress Number (if applicable) to significantly decrease the likelihood of watch list misidentification. Travelers are encouraged to use the same name, gender, and birth date when making the reservation that match the name, gender, and birth date indicated on the government-issued ID that the traveler intends to use during travel.

Packing a Carry-on: All carry-on baggage must go through the screening process. If a traveler has any medical equipment or prosthetics in a carry-on bag, the items will be allowed through the checkpoint after completing the screening process. Travelers may ask that bags be screened in private if a bag must be opened by an officer to resolve an alarm. Travelers should be aware that prosthetics worn under the clothing that alarm a walk through metal detector or appear as an anomaly during Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) screening may result in additional screening, to include a thorough pat-down. Travelers may request a private screening at any time during the security screening process.

Contacting TSA in Advance of Travel: Travelers may contact TSA prior to a flight through the TSA Contact Center at 1-866-289-9673 and [email protected].

The Screening Process

Private Screening: Screening can be conducted in a private screening area with a witness or companion of the traveler’s choosing. A traveler may request private screening or to speak with a supervisor at any time during the screening process.

Travel Document Checker: The traveler will show their government-issued identification and boarding pass to an officer to ensure the identification and boarding pass are authentic and match. Transgender travelers are encouraged to book their reservations such that they match the gender and name data indi- cated on the government-issued ID.

Walk Through Metal Detector: Metal detectors are in use at all airports.

Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT): Screening with advanced imaging technology is voluntary and travelers may “opt out” at any time. Travelers who “opt out” of the AIT screening are required to undergo a thorough pat-down by an officer of the same gender as the traveler presents.

New Advanced Imaging Technology Software: TSA has upgraded all millimeter wave advanced imaging technology units with new software called Automated Target Recognition to further enhance privacy protections by eliminating the image of an actual traveler and replacing it with a generic outline of a person. 62

Pat-Down: A pat-down may be performed if there is an alarm of the metal detector, if an anomaly is detected using advanced imaging technology, if an officer determines that the traveler is wearing non- form fitting clothing, or on a random basis. If a pat-down is chosen or otherwise necessary, private screening may be requested. Pat-downs are conducted by an officer of the same gender as presented by the individual at the checkpoint.

Prosthetics: Travelers should neither be asked to nor agree to lift, remove, or raise any article of clothing to reveal a prosthetic and should not be asked to remove it.

Behavior Detection Program: Behavior Detection Officers screen travelers using non-intrusive behavior observation and analysis techniques to identify potentially high-risk passengers. Officers are designed to detect individuals exhibiting behaviors that indicate they may be a threat to aviation and/or transportation security. Individuals exhibiting specific observable behaviors may be referred for additional screening, which can include a pat-down and physical inspection of carry-on baggage. TSA recognizes that exhibiting some of these behaviors does not automatically mean a person has terrorist or criminal intent. Referrals for additional screening are solely based on specific observed behaviors.

Reporting Travel Issues or Concerns

Travelers who believe they have experienced unprofessional conduct at a security checkpoint are encouraged to request a supervisor at the checkpoint to discuss the matter immediately or to submit a concern to TSA’s Contact Center at: [email protected].

Travelers who believe they have experienced discriminatory conduct because of a protected basis may file a concern with TSA’s Office of Civil Rights & Liberties, Ombudsman and Traveler Engagement at: Civil Rights for Travelers.

Travelers may also file discrimination concerns with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Of- fice for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

Source: TSA

What You Need to Know About the Affordable Care Act: New Year Edition

You can still sign up for health insurance. Open enrollment goes until March 31, and millions of people have already signed up. You may have heard about a December deadline—but that was only to ensure coverage starting January 1. Check out your options now at HealthCare.gov or your state’s Mar- ketplace website. (Yes, the site is way better now.)

1. Transgender exclusions are still out there, but we’re making progress. While 5 states (CA, CO, CT, OR, VT) and DC have put plans on notice that exclusions are no longer allowed, and many employers and schools are eliminating them throughout the country, exclusions are still a reality in most individual plans. Information on exclusions won’t usually be available in the plan summaries you can find on HealthCare.gov or your state’s enrollment site, so the best way to find out is to look at the “benchmark plan” that plans in your state are based on. You can find summaries of state benchmark plans on the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight website. If your state’s benchmark doesn’t seem to have an exclusion, it may be worth the effort of tracking down detailed plan documents as you select a plan. 63

2. Even with exclusions, insurance is worth having. The reality is that at least in 2014, most of us buying individual plans are going to end up with exclusions. While NCTE and our allies are working hard to get rid of these exclusions, getting some coverage right now is essential to protect your health and financial security. Transgender people need routine screenings and treatment when we’re injured or ill—in fact we are more likely to face many health problems—and all plans will cover these needs.

3. Preventive care is covered at no cost, regardless of gender. Transgender people have often had coverage denied for screenings or treatments typically associated with one gender or another, such as breast or pelvic exams. As the saying goes, “If you have it, check it.” The ACA requires all preventive care to be covered with no co-pays, and regardless of the gender listed with your insurance company. The federal government has made it clear, for example, that transgender women should be able to get breast exams. However, sometimes a person or a doctor will need to call an insurance company about having this care paid if the insurance company initially denies the coverage because it confuses their computer system. (Speaking of gender markers, we believe it shouldn’t matter which gender you give when you enroll as it won’t be matched with any database, but if you want to be extra cautious you could list the gender in your Social Security record. Either way, this information shouldn’t go to your doctor or affect your coverage.)

4. It may be more affordable than you think. Subsidies are available to many people to make plans affordable, or even free for some—and 26 states are also expanding Medicaid coverage. Many people with moderate or low incomes, especially those with existing health conditions, will have far lower premiums than before. While a few people could see premiums go up, their plans will also have more generous coverage, including no-cost screenings and other preventive care. While you may have heard about a penalty for not buying coverage by March 31, those who can’t afford the modest penalty are exempt.

For more information, visit Out2Enroll.org, which is a go-to resource for LGBT people on enrolling.

Boys are born to prefer dolls over masculine toys like cars

The preference many boys have for ''masculine'' toys such as cars only develops later in life, according to a new study that tracked the eye movements of babies.

The research found boys aged up to five months were more attracted to dolls than they were to toy cars and mechanical objects, suggesting children are not born with gendered preferences - instead, these develop as a child matures.

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, used eye-tracking technology on children aged 3½ months to five months to determine their preferred object or toy. Images of two different objects were displayed on a screen. The length of time and frequency of the child's gaze was measured to ascertain a preference.

''The preferences we see [at five months] have nothing to do with biology,'' she said. ''Social pressures, parents, other people guide children to like things that are specific to their sex.''

There were several reasons for gender differences developing later in life, Dr Escudero said. Society may teach children what items they should prefer, depending on their gender, as they mature. Then there 64 is the possible effect of cognitive development, in which changes in the brain create a preference for some things over others. Last, hormonal changes could direct children's choices as they mature. ''Testosterone makes [boys] engage in more strong playing and with items that allow them to explore or exploit that way of playing, whereas oestrogen leads to interaction with the social environment,'' she said.

Dr Escudero said further research was needed to determine which of these factors were instrumental in the development of a child's preferences.

Childcare professionals say gendered choices are definitely learnt - and most young boys enjoy playing with dolls.

Chris Christie Vetoes N.J. Trans Birth Certificate Bill

New Jersey governor Chris Christie vetoed a bill that would simplify the process of obtaining an amended birth certificate for transgender residents, citing a lack of safeguards against fraud and highlighting the importance of a birth certificate as a legal document.

The bill would have allowed New Jersey residents to change the gender marker on their birth certificates without proof of surgery. Instead they would have been simply asked to provide a doctor's affidavit certi- fying that they had obtained medically appropriate treatment, which could include hormone therapy or other nonsurgical interventions. Many transgender people cannot afford gender-confirmation surgery or choose not to pursue it.

Christie's veto can be overridden by a two-thirds affirmative vote the full legislature, but this looks unlikely, as an override would take six more yes votes in the Senate and nine more in the Assembly than the bill received initially.

Judge rules Oklahoma same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional

A federal judge ruled that Oklahoma’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the latest in a string of recent court decisions that have challenged such state prohibitions.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Terence Kern is stayed pending appeal, meaning marriages will not take place immediately in Oklahoma. On Jan. 6, the Supreme Court halted same-sex marriages in Utah, which had taken place over the course of 17 days after a federal judge there had ruled it was unconstitu- tional to bar gay and lesbian couples from marrying. Last month, the New Mexico Supreme Court de- cided unanimously to overturn that state’s ban on same-sex unions.

Oklahoma’s case falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, which has already set an expedited hearing for the Utah marriage case.

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