1 Pretty T Girls May 2014 The Magazine for the most beautiful girls in the world
A publication of Pretty T Girls Yahoo group 2 Pretty T Girls May 2014 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 5 Busting Down The Closet Door Janice’s Story 6 The Importance of Transgenders Coming Out 7 The Truth About Beauty Product Dangers 9 Are You Committing These 5 Beauty NO-NO’s 14 Beauty Products You Don’t Need and Some You Do 15 A Short Note By: Barbara Marie 18 The Adventures of Judy Sometimes 19 The Exploits of Barbara Marie 20 Tasi’s Musings 23 Humor 28 Angels In the Centerfold 29 Mellissa’s Tips & Tricks 32 How To Wear A Full Skirt 37 Tasi’s Fashion News 40 Lucille Sorella—Are you too Old to Crossdress or Transition 44 Lucille Sorella—#1 Tip for Crossdressers and MtF TG’s 45 How To Stay Cool In Sweltering Summer Heat 48 Las Vegas David DeAlba Show 53 The Gossip Fence—Transgender In The News 54 Shop Till You Drop 66 Calendar 74
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Our Freedoms Came At A High Price Memorial Day May 26th
Let us Remember those who paid the Ultimate price for our Freedom 5
Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead An editorial by: Barbara Jean
Well on March 19th Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church passed away. Most of us I think are thankful that he is gone, but I wonder what that means for the future of Westboro Baptist Church and for the LGBT community.
Oh yeah, we all hated Mr. Phelps for what he said and did. But should we hate him or hate the things he said and did? Starting with the picketing of funerals of victims who had died the result of AIDS, he and his followers gained real notoriety when he picked the funeral of Matthew Sheppard, a young man who was badly beaten and then tied to a fence in freezing weather. He created a website that he named “Godhatesfags.com. He and his followers then turned to picketing the funerals of soldiers who were killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Repulsive action, yes, but yet this very action galvanized America. Not just the GLBT community, but the entire nation. ... He made religious hostility to homosexuality repulsive."
It’s ironic too the effect that him and his followers had not just on the LGBT community, but on the na- tion as a whole. Many who were not part of the LGBT community would unite to keep him and his followers away from the funerals.
A minister, a man of God is what Fred Phelps was suppose to be. But when we hate are we doing the work of God or the work of Satin? God is suppose to be about love, while Satin is about hate. One would expect there to be counter protest and pickets at his funeral, though in one report that I read they said there will be no funeral for him. Yet two days after his death his followers were protesting at the outside of a Lorde concert in Kansas City, Mo., over the weekend were met with an unusual counter protest.
While they carried signs that read “God Hate Sluts” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers”, the counter protesters carried signs saying “Sorry For Your Loss” and "Live your life and be awesome.".
We of the LGBT community in the past have have been demoralized, have seen hate and oppression, and yet we seem to have a better understanding of what is commanded in the bible, to forgive. Dr. Martin Luther King galvanized the black community and I think if he were alive today he would be fighting alongside the LGBT community. He would be proud of the way we respond to the hateful people like Mr. Phelps. As I write this I think of the song “We Shall Overcome”. Yes, love and peace shall overcome hate and hostility.
6 What is the future going to be like for Westboro Baptist Church and it’s members? A difficult one to answer. Perhaps the most vocal or most talked about was his daughter “Shirley Ropes Phelps, along with his daughter Margret Phelps, and yet by the rules of his church women cannot hold positions of leadership.
Organizations like Westboro are seeking their fifteen minutes of fame. Perhaps in ignoring them, for them to find no news about them and no counter protest, to deny them their fifteen minutes of fame is the best way too see them die.
One of the signs held by the counter protesters said “Live Your Life and Be Awesome”. Cis or trans, good advice for all of us I think.
Busting Down The Closet Door
My First time Out In Public Janice
In Oct 2002 my wife was a member of a lodge that was putting on a Murder Mystery Dinner to raise money for a Children's charity. One of the parts called for a Transvestite Opera Singer. Apparently they were unable to find a man to do the part and Candy, my wife, volunteered me knowing that I would do just about anything for a gag. At the time, my wife was not accepting of my cross-dressing, which was done ONLY at home and ONLY at night and ONLY on rare occasions and NEVER more than lingerie. Anyway, I had to prepare an outfit and shopped several thrift stores, in drab, and found a below knee dress of nearly all white lace and satin. It wasn't a wedding dress but was very pretty. I added a wide brim hat, wig, heels, and underthings. The SA asked me who the dress was for & I told her the story about the charity event which she bought. I was able to try the dress on, but not before first pur- chasing a pair of panty hose, which the SA said I would have to wear to try on anything for sanitary reasons. Lucky me.
Two days prior to the event I managed to track down a wonderful lady to do my make-up for me but she wanted me to meet her already dressed. My wife recommended I not wear the lace dress for the first make-up meet so I wore a black short dress with long sleeves and 4"heels. Turned out the Make-up artist was a theatrical / Movie artist who actually did all the make-up for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Cool. She had her studio in her home and she didn't come cheap at $250 per hour. She complimented on my dress, my figure and legs and my small hands. She told me I would make a very pretty girl. Even though I had previously explained this was only for charity, I was in heaven. While doing my make-up she plucked my eyebrows into a pretty thin feminine line and commented that I had lips that any genetic girl would die for. Afterwards, I just drove around about an hour before going home. Candy urged me to remove everything completely immediately. Bummer.
7 On the day of the event, I went to Candy's manicurist and had porcelain nails put on and painted, a pedicure and nail red nail color of course and then went home to change into my dress (costume) and then off the Make-up artist for another transformation. She was so pleasant to me that I'm sure she knew the truth that, at that time I hadn't yet fully accepted.
The Murder Mystery Dinner went off spectacular and we raised lots of money for the charity. Afterwards I was busy answering questions about who did my make-up, my nails, where did I get my dress and heels, etc. etc., it was really wonderful. My wife's boss was there with his wife and his wife loved my dress so much I offered it to her and she accepted. After cleaning it I gave it away reluctantly wanting to keep it. -- This event was my first time out publically, but unfortunately, most of the 80 to a 100 people there knew me as Fred and wouldn't have believed I was anything other than masculine even if I had told them otherwise, which I didn't. --
I still remember this event fondly in my heart, but it still brings tears to my eyes remembering the wonderful feeling of being a woman but now being able to share it.
Luvs - Janice
Importance of Transgenders Coming Out: Why Visibility is Necessary
By: Deja Nicole Greenlaw*/TRT Columnist– (reprinted from TG Forum)
My name is Deja Nicole Greenlaw and, in the spirit of Harvey Milk, I’m here to recruit you! I am asking you, no, I am imploring you, all of my transgender brothers and sisters, to come out of the closet and to show your friends, your relatives and your coworkers that you are transgender. Yes, come out! We are part of this world. We add value to society. There’s nothing wrong with us! We need to show the people whom we know that we are transgender and that we are a vibrant part of society. There’s nothing to fear from us.
Many transgender people live in the closet. Staying in the closet does no good for our cause. Staying in the closet does not pave the way for us in society and it keeps doors shut for the young and future transgenders. We need to open those doors and keep them open. We had older transgenders, back in the day; take the hits for us, which gave us an easier opportunity than they had. Because of the Stonewall Riots, the Compton Riots, all the transpeople who lobbied for state and federal rights, all the transpeople who made it easier to change the gender marker on your driver’s license, all the transpeople who were murdered for being transgender, all the transpeople who were refused medical help, all the transpeople who worked to change their religion’s views and all the transpeople who led the various transgender support groups, things are getting much better for us. We still have a ways to go, but we do 8 have it much easier than our older brothers and sisters did. We now have a moral responsibility to keep the torch moving forward and to make the upcoming transgenders’ lives even easier than ours. Coming out makes a big difference in making our lives easier.
Just look at how much society has changed since Chaz Bono came out. Besides being Sonny and Cher’s already famous child who came out, he went one step further and did a stint on “Dancing with the Stars.” If people were unclear as to who transpeople were, all of a sudden they were educated with Chaz in the spotlight. He was in the news and on televisions everywhere. Yes, all of a sudden everyone in America knows who a transgender person is. No, make that, everyone in the world now knows who a transgender person is! Jenna Talackova, the Miss Universe Canada contestant, further heightened people’s awareness when it was found out that she is transgender. Yes! A beauty queen is transgender! Having Chaz and Jenna coming out has made a huge difference in educating the masses about transgenders. It’s great to have the worldwide visibility that these two pioneering souls gave us.
Even at the local level many of us transgenders are out at work and our coworkers have gotten used to us. Now our co-workers can say, “Yes, I know a transgender who works with me and they are good people. They’re not like those crazy people on Jerry Springer who cause fights and yell.” There might be a little hesitation from some at first, but as time passes, so do the hesitations. Yes, they become used to us and don’t even give us second thought. Yes, they come to the conclusion that we are people, the same as they are.
Outside of work, people see transgenders who are out in the local supermarkets, department stores, restaurants, churches, doctor’s offices and motor vehicle offices. It’s no big deal. We are just like everyone else. I’ve personally noticed that more people are warmer to us since Chaz and Jenna came out. You can see it in their eyes and smiles when they realize that they have just seen a transgender person. You know that they will go home and tell their families at dinner that today that they saw a transgender person at the store, the market, at the doctor’s, in church, or wherever they saw you. Yes, we are settling into society and the more of us who come out, the faster that we will settle. The more of us who come out and live openly in society, the better it will be for all of us!
So come out, come out, wherever you are. Join us who are already out and help make this world a better place for all transgenders. Harvey Milk was not wrong about gays coming out and I know that I am not wrong about transgenders coming out. Just do it and come out!
9 The Truth About Beauty Product Dangers WebMD
Pretty Poison or Harmless Cosmetic? When you cover your blemishes, give yourself a sunless tan, or straighten your hair, chances are you use a product with a long list of ingredients. But are those ingredients safe? Headlines proclaiming the dangers of beauty products are often based on hype, so WebMD takes a look at the science. And we offer some alternatives for those who want to reduce their use of chemicals
Concern: Keratin Straighteners Salon-based keratin hair treatments can deliver silky, smooth locks with no frizz. These treatments are often marketed as formaldehyde-free, but Oregon's OSHA found high concentrations of the chemical in more than half of samples. Long -term exposure to formaldehyde can cause cancer. Getting your hair straightened or "smoothed" once every few months will not put you over OSHA's exposure limits. But there could be a real risk to your stylist.
Option: Conditioner and Flat Iron Conditioner can help you fight frizz by neutralizing the impact of static electricity. And while the results will only last until your next shampoo, a flat iron can get the kinks out of most naturally curly hair. Using a blow dryer is less effective than a flat iron for smoothing hair, but your stylist might show you a few good techniques, combined with safe hair products, to tame a frizzy look
Concern: Permanent Hair Dye Research connecting hair dye to cancer has had conflicting results. Some studies suggest that women are slightly more likely to get leukemia or lymphoma if they use permanent hair dyes, particularly darker colors. But other studies have found there is no increased risk. Most research looking at hair dye and breast cancer has found no link. There is also no evidence suggesting hair dye poses a threat during pregnancy, although some health care providers recommend waiting until the second trimester to be extra cautious
10 Option: Plant-Based Hair Dyes Plant-based hair dyes, including henna and vegetable dyes, can change hair color without harsh chemicals. But there are some drawbacks. Most won't result in a dramatic color change, and the results tend to fade sooner than with permanent dyes. A second option is to get highlights at a salon. A special cap or foil hair wrappers prevent the dye on your tresses from touching your scalp, so the chemicals aren't absorbed by your skin
Concern: Crazy Contacts Colored or patterned lenses that don't correct your vision can help you change your look. But avoid any lenses that are sold without a prescription, often available at salons, costume shops, or online. Contact lenses require proper fitting, cleaning, and care, even for a short wearing. If you don't care for them properly, you run the risk of eye injuries or infections that can lead to vision loss.
Option: Rx Colored Lenses If you feel Mother Nature gave you the wrong eye color, ask a licensed eye care professional about colored contact lenses. Even if you have sharp vision, you'll still need an eye exam. The doctor can write a prescription for you and show you how to take care of the lenses properly. Buy lenses from a prescription-only source. Follow the doctor's directions to avoid injuring your eyes.
Concern: Prescription Eyelash Serum Latisse is a prescription drug that can temporarily give you long, flirty eyelashes. You daub the serum onto your upper lash line every day and wait about four months for results. You may love the lashes, but it's important to note a small risk of side effects, some permanent. The drug may darken the skin around your eyes or turn the colored part of your eyes (the irises) brown. 11 Option: Eyelash Extensions False eyelashes or eyelash extensions can give you that long- lashed look without a prescription drug. But that doesn't mean they're risk-free. The adhesives can irritate the eyelids or cause an allergic reaction. And beware of permanent eyelash tints that promise thicker-looking lashes. They have been linked to serious injury, including blindness. No permanent dyes are FDA-approved for use on the lashes.
Concern: Hydroquinone Hydroquinone is a skin lightener that is available by prescription or in a less potent strength over the counter. Dermatologists often recommend it for reducing age spots or dark patches known as melasma. Overuse of hydroquinone can cause skin discoloration. Animal studies have also linked the chemical to cancer, though the risk to humans is unclear. Scientists are currently studying hydroquinone's safety
Option: Laser Skin Resurfacing Laser skin resurfacing uses a special type of laser to remove the top layer of skin. The procedure, which is done by a dermatologist, can minimize age spots and even out skin color without the long-term use of a chemical lightener. Drawbacks include the expense, pain, the downtime while your skin is healing, and a small risk of scarring or discoloration.
Concern: Tanning Beds No matter what you've heard about the safety of tanning salons, here's what the research says: frequent use of tanning beds raises your risk of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. In addition, tanning beds mainly emit UVA rays, which contribute to premature aging – wrinkles and brown spots. Even if tanned skin looks good to you, tanned skin is actually damaged skin.
Option: Sunless Tanning Products It's easy to fake a tan. Sunless tanning lotions typically contain DHA, a color additive that reacts with amino acids in the skin's surface to create a temporary "tan." DHA is FDA-approved for external application, but not for use in commercial spray tanning booths. These booths may cause you to inhale some of the spray or get it in your eyes. Be sure to use sunscreen even when you have a sunless tan. It does not protect your skin. 12 Concern: Nail Salon Hazards Manicure products contain a wide range of chemicals, including formaldehyde, phthalates, acetone, or toluene. Their fumes may irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and respiratory tract. These reactions are more common in salon workers than in clients. Manicures and pedicures can also result in fungal or bacterial infections – particularly if equipment has not been sterilized properly.
Option: Minimize Risks Before having a manicure or pedicure, inspect the salon's cleanliness. Leave if you doubt the quality of the salon's sanitation or disinfection practices. Don't shave your legs before a pedicure, and avoid the nail salon if your skin is cut, nicked, or broken. If you're a salon worker, ensure that your salon obeys laws designed to protect workers' safety.
Concern: Phthalates Phthalates are chemicals used to make products more pliable. They're found in toys, food packaging, and some beauty products, including nail polish, shampoo, and soap. Two studies suggest phthalate exposure during pregnancy may lead to abnormal development in male infants, including low hormone levels and small genital size. But the FDA says there is not enough evidence to conclude that phthalates pose a health risk.
Option: Phthalate-Free Products If you're concerned about phthalates, look for phthalate-free beauty products. You can check the ingredients for the term phthalate (dibutylphthalate, dimethylphthalate, diethylphtha- late, etc.), butyl ester, or plasticizer. It's important to note that phthalates are also found in flooring, shower curtains, food packaging, and many other staples of modern life. But using phthalate-free cosmetics and skin-care products can reduce your overall exposure. 13 Concern: Parabens Parabens are the most common preservative found in cosmetics, including makeup, moisturizers, and hair care products. One study found parabens in breast tumors, but did not indicate that parabens actually caused the cancer. Other researchers have concluded it is "implausible" that the amount of parabens in cosmetics could lead to cancer.
Option: Paraben-Free Cosmetics If you're concerned about parabens, you can find paraben-free beauty products. Cosmetics tend to spoil without preservatives, but parabens aren't the only option. Some products use vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate) as preservatives.
Does Makeup Expire? If you're hanging onto your glittery disco-era eye shadow, toss it now. Preservatives in the makeup may break down over time, allowing bacteria to grow. Experts offer the following "use by" guidelines: Foundation - one year Blush/powder/shadow - two years Lipstick - one year Mascara - 3-4 months
Throw out eye makeup immediately if you have an eye infection. 14 Are You Committing These 5 Beauty No-No's? By Sasha BeautyBlogger for GalTime.com
Hands off that zit! We tend to focus on the must-dos when it comes to our daily beauty regimen, but what about the no-nos? With our ever-increasing busy schedules, it's no wonder bad habits end up working their way into our beauty routines. (Note to self: stop going to bed with makeup on… oh, and wearing waaaay-expired makeup!)
So with the New Year (aka New Beauty Resolutions) right around the corner, we decided to proactively embrace the whole out with the bad old, in with the new formula. Here are five bad habits to break, STAT...and some no-nonsense tips to help break 'em:
Not cleaning your makeup brushes: After cleaning your house from top to bottom, cleaning your makeup brushes probably isn't a top priority. But bacteria (and even mold) can form in a brushes fibers and then transfer to your skin (which means bad news and can lead to skin and eye infections).
Problem solver: A spray-on sanitizer. These timesaving germ-killers instantly sanitize and remove residue and build-up. A good rule of thumb: clean your regularly-used brushes once per week. One to try: Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser ($14)
Wearing makeup that expired when J-Lo and Ben Affleck were a couple: We get it. You paid darn good money for that mega-expensive mascara, but makeup products can collect bacteria (think mini Petri dishes) over time, and ingredients eventually separate or just stop working properly.
Problem solver: Replace mascaras after three months. Cream-based makeup (i.e. blush, foundation, foundation, and eye shadows) should be tossed after six months. Powders are the long-term players and can be kept up to two years. Lipsticks last around one year, but if you notice its texture starts to feel dry or cakey, replace it. Worried you won't be able to keep track of purchase dates? Simply apply a mini index label to each piece along with the date you bought it (i.e. 11-15-12).
Pimple popping: That pimple might as well have a flashing neon arrow pointing to it, but unfortunately, popping that blemish can leave a major red mark for days and possible long-term scarring.
Problem solver: Try applying an ice cube for several seconds and repeat this a few times. The intense cold can help shrink the cyst (AKA white head). Then apply an acne spot treatment. One to try: Bliss No Zit Sherlock Spot Treatment ($18)
Forgetting the SPF: Make no mistake, beauty mavens, wearing proper sunscreen is the single most important beauty (and health) habit in the beauty commandments. (Thou shalt not forget to apply daily SPF!) Skipping sunscreen can cause brown spots, wrinkles, or the scariest of all: skin cancer.
Problem solver: If your moisturizer or foundation doesn't contain proper SPF, go the quick n' easy route: 15 a spray-on SPF mist (and don't forget about your hands, chest, and other exposed areas). One to try: L'Oreal Advanced Sunscreen Crystal Clear Mist SPF 30 ($10)
Overusing the Clarisonic: Hey, if exfoliating is good for the skin, then surely there's no such thing as too much of it, right? Wrong. Electric face brushes ,or any exfoliating product, should really only be used 2-3 times per week, otherwise your "too-much-of-a-good-thing" approach might cause redness, dry patches, or dehydrated skin.
Problem solver: Make specific days (i.e. Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays) your planned exfoliation days, so you don't fall into the over-exfoliation rut. And if you find you've over done it in the scrubbing department, step away from the exfoliants and use a heavy-duty moisturizer until your skin heals.
Beauty Products You Don't Need ... and a Few You Definitely Do By Joanna Douglas, Senior Fashion and Beauty Editor
You may not need all those lotions and potions after all. (Corbis) Beauty counters and drugstore shelves are flooded with thousands of products all claiming to work miracles, but women can't possibly need all of them, right? We rounded up makeup, hair, and skincare experts to weigh in on which products are a waste of money, and the select few you should stock up on for every day use.
First off, the beauty items our experts suggest skipping:
Foundation "For the day to day most women don't need foundation," says Gigi Shaker, New York-based makeup and hair artist. "For a wedding or big occasion you may want more coverage, but typically you can eliminate foundation and just use concealer under the eyes and to spot treat." Fellow makeup and hair stylist Bridget Trama agrees, but says selecting the right concealer becomes even more crucial. "You also have to make sure it's the right color," says Trama. "And some people with concealers, they go far too light. They don't have enough peach in it and then get that raccoon eye thing that makes it worse instead of better." Their advice: Buy two colors of concealer — one that matches your skin in the summer and another that matches in the winter and mix in between for the perfect shade.
Toner It may come as part of a three-step process, but Dr. Sejal K. Shah, a New York-based cosmetic dermatologist, says she actually doesn't recommend toner. "Maybe if you have really oily skin, toners are helpful, but, realistically, if you're cleansing normally and removing makeup, I don't think it's necessary. I think people like it to make skin feel clean, but tingling and tightness is actually a sign of overdrying." 16 Lip balm With winter coming, you may be surprised to hear that you actually don't need this popular pocket-size item. "I never ever use lip balms, I just use moisturizer," says Shaker, who simply rubs it on her lips in place of lip balm. "The lips are just a more delicate type of skin than your face, but it needs the same type of hydration. Add moisturizer just before you go to bed and then you can eliminate Chapstick, which essentially dries out the lips anyway if you're using the ones with alcohol." Another alternative: "Eye cream is even better — it just plumps them up at the same time."
Scrubs Somewhere along the way the beauty industry convinced us all that we have lots of dead skin that needs to be sloughed off. The truth is, harsh scrubs do more harm than good. "I have so many patients who come in using really aggressive scrubs on their face," says Shah. "Any time you overly irritate the skin or overly dry the skin, you're making it worse." According to Shah, people with oily or acne-prone skin should avoid scrubs, which cause skin to overcompensate for the dryness scrubs cause. If you do like scrubbing, she recommends using the delicate Fresh Sugar Face Polish, DERMAdoctor Body Scrub, or gentle body washes with microbeads just once a week.
Face primer That added prep step that so many makeup artists swear by? Skip it! "Most primers really don't work," says Trama. "I do faces all the time and don't put primer on." Eyelid primer is also unnecessary. To help powder shadows affix to your lids, try a dab of concealer or foundation to help it stick.
Cellulite creams "People should moisturize the body, but you don't need the additional skin-tightening creams. Cellulite is on a deeper level, and the creams would have to pass through the skin barrier, which really wouldn't happen." The act of massaging in a good gentle moisturizer may, in fact, have better results, she says. As for turning to a medical professional, even that probably won't work. Adds Shah, "We don't have great procedures that treat or cure cellulite."
Specialized creams for hands, feet, and other specific body parts "I think the three types of creams [you need] are dedicated eye cream, face cream, and body cream. I do find eye creams are more delicate than a face moisturizer, and they also contain things like caffeine," explains Shah. As for a good foot moisturizer, she suggests good old Vaseline.
An arsenal of eyeshadows Trama admits that it's easy to fall for all the beautiful colors, but they're actually a waste space in your makeup bag. "You don't need 25 eyeshadows," she says. "Just get three basics. Most women need one neutral palette and that's it."
Face mists Need a refreshing spritz on a hot day? "You could just put water in a spray bottle," says Shah. "The one difference with a spray bottle is it may came out a little more forceful, while mists have a nice aerosol feel on the skin, but these are things you would not need on a regular basis."
Lip liner "It's very drying and young women definitely don't need it," insists Trama. "You really only need a 17 lipstick or a lipgloss. Women who are aging may need the lip liner more than younger girls because as women age the line feathers out. But lipstick is preferred since it's more hydrating."
Face blotting sheets "If you have very oily skin, you may want to consider washes containing tea tree oil, mattifying moistur- izers, and certain face masks," says Shah. "Blotting papers may lift up a little more residue than a tissue would, but they're not really needed."
After weeding out the unnecessary products, here are the experts' must-haves:
Dry Shampoo "For hair products, everyone has different needs, but this is one product that nobody can live without," says Shaker. She suggests spraying the roots around the front of your face and blow-drying roughly to add volume and fake a freshly washed head of hair.
Mascara If you only have time to use one product, this may be the one. As Trama says, "mascara just livens the eyes."
Antioxidant serum If you have normal skin without issues, Shah recommends applying this kind of serum, which contains Vitamin C and Vitamin E, in the morning. "They help to brighten the skin, fix discoloration, and, in the- ory, they could also help scavenge free radicals from sun damage."
Moisturizer You should apply one with at least SPF 30 every morning, according to Shah. No exceptions.
Lipstick Every lady loves a pop of color, and, according to Trama and Shaker, there's nothing more mood- boosting in the beauty world than a flattering lipstick or gloss.
Gentle cleanser Shah suggests buying something really basic to use morning and night to remove grime and excess makeup.
Blush Shaker says a flushed cheek will make anyone look more healthy and beautiful. Simple enough!
18
A SHORT NOTE BY BARBARA MARIE
When It comes to the polls and/or voting, WHERE IS EVERYONE???? According to our web site, there are some 3800 plus members in our group yet only a scant few ever take part in the polls or cover girl contest. Janis Johns in her note to the group on 2/26/14 asked the question. There were a total of 35 votes cast for the cover girl contest. Where was every one else? Asleep at the wheel or whatever? I personally know that as the co moderator of this group over the past three or four years I have approved at lest 100 or 150 new mem- bers. Every one joins our group, post an number of photos to their album then seem to fall off the map all except a few. So I ask again, where has every one gone?
This is a great group with one of the best and informative TG Magazines on line. But, However a few courageous folks take the time to write a submit an article for the Magazine. Thus if it were not for Tasi, Melissa, Judy Sometimes, occasionally Carolyn Olsen and one or two others including both Barbara Jean and yours truly, especially the efforts of Barbara Jean, out Magazine would not be the caliber of greatness that it has become. I know that there are many of you out out there who can write and write well. Human interest stories concerning one coming out or their transitions are always welcome for the magazine.
Barbara Jeans’s editorial about Busting down the closet door as well as Randy’s article about her busting the closet door down remind me of my own coming out. Before I came out officially, I was limited to the “closet” as many of you are/were. It was not until after my wife passed away in 2006 that I began to unlock the door. By December 2007 I had begun to venture out late in the evening or night to buy gas ,go to the post office or what ever. Also It was the drive through at Burger King or McDonalds. I had joined TriEss in the summer of 2007 and in December I attended my first meting of Sigma Epsilon, which is the Atlanta chapter of TriEss. In early 2008 I wrote my first article “My First Experience With Sigma Epsilon” which was about my being in the middle of a mall in Atlanta thinking that every one knew that I was a “guy in A dress” as well as my experiences with the group. Phoebe Reese was the person I met there and she was my “big Sister”. With her it did not take me long to feel comfortable dress as a female. Now I am full time with a legal name change and a breast augmentation 20 months ago. Thus about 7 years ago , I opened the closed door, the front door to my haose and have not looked back.
There are those of you out there with similar experiences of Breaking down the closet Door, so why not share them with others. Barbara Jean , my self, Gabby, Rachel, Amy and others would really like to hear from you.
Thanks
Barbara Marie Davidson Co Moderator, PTG Group
19 The Adventures of Judy Sometimes
Making a difference
by: Judy Danials
My wife had quite a story for me when she came home from work yesterday and I'd like to share it with you, but I need to fill you in on a little background first.
Last night my wife had an after hours meeting with a coworker, both have worked for their present employer for about two years, but their working relationship goes back to their Microsoft days. She and "Sue" didn't work together often back in those days, but she says she has long admired my wife's people and management skills and has since aspired to follow in her footsteps. After their meeting was over she asked if she could ask my wife something personal, she said of course.
She said, this is kind of hard to bring up, but my questions are about your husband, she said OK, what would you like to know. She then processed to ask all the usual questions and my wife answered them all to the best of her ability. Then she said, you probably aren't aware of this, but several years ago I was out with my parents and husband at Labbys before a Reba McEntire concert and I saw you and "Judy" out with a group of friends, she said, yes, I remember the night. She said, she pointed us out to her parents and said I work with that women (my wife) and she is absolutely fabulous and hope to get to work on a team with her one day. Of course her father said, which one ? she than explained that I was her husband and he said, that women sitting next to her is a guy ? she said yes. She said he was totally freaked out and couldn't stop staring and said some rather derogatory things towards me. She then explained that her dad is very old school and uses the "n" word all the time and talks very poorly about any one that isn't white and of course hates those "gays".
As their night wore on she kept bragging us up and telling her dad how cool she thought we were for living our lives so open and admiring me for being brave enough to be myself. She then went on and said, up until that night I had never really been able to talk to my dad about matters like this, but you guys seemed to have opened up that door and now her dad is doing his best to be more open minded about things like this. She says she has a whole new relationship with him and is able to talk about stuff he never would have before.
So, the moral of the story is, we can change minds by just being out there doing our thing...SO GET OUT THERE AND BE SEEN !
Judy (you're not making a difference, unless you're doing something different) sometimes
20 The Exploits of Barbara Marie WHO WAS ROBERT BURNS?
BY
BARBARA MARIE DAVIDSON
Why was the date, January 25th 1759, such an important date in history? This date not only affected Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales, but also the rest of the literary world. On that date just outside of Ayr, Scotland, a young lad by the name of Robert was born to his parents, William Burns and Agnes Brown, who made their living as farmers. At the early age of six he became quite proficient in reading and writing, which was uncommon at that time. By the time young Robert was thirteen, he was attending the parish school at Dalrymple, where he not only gained a considerable amount knowledge of the English language, but also became somewhat proficient at French as well. Between schooling, Robert learned the finer aspects of being a farmer and agriculture from his father, who later passed away February 13th, 1784.
When Robert was about 15 years of age, He “first committed the sin of rhyme” as he had formed an af- fection for a young lady with whom he was working with in the fields. He wrote a song, which has ap- parently been lost or was inferior to his later works, epically those relating to his later “loves”. From the age of seventeen to about twenty-four, he made real advances in his art of rhyme. When he began to “write”, his early works were aimed at the “fair sex”. When His father died, he and his brother ran the farm for a while. However he and Gilbert had problems with it. While on the farm, he became enchanted with a young lady and they decided to run off to Jamaica to live. But, alas, that was not to happen, which may have been a good thing for Robert. However, all this time, he had been writing a number of short poems, etc and was encouraged to put them all together in a small booklet of which 350 copies were printed in 1786 in the town of Kilmarnock. They were so well received by the town folks that he was encouraged several years later to publish a second “book” in Edinburgh, which he did. This second printing lifted the young Robert into fame if not so much fortune. Needless to say, Robert was on his way to becoming a well know poet and later would become the poet laureate of Scotland and known for many of his works.
Many of his poems had a theme or referred to his “loves”. Also many of his line are quoted even to day and a number of folks have no clue that he wrote them. One of his “songs’ that is sung at New Years is “Should auld Acquaintance be forgot”. Other songs include “My Love is like a Red, Red Rose”, “Flow Gentle Sweet Afton, as well as a number of other songs. Also a number of quotes used today come from his poems. “To see ourselves as other see us” comes from his poem “To A Louse On Seeing One On A Ladies Bonnet In Church”. Another one is “the best laid Plans of Mice and Men Often go astray” which was from his Poem “To a Field Mouse” There are also a number of others. Robert was also known to dabble in the field of politics as he was asked to appear before Parliament. His response to them was a blistering poem that ridiculed the English, which were planning to suppress the Scots. “A Man is a Man for All that” was his answer that all men, including the Scots were Equal”. Tam O Shanter, a tail was his 21 basic attempt at a Halloween poem. One of his best known is his “Ode to a Haggis” which is recited to day at all Scottish functions that celebrate with the traditional Haggis, which is served to those present at the function. It is recited from memory just before the Haggis is cut. These functions include St. Andrews Society (the Patron St of Scotland), where Scots come together on the 30th of November to celebrate St Andrews day or on January 25th to celebrate the birthday of Robert Burns. Robert Burns was very prolific in his writings especially after he was established. However, his life was cut short as he passed away on the 21st of July 1796 at the ripe old age of 38 years. He left a wife and 4 children.
The Haggis that is referred to is a Scottish dish or “sausage” made in Scotland with Oats, spices, onion and “lytes” (general insides of a sheep) all mixed together and cooked in a sheep’s stomach. I have been making Haggis since about 1984. However, because this is the US, substitutions must be made in the making of the haggis. Thus I use about a pound to pound and a half each of the following meats – Beef, pork, hot sausage, beef liver, beef heart and lamb – all boiled for about 1 hour and then put through a meet grinder. Once it is ground, I mix it with 3 pounds of oatmeal 2 medium onions (chopped) and spices. It is then placed in a knee hi stocking that has been boiled 2 or 3 times to get the color out. I wet the mixture with some of the broth that I cooked the meat in. I place the uncooked Haggis back in the broth, add water to cover and boil them for 3 hours. My receipe makes about 5 that are the size of a soft ball and about 8 to 10 inches long. They are served warm with short bread and a wee “drop” of scotch whiskey. A bag piper then pipes the haggis in and some one recited the “Ode to a Haggis” from memory before the haggis is cut and served.
I am telling you all of this as I have attended many a Burns Night dinners in the last 50 years and they are always the same format. For about 40 years I piped in the Haggis as I played the pipes for 55 years. I still attend Burns Night dinners, but one is in my “bubba Mode” as I am wearing my Bubba skirt (kilt). It is the St Andrews Society, which is an all male (all testerone) group. The other one that I have attended for the last four of eleven years (the Scottish Society of South East Georgia, I have attended en femme as Barbara. Prior to 2009, I attended Burns night in Statesboro in my Bubba mode. Some folks know me as Barbara Davidson, the haggis maker, now. I have since found out that one of the members of St. Andrews and I use the same basic ingredients to make our haggis, as does the Caledonia Kitchen located in Texas.
I hope that some of you enjoyed this wee bit of history. Just remember your Scottish background does not have to come out of a bottle. Neither does being Irish on St Patrick’s Day as on that day every one is Irish. Until next time, I bid you fair winds and following seas
Now that I have talked about Robert Burns, I shall now write on a subject that can be traced back to 1745. Kirk is Gaelic for church. Today, one will see or read about the “Kirking of the Tartan” which is the presentation of the Tartans (family colors) at a church service to be blessed by the minister during the service. Normally the service is held in October, but can be done during March, April, or May or any other time that a church desires. It is normally done at a Presbyterian Church but can also be done at an Episcopal Church, Catholic Church or any other denotation that desires to have one. The Tartans are 22 normally piped in by one or more Pipers, presented and blessed by the minister and then piped out the church.
As mentioned, the history goes back to 1745 when Bonnie Prince Charlie returned from exile and enlisted the help of the Scots to over throw George 11 of England. Following his defeat by the English, The ACT of Proscription was put into place, which forbade a number of things that the Scots could not do. The Disarming Act of 1746 enforced this act for the next 36 years. The wearing of the kilt or family colors was prohibited along with the speaking of Gaelic, and music including the playing of the bagpipes. During this time, the Scots would hide a piece of the family colors under their clothing and during the church service the minister would bless the Tartan.
The Kirking of The Tartan as we know it today was first started in 1947 by Dr. Peter Marshall who was the Chaplin of the US Senate during that time. He was also the Minister at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. Now the Tartans are openly presented in church and blessed by the minister during the service. Peter Marshall started the Kirking in the US to instill a sense of pride among the Scottish Americans for their Homeland. Today the Tradition ss carried out at the Washington National Cathedral (Episcopal) .
During the month of March I attended two Kirkings. Both of them I attended this time, like last year, as Barbara. At the first one, last year’s, several of the ladies were quite impressed in the fact that there was a female member of the military post taking part in the celebration. . I was invited back again this year. The ladies of the church were still quite impressed that there was a female taking part in the service. I did not have the heart to tell them that I was a M2F trannsgendered/transexual person. I was invited back for next year as well. The same occurred at the second one that I attended later in the month. Every one thought that I was a female and I just left it that way.
Also in March in Savannah is the second largest St Patrick’s Day Parade in the US. It starts at 10 am and finishes about 2 or 3 pm. On St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah every one is Irish. Also, during the several weeks before there are a number of different ceremonies prior to the 17th of March.. There is the Irish festival followed by Tara Feis, then the Jasper Green Ceremony on the day before the parade. William Jasper (1750 – 1779) was a sergeant in the South Carolina second regiment during the revolutionary war and was of Irish heritage. He distinguished himself during the battle of Fort Moultrie in Charleston S.C. Later he was killed during the siege of Savannah, GA while leading his troops against the British. The ceremony is dedicated in his memory to the men and women of the armed forces of the US, especially those of Irish decent. I have participated in the parade as a member of the Scottish American Military Color Guard on numerous times in the last 24 years, but only twice as Barbara.
So all ye lads (lassies), I hope that you had a safe, but enjoyable St Patrick’s Day celebration where ever you were. I hope that you did not eat too much green grits, drink too much green beer, or over stuff yourself with corned beef and cabbage. Remember, one has to watch that “girlish” figure we want or are striving to have.
23 Tasi’s Musings, May, 2014
Greetings from Merida It’s not often in the entertainment world that we have a positive view of transgender people, let alone crossdressers, but Harvey Feirstein’s new Broadway play, Casa Valentino, does just that. It explains crossdressing in a real life setting, based on the book, Casa Susanna, and the real life stories of men that crossdressed in the early 50 and 60s. It explores a curious footnote in transgender history, setting the action in 1962 at a Catskill Mountains cross-dressing resort where married men went to lose themselves in female identities for the weekend.
The regulars were not glamazon drag queens or female impersonators, and according to Fierstein's play, did not consider themselves gay (or homosexual, to use the more clinical tag of the era). While sexual desire clearly played a role in the experience for some, for others their gender migration was driven by biological impulse at a time when both institutional psychology and federal law offered no shield from societal intolerance toward gay or transgender behavior. You won’t want to miss this excerpt from the play published by the NY Times.
I was so impressed with this play that I wanted to use it as a lead-in to comedy here in Merida. Introducing you to Mel Blossom, the first English-speaking stand-up comic in Merida. Sure we have comedy clubs, but unless you know fluent Spanish and can understand the nuances of the language, it will be lost in the translation. I had the fun of meeting Mel at her most recent show called “You people”. Her humor about the life of a single woman in the Yucatan who speaks little Spanish, is funny beyond belief. Here’s a excerpt from one of her past engagements. Mel will be highlighting our Gala dinner at Magic in Merida next February, just another reason to come.
In the News
Transgender Rights, How Visibility Matters. A picture is worth a thousand words. Nearly fifteen years separate two GLAD cases involving transgender girls and their schools. Jennifer levy and her colleague, Ben Klein, represented the girls in both cases, and the similarities and differences between them tell us something about how the law and our society are evolving on transgender issues. This is worth your time as it reflects how transgenders are being perceived in the public eye today. 24 The Trans Manifesto. Will it make a difference in the UK. The manifesto consists of of three statements. The first statement is ‘respect trans individuals as equal citizens with equal rights’. The second statement is ‘empower trans individuals to be authorities on their own lives’. The third statement is ‘Develop diverse, representative, realistic and positive portrayals of trans individuals’.
Initial reaction from MPs and peers we have sent the manifesto to has been positive and it’s been good to be able to put trans issues positively onto the political table. The backers are hoping that this will be actively picked up, and form a baseline for future progress. Click the link above for more details.
In Defense of Crossdressers. Lorelei Erisis is a transwoman columnist for the Rainbow Times. Lorelei says, “An admission: crossdressers make me wildly uncomfortable, a feeling I know I share with a good number of other folks. Speaking as a politician and activist, the inclusion of crossdressers under a trans umbrella can be politically inconvenient. They are the fly in the ointment when it comes to arguments for public accommodations.
Frankly, I’m speaking pretty specifically here of male-bodied, male-identified people who choose to present for varying and most often temporary periods of time as female. That is the central thesis of this roundabout argument—that exploration of self—because these lines are very rarely as clear as we’d like. This is the gray.
So, what I ask is this: the next time you find yourself speaking out against our crossdressed cousins, take a moment to consider what it is that truly bothers you, why you feel the need to separate your particular segment of the umbrella away. Try looking inward. There are few things that are capable of making us more uncomfortable than our own reflections, but any one of those folks who identify as a crossdresser today might come out as one of our trans sisters tomorrow.”
This is not intended to support the idea that all crossdressers will transition, but some do. It is noteworthy that at least one noted transwoman recognizes the grey area of our existence.
Woman Spends $99,000 To Look Like Blow-Up Sex Doll. The 38-year-old massage therapist from Minneapolis says she has spent an estimated $99,000 trying to look as fake as possible. "I love to look plastic -- most people hate me for my extreme appearance but it fuels me to get more work done. Actually Katella Dash is seeking larger breast implants from “F” to “M” without success so far due to health implications. I almost put this story under Humor, but there are some serious sides to it. See the real life Katella here and here about here quest for “really big boobs”
25 Men That Want To Be Women. Transgender people in Mexico say that the process to change their identity legally is too expensive and complicated. They want to be a woman legally, but this has proven difficult for them, mainly because the process to change their identity is complicated and expensive. They think the requirement of medical and sex evaluations should be eliminated. Having myself been exposed to the Mexican legal system, you really can’t even imagine how difficult this is. I suspect many years will pass before significant progress is made unless you can find a lawyer willing to press the issues. Be thankful that the U.S. and the U.K are leading the charge for gender recognition changes.
Trans History. Victoria hosts first conference on archiving trans history. Scholars from colleges, universities and community organizations across North America and all over the world converged on Vancouver Island March 21 to 23 to attend the first-ever conference on accessing and archiving trans history.
Conference organizer Dr Aaron Devor said that, in addition to finding material, one of the key challenges of building archives like this has to do with scope. “What do we include? Where are the limits of this community? Who counts as transgender for the purposes of transgender archives? We’re trying to be as broad in that understanding as we can be,” he said. “There were, and will be, records of people who wouldn’t necessarily call themselves transgender, but we include them in the gender-variant community.”
Davis went on to say that to distinguish between crossdressing and possible transgender identity, she looks for things like the fit of the clothes and the setting, attention to grooming and instances of the same person appearing in different outfits on different occasions, indicating their clothing choices might have more to do with gender identity than with theatricality or entertainment. Her favourite photo is one she believes depicts a person with a trans identity. The subject is wearing a well-fitted black dress and long necklace, and the hair is pulled neatly back. It was taken in a professional setting, with the person resting an arm demurely on a tall stool with a bouquet of flowers set on the floor. Tasi says, I suspect Professor Davis is in his own time warp too .
Books, Movies, and Television Gender Failure. Attempting to learn about issues that affect transgender people can be daunting for a cisgender person Ivan E Coyote and Rae Spoon’s new book, Gender Failure, is the sort of beginner’s guide to trans issues that is needed. Based on Coyote and Spoon’s (both artists identify as transgender and use the gender-neutral pronoun “they”) live multimedia show of the same name, Gender Failure is a series of stories and reflections interspersed with song lyrics, illustrations and photos. There’s no easy way for 26 non-trans people to underdtand our world but this book is highly readable. Here’s an excerpt from the book on one of our favorite subjects, How I learned to Hold My Pee.
Want to read stories with a Transgender theme. Try this source, TG Story Time
Fashion and Beauty I n Their Own Terms. The Growing Transgender Presence in Pop Culture. The first time Rhys Ernst saw Zackary Drucker was in 2005 at a bar in the East Village. The story goes on to talk about the many transgender artists like Janet Mock, Laverne Cox, Valentijn de Hingh and others.
Hems for Her Guide to Personal Style and Plus-Size Shopping is a “Must” for many of us. From Understanding Your Body Shape to Indetifying Your personal Style to some excellent shopping advise and how to gain confidence, Hems for Her takes us through the process of knowing how and what to shop for. Her list of stores are mostly included in the Sister House Boutique. Here’s an example of her advise for an oval shaped body (that’s me) 27 Top 5 Ways to Hide 5 Extra Pounds No, Not from Lucille Sorella but from Cynthia Nellis at About.com Why choose liposuction when you can hide a few extra pounds with easy fashion tricks? You can still wear the latest trends and look great. Just follow our easy, flattering tips.
1. Body Slip (and do I love slips) A must under today's body-conscious looks, a body slip offers loads of smoothing. Choose a style -- from half-slips (great for pencil skirts) to full-body slips (perfect for fitted dresses) -- that works with your outfit.
2. Soft layers Keep your layering pieces lightweight whether you choose two tank tops, an open blouse over a tank top or other combo.
3. Stilettos High heels with pants give you amazing length and sleekness in your legs. Sandals and pumps with 2 1/2 to more than 3 inch heels will do the trick.
4. Pantsuit Dressing in all one color is a sure-fire flatterer. Choose longer jackets to hide larger bottoms; add a sex- ier cami or blouse to soften the look and draw attention to the face.
5. Oversized handbag Sounds too good to be true, but proportion can play tricks on the eye. Choose a shape that flatters (square shapes complement a rounder figure) and a strap length that doesn't land in a problem area (don't let the bottom of the purse rest on full hips).
Humor
Sex ID: Find Out How Your brain Works. Some researchers say that men can have 'women's brains' and that women can think more like men. Find out more about 'brain sex' differences by taking the Sex ID test, a series of visual challenges and questions used by psychologists in the BBC One television series Secrets of the Sexes:
Special
I love classical music so when I saw this humorous piece
Encore Surprise! Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, I had to share it. Enjoy.
So until next month
Hugs……Tasi 28 Humor
Guts and Balls
Is there is a medical distinction between Guts and Balls?
We've all heard of people having Guts or having Balls. But do you Really know the difference between them? In an effort to keep you informed, here are the definitions:
GUTS - Is arriving home late after a night out with the guys, being Met by your wife with a broom, and having the Guts to ask: Are you Still cleaning, or are you flying somewhere?
BALLS - Is coming home late after a night out with the guys, smelling Of perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife on The butt and having the Balls to say: 'You're next, Chubby.'
I hope this clears up any confusion on the definitions.
Medically, speaking there is NO difference in the outcome.
Both are fatal 29 Angels In The Centerfold
D e n i s e
D e M a n
Suzannee Olivia 30
Suzanne Jefferies
Natalie Janes 31
Kandy Clip
Rachel
Trixie Deans 32
Mellissalynn’s Tips & Tricks
It’s May already?! Can that even be possible? This year is just flying by! I mean, we’re in the fifth month already; the year is like almost half over. We’re now in the month that starts with the world’s most famous horse race and ends with the world’s most famous auto race. It seems like just yesterday we were talking about how much we hate the snow and now we’re getting ourselves prettied up and ready to go out to beaches and barbecues.
My life has been pretty busy of late. I’ve been back at the cosmetology school for almost two months now, learning to be a teacher. I’m discovering that this really was a great decision for myself! I’m enjoying being back at the school, and the thrills of teaching a class, seeing them understand the concepts I’m putting out, are just incredible. One of the students paid me a great compliment recently. She’d been struggling to get to school, due in large part to a lack of motivation. She told me that, since I’ve come back to the school, she’s fat more motivated to attend, and to try to pass, and that I was the reason. She told me that I make the classes more fun, and that I have a knack for helping the students to understand the concepts. I’ve never felt as good about myself in my life as when I heard this!
I’m also in a salon! In fact, I’ve had my chair there for about a month now. I’m still struggling to get clients in, but that’s a work in progress. Attending the school gives me the ability to get clients without having to worry about my income quite so much. Next month I’ll put a picture of my station in for you all.
So what about all of you? How was your March? Did you survive the last little bits of winter? Are you ready to enjoy some warm weather? If so, I’d love to hear about it! I also want to hear any tips and tricks you might have to share, or comments you have to make. You all know the address by now; I’ve been putting it in the magazine for over six years! But just in case you’ve missed it, here it is again: [email protected].
And now, I present to you all, this month’s tips and tricks!
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Let’s start this column off with a nifty little trick using your toothbrush. I found some information re- cently on great ways to incorporate a toothbrush into your beauty routines. Many of them we already know, but this idea struck me as being really neat.
33 If you ever swipe your mascara wand over your lashes and apply more formula than you were hoping for, fix it with this trick. Pick up a new toothbrush; as it's going near your eye, you don't want to use an old toothbrush which could lead to irritation or infection. It doesn’t need to be an expensive one, as you’ll likely be using it as a disposable tool anyway. Run the brush through your lashes from root to tip. The bristles will grab the excess mascara for fanned-out, gorgeous lashes.
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While I’m visiting the toothbrush, here’s an oldie but goodie use for one. We’re going to use the toothbrush to help with frizzy, flyaway hairs. Take an old, clean toothbrush and spray some hairspray on it. I prefer firm hold, but the choice is up to you. Using a light touch, gently glide the brush over the strands that want to stray. The hairspray will be enough to hold the strands in place.
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This is a nifty little trick that pro makeup artists use to create youthful looking eyes. If you remember, last month I shared the method for creating the lioness liner. This is a small part of that trick. When you do your liner, taper it upward at the outer corners. The upward taper creates an illusion that looks like your lids are lifted. You should try this trick with a pencil; liquid liner is a little too unforgiving.
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Did you know that a fuller eyebrow makes your face look slimmer? It’s true! Remember the adage that your brows are the frame of your face. Thinner brows create space that will cause your face to look more round. For many of us, this isn’t really a problem, but for those of us (including myself) who do have brow sculpting done, there’s always the concern of going too thin.
If this happens, or if you just want to make your brows appear a bit thicker, This is what you can do. Use a brow powder, available at any drugstore, or even an eyeshadow (sparingly!). work at the start of the brow (nearest the nose), and at the arch. The tapered (outside) end of the brow should be thinner. This will add some thickness and definition to your brows, and thereby slim your face overall.
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Here’s an interesting little makeup factoid: the average American woman keeps the same makeup style for eleven years! I can’t imagine that; I like playing with it too much to do my face the same way every time. But I guess I can understand it; many women, especially those who have to wear makeup every day, would want to be able to apply and run as fast as possible.
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I don’t talk as much as I should about sunscreen in these columns. As I’ve stated previously, the single biggest aging factor to our skin (and therefore our beauty) is the big blazing ball of gas in the sky. So let’s talk for just a moment about sunscreen.
We all know that sunscreen provides protection from the harmful parts of the sun’s rays. I’ve discussed what the values of SPF mean and how best to use sunscreen. This little tidbit of information is regarding the expiration of sunscreen and when you should throw it away. While your sunscreen has an expiration 34 date, generally you can use it well after that period has passed. The expiration date is the date that the sunscreen is guaranteed to be safe and effective for.
When should you chuck the tube, or bottle? Well, if it starts getting smelly, that’s bad. Also, when the lotion starts separating, it’s a good sign that you need some more.
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If you want fuller lips, but don’t want to use a plumper, here’s a little illusion to give you that look. Take a little touch of shimmery powder and work it across your lips after applying your lipstick. The shimmer powder contains mica, which will work its way into your lipstick and add lip-plumping shimmer and light.
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One thing I’m really getting into at the salon is setting up my manicure area. I’ve observed that there is a LOT of money to be made doing nails, and I want some of that! Anyway, due to this burgeoning interest, I’ve been looking at nail books and nail art books and all sorts of other information.
Here’s an example of some of the fun designs I’ve found. This is a design called “The Single Red Rose”. When you do your nail with this design, your nails will appear longer. Start by (after, of course, applying a base coat) layering two coats o a shimmery rose polish on all of your nails and let completely dry. Choose four nails to be accent pieces, then carefully draw on the stems of the roses. This can be done with green polish, but it may be easier to do with a nail art pen. After letting the green dry, take a red polish or nail art pen and create an oval bud shape at the top of each stem. Using a pink polish or pen, detail the bud with slightly swirly petal lines. Let this dry as well, then finish all of the nails with top coat.
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This is a neat little DIY recipe for homemade bath salts. This formulation is designed to help soothe your muscles and release tension, as well as having your spirits lifted by the rosy scent. Additionally, the rosewater will help rejuvenate and tone your skin.
Here are the ingredients: four cups of Epsom or sea salt, and a quarter-cup of dried, crushed rose petals. Mix these two ingredients together until they appear fully blended. Store them in a re-sealable container. When you’re ready to use the mixture, add a few scoops to a warm bath. Soak in the bath for a good 10- 20 minutes.
As always, when making a DIY mixture, ensure that you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients. The mixture will last indefinitely. Enjoy it!
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One of the best ways to give your skin a golden tint without spending money on tanning is simply to eat carrots, tomatoes, and other orange and red produce. The pigments that give these produce items their color will add that color to you as well.
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Well, ladies, we’re starting to approach the warmer weather we were thinking would never arrive. It’s time to start shifting from heavier winter cosmetics to the lighter items used for summertime. Cream foundation can begin giving way to lighter, tinted moisturizers, for example. One thing that will really help your skin in this transition is to give yourself a steam facial. To do this, fill a basin with hot green tea (a great antioxi- dant!), and hold your face above this. Drape a towel over your head and relax for about five minutes. The steamy tea will help to release any impurities in your pores and revitalize your skin. You’ll come away with a great, healthy glow, too! Pat your skin dry when finished.
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A quick tip to wake your eyes up: apply a white liner to the inner rim of your lower lid. This can cover redness, will make you look more alert, and gives your eyes some sparkle.
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This tip can be used in either glamorous girl mode or boring boy mode. You’ve just realized that you’re out of hair conditioner, and you have o time to get some more. Try this trick: pour a quarter-cup of liquid fabric softener and three cups of water into a reclosable squeeze bottle. After shampooing, use this mixture on your hair, avoiding your eyes. Give it a few moments to sit on your hair, then rinse with cool water (this helps shrink the pores in the hair shaft). Your hair will feel soft and has a nice, clean scent as well.
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As we age, our lashes start to thin out. If you want to have fuller-looking ones, try this trick: blink into the mascara wand as you apply. This will deposit more onto the lashes. Additionally, to create the illusion of larger eyes, add just a touch extra to your center lashes.
Also, remember to do a coat on one eye, then rotate to the other. Do this for each coat you apply. This allows for drying time between coats and can help prevent clumping.
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A reader named Kelly wrote to me recently asking how to apply lotion. Well, Kelly, congratulations, you made the column! In answer to your question, the first thing to remember is that you want to do this on skin that’s still damp. Drying off completely and then applying moisture is a bit like turning a hose 36 on a fire that’s already burned out. The goal is to lock the moisture from your shower into the skin. You have roughly a three-minute window of opportunity to do this in, so move quickly! Another thing that helps is to moisturize with the bathroom door closed right after showering. The humectants in the cream (humectants attract water) will draw in the moisture form the air and lock it into your skin.
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What is the single biggest cause of a manicure that’s been ruined and needs retouching? That’s right, your car keys! Like any other paint, nail polishes need time to dry completely. Let’s assume that you get a simple manicure with a single color. By my estimates, that’s still a coat of base, two coats of the color, and a top coat. Those layers all need time to dry! If you have the time, try to wait a good 25-45 minutes after your last coat is on before doing anything that might cause it to get ruined. For further maintenance, apply another top coat layer at least twice a week.
There it is, you tips and tricks for the month of May. I have to run now, to enjoy the weather and the outdoors! It’s just too nice to be cooped up inside. It’s time to put on a maxi-dress and go do some shopping!
Before I run off, I want to say something to you all. Barbara is again conducting a poll to see what you all like about the magazine. I’m gratified and heartened to see that, as of the last time I looked, that my column is the highest-rated part of the magazine! I had recently, with everything else going on in my life, considered taking a short sabbatical from writing this column. Your responses have shown me that this would be a mistake, for all of you and for me.
So! As you’ve all spoken and persuaded me to stay, I’m asking you all: what would you like to see more or less of in my column? Would you like me to go longer? Am I going too long? Are there specific topics you would like to know more about? Please, tell me! I said this at the beginning of the column, and here it is again: my address is [email protected]. Feel free to write me at any time, I’ll always answer.
Until June and the beginning of summer!
37 How to Wear a Full Skirt By Cynthia Nellis
Do Wear a Full Skirt That's the Perfect Length
Michelle Obama is a huge fan of the full-skirted silhouette, and she wears it in everything from dresses (like the green print dress, pictured) to separates. The First Lady favors a very flattering length for her height -- just below the knee -- and it looks fantastic on her. Fuller skirts look best when worn with a hem that ends at a slimmer part of your let (right above or below the knee.)
Don't Wear a Full Skirt Too Long
Designer Rachel Roy's pleated full skirt is too long for her slim figure so it overwhelms her (it doesn't help that she is wearing it in a contrasting bright either.) A better option would be to wear the full skirt in a figure-flattering length like right below the knee instead of frumpy mid-calf.
Do Choose a Sophisticated Take on the Full Skirt
Petite frames, like Sarah Jessica Parker, can pull of the full skirt silhouette. But it works best in sophisticated styles like this soft goddess-look dress. Avoid anything too short or little girly (especially over 40) on smaller women or you'll ridiculous. 38 Don't Wear Ruffled Full Skirts
Short, ruffled, full skirts are entirely too little girlish for women. Teens and little girls? They look cute in a ruffled full skirt. Kim Kardashian? Not so much.
Do Wear a Full Skirt if You are Curvy
Curvy Miranda Lambert looks cute in her full-skirted dress (although the dress could be about an inch longer and look better.) The fit-n-flare silhouette of the full-skirted dress creates a super sexy hourglass shape.
Don't Wear a Tutu
Even if you are young a trendy, like Whitney Port, the tutu is still too little girlish to pull off in a full skirt. 39
Do Wear a Puff Skirt
While tutus and ruffled full skirts are too little girly, the puff full skirt is retro '80s (in a good way!) Blake Lively rocks the full puff skirt and shows why it's a style worth bringing back.
Don't Wear Frumpy Florals
The last thing you want to do (especially after 35) is make the full skirt look frumpy by adding old- fashioned elements like dated-looking florals (like Ashley Judd is wearing) or seen-their-better-days elements like a ruffled hem.
Do Keep it Ladylike After 40
After 40, the best full skirts have a ladylike quality like Kristin Davis' look. Her bare legs and fun print give the fit -n-flare silhouette a fun, casual-elegant vibe. 40 A Dress For Every Purpose Tasi Zuriack |
As summer rolls around, our thoughts trend towards all those lovely lightweight dresses that allow us to be more comfortable and show a little skin. But when you are over 40, as many of us are, we need to be a little choosy so the dress is also flattering to our figure. Now granted, we can manipulate that figure somewhat and we rarely need to worry about holding “the girls” up, but then we have a few other challenges, most centering around trying to create that girly figure with a body that just doesn’t match the mannequin in the dress shop.
So thanks to the ladies at Fabulous After Forty, here are a few ideas to help you look slimmer, taller, and stylish at the same time. I’ve always thought that summer dresses for women over 40 are a great wardrobe staple because they’re easy, comfortable and practical for a casual midlife lifestyle Solid Colors are Slimming
Did you know that a solid color head to toe like this is always more slimming than a few colors mixed together? This Jessica Simpson belted Blouson dress (from Macys) in this pretty shade of orange is a perfect example
This is the perfect day dress because you can take it from daytime to evening wear with just a change in accessories. Be sure to accent the dress with some big chunky jewelry as shown here because that is what is really going to make this dress pop. You’ll be sure to get a lot of wear out of it.
Circle Skirts Give Flair This dress is designed for the gal with a pear-shaped figure. That’s not us, but it works equally well in hiding a little too much tummy and giving us that that lovely swishy look. And with the hem just at or above the knees, it shows off our really great legs too. You’ll need light-colored shoes (no ankle straps) to extend the look of those long legs.
41
Another really nice thing about this dress is the use of soft, muted colors in the tropical print. This dress gives you that Caribbean vacation feel you want without having to wear bright parrot colors which can often look and feel too loud
Empire Waistlines Tame Tummies
If you have low belly fat (beer belly) that never seems to go away, a great way to get the attention off that spot is to take a look at summer dresses for women that have empire waists. This Short Sleeve Printed Empire with its flattering wrap style neckline visually raises your waist up, and in doing so moves the attention to your upper half. The skirt part gently flows over a jelly belly. Great trick! Color Blocking Magically Erases
Dark colors recede and make you look slimmer. That’s the reason so many women love black. But heck, you can’t be wearing black all the time, so here’s another great trick. Choose a dress like this DKNY colorblock dress that strategically uses black to knock off a few inches.
Black panels placed at the sides slims your figure by ” blacking” part of it out. No wonder color blocked dresses are one of the most popular summer dresses out there for plus size women.
Simplicity is Slimming
A solid color + a simple tank top style make this Elemntz ruffle dress a winner. You’ll look long and lean but anything but boring because of the interesting texture that makes this dress feminine and gives it real personality. 42
Maxi Dresses Make the Difference Some curvy types prefer more modest summer dresses for women. If you are a gal who feels more comfortable not exposing your legs then a maxi dress is for you. This is one of many beautiful summer halter dresses for women that work well. You still get to show a bit of skin up top which is youthful but you don’t have to worry about feeling self-conscious about your legs. Now this is not usually a problem for crossdressers but I’m seeing more and more women in maxis because of the long silhouette that it creates, and you can wear it with sandals or kitten heels for walking comfort.
Shirtdresses Balance Your Figure
Shirtdresses became popular in the ’50s when they were an off- shoot of men’s shirts. These dresses are comfortable and forgiving of figure flaws and flattering for all body types. You can best define your waist using a belt. They can be worn with a crinoline to give fullness to the shirt and balancing our wide shoulders. Isn’t this a pretty, fresh look for summer?
Floral Dresses are a Lady’s Choice
If you don’t already have a floral dress for warm weather, you need to go get one.
A floral frock with a big, bold print in contrasting colors was the “it” dress this spring. Hot pink summer dresses like this pink blossom floral sundress are feminine and pretty, but not wimpy. A very ladylike choice 43
Punch it Up with Polka Dots
This Ralph Lauren Cap sleeve polka dot dress proves that you can wear a pattern in a plus size and it works for you. Best to keep the background darker than the dot and the size of the dot reasonable to your frame. A very tiny dot is going to exaggerate your figure in comparison, which is exactly what you don’t want to do. Love the Monaco blue color which is so in this summer.
Now I admit to loving polka dots, but being a winter/cool color, the jewel tones work best for me. I can wear black, blue, purple, and reds, but not oranges and yellows. And having silvery grey hair (that’s my natural color too), any accessory in the silver family helps me achieve a striking look. And as much as I adore prints, particularly black and white, this dress shown here helps me be the Princess that I am (or maybe I should say Queen). There is a perfect dress for you, and some of you only own one, but dresses are fun. They’re comfortable, and oh so very feminine. What better way to treat yourself than with a dress.
Now least I remind you, there are other certain unspoken advantages to being a man in a dress 44 Are You Too Old to Crossdress or Transition as a Woman?
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 in- ner 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 .
Wvery now and then, somebody will ask me: “Am I too old to crossdress?” or “Am I too old to transition as a woman?” The simple answer is NO.
Whether you are 33 or 73, and whether your goal is to be a part time crossdresser or live as a woman full time, it’s NEVER too late to be your true femme self. You’re still alive, so why not make the most of the precious moments you have left on this earth?
I’m not saying you should act on every frivolous whim that crosses your mind. And obviously, things like hormones or surgery need to be discussed with your doctor. But I believe the true desires or your heart are meant to be expressed – no matter how long they’ve been buried.
In fact, embracing your femme side can give you a whole new lease on life. I see it all the time: People seem to grow years younger when they make the decision to be themselves fully. And if you don’t think you’re worth it, consider doing it for others. Having the courage to express your true self inspires others to do the same. The world needs more of this!
I’ll say it again: You are NEVER too old to be your true femme self.
So go for it, girlfriend: Buy the shoes, schedule the makeover, contact the gender therapist – or do whatever it is that you’ve been holding back on. You deserve it!
Now I’d like to hear from YOU on this topic! How old were you when you decided to go for it and be your fab femme self? (Or are you still waiting?)
(Note from Mellissalynn: you can comment on this article here: http://feminizationsecrets.com/ too-old-crossdress-transition/ ) 45 My #1 Femininity Tip for Crossdressers and MTF Transgender Women
What’s the secret to creating a convincing feminine image?
Clothes, shoes, hair, and makeup are important, but my #1 femininity tip has nothing to do with ANY of these.
I’ll give you one clue …
It’s something you should be doing ALL the time (even if you are in guy mode).
Curious?
My #1 femininity tip for crossdressers and MTF transgender women is to STUDY OTHER WOMEN. Your best femininity teachers are the women around you. You should constantly observe women when you are out in public – as well as when you watch TV or movies.
The more you study women, the more you’ll pick up on the subtle things that make somebody feminine and attractive.
Pay extra close attention when a woman catches your eye in a positive way. (Without creeping her out, of course!) Try to pinpoint what it is that makes her so appealing.
46 Specifically notice: What she’s wearing. (A dress, pants, flats, heels, etc.) What her style is. (Classic, trendy, girly, etc.) How much makeup she’s wearing. (Is she wearing lipstick? How heavy is her eye makeup?) Her body language. (Does she cross her legs or place her hands on her hips? How’s her posture?) How she moves her body. (Are her movements soft and subtle or big and bold?) How she interacts with others. (Is she bubbly and outgoing or quiet and mysterious?)
Aside from picking up femininity cues that you can incorporate into your own behavior, use this as a guideline for how women in your area present themselves.
Remember, if you want to “blend in” with the women around you, your clothes, hair, and makeup should be a similar style.
I also suggest paying attention to women who attract your attention in a BAD way. Notice what turns you off so you can avoid this in your own behavior and appearance.
(Who knows? Maybe some of these women will later look to you as an example of ladylike beauty!) Now I’d love to hear YOUR thoughts on this topic. What have you learned from observing other women?
Love, Lucille
47 How to Stay Cool in Sweltering Summer Heat By Elizabeth Graves Whether you’re off to a wedding or a walk in the park, here’s how to look and feel your best when the heat is on. Pretty Cool The grass is always greener on the other side, and that’s especially true when it comes to seasons. During the winter, all you want is a warm summer day. But when the August heat hits, you remember how hard it is to look your best as your makeup slides south, your hair goes north, and your skin becomes a sticky oil slick. Real Simple consulted a team of health and beauty experts and busy women who live in the warmest climates for ideas on how to beat the heat and look good while doing so. After all, it’s summertime—and right now the grass really is greener.
How the Heat Affects You “People in Chicago and New York suffer more in heat waves than people in Georgia do, because they aren’t used to the heat,” says Charlotte Grayson Mathis, M.D., an internist and a former senior medical editor of WebMD. Southerners also know what to do when the thermostat spikes: They stay indoors or in the shade during the hot- test hours of the day, wear loose clothing and little makeup, and drink plenty of fluids.
Your body temperatures rises when outdoor temperatures go up, explains Mathis. To maintain a normal, comfortable temperature, your body needs to release heat through its pores. A little perspiration is good. Excessive sweating, however, can cause dehydration, which dominoes into a sour mood, irritability, and sluggishness. (In extreme circumstances, it can even make a person delusional.) That’s why it’s important to keep your body temperature down before you go outside. Not only will it help you look cool but you’ll also feel more comfortable once you’re out and about.
One trick to try: Place skin-care supplies in the refrigerator before hopping in the shower, suggests Joanna Schlip, a Los Angeles makeup artist. That way, after you’re dry, you can smooth on the cool products to refresh your skin. Or take it a step further: “One trick I learned is to put the metal jewelry I’m going to wear—my bracelet, necklace, and earrings—in the freezer before going to a fancy event,” says Lara Koslow, a real estate executive in Los Angeles. “The jewelry holds the chill for a while and keeps your skin cool.” 48 How to Stay Cool in Sweltering Summer Heat By Elizabeth Graves Whether you’re off to a wedding or a walk in the park, here’s how to look and feel your best when the heat is on. Pretty Cool The grass is always greener on the other side, and that’s especially true when it comes to seasons. During the winter, all you want is a warm summer day. But when the August heat hits, you remember how hard it is to look your best as your makeup slides south, your hair goes north, and your skin becomes a sticky oil slick. Real Simple consulted a team of health and beauty experts and busy women who live in the warmest climates for ideas on how to beat the heat and look good while doing so. After all, it’s summertime—and right now the grass really is greener.
How the Heat Affects You “People in Chicago and New York suffer more in heat waves than people in Georgia do, because they aren’t used to the heat,” says Charlotte Gray- son Mathis, M.D., an internist and a former senior medical editor of WebMD. Southerners also know what to do when the thermostat spikes: They stay indoors or in the shade during the hottest hours of the day, wear loose clothing and little makeup, and drink plenty of fluids.
Your body temperatures rises when outdoor temperatures go up, explains Mathis. To maintain a normal, comfortable temperature, your body needs to release heat through its pores. A little perspiration is good. Excessive sweating, however, can cause dehydration, which dominoes into a sour mood, irritability, and sluggishness. (In extreme circumstances, it can even make a person delusional.) That’s why it’s important to keep your body temperature down before you go outside. Not only will it help you look cool but you’ll also feel more comfortable once you’re out and about.
One trick to try: Place skin-care supplies in the refrigerator before hopping in the shower, suggests Joanna Schlip, a Los Angeles makeup artist. That way, after you’re dry, you can smooth on the cool products to refresh your skin. Or take it a step further: “One trick I learned is to put the metal jewelry I’m going to wear—my bracelet, necklace, and earrings—in the freezer before going to a fancy event,” says Lara Koslow, a real estate executive in Los Angeles. “The jewelry holds the chill for a while and keeps your skin cool.” 49 Stay Cool Tip 1: Do Your Hair First Take a cool shower, rinse with cold water, and tackle your hair. “I always sweat when I blow-dry my hair in the summer,” says Elizabeth Schatz, a writer in New Orleans. “So I do my hair, take a minute to cool off, then do my makeup.” Try this strategy:
If the bathroom is steamy from the shower, blow- dry your hair in another room. Then blast the back of your neck and body with the dryer’s cold setting to cool off. Or, better yet, just let your hair air-dry.
Go light on hair products, suggests Carsten, stylist and owner of the Carsten Salons, in Arizona and New York City. “The heat always works against you. So there’s no point in using flat irons or rollers,” he says. Wear your hair naturally: If you have curly hair, use a light styling product, such as Aveda Be Curly Curl Enhancing Lotion ($22; aveda.com), to smooth down humidity-induced frizz. And if your roots tend to get greasy quickly, even after you’ve washed your hair, spray them with dry shampoo before drying, suggests River Lloyd, a hairstylist for the John Frieda Salon, in New York City. It freshens your roots and gives your hair hold. (RS pick: Klorane Dry Shampoo, $18; drugstore.com.) To keep straight hair smooth, use a dab of styling cream (one to try: Bumble and Bumble Grooming Crème, $28; bumbleandbumble.com).
Get your hair off your neck. Otherwise, you might as well wear a wool scarf to that picnic. Twist longer lengths into an updo. Shorter hair should be trimmed during the summer so that ends don’t fall below the hairline.
Do it after dark: Since even one blast of a blow dryer can leave you hot, consider washing and drying your hair at night, when it’s cooler outside.
Stay Cool Tip 2: Use the Lightest Skin-Care Products The trick to keeping your skin dry and free of shine is to put as little on it as possible.
Refresh your skin with a toner (or glycolic pads). Toners remove dirt and oil from the face, in addition to cooling it. But if you suffer from breakouts, wipe your skin with glycolic acid pads, which clean the skin and deep-clean pores, says Bruce Katz, a New York City dermatologist. (RS pick: AHA Glycolic Acid Pads 10%, $40; dermstore.com.) “In the summer, you need to have clean pores,” he says. “Blocked 50 pores lead to breakouts when you sweat.”
If you live in a wet or humid environment, abandon moisturizer altogether—or use it only around the eyes, where it’s usually most needed, suggests Patricia Farris, a dermatologist in Metairie, Louisiana. Use an eye gel, which is the lightest form of moisturizer. (RS pick: Fresh Lotus Eye Gel, $48; fresh.com, which contains cucumber extract to cool skin and relieve puffiness.)
If you live in a drier climate (or have dry skin), moisturizer may be needed. To find one that won’t kick-start the sweating process, avoid emollients, such as lanolin, which obstruct the pores. Heavy moisturizers act like a sweater on your face, explains Katz: “Skin needs to breathe in order to regulate body temperature.” So look for a noncomedogenic moisturizer (one that won’t clog pores) that contains a humectant, such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin, which will attract moisture from the air to the skin. And use it only where necessary. (RS picks: Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray, $22, clinique.com; and Estée Lauder Clear Difference Advanced Oil-Control Hydrator for Oily Skin, $36, macys.com.)
Stay Cool Tip 3: Adopt a Heat- Resistant Makeup Routine Under a blazing sun, a full face of makeup is like an ice cream cone: It quickly turns into a runny mess. Follow these suggestions and your makeup won’t slip or slide.
Spot-apply concealer instead of foundation to cover a blotch or blemish, says Schlip.
Use powder. Dusts on bronzer like Physicians Formula Solar Powder Bronzer SPF 20 ($13; ulta.com) to soak up oil and provide subtle color.
Go easy on color cosmetics. Heat makes blood rise to your cheeks, so you don’t need to add much color to your skin, says Taylor Babaian, a makeup artist for the Cloutier Remix, in Los Angeles. If you want a hint of color, use a stain, tint, or liquid blush that won’t run or smear. (RS pick: Benefit Cosmetics Liquid Benetint, $30; ulta.com.) Coat lips with a light balm or gloss.
Skip the eye shadow, because it often creases or runs in the heat. Use a kohl liner to accent your eyes, suggests Rebecca Restrepo, a makeup artist for the Wall Group, in New York City, who uses Guerlain Loose Powder Kohl ($37; nordstrom.com). “Women in India have used kohl liners for centuries,” says Restrepo. “Kohl really stands up in the heat.” Finish your eyes with water-resistant mascara. (RS pick: Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara, $9 at drugstores.) 51 Stay Cool Tip 4: Dress in Breath- able Clothing It’s hard to get dressed up when the weather report is call- ing for a meltdown. But with a little planning, you can wear something comfortable and beautiful.
Dresses and skirts are cooler than pants, since they allow air to circulate to your skin and heat to waft away.
Choose clothing in light colors, which reflects sunlight.
Wear natural, breathable cotton, which wicks sweat away from the body. Avoid synthetic fabrics, which often constrict airflow and hold heat close to the skin.
Skip hosiery if you can. That may not be possible in a corporate setting, but at business- casual or more creative offices, bare legs should be acceptable in the summer.
If you worry about wet marks on your clothes, wear patterns rather than solids.
Wear strappy or open-toe sandals that allow your feet to breathe.
Stay Cool Tip 5: Keep Your Body Fresh and Dry Once you start sweating, it’s often hard to stop. To halt the cycle, use a strong clear antiperspirant to avoid sweat marks or chalky white residue on your clothes. (RS pick: Secret Flawless Clear Antiperspirant & Deodorant Crystal Clear Gel, $6; drugstore.com.) Also run deodorant along the bottoms of your feet to prevent stickiness and blisters. If you sweat easily, try a stronger salve, such as Certain Dri (about $6 at drugstores), an over-the-counter prescrip- tion-strength roll-on that’s formulated to treat excessive underarm sweating.
Protect your skin with sunscreen, such as Kinesys Per- formance Sunscreen Spray ($19; kinesys.com). This clear, oil-free mist feels like water, dries quickly, and leaves a matte finish. “A sunburn impedes your body from getting rid of heat— another reason to avoid a burn altogether,” says Katz.
Lightly dust loose powder on areas that tend to perspire, such as the décolletage and the back. “Powder is a southern girl’s best friend,” says Farris. (RS pick: Origins All and Nothing Loose Powder, $27.50; origins.com.) A thin veil of cornstarch powder on your body and feet will absorb sweat and make you feel dry. 52 If you start feeling warm, run your hands under cold water, suggests Mathis. Then place your cool wrists on the back of your neck to soothe your skin before perspiration begins.
Keep Your Cool All Day Pack a to-go kit: Tote a bottle of water, and add a wide-brimmed hat and a pair of sunglasses to keep the heat off your head and shoulders, suggests Mathis. A paper fan may also come in handy. Then stow a pack of blotting papers to wipe away shine. (RS pick: Shiseido Pureness Oil Control Blotting Papers, $18.50; sephora.com.) If you sweat a lot, take a small package of tissues, which are best at removing significant moisture. And Sally Firth, an American respiratory therapist who has lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, swears by antishine lotions. “Foundation just melts away here,” she says. Try a mattifier such as Vichy Normaderm Total Mat Anti-Shine Mattifier ($25; vichyusa.com).
Eat more often—but eat less. Spicy foods, protein-laden meals, and creamy ingredients can raise your body temperature and send you into a metabolic overdrive, says Joy Bauer, a registered dietician in New York City. So it’s best to steer clear of heavy meals and go for fruits and vegetables, which are saturated with water and help keep your body hydrated and comfortable.
Avoid salt, alcohol, and caffeine. All of these dehydrate the body. Caffeine also constricts blood vessels, which hinders the body’s ability to cool itself, says Mathis. Instead, sip water or an energy drink, such as Gatorade, suggests Bauer. “In extreme heat, these drinks replace lost fluids, glucose, and potassium.” 53
Las Vegas David DeAlba Show
San Francisco's Finocchio Club legendary actor, singer- impressionist David de Alba after last year's sold out performance that gave him a standing ovation and many flowers for his "Dorothy The Later Years Judy Garland Tribute" returns to The Onyx Theater stage on June 22, 2014 ( a very poignant date because Miss Garland passed away on that day in 1969) bringing his very unique tribute to the late Star in: "David de Alba Presents.....A Lonely Stage, My Tribute to Judy Garland
So anyone out there who is a true Judy Garland fan, or and someone who appreciates the Art Form of LIVE Female Impersonation should not miss Mr. de Alba's performance and come celebrate Judy's musical life via the excellent impersonation that Mr. de Alba always brings forth on-stage because his respect and love to the late Star whom he was lucky to meet in person.
Mr. de Alba has been written about in six books for his LIVE stage presentations and also he has been given a few awards too plus he is a respected Celebrity Interviewer.
"David de Alba Presents....A Lonely Stage, My Tribute to Judy Garland." June 22, 2014, Showtime at two pm. Tickets: $20.00 V.I. P. / First Two Rows General Seating: $17.00 General Admission The Onyx Theater 953 E. Sahara Avenue Las Vegas, Nevada Box-Office Phone: 702- 732-7225 (Tickets are now for sale through the official Onyx Theater Website or can be also be bought in person at the theater's box-office.)
54 The Gossip Fence Transgender In The News
15 Experts Debunk Right-Wing Transgender Bathroom Myth Experts in 12 states -- including law enforcement officials, government employees, and advocates for victims of sexual assault -- have debunked the right-wing myth that sexual predators will exploit transgender non-discrimination laws to sneak into women's restrooms, calling the myth baseless and "beyond specious." Amazon commissions new trans-based TV series ‘Transparent’
Amazon Instant Video has commissioned a 10-episode series of ‘Transparent’, a new trans-based drama-comedy series. The series, which released a free pilot episode in February, will receive a further 9 episodes to take it to series length, the company revealed today. The series follows Mort (played by Jeffrey Tambor), who reveals to her ex-wife and grown children that she is transitioning to female. The show’s creator Jill Soloway said: “There’s so much confusion around what it means to be trans! I feel so excited to be able to tell stories that will illuminate the difference between somebody who may be medically transitioning, or somebody who may be socially transitioning; somebody who’s a cross dresser, somebody who’s inter gender, somebody who’s a butch lesbian, somebody who’s a drag queen — all these categories sometimes fall under the umbrella of ‘trans’.” Transparent also stars Judith Light, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker and Jay Duplass. It has not yet been announced when the series will air.
City on verge of issuing largest municipal ID program in nation
New York is poised to create the largest municipal ID program in the country, making city identification cards available to any resident, regardless of immigration status.
The cards would become available six months after the proposed bill is signed into law, and the mayor has said that he wants to have them ready within a year.
The cards would be aimed at undocumented immigrants who don’t have access to bank accounts, library cards, or even memberships at places like Costco because they can’t produce official photo ID. They could also be used to secure apartment leases and MTA senior passes, but they couldn’t be used for government benefits not otherwise available. The cards will display the cardholder’s photo, name, date of birth, address, and an expiration date. It will also have the cardholder’s “self-designated gender” — a big win for the LGBT community. By comparison, to change one’s gender on a driver’s license, people have to bring a doctor’s note that certifies one gender is the person’s “main” gender. 55 Wonder Woman Stands by 8-Year-Old Tomboy
Iconic Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter tweeted her support and encouragement to Sunnie Kahle, the 8 -year-old girl who was removed from a Virginia Christian elementary school by her grandparents after school personnel had warned her that cutting her hair short, liking sports, and wearing sneakers to school were inappropriate expressions of “exhibiting an alternative gender identity.”
Carter tweeted, “Sending love to little Sunnie Kahle! Stay strong and love who you are..short hair, sneakers and all.”
The wondrous entertainer’s words of encouragement are a welcome contrast to the letter Kahle’s grand- parents received from Timberlake Christian School, which informed the student’s family that the 8-year- old would not be welcome back for the 2014-2015 school year unless her dress and behavior followed suit “with her God-ordained identity.”
Carter has been an outspoken supporter of both women's rights and the LGBT community for many years. Most recently, she appeared in the documentary Wonder Women, which highlighted the connection between the character Wonder Woman and the progress of gender equality over the past several decades.
Social Security Admin Clarifies Benefits Applications for Trans People and their Spouses
Until now, all benefits applications involving couples with at least one transgender spouse required legal review by one of SSA’s chief regional attorneys, often adding significant delays. Without clear guidance on applicable law, many benefits applications also received incorrect denials and had to be appealed. With this new guidance, most claims now can be evaluated under the normal application process, without additional and inappropriate scrutiny of the marriage.
Under the new guidance, SSA recognizes that a gender transition does not affect the continuing validity of an existing marriage. Marriages that occurred after a transition will also generally be presumed valid, with additional review needed only for claims from a handful of states. Unlike many other federal programs, Social Security law requires that marriage-related benefits be determined based on the law of the state where you live. Accordingly, SSA still has to determine, in many cases, whether to treat a marriage as a same-sex marriage or a different-sex marriage.
For marriages that occurred in a state where same-sex couples may marry, the applicant will be asked, “Did you enter a same-sex or an opposite-sex marriage?” and processed accordingly. For all other claims, a valid different-sex marriage will be assumed.
Only claims for individuals living in seven states (Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas), and where a spouse transitioned prior to the marriage, will require a special legal review. Claims from certain territories (American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands) also still require additional review. Claims from these states still require review because SSA has determined that the law regarding transgender people and marriage is sufficiently unclear in these states to make case-by -case review necessary.
The new guidance complements other recent SSA guidance designed to implement the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). 56 Transgender Teacher Returns to School a Woman
A California high school science teacher gave students and colleagues a new lesson in biology Monday, showing up for the first time as a woman a week after her plans to switch genders became suddenly public. The former Gary Sconce, 56 — an award-winning educator, husband, father and grandfather who has taught at Yosemite High School for 24 years — will now be known as Karen Adell Scot, she said. “I’m actually going to work as my real 'out' self,” Scot told NBC News. “I stand in front of the class and I’m so filled with joy.”
The change has stirred controversy in the small town of Oakhurst, Calif., in the Gold Rush territory just outside Yosemite National Park. One neighbor, Kathi Bales, wrote a letter published in the local newspaper last week telling Scot to quit her job and urging the community to reject her. Others, however, have rallied to support Scot, saying she’s a role model for integrity, courage and authenticity. Students presented Scot with a giant card and cookies in class Monday. "Ms. Scot: No matter what anyone says you are courageous and beautiful for being who you truly are," wrote student Charlotte Smith. "You are my hero."
Scot notified district officials and colleagues earlier this year that she had started the medical and social process to transition from male to female and that she would return after spring break in April as a woman. Administrators also sent a letter to parents of the school’s 650 students advising them that the school district is bound by California law, specifically Education Section Code 220, not to discriminate against Scot because of her gender identity. The result was that Scot's private decision was suddenly very public. Instead of waiting until after the break, she decided to adopt her female persona immediately. “I was outed in a horrible way,” Scot said. “That was not the plan. It was supposed to be a quiet transition.”
District officials have been clear that Scot can keep her job, but she’s under strict orders not to discuss her gender issues with her students. This morning, the school principal, Randy Seals, emphasized that point to the students, Scot said.
Teacher suspended after parents complained because she is transgender
A teacher in the US state of Texas has been told not to return to her classes after parents complained that they did not want a transgender person to teach their children.
Laura Jane Klug had been teaching as a substitute at Lumberton Intermediate School, but has said she was told not to return to her classes after parents said they were concerned that their children might be “distracted” because she is transgender. She said she had met with an HR representative of the Lumberton Independent School, John Valastro, on Tuesday afternoon, and that she had been suspended, pending a decision by the school board.
“I have always conducted myself in a professional manner and would never discuss my gender identity in school,” Klug said.
Despite that the board’s meeting to discuss the Klug’s case is closed, she said she expects parents will turn up to voice their opinions. Some parents claimed that Klug’s gender identity proved to be a “distraction”, saying that it could “affect [childrens'] ability to learn,” and that the issue was to do with the age of children. 57 LGBT rights groups have responded to criticise the complaints, saying the gender identity of a person does not affect their ability to teach, and should not be used to push someone out of a job. The law in the state of Texas does not currently offer protections against discrimination based on gender identity.
Miss. Gov. Signs ‘License to Discriminate’ Into Law
Mississippi Republican governor Phil Bryant today signed a bill into a law that will allow business and individuals to deny service to anyone in the interest of religious liberty, according to ThinkProgress.
The legislation, known as Senate Bill 2681, the Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act, would allow businesses and individuals to deny services to anyone, if serving that person or organization would "substantially burden" the individual's "religious exercise." It also adds the words "In God We Trust" to the official state seal. It received overwhelming support in the GOP-controlled legislature,
Grassroots LGBT organization GetEQUAL was the first to send out a statement condemning the governor's signing of the bill, while pledging to continue fighting such anti-LGBT efforts. When the bill first passed the legislature, LGBT organizations condemned it, drawing harsh comparisons to Arizona's vetoed SB 1062, which caused a national uproar that involved the NFL and major corporations urging Republican governor Jan Brewer to veto the bill.
The Mississippi law makes no explicit mention of "sexual orientation," "gender identity," or even "marriage," and neither did Arizona's proposed law. Still, LGBT advocates warn that it will have the effect of legalizing discrimination against the LGBT community. And it could unravel any effort to pass antidiscrimination ordinances at the local level.
Tennessee General Assembly Lawmakers Pass Bill That Could Legalize LGBT Bullying
This week, Tennessee lawmakers passed the "Religious Viewpoints Anti-Discrimination Act," which would allow students to express religious beliefs in homework, artwork and assignments.
Though framed as a measure to protect a student’s freedom of speech, the bill opens up state-sanctioned avenues to bully LGBT students. Under the “religious liberties” measure, a student could be permitted to personally target an LGBT student by couching the bullying in religious terms. Only a veto from Governor Haslem can stop this bill from becoming law.
The Tennessee bill is the latest in a slew of state legislation nationwide that aims to enshrine LGBT discrimination under the guise of religious liberty.
Maryland Transgender Rights Bill Heads to Governor for Signature The Fairness for All Marylanders Act just passed in the House of Delegates by a vote of 82-57 and now heads to Governor O’Malley for his signature. This bill will add explicit protections on the basis of gender identity to Maryland’s non-discrimination laws, making Maryland the 18th state to have such protections, and leaving only three states in the country that have sexual orientation but not gender identity state-wide non-discrimination protections
LGBT housing non-discrimination bill killed by Louisiana lawmakers
It should remain legal to deny housing to members of the Louisiana LGBT community, a state House 58 committee voted Monday (March 31).
The House Commerce Committee voted 13-5 to kill a bill by state Rep. Jared Brossett, D-New Orleans, to prohibit housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation was based on fairness ordinances already in effect in New Orleans since 1999 and, as of late last year, Shreveport.
Debate has not yet been scheduled for the several other non-discrimination bills filed this year.
LGBT Activists Demand Stoning at Antigay Harlem Church
More than 50 LGBT activists demonstrated Saturday at ATLAH Missionary Baptist Church in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, demanding that Pastor James David Manning emerge and deliver the stonings he said LGBT people deserve.
The church recently posted messages on its marquee reading, “Jesus Would Stone Homos” and “Harlem Is a Homo-Free Zone.” The marquee was since vandalized by someone who spray-painted “God Is Gay” over it. An earlier message on the marquee warned that President Obama had “released homo demons on the black man.”
Jennifer Louise Lopez, a Harlem resident and transgender activist, organized the protest after having called Manning’s bluff recently by showing up at the church and telling a mystified employee she was there for her stoning. She told the crowd that Manning “is a very hateful and dangerous man,”. She added, “We will no longer stand by while evangelical Christian churches misrepresent us."
Manning did not emerge, but one point the group moved to the side entrance of the church, where they repeatedly rang the building's buzzer and raised their fists while they shouted, “We’re here for our stoning! We’re here for our stoning!” Several church members watched from inside through a glass door, smiling and chatting, according to the press release.
Fighting transgender politics
A Cambridge transgender woman, outraged that convicted wife killer Michelle Kosilek could receive a free gender reassignment operation that health insurers refuse to cover for law-abiding citizens, has filed suit demanding the same right to tax-funded surgery — a move critics say could mark the beginning of a dramatic, costly shift in entitlements under the controversial federal court ruling.
Anita T. Phoenix, 59, filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month claiming that Medicare and MassHealth discriminated against her. “How can a convicted murderer get this done for nothing?” said Phoenix, who filed the suit without an attorney. “I have the same problems, and I have to pay for everything even though my therapist and an independent psychiatrist says it’s medically necessary. A convicted murderer has better health coverage than I do.”
“It’s not just me,” said Phoenix. “Other transgender people are in this same boat and need this surgery but can’t afford it.”
Officials at Medicare and MassHealth did not return calls seeking comment.
59 Vermont, Connecticut, California, Oregon, Colorado and Washington, D.C., already bar private insurers from denying coverage for the surgery. And in December, federal officials decided to revisit their coverage of gender-transition surgery, which is based on 1981 research, said Suffolk University law professor Renee Landers.
Department of Justice announces nationwide police ‘transgender training’
The US Department of Justice has announced a scheme to provide training on transgender issues to police forces nationwide. The new initiative is intended to help the police identify hate crimes, and build trust with the trans community, which according to law enforcement officials is often reluctant to report crimes.
Associate Attorney General Tony West said last week: “It’s clear that such a training is as necessary as it is overdue. “Too often, in too many places, we know that transgender victims are discouraged from reporting hate crimes and hate violence due to their past negative interactions with and perceptions of law enforcement.”
The training will be overseen by the department’s Community Relations Service, which helps work with local community groups to monitor and help prevent hate crime.
Deputy Attorney General James Cole said that too often trans people didn’t report crimes “based on the community’s fears about law enforcement’s support and perceptions.” He said: “This is not a result that can or will be tolerated by the Department of Justice, and it runs counter to the very role your community public safety officials want to promote.”
Nova Scotia now funds sex reassignment surgery
As of April 1, Nova Scotia will cover eight types of sex reassignment surgeries for residents.
"Transgender Nova Scotians face unique challenges in the health-care system, as they do in life," said Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine in a news release. "I hope this move will help those for whom sex reassignment surgery is an important part of their transition."
The change was announced in May 2013.
Nova Scotians who intend to access publicly funded sex reassignment surgery can start by talking to their family doctor. After that, they will work with their doctor and other health-care professionals to get any necessary counselling, and to develop a transition plan.
For more information on sex reassignment surgery in Nova Scotia, click here.
If you are interested in sex reassignment surgery but do not have a family physician, Capital District Health Authority's prideHealth program maintains a list of physicians who provide respectful and welcoming care.
Wis. Man Becomes the State’s First Trans Elected Official
Transgender man Gypsy Vered Meltzer was elected to the City Council in Appleton, Wis., Tuesday, 60 marking a memorable first, according to Madison-based LGBT advocacy organization Fair Wisconsin. Meltzer defeated Barney Lemanski by a margin of 295 to 199 votes to claim victory in the race for the council seat representing Appleton's District 2. The two political rivals appear to share mutal respect for one another, with Lemanski wishing Meltzer an enthusiastic congratulations on his Facebook page.
When asked about his transgender status, the alderman-elect deferred to the job at hand, saying, "I'm focused on the issues rather than myself, and look forward to the day when this isn't as interesting a topic." Meltzer identifies as male and uses male pronouns, according to Meltzer's Facebook page.
Meltzer is scheduled to be sworn in April 15.
Transgender surgeries funded by San Francisco called successful
San Francisco's foray into paying for sexual reassignment surgery for the poor and uninsured is so far a success, officials said. Fifteen people have had sexual reassignment surgeries paid for by The City in the last nine months, when the Department of Public Health started covering the once-controversial procedures.
Insurance providers in California have been required to pay for gender reassignment surgery since last year. However, San Francisco remains the only city in the state to cover gender reassignment surgery for the poor and uninsured with gender identity disorder. Gender identity disorder, or gender dysphoria, is the condition where a person does not identify with the sex with which they were born.
The City provides chest and breast procedures at San Francisco General Hospital, but it has contracted out with a pair of private surgeons to provide genital procedures. New patients usually receive hormone therapy for a year as well as regular counseling before electing for surgery. San Francisco was the first municipality in the country to cover sexual reassignment surgery for its employees, a change that was made in 2001.
The progress made today would have been "unimaginable" 10 years ago when the only feasible option for gender assignment surgery required a flight to Thailand, according to the Transgender Law Center's Anand Kalra, but there's still more The City can do.
Procedures like electrolysis for facial hair follicles and mammoplasty -- viewed as "cosmetic" surgeries but often the final step towards acceptance in a new gender -- are not yet covered.
State women’s wellness center now serving transgenders
DENVER — A state-run women’s wellness program now provides breast and cervical cancer screenings for transgender women, announced the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Wednesday. Funds for the Women’s Wellness Connection program at CDPHE can now be used to serve transgender women who meet the program’s eligibility requirements to receive free or low-cost mammograms and Pap tests, according to the health department.
The program was created for low-income women with little or no health insurance.
For more information, visit WomensWellnessConnection.org.
61 New Trailer for TransMilitary Documentary
To mark International Transgender Day of Visibility, the producers of TransMilitary, a documentary centered around the lives of transgender service members in the U.S. and U.K., released a new trailer.
TransMilitary is being led by former OutServe/SLDN executives Allyson Robinson and Zeke Stokes in an effort to shed light on the transgender military experience, and to apply pressure on the U.S. government to end the ban on transgender military personnel.
The project is set to be released later this year.
National Organization for Marriage co-founder concedes defeat on gay marriage
The co-founder of the leading group opposing same-sex marriage in the United States has conceded that her side has lost the fight and that gay couples will soon be able to marry all over the country. Maggie Gallagher told the Huffington Post that she believed that a majority of Supreme Court judges would find any state ban on same-sex marriage that was brought before it to be unconstitutional.
Gallagher said she believed the next battleground would be over allowing religious dissenters to refuse goods and services to same-sex couples who are marrying.
Leading With A Capital “T”
CHRISTOPHER STREET WEST (CSW), the non-profit producers of the LA Pride celebration, unveiled last month what it called “an important educational initiative” as it gears up for the 44th annual event taking place June 6-8: “LA Pride: The TLGB Celebration.”
CSW also announced it had formed a transgender coalition to determine ways to best leverage LA Pride to bring a better understanding of issues related to the transgender community. “This year, Christopher Street West decided to make a bold statement about our commitment to education by leading with a capital T,” said Steve Ganzell, board co-president of CSW. “When you see the hate and ignorance directed towards the transgender community, sometimes even from within our own community, we felt compelled to use LA Pride as a platform to highlight issues surrounding the community as well as taking the opportunity to celebrate our transgender family.”
The LA Pride Parade gathers hundreds of thousands of participants, spectators and marchers, with millions more able to globally view it online, while the LA Pride Festival attracts well over 50,000 attendees to West Hollywood Park to celebrate diversity and community from Grammy Award winning artists performances, to art and heritage installations and exhibits to community events and initiatives.
Shared housing project aims to curb trans homelessness
After years of harassment and death threats for living as a transgender woman in Paris, Texas, Jodielynn Wiley finally escaped that environment when she came to Dallas in February.
Now at the Salvation Army in Dallas, Wiley said she feels safer, but her time at the shelter is running out. Her 30-day stay at the shelter was extended, and she now has until April 21 to find housing. Blake Fetterman, operations director at Carr P. Collins Social Service Center, said the Salvation Army shelter 62 is an emergency shelter, so the 30-day limit allows time for people to come in and either be referred to another shelter or find a housing program. She said extensions are given to people who feel comfortable at the shelter and would prefer not to go somewhere else while they make other arrangements.
Wiley is hoping to be one of the first people to benefit from a new program of Trans Pride Initiative, the Dallas Trans* Shared Housing Project. Under the project, people can open their homes to trans and gender-nonconforming people who need temporary or long-term housing, TPI President Nell Gaither said.
“I don’t know how many people are going to want to take someone in for fear of getting in a desperate or venerable situation, but I’m hoping we can overcome that hesitancy,” Gaither said. She called the program an experiment because she’s testing how it would work. She’s looking for people who have housing available and would offer a rent that someone can afford. She also is looking for trans people who are looking for roommates so they can find places together and share the cost.
Gaither has been helping Wiley find housing or transitional funding. She said she’s found it difficult to help trans people find housing because programs are so specific and can be tricky to navigate if you’re not on the inside and know how the programs work. She said many have waiting lists for nine to 18 months, during which people can move from shelter to shelter. But some shelters have priority for domestic violence victims or other situations.
The difficulty in finding housing options where trans people feel comfortable and safe led Gaither to launch the Shared Housing Project this month.
Shelters in Dallas, like the Salvation Army, are welcoming of trans people, but some don’t provide a comfortable atmosphere where all gender nonconforming people would feel accepted.
Gaither eventually wants to open the program to the whole LGBT community, but she said the focus is on trans people because they have a higher rate of homelessness.
Applications for people needing housing and people offering housing can be found online at tpride.org/ sharedhousing.
Transgender woman is convicted of prostitution-related charge
A Phoenix judge on Friday found a transgender woman guilty of a prostitution-related offense based on a city ordinance that the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona has deemed unconstitutional. Monica Jones, 29, was arrested in May as a part of a Phoenix police prostitution-sting operation.
Jones, an activist for sex-worker rights, was charged with manifestation of prostitution, which police can enforce based on a number of qualifiers: repeated attempts to engage a passer-by in conversation, attempts to stop cars by waving at them, inquiries as to whether someone is a police officer or requesting that someone touch his or her genitals.
She pleaded not guilty and challenged the constitutionality of the law she allegedly violated. She subsequently asked that the case be dropped. Attorneys for Jones filed a memorandum in March stating 63 that the ordinance targets transgender women by its interpretive nature and violates the First Amendment.
In an interview with The Arizona Republic Jones said she felt she was targeted because of her race and gender. "You never see a heterosexual transgender man (accused of manifestation of prostitution)," she said. "It targets women, especially women in poverty, and women of minority."
Jones returned to court Friday with reinforcement. Dan Pochoda, legal director of the ACLU of Arizona, argued on behalf of Jones. He said the ordinance is a "classic example of criminalizing protected speech" and said courts in other states have vacated similar statutes.
The case underlines a rift among some activists who work with sex workers. Many advocates work within the bounds of existing anti-prostitution laws to offer other life alternatives. Others, like the Sex Workers Outreach Project, aim to decriminalize the profession altogether. Jones is an advocate for the Sex Workers Outreach Project of Phoenix.
Jones was arrested in one of the Phoenix police stings that involved Project Rose. She said she had been protesting the project just one day before her arrest. Jade McKenzie, a transgender woman and Project Rose volunteer, said Jones' opinions do not represent the entire transgender community. McKenzie said she worked with Jones when she was arrested in May.
Arizona trans woman convicted of ‘manifesting prostitution’ charge
A Phoenix trans woman has been found guilty of a prostitution-related charge, after speaking out against the Bible-based ‘rehabilitation’ programme she was arrested under.
According to AzCentral, Monica Jones, an activist for sex-worker rights and member of Sex Workers’ Outreach Project, was arrested last May in a police sting for ‘manifestation of prostitution’. She pleaded not guilty to the charge, and argued the law she was charged under was unconstitutional.
The statute that Jones was arrested under, which bans ‘manifesting prostitution’, can prohibit everything from engaging in conversations with passers-by, to asking if someone is an undercover police officer.
Jones said: “You never see a heterosexual transgender man [accused]. “It targets women, especially women in poverty, and women of minority.”
She was found guilty on Friday.
Judge disappoints foes of transgender rights law
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A judge in Sacramento has ruled that elections officials in 30 California counties do not have to turn over records that would help supporters of a failed ballot referendum challenge the invalidation of thousands of voter signatures. 64 Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley on Friday granted the state's request to quash subpoenas issued on behalf of Privacy for All Students, which sought to repeal a new law that spells out the rights of transgender students in public schools.
Relying on counts submitted by county offices, the secretary of state determined in February that the group was about 17,000 signatures short of the number needed to qualify its proposed referendum. The state argued that the referendum's supporters were entitled to review the discounted signatures, but that supplying copies of the detailed records they requested would violate voters' privacy.
Privacy for All said its plans to appeal.
Mississippi shops resist ‘religious freedom’ law with ‘we don’t discriminate’ stickers
Hundreds of Mississippi shops and businesses are protesting against the state’s new ‘religious freedom’ law, with window stickers assuring customers they would never use it to refuse them service.
The window stickers are provided free of charge by Equality Mississippi to businesses who pledge: “We don’t discriminate – If you’re buying, we’re selling!”
“Hundreds of companies across Mississippi have already signed up to display the new stickers in their window.”
A study conducted by the New York Times last year, before the new law was introduced, named Missis- sippi the least tolerant state.
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