1 Pretty T Girls The Magazine for the most beautiful girls in the world
A publication of Pretty T Girls Yahoo group 2 3 In This Issue
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Editorial By: Barbara Jean 4 Demographics of the Pretty T Girls Yahoo Group 5 The Spitfire Pilot Who Became a Woman and Fell In Love with A Woman Who Became A Man 6 The Challenge of Being Transgender and Over 60 10 Do Hormones Change the Transgender Brain 14 The Real Danish Girls 15 17 Amazing Makeup Tricks 17 When to Clean or Toss Your Beauty Tools 22 Double Duty Makeup-Cosmetics That Multitask 24 Teri Lee Ryan 26 The Adventures of Judy Sometimes 28 Módhnóirí 29 Tasi’s Musings 32 How To Pose Like A Model 37 Humor 38 Angels In the Centerfold 39 TG Tips From Millissa 43 Diane Pemberton Sikes 48 Tasi’s Fashion 53 The Best Fashion Advice of All Time 55 The Best Shoe Sites for Women with Large Feet 58 Lucille Sorella 59 The Worst Poses To Strike In Photos 64 25 Tricks To Be More Photogenic 66 From The Kitchen 69 5 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do With Your Waffle Iron 71 10 Time Saving Tips So You Don’t Stress Out In the Kitchen 74 Let’s Get Together 76 The Gossip Fence 80 Shop Till You Drop 90 Calendar 103 4
2015 A Year In Review An Editorial by: Barbara Jean
Well it is time tosaygoodbye to 2015 and hello to 2016. For those of us who are transgender 2015 had both it’s ups and it’s downs.
On the plus side of course here in the United States was the Supreme Court decision that legalized samesexmarriage in allstates. Abig win not just for the gay/lesbian communitybut for our community as well. Of course not everyone was willing to accept the Supreme Court decision with one Kentucky Clerk still refusing to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples and politicians looking for ways to circumvent the decision.
We have also seen where businesses that have tried to discriminate against same sex couples have received very heavy fines.
Now that the hate groups have lost their fight onsamesexmarriage theyhave turned their sights on us, Primary in the form of bathrooms. In a number of states there has been attempts to require us to use the bathroom according to the sex we were assigned at birth. In Houston an equal rights ordinance was overturned byvoters with our opponents dubbing it as a bathroom bill, and in California, a state that allows us to use the bathroom according to the gender we Identifywith there is an attempt to overturn the law via a ballot petition. However in schools the federal government has said it would be a violation of title IXand it would cost any school that would require us to use the bathroom of our birth sexor onlya single stall type of bathroom their title IX dollars. EEOC and other federal agencies are also saying it is in violation of Title VII to require us to use bathroom according to birth sex.
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has declared transphobic violence to be a national crisis. In Pennsylvania a transsexual was chosen to be the states surgeon general, and the White House has hired a transgender individual as astaff member.
In the United States some 22 transwomen have had their lives cut short the result of hate, the most for any year yet. In Washington D.C. it was reported that transgender hate crimes were ten times the national average. England has reported that transgender hate crimes were also up this past year.
More states have made it easier to change the sex on our birth certificate to align with our true gender vs. our biological sex.
More and more insurance companies are now covering transgender care including sexual reassignment surgery, As a result of the suicide death of Lealah Alcorn more state are passing laws prohibiting conversion therapy. A hospital in New York is specializing in transgender care 5 and the VA in Cleveland has opened up a clinic for transgender veterans.
The Census bureau reported that the 2010 Census showed that almost 90,000 have changed their name to one of the opposite gender and almost 22,000 of us have changed oursex.
2015saw more visibilityfor the transgender also. In addition to Amazon’s Transparent, we have seen more television shows about the transgender and even a first ratemovie. All of these actually had transgender characters rather than a cisgender portraying a transgender. Perhaps the biggest surprise for everyone was when Bruce Jenner came out as transgender and became Caitlyn Jenner. Girl Scouts have changed their policy to allow transgender girls to be a part of the girlscouts. 42% of Americans saythey have a verygood understanding of what it means to be transgender.
2016 will be an election year here in the United States. Depending on who wins in the various elections it could be a positive year or a negative year for the transgender especiallyin terms of things like civil rights.
For our group, well we have seen some new members join and ourmagazine has gotten big- ger with the addition of a cooking section and a list of groups thatmeet. We have also added a few new advertisers to the Shop Till You Drop section.
So Iguess itis time to saygoodbye to 2015 and Hello to 2016. Itis our hope that2016 will bring more positive changes for everyone.
Demographics of the Pretty T Girls Yahoo Group By: Barbara Jean co-moderator
I had recently run a series of polls concerning the demographics of our Yahoo Group. Some of the finding were to be expected, while others were a bit of a surprise.
Location: This poll was conducted a few years back before Yahoo changed the format for the groups. This poll had the best response of all the polls.
Seems that 82% of us are in the United States, while Great Britain had 7%. Canada had 4% and Australia 2%. Remainder were at1%. While Idid expectthe U.S.to have the most members, I was surprised that we hadso few in Canada.
Age: This poll indicated that we are a rathermature group with about 85% of us being over the age of 50. 40somethings were at about 13.5% and those in their 30’s were about 2%. If there were anymembers under the age of 30 theydid not respond to the group poll.
Employment: Iwas notmuch ofa surprise thatthemajorityofus are insomesortof professional line of work with 31% of us being in either engineering or information technology. What was a surprise is that almost 10% of us are either in the military or retired from the Military. I do suspect more here are retired due to current military regulation. The poll also 6 showed that about 8% of us worked in Education and 2% of us worked either as law enforcement officers or fire fighters. About 30% of us come from one of the blue collar trades.
Our TG Status: About 16% of us indicated that we were transsexual while almost 41% of us indicate ourselves to be crossdressers. Almost 4% of us are the wife/partner of a crossdresser or transsexual.
Acceptance: About 16.5% of us have a wife/partner that accepts our crossdressing/ transsexualism, while about 8% have a wife/partner that does not accept their husbands crossdressing. About 4% of us have children living at home who are aware of the fathers being a TG and 7% ofus have children living outside ofthe home who are aware oftheir fathers being a TG. 21% of us have children who are NOT aware of the fathers TG status. Just over 12% of us indicated to be living with a girlfriend who was accepting of our being TG and 4% of us indicated to be partnered to a man.
Visability: About57% ofus indicated to be in the closet. 37% ofus indicated to be outofthe closet and 6% of us indicated to be living full time enfemme.
Accuracy of Polls: How accurate are the polls, well even after removing members who are bouncing, our groupstill has over 3000members, and yet fewer than 1% seem to participate in the polls. Prior to the change of format made by Yahoo participation was still under 2%. A higher number of members participating in the polls would of course make for a more accurate measure.
The incredible story of the Spitfire pilot who became a woman and fell in love with the female student who became a man Roberta Cowell was the first known British transsexual woman to undergo sex reassignment and Michael Dillion was a physician who was the first British female to male transsexual
Robert Cowell had been a Second World War spitfire pilot who became a prisoner of war, raced in the Belgian Grand Prix, and a married father of two girls.
But despite his achievements, he was desperatelyunhappy– he knew he wanted to become a woman, Roberta.
[Photo: Roberta Cowell In 1962; Man Who Has Sex-change Transplant.]
He struck up a friendship with medical student Michael Dillon – the world's first woman to become aman.
Dillon fellmadlyin love with Roberta and agreed to risk his medical license to illegally castrate him to help with his 7 transition to becoming a woman.
[Photo: Close: Roberta Cowell and Michael Dillon composite.]
Now 60 years on, the extraordinary story of the unique relationship between these two medical pioneers is being told on TVfor the first time.
Author of a book about their lives Liz Hodgkinson, whose friendship with Cowell led to the discovery of letters revealing the deep but unrequited love of Michael for Roberta, said: “There is no doubt that Michael was in love with Roberta.
"It's hardly surprising as Roberta was a very charismatic and amusing person with witty one- liners. Many were captivated by her."
[Photo: Story: Roberta Cowell, aka Robert Cowell, told her story for £200,000]
As a man, Roberta Cowell had been amarried father of two, a celebrated racing driver competing at the Belgian Grand Prix and a Spitfire pilot during the war.
He had seeminglythrived in his conventional domestic life and in the super macho aggressive world of motor-racing and flying.
[Photo: Ace: Robert Cowell, later Roberta Elizabeth Cowell, the first British woman to undergo sex reassignment surgery was a Spitfire pilot]
His pursuits yielded 400 winning races and logging over 1600 hours as a pilot in his spare time following the war.
But beneath the tough exterior there was an urge to live life another way- a waywhich in post- war Britain was ground-breaking. 8 [Photo: Driver: Roberta Elizabeth Cowell loved fast cars]
As a woman, Michael Dillon, the niece of Sir John Dillon, 7th Baronet of Lismullen, was educated at an exclusive girls’ school and had been President of the Oxford Women’s University Boat Club.
But both Roberta Cowell and Michael Dillon were profoundly unhappyand desperate to do whatever was necessaryto release them from bodies which did not feel like their own.
[Photo: Navy: Michael Dillon was born a woman]
In 1948, Cowell hadseparated from her wife, was estranged from her daughters and seeking help from the depression that had enveloped her.
It was then that he read Dillon's book, Self: A Study in Ethics and Endocrinology, in which he argued that people should be able to choose their gender.
Cowell was taking large doses of hormones, but still living as aman, when he and Dillon first met and struck up a friendship.
Channel 4 documentary, Sex change Spitfire Ace: Secret History, reveals how they formed a deep bond and Cowell persuaded the love- struck Dillon to remove her testicles.
[Photo: Transsexual: Roberta at a coastal resort in March 1954.]
[Photo: Roberta: the first British woman to undergo sex reassignment surgery.] 9 He embraced the challenge of embarking on a world surgical first: helping Michael Dillon transition from woman to man.
It was the beginning of a process of more than 17 operations which would take place over the next 10 years and would culminate in the surgical creation of a penis made from skin taken from Dillon’s body.
[Photo: Holiday: Roberta Cowell, formerly Robert Cowell standing beside her car in the south of France.]
[Photo: Man: Roberta Cowell as Robert before her operation]
When their stories became public it created a sensation – sex changes were rarely talked about in 1950s Briton.
But the storywas to have a tragic end. Whilst Dillon had fallen for Cowell, the feeling was notmutual, and Roberta struck up a friendship with another woman.
[Photo: Proud: Roberts Cowell's daughter Diana.]
Dillon left Britain for India in the late 1950s to become a Buddhist monk and died aged just 47 in 1962.
Cowell, who had continued to flyplanes and drive racing cars as a woman, died in 2011.
Her funeral was attended byonlysixpeople and on her instructions was unpublicised and only came to light two years later when a profile of her was printed in newspaper. 10 The Challenges of Being Transgender and Over 60 Reprint from the BBC Magazine with commentary from Tasi
Those that transition Transgender people and the issues that affect them have never been more visible. But life can be difficult for over-60s who transition gender, writes Cat McShane.
Teraina Hird was 67 when she transitioned. She did so privately in Thailand after being told she’d need to wait 18 months just for her first NHS appointment.
It was a daunting process. “If you’re 25, you’ve got your whole life in front of you, but at 67 do you want to spend three years in transition?”shesays.
But Teraina, now 72, was sure of her decision and went ahead: “I felt I couldn’t live with my body not matching my brain gender.”
Referrals to the UK’s seven gender identity clinics is growing by 20% each year, and the NHS is struggling to keep up with demand.
Older people like Teraina are often in a hurry to transition after a lifetime of hiding their true gender identity. Famously, Caitlyn Jenner appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair after transitioning at 65. In the UK, former boxing promoter Kellie Maloney recently announced that her gender reassignment was complete atthe age of62.
Cat McShane’s report on gender transition and the over-60s was broadcast on Boxing promoter Kellie Maloney transitionedin her 60 Newsnight.
But age-related health conditions can also delay the process. On the eve of 62-year-old Dawn’s finalsurgeryto transition to female last year, a heart condition was discovered and her operation was pushed back.
“The moment I was sent home before the operation was one of the worst days of mylife,” she says.“For the firsttime in a long time Iwanted to take myown life.”
Older patients are more likelyto have picked up conditions along the way, says Dawn’s surgeon James Bellringer, who has performed more than 1,000 male-to-female gender reassignment operations. 11 “You’re more likely to find someone with diabetes or a significant heart problem or a significant chest problem than if you are operating on someone in their 20s,” Bellringer says. There are emotional dangers, too. Many older transgender people tried to cover up their feelings at a younger age by having marriages and children, and run a high risk of being cut off by family when they finally come out in their 60s or 70s. Nearly half of transgender people with children have no Dawn’s transition has been slowed down by contact with them. underlying health problems Dawn’s son, Lee, 32, is today supportive of his dad’s transition from Dave. But when he was first told four years ago, Lee was deeply shocked.
“I didn’t know what transgender was,” he says. “I never felt comfortable talking to any of my friends about what was happening withmydad. I felt like a freak.”
Dawn recalls more positive experiences with her daughter, who oversaw Dawn’s first forays into the world of ladies’ fashion and make-up. “It was a complete role reversal. I realised I was being told by my daughter, like an adolescent, to get changed into something more suited tomyage,” Dawnsays.
For partners too, transitioning places a huge strain on the relationship. Many Dawn with her son Lee: Getting used to her marriages fail. Jane and Barbara’s 28-year marriage survived.
Barbara first discovered her husband John was cross-dressing 20 years ago, finding unknown women’s clothes in their wardrobe. She was convinced John was having an affair.
Relieved at the truth, they agreed John could dress as a woman in private. “It may seem strange but it brought us closer together, it was our secret,” Barbara said.
Jane’s 28-year marriage survived the transition However, John’s permanent transition to from maleto female Jane four years ago placed a strain on the 12 relationship. Barbara – a founding member of Beaumont Partners, a support group for the spouses and partners and an offshoot of transgender group The Beaumont Society was forced to question her own identity. “It was very confusing, one thinks one isn’t feminine enough or attractive enough,” Barbara says. But after she took time to explore her feelings she “realised it was nothing to do with me, it was Jane who needed to be her real self”.
Most NHS Trusts require people to live in their new gender for at least two years before being referred for surgery. That period can be difficult, especially if done while working.
Teraina and her partner Anna May Booth, who’s 68, both suffered workplace discrimination, butatan age when itwas too late tostarttheir careers anew.
Anna says she was bullied byher linemanager and lost half her pension becauseshe retired 10 years early.
Media captionTeraina recalls the news headline which hastened the end of her garage business. Teraina was forced to sell her successful engine business. Customers dropped off as she woremore female attire, and she wrote to the local paper to explain thesituation, hoping they’d return.
In terms of cost effectiveness this is possibly the best operation the NHS does – even in a 70- year-old, you’ve got 15 years of significantly improved quality of lifeJames Bellringer, Surgeon
Unfortunately, a national newspaper picked the storyup and ran it under the headline “Mechanic loses nuts and customers bolt,” after which the business quickly floundered. She sold it for a fraction of what it was worth.
However, the UK 2010 Equality Act was pivotal for some older transgender people, as it offered a greater range of protections for people at work.
One person who took advantage of this was Jane, who’s 66 – once a headteacher called John who had feared being found out byneighbours and colleagues across a lifetime of cross-dressing. Jane recalls reading the document and being astonished – “the law protects me” – and began her transition.
Despite the medical challenges, Bellringer believes age should not be a barrier. “In terms of cost effectiveness this is possibly the best operation the NHS does,” he said. “Even in a 70- year-old, you’ve got 15 years of significantly improved quality of life.”
And regardless of the challenges, there is an enormous amount of positivity from people transitioning at a laterstage of life, who are happyto be living out their final years in their true gender identities.
“I reallythought at times I was too old to transition, but the older I got the more determined I became,” said Anna. “I’m so glad I did it.”
A perspective from Tasi, a non-transitioning woman. 13 I’m 74 and retired, but choose not to take my crossdressing further for family reasons. My wife is tolerant to a degree but doesn’t want it in her life which raises a newset of problems when we are together 24-7 now. I find happiness is relative because a 40 year marriage involves commitment and balance and neither gets what we want but onlysome of what we want. Improvement in the qualityof my life can not be at the expense ofmyspouse who has always been there for me during all the troubles of life. To do otherwise would be selfish in the extreme.
Although this article is written from a British perspective, it holds true from an American perspective too, but there is significantly less written about these issues in the American press. There is an urgent need for TG-friendly retirement homes. There is a need for greater understanding of the older TG woman and the health issues that she faces. And there is a need for equal protection under the law across all the states. Hopefullythe visibilitywe now receive as mentioned above will improve our lot in life.
The very positive fun part of growing older is that our fashion choices become unlimited. No longer driven to looksexy, we can dress in whatever esoteric waywe wish. In fact, if you peruse the 40 plus blogs, you will find that older women are often farmorestylish than the cookie-cutter fashion of younger women. We can combine color and fabrics in unusual ways and notseem out of place. These ladies from the Advanced Style blog is just one example of having fun with fashion as you grow older. 14 Do Hormones Change the Transgender Brain?
One of the most common things I’ve read in various transition stories is how, after starting HRT, the man or woman in question began to think differently. “It rewired my mind,” said one; "It made me think like a woman,” said another; “It brought me clarity I didn’t have before,” said a third. These are not unexpected experiences, since hormones essentially control how cells talk to one another, and the brain is a bundle of cells soaking in a chemical bath. Alter the chemicals in that bath and of course you’ll alter how the brain functions. But what, empirically, has science discovered about the way HRT affects the brain? And are these merely differencs of chemical reaction, or is the brain one of the body parts that is physically altered by HRT? I was prepared to do a ton of PubMed surfing on this subject. In fact, I had already started before discovering this great page from AE Brain, a transwoman and scientist who has been collecting a list of scientific papers on transgender and intersexfor some years now. She has compiled a thorough amount of support for not only the argument that trans brains start out different, but also that HRT does in fact change the physical brain. One interesting studyis “Changing your sexchanges your brain: influences of testosterone and estrogen on adult human brain structure” by Pol, et al (European Journal of Endocrinology, 2006). They recruited both MtF and FtM transsexual volunteers and measured their brain volumes in several ways both before and after 4 months of HRT. The result?
The findings suggest that treatment of MFs with estrogens and anti-androgens decreases the male brain size towards female proportions, whereas treatment of FMs with androgens (not substantially affecting circulating estrogen levels) increases the female brain size towards male proportions. The magnitude of this change (i.e. 31 ml over a 4-month period) is striking, since it signifies a decrease in brain volume, which is at least ten times the average decrease of around 2.5 ml per year in healthy adults (16). Given what prior studies suggest about the ways in which some structures in a transsexual brain already resemble their gender-identifying counterparts, this is an interesting find. Estro- gen is, in a sense, rescaling the MtF brain, thus making it a better match for the parts already scaled to perceived gender. But really, when transfolk say that hormones affected their mind, they’re not talking about brain size; they’re talking about the way they think. They’re anecdotes without a lot of solid research to back them up. As far as I have been able to determine, no one has performed a good scientific study on how cognitionis effected by HRT. There’s an occasional study, like the one by Schoning, et al. (2010) that will study brain function both pre- and post-HRT. But Schoning, et al., found that even before HRT, MtF brains activated differently, and in fact its conclusion was that HRT did nothing to change that. So where is the evidence that HRT changes the waywe think? It maysimplybe a 15 preponderance of anecdotes, the accumulated and shared experiences of transgender persons who undertake HRT. Scientific research on the trans brain is almost exclusively dedicated to the ways in which transgender brains are a priori different from cicgender … and the evidenceseems to be building that they are different. Perhps HRT simply takes these different brains and “tunes them up,” like putting the proper fuel in a car engine. You’ve got a female brain? You need to be using the right octane! Thus, it’s not so much that HRT changes the brain or the waywe think;itjustallows us to think better. The Real Danish Girls: Meet the Trans Pioneers Before Laverne Cox & Caitlyn Jenner
Tim Gray Awards Editor@timgray_variety
Focus Features’ “The Danish Girl,” opened Nov. 27 in a limited run, stars Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe, a real-life pioneer in sex-reassignment surgeries that took place in 1930-31. Alicia Vikander plays Gerda Wegener, Elbe’s supportive wife.
In 2015, transgender people are in the news daily, but Elbe’s storywas virtuallyunknown at the time. Reports of sex-reassignment were so rare that the world was shocked more than 20 years later to hear of Christine Jorgensen. She had been George Jorgensen from the Bronx but became a woman thanks to surgery— in Denmark, interestinglyenough.
The New York Daily News on Dec. 1, 1952 ran a story headlined “Ex-G.I. Becomes Blonde Bombshell.” And people around the world began to realize that gender was not an absolute either/or fact. Jorgensen was the subject of stories in newspapers and the relatively new medium of television. So she did what any enterprising celebrity would do: She capitalized on her fame.
On May11, 1953, Variety reviewed Jorgensen’s tentative showbizdebut at the Orpheum theater in downtown L.A., which comprised her 20-minute travelog preceded by her two-minute intro. The film was shot in Denmark, with references to Hans Christian Andersen and other Danish delights. Reviewer Mike Kaplan noted, “Photography is frequently bad and the color sometimes incredible. It will be the general audience’s first introduction to people with orange complexions.”
The following month, the Sahara in Vegas booked Jorgensen but then tried to cancel the contract, saying “she” was a “he” and had booked the engagement with “misrepresentation.” But the American Guild of Variety Artists came to Jorgensen’s defense and the Sahara grudgingly booked her for two weeks in September at $25,000. Jorgensen continued to perform in nightclubs and in the Dec. 2, 1953, issue of Variety, McStay reviewed her act at the Casino in Toronto. 16 He was impressed by the SRO business, the stage-door autograph seekers and especially by the fact that there were no hecklers in the audience. He said she joked about herself and “Miss Jorgensen exhibits dignitythroughout her act, and wins on personality.” Her appearance was part of a 65-minutestage presentation that also includedsong and dance duets with Myles Bell, and an opening act of acrobats Al & Connie Fanton.
The 1970 movie “The Christine Jorgensen Story” was directed by Irving Rapper, who’d helmed several Bette Davis movies, including “Now, Voyager.” The film’s PR tagline was “The first man to become a woman!” Evidently the marketing mavens hadn’t heard of Lili Elbe and others of her era.
Andy Warhol introduced such performers as HollyWoodlawn and CandyDarling in his films, but the next real headline-maker was Dr. Renee Richards. In 1975, the male-to-female doctor sued the U.S. Open tennis tournament when she was denied participation; two years later, the Supreme Court ruled in her favor, a big step forward for trans rights. (In 1986, Vanessa Redgrave gave a spectacular performance in the telefilm, “Second Serve,” about Richards.)
Some people think gender fluiditywas born in the 20th century, but in actuality, manydifferent cultures have embraced the idea for a lot longer than that. The 2009 documentary“Two Spirits,” from Russell Martin and Lydia Nibley, describes the hate-crime murder of 16-year-old Navajo Fred Martinez. Martinez was a nádleehí, a male assigned at birth person with a feminine nature. The docu makes the point that Martinez was revered within the tribe for that, but was scorned andmurdered in town for thosesame qualities.
Jorgensen died of cancer at age 63 in 1989 and didn’t live long enough to see the increasing profile for transgender individuals. But Jorgensen lives on in two albums, available on iTunes, singing songs like “I Enjoy Being a Girl.” And “The Danish Girl” will bring renewed interest in Elbe and Wegener, for their paintings and their ground-breaking lives.
On Election Day Let YOUR voice be heard! 17 17 Amazing Makeup Tricks You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner Look more beautiful every day with these out-of-the-box ideas By Carly Cardellino
1. Turn a pencil eyeliner into a gel formula with the help of a match or lighter. Hold your black, green, burgundy, etc., kohl eye pencil (which typically creates a thin, harder to apply line), under the flame for literally one second, let it cool for 15 seconds, and then watch the consistency change right before your eyes. Finally, glide on your newly made gel liner for an instantly smudgier formula.
2. Cover your eyelid with white liner to make any eyeshadow shade pop. To make a sheer or less pigmented eyeshadow appear more colorful on your eyelid, take a white eyeliner pencil, like Make Up For Ever Kohl Eye Pencil in White, and run it over your entire eyelid. The opaque consistency of the liner will intensify any eyeshadow shade and make it pop instantly against your skin. (Tip via makeup artist Lauren Cosenza founder of Divalicious Blog.) 18
3. Draw your cat eye first, and then fill in the open space for a perfect winged liner application every single time. It's much easier this way. Use this tutorial as your guide.
4. Use a spoon to create the perfect winged liner. Holding the stem of a spoon against the outer corner of your eye, draw the straight line as the first step for your cat eye. Then, flip the spoon so it's hugging your eyelid, and use the rounded outer edge to create a perfectly curved winged effect.
5. Draw a slanted hashtag at the outer corner of your eye, and then blend it for an instantly smoky effect. To create a super-easy smoky eye, draw a hashtag symbol right before the outer corner of your eye and then blend it out with the smudger at the other end of your eye liner. 19
6. Use that same spoon to avoid mascara marks on your upper eye lid. Hold the spoon so it's hugging your eyelid, and then apply your mascara like you normally would. As you sweep the mascara wand against your lashes and back of the spoon, watch as the residue coats the back of the utensil rather than your skin.
7. Add saline solution to a flaky mascara formula to rewet it again. You're only supposed to keep mascara for three months, because beyond that point, it can collect bacteria and lead to eye infections. However, if your mascara dries up within those three months revive it with a couple drops of saline solution.
8. Hit your eyelash curler with a hair dryer to heat it up, so your lashes curl easier. Blowing hot air on your eyelash curler will help your lashes curl easier and stay curled longer; it works the same way heat changes the pattern of your hair and holds a curl with a curling iron. To do it, hit the lash curler with your blow dryer until it heats up, wait until it cools slightly but it still warm (you don't want to be sure not to burn your eyelid skin), and then clamp down on your lashes to curl them. 9. Dust on translucent powder in between coating on mascara to plump up your lashes. The translucent powder helps grip the mascara in between coats, leaving you with fuller lashes. Try out this tip by following this tutorial. 20
10. Apply eyelash glue to false lashes with the tip of a clean bobby pin. Use the tip of a bobby pin to evenly disperse the glue along the base of your falsies. Then, wait a few sec- onds for the glue to get tacky and apply!
11. For long-lasting lip color, swipe on your shade, lay a tissue over your mouth, and then dust translucent powder over it to set the color. This process may seem extensive, but the payoff is worth it. Not only does the translucent powder set the shade, making it instantly long-wearing, but the tissue acts as a shield to your lip color, protecting it from lightening or losing it's vibrancy. (Translucent powder, even though it's supposed to be clear, still has a subtle white tint to it that can alter your lip shade.) (Tip via makeup artist Lauren Cosenza.) 12. Mix loose pigments with a salve or petroleum jelly to make your own custom lip gloss. If you have loose eyeshadow pigments that you're obsessed with and want to wear it as a lip shade, blend it with a little bit of a salve, like VMV Hypoallergenics Boo-Boo Balm, or petroleum jelly in a spoon and swipe it onto your lips. Voilà! 13. Perfect your cupid's bow by drawing an "X" on your upper lip first as a guideline.
To make the cupid's bow part of your pout look perfect, the easiest and quickest way is to take a lip liner in the same shade as your lipstick and create an "X" at your cupid's bow. Then, apply your lipstick as you normally would and voila! 21
14. Conceal dark circles and puffy eyes the right way by creating a triangle with your cover-up. You might be a fan of dotting on your concealer in the spots you need it, but the best way is it to actually apply it in a triangular formation with the base of the triangle directly under your lashline and the point toward the bottom of your cheek. This shape helps conceal any redness at the bottom of your eye and at the sides, and then instantly creates the illusion that your face is lifted, since the brightest point is the most intense under your eye.
15. Make contouring look more natural by using a pencil, pen, or makeup brush handle as your guide to finding exactly where your cheekbone is. Not everyone's face is created equal, so where your BFF might be applying her bronzer might not be the best place for you to contour. To tell where you should be dusting on bronzer, roll a pencil, pen, or makeup brush stem right below your cheekbone (directly in the pocket underneath the actual bone) to find the right angle for your face. Once you've found the correct placement, dust some bronzer on your face using a contouring brush, and then diffuse the color so it looks natural. (Tip via makeup artist Lauren Cosenza.) 16. Blot your face in a pinch with a clean toilet seat cover. Initially, yes, this sounds gross, but both blotting papers and toilet seat covers are made out of similar fabrics and will help sop up excess oil on your skin. So, if you're in a pinch and headed to the bathroom to freshen up anyway, grab one of these covers and pat it over your skin to decrease any excess oil on your face. 22
17. Map the contours of your face with a gel eyebrow pencil, since it's easier to apply precisely and blend in. After you've applied your base, mark the areas you want to contour — the hollows under your cheekbones, your temples, along your hairline, jawline, the sides of your nose, the tip of the nose, and the crease of your eyes — with a deeply-colored brow gel pencil, like IT Cosmetics Brow Power Perfector Gel Pencil in Auburn. Brow gel pencils are really concentrated, yet very smudgeable and it's easy to control the placement of their dark pigment, making it perfect for contouring. Next, use an all-over cream highlighter, like Mac Cosmetics Cream Colour Base in Luna, on the tops of your cheekbones, on the center of your forehead,the bridge of your nose, the center of your chin, and on your cupids bow. (Tip via makeup artist Lauren Cosenza and this tutorial.)
Clean or Toss:A Guide to Maintaining Your Beauty Tools
BY DEVEN HOPP
We all develop a close bond with our favorite beauty trimmings and trappings. There’s that set of profes- sional makeup brushes that sat at the top of your wish list for months, that Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler that took you forever to track down, that makeup bag (in a limited edition print) gifted to you from your bestie… Let’s just say if there was a beauty-specific edition of Hoarders, we could all be in big trouble. But unfortunately what they say is true: all good things must come to an end. And considering you get rather up close and personal with the majority of your beauty tools on a regular basis, the end may be nearer than you might think. Find out when it’s time to say bye to your beloved beauty tools below 23
Makeup Brushes Clean: The more often the better, but aim for every other week. Toss: When ratty or frayed.
Makeup Sponges Clean: Weekly. Unless you’re using the average drugstore makeup sponge, those are for one-time use only. Toss: Every 3 months or when cracked.
Eyel ash Curle rs Clean: Weekly with a cotton pad soaked in rubbing alcohol. Toss: Replace the rubber pad every 4-6 months or when torn. Replace the curler when it loses tension. For most, that’s about every 12-18 months.
Makeup Bags Clean: Give it an honest assessment yearly. If it’s in good condition, throw it in the washing machine. Toss: When it’s no longer salvageable.
Tweeze rs, Sharpe ners and Nail Tools Clean: Ideally metal tools should be cleaned and disinfected after every use, or at least every 2 weeks. Toss: When the tools start to dull or you see rust or corrosion.
Razors Clean: Thoroughly rinse your razor and allow it to dry outside of the shower after every use. Toss: Weekly or when it begins to dull.
Hai rbrushe s Clean: Remove hair from the bristles weekly. Give it the full treatment monthly. Toss: When bristles are broken or damaged. 24 Double-Duty Makeup: Cosmetics That Multitask WebMD Feature By Lisa Fields
You expect beautiful color and smooth coverage from your makeup. It's art and camouflage. What if some cosmetics could also create fuller lips or longer lashes than Mother Nature gave you? Or fix skin problems as they cover imperfections? Here's a look at the promises, perks, and fizzles you may find at the makeup counter. Lip Plumpers The same substance doctors use to smooth and hide frown lines or crow's feet can give you pouty lips a la Angelina Jolie. For wrinkle control, doctors can inject hyaluronic acid. For fuller lips at home, it comes in a lip balm or gloss. Cinnamon and capsaicin from hot peppers are also common in plumpers, says Clarissa Luna, a New York-based celebrity makeup artist. These ingredients irritate your lips, which increases blood flow, making them look fuller. "It does temporarily swell the lip area," says New York-based celebrity makeup artist David Maderich. "It tends to tingle when you put it on, but the effect only lasts 45 minutes." Should you keep one in your purse and reapply often? Lip plumpers are fine to use occasionally, but don't use one as your go-to product. Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetic chemist with Englewood Lab, says they work by inflaming your skin. "I wouldn't advise using them all day, every day." Keratin Mascara If you wear mascara for longer-looking eyelashes, (and who doesn't?) you may be intrigued by wands with keratin, a conditioning protein. Some makers suggest that this ingredient can help you grow longer lashes and more of them, over time. Could you have Zooey Deschanel's luxurious lashes in a few months? The science doesn't back up this idea, yet. "Keratin simply forms a film on the lashes, [making them] appear thicker and fuller," Wilson says. "The effect only lasts as long as the mascara is on the lashes." Makeup artist Maderich does see a couple pluses from using keratin mascara, "You might have softer, more beautiful eyelashes that are less prone to break," he says. And like other mascaras, it adds high drama to your look right away. BB and CC Creams: 5 Products in 1? How much time could you save in the morning if your foundation was packed with sunscreen, moisturizer, pimple ointments, wrinkle cream, and more? Plenty! That's why blemish balm (BB) and color control (CC) creams are hot and getting hotter. Chemists don't know yet whether they truly improve your skin. So trying one for a few weeks is the best test. 25 BB and CC creams are more sheer and natural than ordinary foundations. Different formulas for these multi-tasking products actually are very similar. So you can't go wrong if you pick one because you like its fragrance or texture. What's the difference between BB and CC? "Color control creams are supposed to be lighter in feel, have more of a focus on correcting discoloration, and be more nourishing. But to be perfectly honest, there isn't much of a difference," Wilson says. Don't expect a BB or CC cream to have the best sunscreen or pimple protection on the market. If you have a specific issue, buy a product designed to help your problem. Sunscreen May Need to Go Solo Makeup with an SPF rating is better than nothing, but it won't offer real sun protection by itself. "To achieve the SPF on the bottle, you need a teaspoonful for the face," says dermatologist Elizabeth K. Hale, MD, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Dermatology. "It would look unnatural, like a caked-on layer." Instead, put a base coat of regular sunscreen under your foundation every morning. Choose a broad- spectrum sunblock with an SPF of 30 or higher. Mineral Makeup for Shimmer and More Many women love the look of mineral foundations. They're made up of tiny particles that reflect light, which gives you a bright, healthy glow. These powders usually include a classic sun-blocker like zinc oxide or titanium oxide. They reflect away the sun's rays, providing additional sun protection. "As the UV rays hit the particles [of makeup], they are scattered," Wilson says. "The likelihood of them penetrating into the skin is greatly reduced." For full sun protection, apply a base coat of sunscreen beneath mineral makeup. 26 The Power of Being You By Terri Lee Ryan
The power of being you has come of age. Caitlyn Jenner coming on the scene as a transgender woman has captured the public like no other celebrity. She has taken over the media with her images and herstoryof who she is and what shesees for the transgender community. People are watching her closely as theyjoin her in her journeyinto womanhood. For many cross-dressers and transgender women, she has become a role model for the transgender community.
Caitlyn has been a star her entire life. As Bruce, she was a world-class athlete, spokesperson, actor and reality star. Jenner has a history in front of the camera which makes her even more watchable becauseshe is so good at being a star. She was made for being in the public eye.
Yet, what does make Caitlyn so special? Sure, she looks great, especially for a 65 year old transgender woman. She has a gorgeous face, a long lean and toned body and a sense of humor that contributes to her sexappeal. You can’t help notice her and even if you don’t like her, you still want to read about her.
Beneath her carefully applied make-up and carefully staged reality show, is a person who emotes true happiness. She generally looks like she is finally comfortable in her own body and mind. I suspect that her abilityto be on stage as a woman is whatshe has always wanted. She loves thestage and being able toshow the world her femme identityis the source of her strength.
What is enviable for many cross-dressers and TG girls, is that Caitlyn has the freedom to be out as a woman. She is freed from hiding in the shadows and dressing in the privacy of her own home. She can now come out and be who she the woman she has been hiding for many years. Caitlyn has been freed from oppression.
Most of the transgender community still lives in hiding. Too old, too young, too afraid and too poor, they say to come out. Yet, the price you pay by not being able to fullyexpress yourself takes an enormous toll on your well-being and the abilityto live an authentic life. There is a price to payfor many as to do so could destroy your marriage, relationships with your children, friends and other familymembers and you mayhave to find yourself a new career, if coming out threatens your current job situation. 27 Too big of a price to pay, many of my cross-dressing friends say, yet theyare living a dual life, notsharing their lives with theirsignificant other’s. It is still a lonelylife for manyof you who want more freedom to express your femme self. And only you can decide for yourselves if the price for you being you is too big to pay.
Can you afford to get divorced if your wife finds out or disagrees with the level of expressing your femme self or actually decide you more than self-identify as a woman but rather are a transwoman? Many say they can’t, yet are unhappy in their current situation living through Caitlyn rather than living their own lives.
Isn’t it better being honest with yourself about what you want out of life and in living your life as you desire to be true to your authenticself? No one can live your life for you and you are the onlyone who can determine what makes you happy. There is, of course no easyanswers, yet taking the firststep towardsetting up a life that gives you joyrather than pain, is the path to being who you weremeant to be. The joyfor all ofus,is to be comfortable with who we are and to life being true to ourselves. That’s what makes Caitlyn so special, she’s accomplished this and is being her authentic self even in the false world of reality shows.
About Terri Lee Ryan Author, Documentary Producer, Speaker
Terri Lee Ryan’s journey with cross-dressing began with her ex-husband who was a frequent dresser. Needing to understand and know more about what cross-dressing is and the profound effect it has in a relationship led her on the path to her own self-discovery.
She is the Executive Producer of the documentary, I Married a Cross-dresser, which aired on Sky Living Channel in the U.K. November, 2014. She writes a popular blog for the Chicago Tribune ChicagoNow site. Shades of Gender offers insight on the current state of the cross-dressing and transgender community and the many faces of this group.
She has been featured and/or written articles for the Chicago Sun-Times, Desert Woman magazine, Entrepreneur magazine, Frock magazine, Repartee magazine, and the Transgender Group (TG) Forum. She has made appearances on ABC-TV, WLS-AM-890, WGN-AM-720 radio and numerous radio stations across the country. Pages 28 The Adventures of Judy Sometimes By: Judy Danials Ringing In The New Year
After a low keyNYE we headed over to our local Am vets Club to take in their annual NYD Elvis impressionist show. Its becamesomewhat of a tradition for several of us as we have been to the show 4 ofthe 6 years he has performed there.To be honesthe isn't reallythat good, but hesure has fun doing it and that seems to be what brings the people back year after year.
Earlier that morning my wife asked me what I was going to wear and I thought it might be fun to broaden myhorizons a bit and wearsomething a bit out of mycomfort zone. I knew from past experience this is largely a blue collar crowd where 99% of the women would be dressed in blue jeans and boots. After starring at my closet for several minutes I decided to go with multi color button up sweater, chocolate brown cami, a mid thigh jean skirt, brown tights and cognac colored zip up the back knee high boots. My wife wore a similar outfit mostly black in color.
Upon arrival my earlier assessment of what the majority of women would be wearing was spot on. It seemed everywhere I looked there were cute tops/jackets, bling butt jeans and stylish boots with heels worn with the jeans tucked in or over the top. Among our group there were 5 in skirts/dresses and 2 with the tradition jean look. I guess maybe a few of us have been hanging around with each other toomuch, lol.
The show consists of two sets, one starting at 2, the other at 4. Traditionallywe onlystay for the first set and then head over to Duffys for their annualmarathon karaoke event, but this time we added a stop at Specks because our friend DeAnn got stuck working the dayshift for a sick employee. When we walked in she immediatelydropped what she was doing and gave us each a big hug and thanked us for coming to visit her. Little did she know, we were actually there to kidnap her and take her to Duffys...which she was a willing participant.
When we finally got to Duffys one of the regulars from Specks came up to me and had to show me a text she had gotten from her mother, who also frequents Specks. It seems she had sent her a text asking who she was with because she said, the "Judy’s" are here at Specks, I thought you were going to Duffys with them, which was true, but we unexpectedly threw the stop in at Specks. How cute is that, she calls our group "The Judy's"...I'm deeply honored. 29 Now, I don't sing karaokemyself, but pretty much everybodythat I hang out with does, excluding DeAnn. One of our friends looks andsings a lot like Tim McGraw and he really attracts the attention of the ladies... needless to saytheyall want pictures with him. Towards the end of our evening we got a reallybig surprise, Elvis himself stopped in at Duffys to belt out a few more tunes.
What a way to start out the new year...The Judy’s...Tim McGraw and Elvis, how am I ever going to top that ?
Judy Lynn
Módhnóirí..
A REFLECTION ON THE PAST NINE YEARS OF MY LIFE! BY BARBARA MARIE DAVIDSON
In reflecting back over the past 9 years I have had and done things that I probably never thought about doing with my life. In 2011 I wrote an article – A Quick History (which led me to being full time). Several years later, I wrote an up date. Both articles appeared in the magazine shortly after I submitted them.) I also know that if my wife were still alive, I would have not done the things that I have done including changes in my life style as well as some of the trips I have taken since she passed away in December of 2006. I will say that is was a blessing for her that she did. We (She) had no life for several years prior to her demise. She had secondary Pulmonary Hypertension as well as COPD and was on O2 for 4 years. She also had bad knees as she was somewhat overweight and no one would operate on her knees (Bilateral Total Knees is what she needed) due to her lung situation. She was actually in a wheel chair for almost two years. My life for the last two years of her life was to get up make breakfast then I would make a salad or sandwich for her for lunch and put it in the small refer next to the bed. In the afternoon, when I came home, I would empty the porta-potty that was also next to the bed as she had trouble walking to the bathroom. After spending some time with her I would start supper.
The following morning, it was the same thing again. Day after day. We would start to go some where and I would get her dressed, put her in the car and the electric wheelchair on the carrier on the back of the car. We would get to the end of my 700-foot driveway and she would say, “I cannot do it”. I would turn the car around go back to the house, take the wheelchair off the carrier and get her back in the house and back to bed. Such was my life for almost two years. She had found out about my “cross dressing” desires three years into our marriage, but would have nothing to do with it at all. Thus, I sat on the back burner for about 36 years. 30 For the last 6 months of her life, due to her lung situation, she was eligible for hospice care and some one would come by the house several times a week to check on her while I was at the hospital where I worked as the charge nurse in Endoscopy. In October of 2006 she turned 66 and in November we celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary. In mid December of that same year, she slipped into a coma at which time hospice provided a nurse to stay with her until I got home from work in the afternoon. On 21 December, I got home about 5 pm. The nurse gave me report saying she would see me in the morning. At that time my wife was still alive. About 530 pm, I went into the kitchen to start supper and came back into the bedroom about 20 minutes later. She had passed away during that 20 minutes that I was gone. It was exactly one month and three hours after I lost my mom. I buried her the day after Christmas (Tuesday) and had my ears pierced on Wednesday morning and have not looked back. I decided that life is/was short, you only live once; so make the best of the rest of your life.
I had know about TriEss (the society for second Self for several years and in the summer of 2007, I became a member. Through them, I found out about Sigma Epsilon, which is the Atlanta Chapter of TriEss. In December of 2007, I became a member of that group and here it is 8 years later and I am still a member of both groups. Also a lot of things have occurred that have enriched my life. I started HRT (illegally but getting my hormones on line) Later I wised up and found a doctor in Aiken SC who would work with me with HRT. I started dressing more and more as Barbara to the point that I had to make a decision that affects me even today. I had gotten to the point where I was 80 to 85% Barbara and the remaining time Bill. Thus I made a decision in October of 2009 and on the 1st of November I left “bill” on the floor in the bedroom and became Barbara full time and I have no regrets.
In Addition to going to Atlanta once a month for a weekend with my “sisters” of Sig Eps for a number of years, I began working in a Nail salon like a receptionist and jack of all trades because my license is/was in Nursing and not cosmetology. In December of 2010, I made a trip to Vietnam with the lady that manages the nail salon – see PTG Magazine January, February and March of 2011 for my articles about my trip to Vietnam. In December of 2011, I was asked by a friend from Alabama to meet her in Dallas Texas and be there for her while she had her Gender Reassignment Surgery – see my article in the February 2012 issue of the PTG Magazine. It was then that I decided to get more out of life thus in February of 2012 at 0925 am, I had a legal name change from “Bill” to Barbara Marie (keeping my real last name). In May, I decided to go a little further as my HRT did not give me the desired effect I wanted. Emotionally, I was a wreck (similar to females as I could cry at the drop of a hat.) I got a little budding and tenderness then it stopped. I was two Fried eggs and not even an A cup. In May of 2012, I saw a plastic surgeon in Savannah, GA and in June, I was a permanent 38C thanks to the silicone implants. Problem with the HRT was my testicles atrophied from “no use” and in 2014 I began to have to have chronic pain in that area. My urologist called it “chronic Orchalgia” and offered me several choices including an orchiectomy (removal). Since they were of no use to me any more, plus the fact that it would be one less medication for me to take (spiraldactone), I opted for this and in February of 2015, they were removed. I have no regrets about that decision either.
In June of 2015, I (Barbara) made a trip back to Vietnam (for 20 days) with the lady I went with in 2010. My Passport had my feminine photo as well as my now legal name – Barbara Marie Davidson sex male. A gain we stayed with her family, went to a wedding and did some great sightseeing while we were there. See my articles in the August, September, October, and November Magazines.
Some of you may have seen /read several articles that have appeared in the Magazine – Making A Difference in The Classroom. Several of us from Sigma Epsilon have gone to Georgia Southern 31 University in Statesboro, GA and have given a class on being transgendered and heterosexual Cross dressers to undergraduate Psychology students taking Human Sexuality and Psychology of Gender. The write - ups (feedback from the students) have been very positive. Usually there is some one from Atlanta, Savannah and my self. Six or 8eight months ago, we had a member from western North Carolina join us for the presentation. It might be beneficial for the Psychology students if one has a college near you that would be willing to have some of you come and give a presentation. I have been doing it now for over 5 years now and have enjoyed every minute of it.
As to the social aspects of my life, I have managed, as Barbara, to attend several military as well as non military events with no problems. There are more folks now who know who Barbara is than who Bill was. I still belong to one all male organization and four times a year I have to appear as Bill. I joined this group when I was 22 and I am now 72 years young and just became a 50 year member in October along with three others who joined in 1965. All four of us were child hood friends and two of us were in the scouts together. The last member to be recognized was three years ago. The next member is still four or five years away. I believe that there are still four members alive who became 50 year members before us. It is interesting that one of them is a very distant cousin who is about 91 or 92 now and still going strong. It is also interesting that through our genealogy and/or family tree, we have to go back to Ireland to make the family connection.
On another note, more to the present time, I have a request of our readers of the PTG Magazine. Where are all the writers or folks who could have some to say about their life or transition and things that they might think would be interesting to others. It is the same folks submitting articles for publication in the Magazine. I know that you are out there so make your self-known to others. My thanks goes out to Tasi, Judy- Sometimes, Mellissa Lynn, and Barbara Jean (who is the co moderator of this group
Hope that everyone had a Great Thanksgiving and watched their waistlines while they were eating. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year as well. Hope “Santa” is good to you and the New Year will be even better as we all enter 2016. Again watch your waistlines and have a safe New Year.
Barbara Marie Davidson (The Other Barbara) 32 Tasi’s Musings, December, 2015 Greetings from Merida
Mérida named as Mexico’s top city. Move over, Colima, Mérida has moved into the top spot on the National Quality of Life Index, a measurement of the best and the worst cities in which to live. The capital of Yucatán edged up from last year’s second place to oust Colima, the capital of the state with the same name.
Mérida scored 83.3 points out of 100 on an index based on residents’ views about housing, schooling, mobility, cleanliness, recreational opportunities, citizen coexistence, museums and historical places, natural beauty, quality of life compared to last year and quality of life compared to the rest of the country.
Merida is also Mexico’s safest city with a crime rate against Americans and other expats in the state of Yucatan as pretty much zero. Not bad for a city of 1.5 million inhabitants. The only crime problems we have here are petty theft and most of those are because the person didn’t use common sense. One of the reasons why the crime rate is so incredibly low in the state of Yucatan is there’s a very strong police force there. In the course of a normal day in Merida, you will probably see 30 to 40 police officers. They don’t harass people. If you need something, they help you. But on the other hand, if someone wants to cause a problem, they’re there immediately to resolve the problem
In America today, police are feared. Not here. We even have our own tourist police which are here to help the many visitors to our city. So come and enjoy.
With the help of a new partner, Magic in Merida, the first TG convention in Mexico, will take place in Merida in February, 2017.
Added to this news is the declaration that Mexico City, Mexico’s largest city is now LGBTQ-friendly. Residents of Mexico City are now officially free to be however they are and love whomever they want. The announcement was made via Twitter by Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera, who said there will be a series of events and festivities this week to celebrate the city’s new status. In the News
Festival honors tranvestites in Mexico. A lively parade of transvestites wearing flowers and ribbons on their heads partied through the streets of an indigenous Mexican town in the weekend of their 40th annual "muxe" festival. The muxes, also known as a third gender, are mostly gay men of ethnic Zapotec descent, who are widely respected in the southern town of Juchitan, where every year a transvestite queen is crowned in a pageant. Juchitan is a town in south central Mexico about a 12 hour drive from Merida. 33 Caitlyn Jenner remains in the news with a plethora of advocates and critics both. I personally believe that her critics had been a bit harsh, that is until now. Here’s one evenly balanced review of her first year both pro and con. Conversely, the Huffington Post posted an open letter to Jenner from Bryan Tannehill, Director of Advocacy, SPARTA with excellent advice to her I said, “until now’. Jenner went to Houston (and I was a Houstonian for 8 years) and blew it. What drives my view is that she supported the Second Baptist Church whose pastor railed against the recently defeated ordinance giving equal rights to transgender people. Their unconscionable use of lies and labeling the ordinance as the Bathroom Bill led to the first major defeat of transgender rights in a major U.S. city. This is simply not acceptable.
Federal Judge Explains Why ‘Gender Stereotyping’ Is ‘Sex’ Discrimination. At Pepperdine University, a private college in California affiliated with the Churches of Christ, two students are suing over discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that sexual orientation is protected, but no court has yet ruled interpreted either provision as such.
But this week, U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson ruled that their complaint can move forward. Though he did not rule on the final merits, he did take time to explain why “sexual orientation” is covered under “sex,” and why other courts have erred by thinking otherwise.
Is There Something Unique about the Transgender Brain? Imaging studies and other research suggest that there is a biological basis for transgender identity. Some children insist, from the moment they can speak, that they are not the gender indicated by their biological sex. So where does this knowledge reside? And is it possible to discern a genetic or anatomical basis for transgender identity? Exploration of these questions is relatively new, but there is a bit of evidence for a genetic basis.
Another study I recently read indicated that although it is difficult to classify structural differences in the male and female brains, the connective tissues between the parts of the brain show that trans brains are more like the sex to which they identify.
Just when I thought I’d heard it all, this happens: transgender woman leaves family to live as a six-year-old girl. A 46- year-old father left his wife and seven kids to become a six-year-old girl.According to The Independent, Canadian Stefonknee Wolschtt is now living life as a six-year- old girl when she realized she was transgender. “I can’t deny I was married. I can’t deny I have children. But I’ve moved forward now and I’ve gone back to being a child,” Wolschtt told The Transgender Project. This one is mentally ill.
Richard Wagner, the world famous classical composer, was a crossdresser. A previously unpublished letter by Richard Wagner to a firm of Milanese couturiers offers the intriguing possibility that the great composer was, in fact, a cross-dresser. The letter is published for the first time today in the inaugural edition of the Wagner Journal. In it, the composer of the Ring des Nibelungen details the cut of an outfit, ostensibly intended for his wife, Cosima. Ther story is verified by multiple sources on Google. 34 Philippines woman wins world's biggest transgender beauty pageant. Trixie Maristela from the Philippines was crowned Miss International Queen 2015 on Friday (6 Novem- ber) night. The 29-year-old beat 26 other com- petitors to win the world’s largest transgender beauty pageant, which is held annually at the iconic Tiffany’s Show caberet in Pattaya, Thailand..
She clinched the Miss International Queen title with the answer to her final question: ‘How do you compare beauty beauty inside and outside? ‘‘Beauty from the inside starts from the heart. But from outside, beauty is just a physical appear- ance,’ she said.‘In the end, what matters is… beauty in the inside will radiate outside because a true queen does not want just a beautiful face or golden crown. But a true queen also possess a golden heart.’
What’s life like with a transgender grand- mother? Walking into the gallery space on the second floor of the Boston Children’s Museum, a faux threshold invites you into a “house” of sorts, a welcome mat placed lovingly in front of the door frame. Step through it and you are transported into the world of Erica Tobias and her family, displayed in photographs taken by Matthew Clowney in the Mimi’s Family exhibit. Through the eyes of her grandchildren, visitors to the museum get to experience what life with a transgender grandparent is like.
Books, Movies and Television
"The Danish Girl" was released worldwide this month. It tells the story of Danish artist Einar Wegener, who after marriage transitioned to a woman named Lili Elbe and in 1930 became the first person known to have undergone gender reassignment surgery. It also depicts the unusual love story between Lili and the woman who remained by her side, her wife, artist Gerda Wegener. The transgender have all given it great reviews. You can see the trailer here. I’ve also read the book which is excellent.
Eddie Redmayne worried about being 'pretty enough,' good enough as a transgender woman in 'The Danish Girl'. It gave him a taste of what it’s like to be judged, and even made him stress about being pretty enough. His portrayal of Lili is incredible and may well win him another Oscar. 35 In ‘Transparent,’ a Heroine Evolves Further Still. On the set of “Transparent,” a handful of actors dressed for a flashback scene on a 1930s ocean liner — cloche hats, woolen jackets, long skirts — crowd together on benches in a large wooden container. But anyone familiar with the show — one that for the first time put a richly drawn transgender character at the center of the action — is aware that “Transparent” is anything but business as usual.
When Amazon ordered a second season just after the first one was streamed last October to glowing reviews, Ms. Soloway, emboldened by her newfound job security, felt she needed to try harder when it came to increasing the pool of applicants. From Jeffery Tambour to Jill Soloway, who won awards for their acting and directing in Season 1, season 2 promises even more. Ms Soloway has increased both her trans staff and trans actors in season 2 and it promises to be highly rewarding and entertaining. I’m going to have to renew my Amazon Prime Fashion and Art
Grayson Perry opens Sydney exhibition as his alter-ego Claire. Renowned British contemporary artist Grayson Perry is visiting Sydney, where he opened his My Pretty Little Art Career exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art dressed up as his feminine alter- ego named Claire. “I started dressing up in women’s clothes before I knew there was such a thing as ‘transvestism’,” he told journalists at a preview of the exhibition this week.
“Right through my puberty I was questioning what gender was. I had pretty bad male role models, so I was pretty down on men – I still am – and being a man, I have licence to ‘male-bash’!” The artist ex- plores the themes of masculinity, gender and sexuality, as well as the British class system and national identity with his attractive, intricate pottery works and giant tapestries
Rebel Wilson's New Plus-Size Fashion Line Is Here—And It's Badass. Rebel Wilson is known for making out-there fashion choices on the red carpet, but in a new capsule collection for plus-size clothing chain Torrid, she keeps it classy—with just enough edge to make it fun. 36 In an announcement, Wilson says she was inspired to create the clothing line after being unable to find plus-size clothing that fit her needs. "I've never really felt like there's a brand out there in the plus-size world that is creating cool stuff, that fits well and is good quality yet affordable," Wilson said. "It's really only been in the last few years that I've seen companies try." The result is a line that she calls "relevant and dope," incorporating her personal style and sense of fun.
21 genius hacks for fixing ruined clothes. 1. Stop your jumpers from shedding by sticking them in the freezer overnight. If you have a cashmere or wool top that won't stop shedding, toss it in the freezer before each wear. 2. 2. Put your jeans in a plastic bag and stick them in the freezer at night to remove bad odours. The freezer will kill most of the odour-causing bacteria, and you don't have to worry about the dye in your denim fading from overzealous washing.
3. Erase unsightly armpit stains with lemon juice or baking soda. Scrub out the stains with a mixture of lemon juice and water. For tough armpit stains, try rubbing a paste of baking soda and water on the stain, letting it sit for a few minutes, and then rinsing it off before throwing it in the wash. Click on the link above for 18 more hacks
Humor https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=O9V_GlP2ssI&list=PL7BDA521FF6913F2A&index=2 And just because I love Star Wars
So until next month,
Hugs……Tasi 37 How to pose like a model? Learn this, you can look like pro 38 Humor
Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's Mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in NewYork.
This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.
The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day.
The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko De Mayo.
(And, perhaps, it is the reason why a lot of people, in memoriam, use mayonnaise on iceberg lettuce.)
The admiral was on the bridge of the flagship, USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, in the middle of a very dense fog. The ship was moving at about 10 knots. The radar operator informed him that there was a contact in the water about 6,000 yards away, directly ahead. The admiral had the communications operator (formerly known as a radioman) signal to the unknown contact to change their heading 60 degrees to port.
The contact radioed back that the admiral needed to change direction 60 degrees to starboard. The admiral puffed up and took the mike, telling the contact, "This is Admiral Johnson onboard the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN! Recommend you change your heading immediately!"
The contact replied, "Admiral Johnson, this is Bob Jones. I'd surely be happy to comply, but that might be difficult. I'm in a lighthouse..." 39 Angels In the Centerfold
Jan Brown
Tammy Trueheart
Sandy 40
Bobbie Vance
Mellissa Lynn
Ellen 41
Suzane Olivia
Suzanne W. Jeffries
Rachelle 42
Barbara Barbie
Tina 43 Mellissalynn’s Tips & Tricks
Holy Father Time, it’s a new year! Welcome to the first column of 2016, girls. I hope you all had a great holiday season, spent with loved ones and celebrating the season. I also hope you all found time to let your beautiful feminine selves out! I certainly did.
Before I talk about anything else, though, I must talk about the new Star Wars movie! I (like many, MANY others) have been awaiting the movie’s release with a mix of dread and exhilaration. Would it be as great as the original trilogy? Would it be as not- great as the second trilogy?
Well, I’m here to report that the movie was incredible! I won’t give away any spoilers, but it easily holds up to the original trilogy. The effects are amazing, and very little of them are computer-generated. And the new little droid is adorable! He reminds me so much of WALL-E.
In other news, the salon has slowed a bit this last month, but that’s due more to outside commitments. The school (one of those outside commitments) is growing steadily! We had our staff Christmas party at the beginning of December; it was a very nice and fun affair put on my the school’s founder and his wife. As I write this, we’re preparing for the students’ party.
A bit of sadness: my beloved Bears will once again NOT make the playoffs. Still a work in progress..but my Bulls are looking pretty good! And we arent’t that far away now from spring training, so we’ll have baseball back before you know it.
So tell me all about your month, ladies! Weep with me about my Bears. Jump for joy with me about the start of the baseball sea- son. Share your stories about the new Star Wars. And of course, any questions, tips or tricks you have are always welcome. Write to me at [email protected]. I ALWAYS answer any and all mail I get, so feel free to tell me about anything you want to chat about, be it a salon visit or transgender news, or whatever you like. I love hearing from you all!
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I want to start the new year off with a little conversation about sandalwood. A recent study has shown that the smell of sandalwood actually can help you to look younger! The scent will trigger receptors in your skin that tell your skin cells to work faster. This will cause your skin to heal faster, regenerate quicker, and reveal newer, younger looking skin.
For the record, true sandalwood is expensive. Thankfully, what’s used in most of today’s perfumes is a synthetic version that still performs the same trick. Look for some today for great skin! 44 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Ladies, we all know that I like to pinch a penny until it screams. This is no secret! Well, makeup class came around recently again at school, and I had an opportunity to try a new variation on an old trick.
Many moons ago, I shared the tip regarding taming flyaways with a toothbrush. Mist the brush with hairspray and gently brush onto the flyaway hair. Instant tameness! It occurred to me, though, that a spooly might work even better. So I picked a package up from the beauty supply store and brought them to class!
I featured the spooly for two tricks. I taught them how to conceal grey hair or hair that needed a retouch by finding a mascara in a good shade and hitting the roots (usually only at the hairline). After they oohed and aahed over that revelation, we tried the hairspray trick. I’m pleased to report that it works amazingly, and a spooly is much smaller in your purse than a toothbrush!
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Do you have trouble with under-eye circles? I do, and sometimes even concealer isn’t enough to fix the problem. Well, here are a few pro tricks to help you with this dilemma.
First of all lay off the mascara on the lower lids. Mascara is usually dark. This will only draw attention to that area. If you must use mascara, find a clear one.
Second, try a different color for your liner. Girls, liner comes in so many other colors than black! Try a brown or a grey or even a taupe or a plum liner.
Lastly, draw attention from below your eye by working a bit more above it. Adding a little more arch to your braw will certainly do that! Remember, the brows are the frame of your face.
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I may have shared the next tip before. If so, I apologize for the repetition, but in my opinion, it bears repeating. This is in regard to your nails.
Dark nail polishes can stain your nails and be a real nuisance to get off. For most of us, red or purple stains on your nails are at least questionable to men. They’re a red flag to other women, who know the difference between house paint and nail polish.
So I hear you asking, how do we fix this, Mellissa? We’re going to apply a little dental hygiene to our nails. Get some denture- cleaning tabs, drop a packet’s contents into a bowl and soak your nails for about five to ten minutes.. Your nails will come out clean and white! 45 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Are you growing your hair out? Are you frustrated by how long that can take? Well, try doing a couple of yoga-inspired moves. Bend at the waist and touch your toes, or sit and put your head between your knees, for about four minutes every day. This will increase the blood flow to the scalp, which increases hair growth. You may even find an increase in thickness! You should see results within a few weeks of starting this action.
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It’s the winter of 2016, ladies. This is beauty caterpillar time, when we cocoon ourselves outside and work on our beauty regimens inside. Spring will be here soon enough, when we can reveal ourselves as beautiful feminine butterflies!
I want to start this thought process off with a neat little DIY recipe for toning the upper arms. We’re going to create a peppermint oil to massage into the arms. Peppermint will increase the circulation as well as help lymph drain from the skin; this will make the arms instantly look firmer. It will also cause a light sheen in the skin that gives the appearance of even more tone.
We’ll need to get a couple of things; some peppermint oil (we’ll use about 3-6 drops), some olive oil (we’ll be adding about a half-cup), and a closable bottle (not very large). Put the oils in the bottle, close it, and shake very well. Apply it to your upper arms with firm pressure and circular motions. This mixture will keep indefinitely or until you run out.
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A lady came into my salon the other day wanting to get some blonde highlights in her chestnut-brown hair. She wasn’t sure if they would look good and asked me if I knew a way to try highlights without making them permanent. I keep some clip-in extensions for this purpose, but we didn’t find the shade she wanted in my stash. My next suggestion is the basis of this tip.
I suggested to her that she go to the beauty supply store or the drugstore and look for mascara in the color she wants. Nowadays (as I mentioned earlier), mascara comes in many other colors than black or brown. She did so and came back to me for an opinion of the color (which, by the way, was gorgeous and worked wonderfully for her). I mixed her color up and applied it, and she looks so cute!
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While I’m talking about this client, let me go on to tell you all what she did with the mascara! She’s us- ing it to color her brows after an unfortunate visit to the mirror with tweezers left her a little sparse. The struggle is real…
If you over-tweeze, or over-wax, or over-thread, or what have you, use a good mascara or brow pencil or even eye liner to cover the mistake. This is the era of the drawn-in brow! No one will see that gap when you cover it. 46 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
I want to talk for a moment about concealers. There are two different types of concealers, girls. There are the color-palette concealer pots that contain green and blue and yellow and orange; these are used as complementary-color concealers, for hiding blemishes and such. Then there are the skin tone concealers which are used to even out skin color under your foundation. A good makeup artist can use both to a dazzling effect!
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How do you apply your lush? There are different methods for different looks. The method of application is just as important to your overall look as the color, girls, and can influence your outcome.
To give yourself a sculptured look, apply in a line up the cheekbones. Brushing it on in small circles will give you a girlish, youthful flushed look. Using a the V-pattern, which is starting under the eye, brushing downwards and over to the apple of the cheek, then swinging upward and along your cheekbones, will give you an all-over glow.
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One of my favorite things to perform in the salon, and to receive myself, is a good deep conditioning treatment. I like giving them because they’re an easy but lucrative service that I can perform and work another client in the middle of. I love receiving them because they just feel so good!
At the risk of hurting my pocketbook, ladies, I’m going to tell you how to do a deep conditioning treatment on yourselves at home. You can do this in the shower; all it will cost you is a little extra time, and perhaps a shower cap if you don’t own one. After shampooing your hair, apply your conditioner as normal, but then put your hair up in a shower cap. Go on with your shower as normal. At the end of your shower, give yourself a n extra five minutes or so with the cap on, then remove it and rinse as usual. Your hair will thank you! You should perform this service on yourself about once a week.
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We’ve discussed dark spots before in this column, lovelies. I mean those horrid spots that start showing up on the skin, usually due to the sun, but sometimes from hormone fluctuations (especially in any of you lucky girls who are on HRT). There are lots of cures for them out on the market. Here’s a new one to try! According to a new study, sesame oil will cause them to fade. By applying a dab each day, the antioxidant sesamol (which is found in sesame seeds) will cause the spots to fade by blocking an enzyme called tyrosinase) This enzyme causes skin pigmentation; by blocking it, the spots will lose their color and fade away.
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We all know that one of the keys to beauty is sleep. And if you didn’t know that, well, now you do! But did you know that sleep is also good for your heart? A recent Japanese study says that people who sleep later are more prone to hardening of the arteries, as well as problems related to insulin. So go to bed already! It’s good for your heart and your looks. 47 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
And on the subject of sleep, do you wake up with those horrid bags under your eyes? I have this issue often be- cause as much as I try to follow my own advice, sleep and I aren’t always on the best of terms. I found this neat idea for helping to shrink the bags away.
Get yourself an ice cube tray and some aloe vera gel. Freeze the gel in the trays. When you see those bags, pop an aloe vera cube from the tray and apply it to the area. The aloe will penetrate your skin quickly and go to work, tightening the skin almost immediately.
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I learned recently that blueberries are a natural agent in controlling your appetite. By eating a handful of blueber- ries before a large meal, you can cut your calorie intake by nearly 9%. Blueberries contain antioxidants that will sig- nal your brain when you’re full.
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And just like that, the first column is over. I hope you all enjoyed it and found something useful inside. I know I did; I always learn something new when I research this column. That’s why I keep writing it! It certainly isn’t for the paycheck, Barbara J…!
Be good to yourselves this month, ladies! As I said, now’s when we start preparing our beauty routines and our bodies for the spring and summer. If you made a New Year’s resolution, I wish you all the best in keeping it. I have a few, the main one as always to be working on my weight.
I’ll be attending an anime (Japanese animation) convention in Peoria, Illinois the weekend of the 8th of January. Anyone who lives in that area, I’d love to meet you!
If you have a New Year’s resolution you want to share, or a winter story, or your plans for spring, feel free to write me! Sending me mail is the easiest thing in the world to do, ladies, and I love hearing from you all. . You can send it to my e-mail at [email protected]; as you know, my inbox is always open! You can also hit me up on Facebook; my name there is Mellissa Lynn.
May your January be peaceful and uneventful…unless you want it to be eventful! I’ll talk to you all next month, with stories from the anime convention in Peoria! 48 Simplify Your Wardrobe
By: Diane Pemberton Sikes What’s the best way to dress well consistently? Streamline. Stop trying to follow all the trends, stop buying clothes that require special care. Instead, create a simple wardrobe that allows you to get out the door looking great with the greatest of ease – even if you stayed up all night watching Netflixor walking the floors with a sick child.
That’s thesuggestion of a top productivity coach I was listening to recently. Except he didn’t talk about clothes – at least not at first.
He suggested that you pick the two or three things that are going to have the biggest impact on your day– writing that email, completing that project, getting that vacant position filled and properlytrained – and focus on getting them done. Period.
He said to STOP jumping from task to task trying to work your way through an endless “to do” list every day. Instead, focus on getting two or three things done and marked off the list. Then, do the same thing tomorrow. Then the next day. Then the next. Before you know it, you’ve accomplish more every week than you used to get done allmonth.
He then applied this to other areas of life, like: Food – get your budget and mealtimes under control byonlykeeping the two or three types of food in your house that you enjoyand that will help you live a healthylife, like fruit, vegetables, and proteins. If you don’t buyjunk, you won’t eat it.
Finances – get your finances under control by collecting all your bills and receipts in one place during the week, thensitting down at a designated time each week to deal with them. Record your purchases, pay your bills, and balance your checkbook. If you stay on top of it, you can avoid late fees, overdrafts, and the chaos that usuallycomes with taxtime.
Internet – to avoid the time suck that usuallyhappens anytime you go online, onlycheck your email and social media at specific times of day. Unsubscribe from any newsletters you no longer read. Limit socialmediasites to one or two of your favorites. Stop following people, pages, or channels that no longer interest or support you.
The idea being that you identifyareas of your life that are sucking your time and energyand find two or threestrategies to get them under control. Then, having done that, you create an environment that supports those strategies and allows them to become routine – kind of like brushing your teeth. Simple, easyshifts in behavior can result in huge productivity gains. 49 So what does this have to do with your wardrobe?
Here’s what he said about clothes:
Wardrobe – limit your wardrobe to only three or four colors. That way, you can mix and match your clothes more easily and packing for travel becomes a snap.
Now I’ve been preaching this for years, but I never put it in the productivity context. Perhaps I should have. Because the single biggest obstacle most women face in dressing well consistently is options. Theyeither have somanyclothes that they’re overwhelmed and can’t choose, or theyhave so few poorlychosen pieces that theycan’t mixand match them easily. So, they follow the Pareto Principle and wear 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time, with that 20% typically being the most comfortable, easiest to wear pieces…that typically lack the elements needed to garner the credibility and respect they deserve.
So let’s break this down a little better so you know exactly what you need to do: *Start with the best styles for your bodyshape. *Determine what types of clothes you need for business. *Opt for three or four colors that suit you best and are appropriate for your industry. *Chose two or three accessory colors to go with those business colors. *Build a wardrobe around these styles and colors. *Wear them every day.
The goal is tomake iteasyfor you to do this. So you make the decision once, build a wardrobe that follows these guidelines, and you can literally roll out of bed half asleep and get dressed. Because the hard work is already done. Your wardrobe is ready and waiting to support your image goals.
Let me give you some examples of people who have done this:
Carolina Herrera is themaster of black and white. She’s worn this combination for decades because it’s crisp, professional, and easy. It also allows the focus to stay on her clients. Since they pay the bills, she doesn’t compete with them in her salon. She saves the dressing up for after hours. The bonus? She can get dressed in less than 10 minutes to go run her billion dollar company. She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1980, the same year she started her company.
Here’s how she incorporates this streamlined philosophy into her collections: Carolina Herrera Fall 2015 largely consists of only five colors: black, white, red, gray, and blue. This allows the pieces to be worn with each other and for several years, because there’s nothing overly trendy or “of the moment” that will be out of style in five minutes. That’s whyshe has somanyfans. 50 51 One of whom is actress Renée Zellweger.
Renée hated all the hoopla surrounding red carpet appearances, soshe took a page from AudreyHepburn’s style book and settled on just one designer to help her dress for all those big events: Carolina Herrera. They’ve had a great working relationship for more than a decade, and a phone call is all it takes to get the ball rolling on one outfit or a dozen. The plus side? Renée doesn’t need a stylist, becauseshe knows what works for her. She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 2009.
Renee Zellweger wearing Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge stepped into the spotlight Carolina Herrera with her romance to Prince William and was just expected to be as stylish as the late Diana, Princess of Wales. She did not disappoint and has been a boon to the British economyever since. Whatever she wears sells out instantly (“the Kate Effect”), so she has to pick and choose with care – which she does. She mixes and matches from all prices points, including mass market brands like TopShop and Hobbs, mid priced brands likeReiss and LK Bennett, bridge lines like Mulberry and Temperley London, and designer brands like Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham.
So how is that streamlining?
The duchess may be one of the most photographed women in the world, but her clothing needs are simple: classic and British. She does wear non-British brands from time to time, but the bulk of her wardrobe comes from British companies. Hence, her impact on the British economy. She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 2014.
So why do I keep mentioning the Best Dressed Hall of Fame?
To impress upon you how effective The Duchess of Cambridge in Australia, April 2014 streamlining your wardrobe can be. Because when how you dress sets you apart enough to be internationally recognized, you can use the attention to propel your career or favorite cause to unprecedented heights. Now yes, these women all have lots ofmoney, and yes, they’re famous and frequently photographed.
But most of them didn’t start out that way. Go ahead and scan that best dressed list. Sophia Loren? Coco Chanel? Estée Lauder? All born into poverty. Mary Martin, Renée Zellweger, and Kate Middleton? All products of the 52 middle class. Theystarted with a big dream, and theydidn’t stop until theygot what they wanted. If you take a lesson from their how-to-dress playbook, you could end of following in their footsteps.
So what’s the lesson?
Create a signature style and wear it regularly.Notonlywill ithelp you getoutthe door easily looking fabulous, it will set you apart from the crowd.
What’s a signature style?
The clothing silhouettes that look best on you with the accessories you love the most.
You know how you have certain clothing styles that make you look and feel awesome? You should wear more of them. And those accessories you can’t seem to stop buying, even though you alreadyhave a ton of them at home, like shoes, necklaces, or handbags? Make them your signature element. It’s simple once you know what to do.
Think Jacqueline Kennedyand hersleeveless sheathes or Tina Turner with her show-off-her-legs short skirts. They figured out what worked for them earlyon and wore it often. So should you.
So simplify your wardrobe. Pick the handful of silhouettes that suit you best in a handful of colors that make you look fabulous. Then, accessorize with your favorite pieces. Then do it again tomorrow. And the next day. Jacqueline Kennedy, 1961 Then the dayafter that.
Before you know it, you can walk out the door looking amazing every daywithout even thinking about it – it will be like brushing your teeth. Simplifying with not onlyallow you to put your en- ergy elsewhere, it will show you how setting limits with your wardrobe means the sky’s the limit when it comes to how well you’re treated. Try it yourself and see!
Diana Pemberton-Sikes is an image consultant and author of Signature Style Blueprint. Need some help streamlining your wardrobe and creating a signature style that turns heads and opens doors? Signature Style Blueprint can help. Be Sociable, Share! 53 The Timeless Trumpet Skirt
I absolutely love wearing skirts…there’s such a touch of femininity about them. There’s always plenty of room in my closet for more. One of the first skirts that my partner bought me was a black trumpet skirt that fell below the knee, but oh! did it twirl. It’s hard to put a finger on exactly what is special about them, but theyseem to exude an air of sophistication. The trumpet skirt is the kind of piece that can take you easily from the office to cocktail hour, and my favorite part, it makes your butt look great. That’s an added advantage for us t-girls. The skirt can help build up your rear view when it’s on the flatterside.
Check out Jordana Brewster‘s style on the right. With an appearance like this while out and about in London, she’s pretty muchmastered that sophisticated kind of femininity that’s equally effortless and cool. That’s no easy task, but it all started with one tailored fit-and-flare trumpet skirt that skimmed her curves and cinched her waist. From there, Jordana tucked in a subtly sexy key-hole cutout blouse and perfected her modern ladylike look with a pair of strappy suede heels. What’s not to like about this look and it works for allseasons. Since the style draws attention to your derriere, you need to be comfortable with the style.
The black trumpet skirt is a wardrobe staple in that it can be worn with just about anycolor blouse orshirt; it twirls, but not enough to show your undergarments; it drapes so nicely; it gives the wearer a waist and a nice curvy shape. It is one of the few skirts that looks great on many body types. It is such a versatile piece and it’s easy and comfortable to wear. If I can’t figure out what I’m going to wear, the trumpet skirt is there
Jordana Brewster Heed this advice from Ulyana Sergeenko of Stockholm Street Style on how to wear the skirt.
How to Wear It: The top—whether it’s off-the-shoulder or more fitted—needs to come in at the waist. Nothing should be loose or untucked.
If You’re Short: Make sure the hem doesn’t dip below the knee, or you risk looking “too flamenco dancer,” says Adam. “The rule of thumb when it comes to hemlines? Petite women look best inskirts that hit just above the knee; taller women should wear knee length or longer.” And no matter your height, choose skinnyheels.
If You’re Tall: Have fun with patterned tights and seamed hose. “Think Sophia Loren in Rome.” 54 What to Avoid: If you want to wear a jacket, make sure it ends around the waist, no longer. As for shoes, avoid any style that ties around the ankle (too cha-cha!), boots, and wedges.
Well, what exactly is a trumpet hem It’s so named because the swingyhem mimicks theshape of the — wait for it — musical instrument after which it is called. Fun fact of the day aside, the takeaway here is that trumpet-hemmed skirts and dresses are in- credibly flattering on all body types. Here’s why: The volume at the hem is a nice balance to your shoulders (especially if you’re a bold-shouldered gal), and the body-skimming shape at the waist and thigh is offset by the movement at the bottom of the skirt. Got it?
The trumpet skirt is a lot of look on its own, so keep everything else simple
Trumpet skirt style has always been adorned by designers specially in designing bridal wear and evening gowns throughout the ages. During the period of 1897-1907 the flared skirts were in fashion. From 1897 onwards the yoke skirts were there in which the yoke was made by joining together two widths of fabric which reached the knee and then a hole was cut in the centre to fit the required waist measurement. In later years the ‘eel skirt’ and ‘umbrella skirt’, both cut on the cross grain and having an element of flare became fashionable. Eventually in 1900 gored skirts came and lately these gored skits also looked more tailored and became tight at waist and flared at hem.
Trumpet skirts, also called Mermaid skirts, are fitted through the hips and thighs and flare at the bottom. In bellydance costumes, they’re typically made of a stretch fabric, although with the strategic addition of a zipper theycould bemade of a non-stretch fabric as well.
So, are you convinced? Ready to join the crowd that says, “I need another trumpet skirt” and one in every color too Hugs……Tasi
About Tasi Zuriack: Tasi is transgendered, married, and a lifelong crossdresser. She’s the founder of the Ladies of the Blue Ridge transgender group in Roanoke VA, a prolific writer, commentator and blogger including fashion articles for Tri-Ess, TG Reporter, Repartee, and Pretty T-Girls magazine. Tasi currently resides in Merida, (Yucatan) Mexico. Her new website, Sister House and her blog, the Fashionable TG Woman are dedicated to fashion and style for the transgendered woman. Please visit her. Tasi’s new book, "Top Ten Fashion Mistakes By Crossdressers and How To Fix Them" is available on Amazon or on her site free to subscribers. 55 The Best Fashion Advice of All Time (and How to Use It in Real Life)
Real Simple consulted a panel of experts—top designers, style consultants, and retail pros—to demystify the act (art?) of getting dressed, once and for all.
By Ingela Ratledge
“Balance proportions.”
How to actually do it: Obviously, y ouwant to show off what y ou're proud of—toned arms or a slim waist. It's the downplaying of less beloved parts that's tricky. One tactic? Add oppositev olume, like wearing wide-leg trousers to offset a heavier upper half that's wearing something fitted. "The object is to even yourself out," explains designerNicole Miller. "So av oid anything too oversize or you'll look bigger." Another idea: Distraction. If y ou're pear shaped, wear forgettable black pants, then bring the focus upward with a bold scarf, says Louise Roe, the author of the style-advice book Front Roe.
“Wear trends in an age-appropriate way.”
How to actually do it: Odds are, there's a grown- up version of the style du jour. Take crops tops: To avoid revealing skin, pair a shirt that hits at the navel with a high-waisted skirt—or a longer top with a crop top over it. "It gives y oua similar look," promises designer Rebecca Minkoff. Bottom line: "You never want to seem like you're uncomfortable with y our age and trying to look y ounger," says Lilliana Vazquez, a style expert and the editor of TheLVGuide.com.
“The right bra makes you look slimmer.”
How to actually do it: "Where your breasts sit on y our chest makes a big difference in how clothes fit," says Vazquez. In other words, if you're wearing a bra that fits properly, there will be no sagging or bulging—and that means your silhouette will look trimmer from every angle. The target is midway between y our elbows and shoulders. You've scored a match when "the front center panel of the bra lays flat, there's no wrinkling or gapping in the cups, and the bra is not hiking up or creating bulges," says Kristen Supulski, the director of merchandising for Vanity Fair Brands lingerie. "If y ou can squeeze just two fingers under the band and it still feels snug, that's the perfect fit." 56 “Don’t be too matchy matchy.”
How to actually do it: Strive towear colors that enhance oneanother rather than "match" in the traditional sense. For an easy hack, says Minkoff, "look at a simple color wheel. The colors that are opposite each other on the wheel complement each other." (Think non-obvious but fetching combos, like orange and navy or purple and saffron.) Diversifying y our accessories, in both color and texture, is another do. (A beloved trio from the vault of Betty Halbreich, a personal shopper at New York City's Bergdorf Goodman and the author of the style memoir I'll Drink to That: "A black dress, navy shoes, and a burgundy handbag.") And under no circumstances should y ou ever rock a suite of jewelry. Says Vazquez, " Anything that was sold together as a set looks really dated."
“Show skin selectively.”
How to actually do it: "Don't give people toomany things to look at all at once," says Halbreich. "If y ou're wearing a low-cut dress, focus on the cleavage—y ou don't also need bare arms and legs." The concept applies to fit as well: A body -hugging dress is better with a more sensible neckline and hem, whereas a skirt that hits a few inches above the knee won't raise ey ebrows if it's flared rather than tight.
“Spend as much as you can afford on staples.”
How to actually do it: First, a disclaimer. There's no need to break the bank on the basics— tees, button-downs, jeans—of which there are plenty of quality options available at low prices. Instead, splurge (if you can) on the types of items in which even the cheapoversions aren't exactly steals. For instance, bargain cashmere will still set y ou back $100. But that sweater will stretch out quickly, and then y ou'll have to blow another $100 toreplace it, rather than spending a little more only once. "When buying classics, like a great black blazer, it's important to invest in better fabrics— say, wool—that will hold up better over time," says Minkoff. Try calculating the price per wear tohelp stave off sticker shock.
“Develop a signature style.”
How to actually do it: "Figure out your go-to, foolproof looks," says designer Nanette Lepore, then seek out variations on that theme. Stumped? Picture the outfits that y ou feel most comfortable in. Or ask people close toy ou what you look best in. Once y ou've zeroed in on what works, find different takes. "I gravitate toward jackets, so I'll do a bomber style, then a silk version, or a denim jacket with leather sleeves," says Minkoff. "Whenever you feel the need to talk yourself into things, that's a red flag that you shouldn't buy them," says Minkoff. If y ou have doubts in the dressing room, it may help to take a photo of y ourself in the item, suggests Aerin Lauder, the founder and creative director of the lifestyle brand Aerin. "It's much more accurate than looking in the mirror." 57 “Everyone should own a classic white shirt.”
How to actually do it: Opt for a pure white, rather than iv ory, which may skew dingy. “But since white has the potential tomake your teeth look yellow in comparison, consider wearing a bold lipstick with a blue undertone, like fuchsia, so teeth appear brighter,” recommends Florence Thomas, the creative director for Thomas Pink. Not surewhich cut is best foryou?A button-up with darting at the waist or curved princess seams can create a femininehourglass shape on any one. Be sure the seams of the shoulders line up with your shoulders and that there is no pulling across the front or the back. “Anything else can be tailored,” says Thomas. To keep all-cotton shirts from discoloring, don't dry-clean them. Have them laundered and pressed, the same as men's shirts.
“Mix prints and patterns.”
How to actually do it: Doubling up on patterns can help you come across as confident and chic—or as ify ou got dressed in the dark. Achieve the former by following these guidelines. Stick to a similar color family—and preferably the same background shade. Some pairings are like PB & J—they just work. "Polka dots with stripes or florals typically go well together," says Minkoff. The same holds for leopard print with a non-critter pattern or paisley with squares or checks. Near matches are a no-no. For example, says Vazquez, houndstooth and plaid are too similar to be simpatico. And two large-scale prints will compete for dominance—and give people a headache. Finish off the outfit with neutral accessories. Cautions Roe: "Don't add another color intothe mix."
“Jewelry should accentuate your features.”
How to actually do it: The right pair of earrings can flatter y our face shape. For instance, long earrings make y our face look skinnier, if it’s on the round side, says jewelry designer Lizzie Fortunato. On the other hand, if you have an oblong face, short, chunky earrings, like oversize studs, will draw focus outward, and y our facewon't read quite as narrow. If y ou have a large bust, a necklace should hit an inch above the cleavage or higher. Longer strands or pendants will rest awkwardly on the body and call attention to every contour. Lastly, choose earrings in lighter colors, such as pearls or white stone, tomake your face look radiant. 58 The Best Shoe Sites For Women With Large Feet
Michelle PersadFashion Editor, The Huffington Post
You don't needto tellushow frustrating it is for ladies with big feet to find shoes that fit. Few stores carry anything larger than a size 10, and those that do often sell out almost immediately. But a couple of stores have our backs and carry a plethora of stylish shoes in extended sizes. Herewith the nine best online stores for women with large tootsies.
Dillard's: Not only does Dillard's offer affordable shoes, but they also goup toa size 13W. Long Tall Sally: Long Tall Sally gets it. The entire site is dedicated totall women, and their shoe section carries the trusted and affordable brands you love, including Sam Edelman (up to a size 13) and other name brands up toa size 15. FullBeauty: Looking for wide calf boots up toa size 16? This is your store. Net-A-Porter: OK, we'll admit it, the shoes on this site carry a hefty, hefty price tag. But if you're craving Gucci booties or Lanvin flats in a size 42, this is one of the few spots where y ou'll find them. Nine West:Finding good heelsupto a size131/2 isno small feat, but Nine West makes it easy with fashion-forward options at cut-throat prices. Nordstrom: This is probably the best online ressource for extended sizes. They carry a ton of brands such as Loeffler Randall, Steve Madden and Jeffrey Campbell, and they goup toa size 15. Payless: If y ou're looking for shoes, boots and sandals that go up toa size 13, but y ou don't want to spend a ton of money, you should check out Payless. Stuart Weitzman: Though Stuart Weitzman's shoes can get pricey, they goup toa size 12 and run in narrow, medium and wide widths. They are also extremely comfortable, very well- made and ify ou take good care of them, they can last years. Zappos: While this site can be overwhelming (there are so. many. shoes), it's worth digging through, especially since they offer shoes up toa size 20. 59 5 Feminine Grooming Habits You Shouldn’t Ignore (MTF Transgender / Cross- dressing Tips) By Lucille Sorella ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lucille Sorella is a GG (genetic girl) who teaches crossdressers, transsexuals, and transgender females how to look, act, and feel like real women. Her goal is to help T-women express their inner and outer femininity and increase their confidence as women. She has a professional background in fashion, beauty, dance, and natural healing and has been working with the transgender community for the past 12 years. Her website is loaded with useful information and is located at http://www.flat2fem.com/index1.html .
When you present yourself as a woman, you want to look and feel your best.
Did you know that beauty is less about being born with certain features and more about presentation?
It’s true! Studies show that physical attractiveness is mostly based on “self care” – that is, good grooming, neat hair, and nice clothes.
Grooming can make or break your feminine image, so there are certain habits you shouldn’t ignore. Are these 5 feminine
1. Hand care
Your hands say a lot about you. Since your hands might be larger than the average woman’s, it’s especially important to take good care of them. The last thing you need is for your hands to attract negative attention.
Beauty prescription:
Every 1-2 weeks: Give yourself a manicure – or better yet, get a manicure at a nail salon. Clip or file your nails and push back the cuticles with an orange stick. Daily: Clean underneath your fingernails with nail brush and apply hand cream several times per day. 60 2. Hair removal
You already know that beard stubble and chest hair don’t compliment a feminine image. But be sure to consider other areas that are easily overlooked. Do you have unwanted hair in any of these areas? Nose and ears Knuckles and toes Eyebrows Back Beauty prescription: Bikini area Arms Once per week: Shave, trim, Legs wax, and/or pluck the above- mentioned areas as needed.
3. Exfoliation
Exfoliation is the process of scrubbing off dead skin cells. Dead skin cells can dull your complexion and lead to ingrown hairs. Exfoliation will give you smoother, younger looking skin that is so important to your feminine look.
Beauty prescription:
Once or twice per week: Exfoliate your face and body using a washcloth, loofah, or exfoliating scrub. (When exfoliating your face, be sure to use facial products only.)
4. Foot care
It’s easy to forget your feet, especially during the winter, when they are covered up with shoes and socks. But that’s no ex- cuse to ignore them! Could you imagine a beauty icon like Marilyn Monroe or Ange- lina Jolie with cracked heels and ragged toenails? No way! 61 Beauty prescription:
Twice per month: Treat yourself to a pedicure at home or in a salon. Trim your toenails and (optionally) apply polish. Remove calluses with a pumice stone.
5. Face mask
Applying a face mask once per week should be part of every girl’s routine – including yours! Besides targeting specific skincare concerns, relaxing with a mask is a great way to pamper yourself.
There are face masks designed to address every concern from acne to wrinkles. In addition to cream masks, sheet masks are a popular and convenient option.
Beauty prescription:
Once per week: Apply a face mask suited to your skin.
Being pretty and polished is a great confidence booster. These habits will also make you look better in guy mode, so it’s a win-win.
Love, Lucille How to Look Hot in Your Femme Photos (MTF Transgender / Crossdressing Tips) By Lucille Sorella
Photos are a great way to share your femme self with the world. But maybe you think you have to look like a model to take stunning photos? Guess again! Taking beautiful photos is all about SKILL.
Here are my top 5 secrets for looking HOT in your femme photos: 62
1. Angle your body
When it comes to flattering photos, it’s all about the angles.
The #1 rule is to avoid facing the camera straight on. This tends to make your body look wider than it actually is.
Instead, angle your torso away from the camera. This creates the illusion of smaller shoulders and helps balance the proportions of your body. 2. Position the camera correctly
The camera angle has a huge impact on how your photos turn out. If the camera is too low, it can create the look of a double chin.
The camera lens should be positioned at or above eye level for the most flattering shots.
Another tip is to project your chin forward an inch or so more than normal. This helps define your jawline, regardless of the camera 3. Find your best side angle. It’s not a myth that everybody has a “good side”. Our faces aren’t perfectly symmetrical, so they look different from each side.
Experiment with different facial angles until you find your best look. Try turning your face slightly right or left, and tilting your chin up and down.
Once you’ve found your good side, work it! 63 4. Watch your arms
Arms are a trouble spot for many cross- dressers and transgender women.
Posing with your arms pressed against your body makes them look even bigger. Keep your arms slightly away from your body for a slimming effect.
You can also cover your shoulders with a 5. Think pretty thoughts pretty scarf. This helps downplay your arms while still allowing you to show some The camera captures EVERYTHING. If skin. you feel bad about yourself, I guarantee it’ll be reflected in your photos.
That means you need to psyche yourself up so you feel as stunning as possible during your photo shoot.
Put on some funky music and tell yourself that you’re the hottest thing since Giselle!
Finally, don’t forget that even the most beautiful women in the world occasionally take bad photos. Immediately delete (or rip up) any bad photos – and treasure the good ones! 64 The Worst Poses to Strike in Photos (and How to Make Them Better) by Bobby Schuessler
We’ve shown you several ways to look better in photos— squinching, anyone? But what should you avoid in order to look your absolute best and the most photogenic? Well, we tapped photographer Mike Coppola from Getty Images(which has a talented team of expert photo specialists led by VP of entertainment Roxanne Motamedi) photographer Mike Coppola—who constantly snaps celebrities and knows what works and what doesn’t—to spill on the worst poses you can strike in photos, along with what you should do instead.
Keep scrolling for your dos and don’ts to make your next snaps that much better.
“Do put one or both hands on your waist like Gigi to create negative space between your body and your arms. This also creates a beautiful line up to the face. You can choose to put one hand on your hip or both if you are taking a photo solo.”
“Do like Chrissy and have great posture. By rolling your shoulders back, you will look more confident. This will also naturally elongate the neck.” 65
“Do like Mindy and keep your feet close together to create a narrow base. You can achieve this look by crossing your feet or just putting them close together. This position elongates the body.”
“Do like Kendall and nail a power pose with your weight on your back foot. If you are wearing a long dress with a slit, this pose works even better because your weightless front leg can peep out the slit, creating a long vertical line. Make sure to add a slight bend to the front knee so the leg looks relaxed.” 66 How to Be Photogenic: 25 Tricks That Make You Instantly More Gorgeous in Pictures BY WENDY RODEWALD
We love summer—but if there’s one thing we don’t love? Getting caught looking terrible in a million photos. It’s enough to make you wonder exactly how all thosemodels manage to beso damn photogenic. Even if you love the way you look in person, it takes practice to make sure your in-the- flesh beauty translates on camera. The good news? Being photogenic is a skill you can totally master. Here are a few of our favorite tips that will help you bring out your inner supermodel.
1. If you tend to blink in photos, close your eyes just before the picture is taken and open them slowly before the camera clicks. No more half-closed eyes! 2. To avoid a double chin, elongate your neck and push your face forward a bit. Think of sticking out your forehead and tipping your chin slightlydown. It might feel awkward, but it will look great — promise.
3. Make sure your makeup is a perfect match, says mark Celebrity Makeup Artist Fiona Stiles, who’s prepped everyone from Halle Berry to Jessica Chastain and Elizabeth Banks for the red carpet. “When a foundation is too pale for your skin tone, it becomes very obvious when a flash hits the skin.” She advises, “Match your skin to your chest and add a thin layer to your neck if your neck is paler (as is the case for most people).” 4. Curled lashes and mascara are musts, Stiles insists (she swears by mark Scanda-Lash Mascara). “Both open up your eyes, and the eyes are the focal point of a picture. You want to draw people into a picture, so you want to maximize the impact of the eyes. They more open they are, the more the light hits them and that’s what makes them twinkle!” 67
5. Take a look at your favorite pictures of yourself and try to spot a pattern. Do you like the way you look from a certain angle? When you smile a specific way? Try to replicate your best poses next time you have your photo taken. 6. Try this old school red carpet trick: Put your tongue behind your teeth when you smile to avoid a goofy, too-wide grin. 7. Fill in your brows. Not onlydo your eyebrows conveycharacter and emotion, theyoften mean all the difference between looking wide awake and washed out on camera. You may even consider using a slightly darker brow pencil if you know you’ll be photographed, since features tend to look lighter in pictures. 8. Make sure your hair is shiny. “Spray-on shine is great for a last minute add-on shine,” says hairstylist Serge Normant, who’s worked with Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore and Sarah Jessica Parker throughout his years in the biz. He recommends misting hair with his Serge Normant Meta Sheer Dry Oil Finishing Spray ($24, shopsergenormant.com) for maximum gloss. 9. A photo can highlight flyaways, somakesure your style is sleek. “Agood pomade or dryoil will help, but use lightly,” Normant advises. “If you are afraid to use too much, spray on your hands and then lightly try to control fizz.” 10. Look toward a light right beforesomeonesnaps your photo. Doing so will shrink your pupils and help you avoid red eye. 11. Surprise photo op? Try this five-second prep: Blot your face with a tissue or single-ply cocktail napkin, then pinch your cheeks to create a rosy glow (yep, it’s old school, but it works). 12. A couple drops of Visine will help your eyes look brighter andmore awake. 13. Blush is a must! Without some color on your cheeks, your face can look two dimensional in photos. Use amedium pink shade on the apples of your cheeks to helpshape your face. 14. Think about angles. Facing the camera straight on is rarely flattering; instead, turn your head to a three-quarter position to give your features depth. 15. Try the “red carpet” pose: put your hand on your hip, angle your bodyto the side and turn your head towards the camera. It’s a cliché, but it really does work to help you look slimmer. 16. Avoid serious sparkle on your face. “Anything too shimmery on the skin can just be too much in a photo,” Stiles says. “A soft glow is nice, but if you have oily skin it can really exaggerate shimmer and make you look very shiny. If you are a shimmer addict and just can’t help yourself, keep the face matte or semi-matte (a velvety fin- ish). Add a little highlighter to just the tips of the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose with a powder highlighter that has a very soft sheen.” 68
17. On the other hand, a bit of sparkle below the neck can give your skin a prettysheen. Dust your collarbone and shoulders with a shimmering powder such as Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder in Moonlight ($52, chanel.com), which has the perfect finish for playing up assets. 18. Stand in front of a white wall. A light-colored backdrop will help brighten your face. Using a white background also helps a camera’s automatic settings find the right color balance, so your skin tone doesn’t end up looking too pink or yellow. 19. Wear bright lipstick. “Dark lipstick can have a minimizing effect on lips,” says Stiles. “Steer clear of a dark matte lip color. It can look aging and unflattering. Stick with brighter colors.” 20. Be in more pictures! People who think they’re unphotogenic tend to pose for fewer photos overall, but photography is a game of averages. Even Kate Moss doesn’t nail it on the first frame. Themoreshots you let your photographer take, themore likelyyou’ll be happywith one or two ofthem. 21. A photo shot from just above you is waymore flattering than oneshot from below. If you’re taller than the person holding the camera, grab a seat. 22. Avoid standing directly under a light, which can cast weird shadows on your face. Instead, stand facing a natural lightsource, such as a window, or in aspot wheresoft light hits your face from the side. 23. Grab a prop — preferably not a red Solo cup. Holding onto an object such as a flower or decoration can help you relax your posture and add personality to a picture. 24. To make your eyes sparkle, look at a light source. A lamp or brightly lit Christmas tree will create a flattering gleam in your pupils. 25. Forget saying “cheese,” and instead think of something funny. Better yet, joke with the photographer. A natural smile trumps a fake one every time. 69 From The Kitchen
Apple and Sage Pork Chops Directions
15 minsPrep time20 minsCook time Mix flour, salt and seasonings in small bowl. Sprinkle both sidesof pork chops with 1 tablespoon of the seasoned flour. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork chops; brown on both sides. Remove from skillet. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until tender. Add apples; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in juice, sugar and remaining seasoned flour until well Ingredients mixed. Return pork chops to skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutesor until desired doneness. Serves: 4 1 tablespoon flour Preparation: 1 teaspoon salt Set oven to 350/F. 1 1/2 teaspoonsMcCormick® Sage, Rubbed Using a flameproof casserole dish, melt 1 oz. of the butter 1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic, Minced and brown the meat on all sides. 1 teaspoon McCormick® Thyme Leaves Remove from the dish and set aside. 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Allspice, Ground Peel the onions melt the remaining butter in the casserole 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Paprika and cook the onions for a few minutes. 4 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick (about 1 1/4 pounds) Stir in the flour, blend in the stock and continue stirring 2 tablespoons olive oil until boiling. 1 medium onion, thinly sliced Return the steak to the pan and add the port wine, herbs, bay 2 red apples, thinly sliced leaf, salt and pepper. 1/2 cup apple juice 1 tablespoon brown sugar Stir until boiling. Put the lid on the casserole and cook in the oven for l 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Braised Beef And Mushrooms Slice the mushrooms and add to the casserole; cover again Ingredients: and cook for a further 1/2 hour. 1 lb Chuck steak cut Into 2 inch pieces Serves 4. 1 1/2 oz Butter 1/2 lb Small onions 1/2 lb Flat mushrooms 1/2 ts Mixed herbs 1 Bay leaf 1 tb Flour 2 Wineglasses of port wine 1/2 pt Beef stock or water Salt and pepper 70 Harvest Vegetables with Roasted Ginger and Cumin Elevate seasonal roasted vegetables with roasted ginger, earthy cumin and aromatic thyme. Ingredients Directions Serves: 10 20 minsPreptime35 minsCooktime 1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Ginger, Roasted Preheat oven to 450°F.Mix roasted ginger, sea salt, Ground thyme, cumin and pepper in small bowl.Toss 1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Sicilian Sea Salt vegetables with oil and orange juice in large bowl. 2 tablespoons olive oil Sprinkle seasoning mixture over vegetables; toss to coat 2 tablespoons orange juice well. 1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Thyme Spread vegetables in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1- 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Cumin, Ground inch baking pan. 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Black Pepper, Roast 30 to 35 minutes or until vegetablesare tender and Coarse Ground golden brown. 2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash 2 cups cubed red potatoes 2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks 2 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch chunks Cooking tip 1 medium red onion, cut into wedges Chef's Tip:Cat Cora changes this side dish up by including vegetables such asfennel wedges, halvedshallots and halved baby summer squash.
Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes Directions
10 minsPrep time35 minsCook time Preheat oven to 425°F.Mix oregano, paprika, thyme, sea salt and garlic powder in small bowl. Set aside. Toss potatoes with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle seasoning mixture over potatoes. Toss to coat well. Spread potatoes in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutesor until potatoes are tender and golden brown.
A spice trio of oregano, thyme and garlic makes these roasted potatoes a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes.
Ingredients Serves: Makes 6 servings. 1 teaspoon McCormick® Oregano Leaves 1 teaspoon McCormick® Paprika 1 teaspoon McCormick® Thyme Leaves 3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt from McCormick®Sea Salt Grinder 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® GarlicPowder 2 pounds baby red potatoes quartered 2 tablespoons olive oil 71 5 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make in a Waffle Iron (Yes, Crispy Mac ’n’ Cheese Is a Thing!)
Tess Panzer
If you think a waffle iron is just for waffles,think again! You’d be amazed atwhat you can cre- ate with this nifty kitchen gadget. It’s the perfect tool for achieving crisp, golden edges on every inch of your delicious treats.
Before you know it, you’ll be adding that waffle-grid look to almost everything you eat. So, get the iron nice and toasty hot, it’s time to get creative!
Waffle Iron Hash Browns
Who wants a sad little tater tot with their eggs when they can have a crispy, crunchy hash brown waffle?! More surface area and more toasty goodness make these a real home run.
Ingredients: Tater tots Shredded cheddar Tools: Waffle iron Instructions: 1. Thaw the tater tots slightly before cooking. 2. Place tater tots in the center of the waffle iron, set to medium-high heat. 3. Top with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese, and close the waffle iron. 4. Gentlypress down until tater tots flatten and merge. 5. Cook for a few minutes until golden brown and delicious! Waffle Iron Pizza Pockets
No more frozen pizza pockets! Make your own! Not onlyis the filling meltyand delicious, both the top and bottom get a great crunch and char.
Ingredients:
1 can or packet store-bought pizza dough Tomato sauce Shredded mozzarella cheese Mini pepperonis 72 Tools: Round cookie cutter Waffle iron Fork
Instructions; 1. Roll out your pizza dough. 2.Create 2 little mounds ofpizza sauce,and spread slightlyinto 2 circles on ½ of the dough. 3. Top the sauce with cheese andmini pepperonis. 4.Fold the other halfof the dough over. 5. Punch out the pockets with the cookie cutter. 6. Seal the edges with a fork. 7. Place the pocket on your waffle iron,setto medium high,and cook 5-7 minutes until the dough is cooked through and golden.
Funfetti Sprinkle Cake Waffles Did you know birthday cake could be turned into waffles? It’s true! When you make Funfetti birthday cake waffles, it’s a party. After all, isn’t life just better with rainbow sprinkles?
Ingredients: Funfetti cake batter
Tools: Waffle iron
Instructions: 1. Scoop ½ cup of your Funfetti batter onto your waffle iron, set to medium-high heat. 2. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the waffle is golden andsmells like birthdays! 3. Top with ice cream and more sprinkles!
S’mores Waffles You don’t need a campfire for these little babies! Simply fire up the waffle iron and you can have s’mores whenever and wherever you want.
Ingredients: 1 can crescent rolls Marshmallows Chocolate
Tools: Waffle iron Cookie cutter 73 Instructions: 1. Roll out your crescent-roll dough, and cut out several rounds. 2. Place dough rounds onto medium-high waffle iron, close, and cook until “cookies” are toasty and firm to the touch. 3. Top half the “cookies” with marshmallows and chocolate, and then place the other half on top. 4. Close the iron and cook until the marshmallows and chocolate are melty.
Oh-So-Crispy Mac ’n’ Cheese Waffles
We all know the best part of mac and cheese is the crispy part around the edges. Well now, with the use of a waffle iron, you can get that crispy goodness in every bite!
Ingredients: Leftover mac ’n’ cheese 1 egg Panko bread crumbs
Tools: Waffle iron
Instructions: 1. Slice a square of mac ’n’ cheese from a casserole of cold leftovers. 2.Beatan egg with a splash ofwater,and dunk both sides ofthe mac ’n’ cheeseslice in the egg wash. 3. Coat both sides of the slice with bread crumbs. 4. Cook the slice on a medium-high waffle iron until super crispyon the outside and meltyon the inside. 74 10 Time-Saving Tips So You Don’t Stress Out in the Kitchen
The Kitchn on Yahoo
There are cooks out there who see a three-hour cooking marathon as just another weeknight dinner. These are the cooks who like taking the long way; they do it for the challenge, the process, the joy of screwing up and starting over. (Oh, discovery!) Theseare thecooks who reorganize and declutter the kitchen for fun, and have never met a to-do list they didn’t like.
If the previous paragraph makesyou want to grabyour pillow and crawl into bed: welcome. While y ou’re not against putting out effort when the occasion calls for it, for the most part, meh. Take the long way? Please. You’re already halfway through the shortcut. Laid-back cooks — this list is for you.
10 Time-Saving Secrets of Laid-Back Cooks 1. They don’t unloadthe dishwasher. Why go to the trouble of putting away all those clean dishes when you’re just going to have to loadthem again? Skipthemiddle part andusethe clean dishes right from the dishwasher, then load it with dirty dishes once it’s empty again!
2. They don’t wash something unless they really need to. Super-greasy pan? Yeah, obviously y ou’ll want towash that. But that measuring cup y ou used tomeasure rice? Or the teaspoon y ou stuck into the spice jar? Don’t bother with soap. Just givea quick rinse, and let it air-dry. (For dry ingredients, y ou could even skip the wash altogether and just put it back in the cup- board. No one will know.)
3. They especially don’t wash the Microplane or zester. What, you say? Don’t wash your Microplane, like, ever? Well, we’re not saying don’t clean it; only that y ou can get away with not washing it every time if y ou put it near a heat source and let it dry out, like Sarah Rae. As she explains, “After a small amount ofheating or rapidair movement, the leftover zested bits fall off, leaving the tool good as new. Sometimes it requires a light brushing, but [otherwise] I haven’t washed my tool in a few weeks.”
4. They hang the pot rack over the sink.
You could bother with a pot rackanda drying rack, or you couldhave a pot-drying rack — as in, a pot rack hung directly over the sink soy ou can drip-dry and store your pans in one go. If y ou’re all about streamlining, this is it. 75 5. They melt butter in the pan they plan touse. If you’remaking a recipethat includesmeltedbutter, here’sa tip: Melt the butter directly into the pan y ou’ll be baking with, and — v oila! — y ou’ve greased the pan at the same time (and savedyourselfan extra dish towash).
6. They store standmixer attachmentsin the bowl. Elizabeth explains: “When we use themixer, wejust pickup the edges of thetowelandlift out all of the attachments, which sit patiently on the counter until we’re finished. We can wash and toss an attachment into the bowl without hearing a loud clanging through the apartment. And we save drawer space while making use of a bowl that would otherwise sit empty.”
Sowhileyes, there isa part ofyou deep down that feels envious of y our friend’s clear plastic stand mixer attachment container with its confident and slightly judge-y P-Touch label, this is as easy as it gets. You win.
7.They thawand brine meat at the sametime. Someone other than a laid-back cook would have made a note totake the chicken thighs out of the freezer last night so they could defrost in the fridge, with plenty of time to brine later. You don’t have time for such nonsense.
8. They whip cream in a jar. Who knew you couldmakewhippedcream without any beaters or bowls? You. You did. Because if there’s a one-jar, one-pot, one-bowl way to do something, y ou’re on it.
9. They usea heating pad when making bread. Ah, the slow bread rise, with lots and lots of time to let flavors develop. Such a great idea. You fully support it, 100 percent. (But in secret you usea heating padto speed things up.)
10. They use a bench scraper to clean the counters. A bench scraper, if used correctly, can (almost) replace your wash cloth. Sarah Rae explains: “I’v e been bench scraping after every single kitchen endeav or. It gets dust, dirt, and crumbs, and whisks them all away. Now, instead of wiping down my surfaces every day with a light cleaner, I basically wipe them down once a week.” 76 77 78 79 80 The Gossip Fence Transgender In The News
$20m global initiative announced to endanti-trans violence, discrimination
An unprecedented $20m global initiative has been announced to end violence and discrimination against transgender people.
The Arcus Foundation will give $15 million over the next five years to transgender activists and organizations. NoVo will commit $1 million to the initiative, and other partners will contribute at least $4 million.
‘The Global Trans Initiative isa coordinated response to the alarming and pervasive range of disparities found within transgender communities,’ said Kevin Jennings, Arcus’ executive director.
‘Together with our partners, we are committed to delivering increased and necessary resources to thosein the field working tirelessly to end the violence and discrimination facing transgender people around the world.’
The initiative emerged from a two-year listening and learning effort with frontline transgender activists, and aims to address the following three goals prioritized by these leaders:
• Increase awareness and understanding of the diversity, complexity, and intrinsic worth of transgender people, leading to acceptance and support among public and social institutions; • Grow the number of pathways to economicopportunity and security for transgender people, ensuring their full legal and social equity, well-being, and safety; • Deepen the understanding of transgender-specific disparities in philanthropyand increase the number of funders integrating gender identity issues in their funding priorities.
Much of the work will focuson thosemost affected by violence and discrimination, including transgender women of color in the US and transgender communities in the Global South.
‘Ending violence against girlsand women everywhere has always been at the core of the NoVo Foundation’smission, and our support for the Global Trans Initiative is an importantopportunity to deepen our longstanding work,’ said Pamela Shifman, executive director of the NoVo Foundation.
The Arcus Foundation hasgranted more than $10 million dollars to transgender issues since its founding in 2000.
New surgery could allow trans women to give birthwithin five years
A new surgery could allow trans women to give birth to children within five years.
It was announced that Cleveland Clinicis performing uterus transplant surgery on women who were born without a womb or whose uterusis diseased ormalfunctioning.
And it appears that the day when a trans woman can give birth is closer than we might think. ‘My guess is five, 10 years away,maybe sooner,’ Dr. Karine Chung, director of the fertility preservation program at the Universityof Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, said according to Yahoo Health.
Dr Christine McGinn, a trans Pennsylvania plastic surgeon, said she would bet ‘just about every transgender person who is female will want to do it, if it were covered byinsurance’.
‘The human drive to be a mother for a woman is a very serious thing. Transgender women are no different.’
While it’s still in the research stages, Swedish scientists have transplanted uteri from live donors and achieved five 81 pregnancies and four live births.
But this research doesn’tmean that cismen are suddenly going to be able to give birth – trans women are different in thatmany have already gone through many of the procedures necessary:
To have a uterus transplant, patients will need:
• Hormone therapy to shutoff testosterone and introduce progesterone and estrogen to prepare the uterus for preg- nancy • A vagina,preferably, to support the uterus
But there are problems, such as the expense (as corneal transplants for a heart can cost from $25,000 to $1.3 million no will know how much it will cost) and there will likely be questions raised over the long-term health of people who get the surgery and of their subsequent children.
Trans vacationer files complaint against Royal Caribbean
It was supposed to be fun on the high seas on the second annual Transgender Vacations' Caribbean cruise aboard a Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ship.That was until one guest alleged she was the recipientof a bartender's homophobic epithets.
Stephanie Land, founder ofTransgender Vacations, based in Miami, Florida, on Monday filed a complaint with Royal Caribbean that included the guest's accusationsabout the November 8 incident. The vacationer, Sherry Donegan, had also contacted the Transgender Law Center on November 21, they told the Bay Area Reporter.
It was the most recent homophobic incident aboard Royal Caribbean. It followson the heels ofa gay man going overboard during one of the company's cruises allegedly after his husband and he were the recipients of anti-gay epithets from crewmembers two daysbefore Transgender Vacations set sail.
Donegan, 44, a bisexual transgender woman from Fresno, was excited about her first-ever cruise and one where she was with other transgender and ally travelers. The group of 18 cruisers with Transgender Vacations set sail November 7 for a six-day cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas ship.
However, it wasn't the cruise of their dreams, especially for Donegan, who on the second night aboard the ship was told by a bartender, "We don't serve fagshere," she recalled in an interview with the B.A.R. "I said, 'Oh, you don't serve fags huh?'" she responded. "I was very surprised,especially coming from a large company as Royal Caribbean." She immediatelyleft the bar and reported the incident to guest services aboard the ship and to Land. They were told that a guest services representative would look into the incident.
Two dayslater a member of guest services appeared at Donegan's cabin door and informed her that the employee had been escorted off the ship in Cozumel, Mexico, where the ship called port, the two women said. Land told the B.A.R. thata member of guest services had informed her that the employee had been fired.
In Donegan's case, it wasn'tjust the incident at the bar that bothered her. She also noticed thingslike their group being seated at a table in the back of the dining room. "They put usat a table way, way in back of the room like we are little kids not being seen," said Donegan.
Land wasn't pleased either and spoke with the maitre d' who, she said, "apologized for the situation" and the situation was corrected.
Now home, Donegan would like to see the company partially refund the cost ofher cruise due to being discriminated against and humiliated. She contacted the Transgender Law Center about her experience on the cruisein addition to submitting herletter of complaint about Royal Caribbean to Transgender Vacations.
In the complaint Land filed November 30, obtained by the B.A.R., the travel agent tells Royal Caribbean about the damage the incidentdid to her young company, because she assuresguests that travel partners are vetted for an ex- perience that is"safe and welcoming on-board," she wrote.
"Thispromise wasnot kept and TGV Holidayshasbeen damaged, irreparably, by thisincident," Land concluded in the complaint. 82 She requested a representative of the cruise line contact her to resolve the issue.
"I don't want to see this happen to anyone else ever again," said Land, who simply wants Royal Caribbean to make proactive changes regarding LGBT travelers, such asLGBT cultural sensitivity training for its staff.
For the time being, Land said she won'tbe using Royal Caribbean to host future Transgender Vacations trips. She's working with Anteros Cruise, a new luxury LGBT cruise line, to charter small ships so guests won't experience what Donegan and her other 17 guests saw during their trip.
Her goal, she said, is to "make sure that everyone will feel comfortable traveling and enjoy life."
Fortunately for Donegan, the incident didn't completely ruin her vacation.
"It was just fun. It wasmy very first cruise and I loved going in the pool," she said. "I loved going to the disco bar atnight. I loved the showsgoing on at night. They had a lot of interesting demonstrationson the cruise so it was real fun,' said Donegan, adding that she would travel with Transgender Vacationsagain.
Transgender Women’s Health Benefits From Transition Surgery, Study Finds
A new study finds that transgender women may actually experience physical health benefits from undergoing transition-related surgery compared to those who onlyuse hormone therapy.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center sought to investigate whetherit’s true that transgender women face a greater risk for heartdisease and type 2 diabetes. Previous research has suggested that using the female hormone estrogen can lead to high blood pressure and other health risks. The latest results suggest that the conclusion may be backwards — that it’s the ongoing high levels of testosterone that contribute to poor metabolic health.
The study compared trans women who were only using hormone therapy to those who had undergone a bilateral orchiectomy — the surgical removal ofboth their testicles, the body’s testosterone factories. Those who had undergone the surgery were in better health, while those who still had higher levels of testosterone had greater insulin resistance and greater accumulation of fat in the liver.
Though the study was small, it adds to the growing evidence that transgender people can benefit from steps they take to transition their body to match their gender identity.Thismay help further convince insurance companies that continue to impose exclusions on covering such treatments.
That’s not to say, however, that every trans woman should undergo such surgery. As the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey found, many transgender people do not pursue surgical transitions for a number of reasons. Some simply cannotafford it, some do not feel it isa risk they need to feel complete in their gender identity, and others do not want to sacrifice their reproductive ability. Of the trans-feminine respondents, 14 percent said they did not want an orchiectomy, with another 61 percent saying they wanted it someday, but only 25 percent reported that they had already had it.
Obama’s quiet transgender revolution
Years before the White House was lit in rainbow colors celebrating the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage, President Obama used a routine bureaucratic tool that ended up drastically changing the government’s understanding of gender and howit can be changed.
The process began in Obama’s first year in office when he issued a June 2009 memo instructing agencies to extend some benefits enjoyed by the spouses of federal employees to same-sex couples. Over time, that directive eventually led to a decision by the Social Security Administration to significantly lower the threshold requirements for changing one’s gender on official governmentdocuments, a change that would determine how a person’s gender is recorded on passports, tax returns, marriage licenses and other forms.
Since June 2013, someone wishing to change their gender classification on their Social Security card hasneeded only provide a doctor’s note guaranteeing that “appropriate clinical treatment” was underway.
Before then, a person seeking to change their gender on had to undergo gender reassignment surgery, a hugely expensive and, many LGBT advocates and doctors say,unnecessary procedure for a transition to take place. 83 Former White Houseintern Sarah McBride, who came out as a transgender woman during her senior year in college, discusses the Obama administration’s legacy on LGBT issues. (Jorge Ribas/The Washington Post)
Suddenly, gender — once believed bymany, including a rigid federal government, to be immutable from birth — could be changed on Social Security cards with a simple note from a medical professional overseeing such a transition, such as the one Elishe Wittes carried with him to the Social Security Administration last summer.
While the U.S. Census Bureau does not collect data on transgender Americans asa separate population, University of California, Los Angeles demographer Gary Gates suggests they number around 700,000, or between 0.2 percent and 0.3 percentof the population. But many say this estimate, based on a couple state surveys, is an undercount. In part because of bureaucratic hurdles, one-third ofpeople in the most recent National Transgender Discrimination Survey reported not having formal identification thatmatched their chosen gender.
“The president always says ‘LGBT ,’” said White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett in a recent interview. “I can’t think of a time where he left off the T.”
But some of the administration’s low-profile policy shifts reverberate just as deeply.
The Department of Health and Human Services now allows Medicare funds to offset the medical costs of a gender transition and has warned insurers that prohibiting coverage for such transitions can be discriminatory.
The Agriculture Department bars discrimination based on gender identity in any USDA program, while the Housing and Urban Development Department has applied a similar provision to its federal housing programs.
The changes began quietly when Obama ordered all agenciesin 2009 to conduct a review of what could be done to eliminate disparitiesbetween same-sex and straight couples, a directive thatadministration officials ultimately interpreted much more broadly.
At the time, transgender activists felt slighted. Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center forTransgender Equality, said that the memo left her and other activists annoyed because it paled in comparison to what they expected of the new president. “We thought, ‘You were going to do stuff, and now you just put out a memo about doing stuff?’ That memo turned out to be one of the most important things the president ever did,” she said.
Over time that directive--and two others in 2010 and 2013--triggered the review ofmore than 1,000 statutesand hun- dreds of regulationsacross the U.S. government, including the change that allowed Wittes to declare himselfmale and have that affirmation reflected on his Social Security card.
Churches around the worldare ‘grudgingly’ embracing transgender people
Churches are slowlybeginning to open up to transgender people, a study has found.
Protestants as a whole have historically opposed trans rights and gender transition. However, a University of Cambridge study suggests that a growing number of Christian denominations are “softening” their views on trans people.
Looking at different denominations around the world, the academic noted that despite initial opposition, “there wasa slow, sometimes grudging, but growing momentum for change among Christians within Protestantism especially.”
The study notes progress in the US, where in 1996 the Presbyterian Church ofAtlanta embraced trans religiousleader Erin Svenson. Other US churches have followed suit, including within the Presbyterian Church (in 2010) and the Episcopal Church (in 2012).
In Europe other Churches have also become more welcoming, with some of the world’s most inclusive churchesin Scandinavia. The Church of England is also singled out for praise, with eight transgender priests currently serving within the Church, of whom six were ordained prior to transition.
However, he notes that similar developmentsare highly unlikely to be embraced by Catholics, given ardent opposition in Church catechism. 84
Judge: Fired Trans Woman Doesn't Have to Reveal What's Between Her Legs
A federal judge in Michigan has refused to grant a funeral home’s second request to seek"intimate and private" information about a fired transgender worker'sanatomyand background, Law360 reports.
According to Reuters, U.S. Magistrate Judge David Grand in the Eastern District of Michigan rejected the original claim by R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in September, one year after the lawsuit was filed.The funeral home’slawyers claimed they needed information about former funeral director Aimee Stephens’s transition from male to female, including whether she still has a penis, her family medical history,and information about her previous sexual relation- ships. Then Wednesday, their second bid was rejected, with the federal judge ruling the information still isn’t relevant to Stephens’s discrimination lawsuit, brought on her behalf by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit in 2014, claims R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, which has operationsin Detroit and two other cities, fired Stephens after she informed her employers that she intended to begin presenting at work asa woman, consistent with her gender identity.
Under Title VII of the Civil RightsAct of 1964, federal law "prohibits employers from firing employees because they do not behave according to the employer's stereotypesof how men and women should act," said EEOC attorney Laurie Young in a statement issued in September 2014.
While the EEOC has previouslyapplied Title VII to protect transgender people against workplace discrimination in cases brought before it, the lawsuit regarding Stephens and another one filed the same day in Florida marked the first time the federal agency proactively brought charges against workplaces, alleging those employers violated federal law.
Dictionary.com names 'identity' word of the year
Dictionary.com named "identity" its 2015 Word of the Year on Tuesday.
CEO Liz McMillan said they chose the word “identity” because of an uptick in lookupson Dictionary.com for “identity- related” words such as transgender, cisgender and omnisexual.
McMillian credits the increased interest in identity-related words to a “shift in the way society thinks about identity as being more fluid.”
Identity wasn’t solely linked to gender and sexuality, but also to racial identity, according to Dicitionary.com.
This trans woman has some awesome advice for dating whilst trans (VIDEO)
A trans woman has released a video where she attempts to get to the bottom of the problems facing trans people in the dating world. In the video, Elle columnist Rhyannon Styles talks about her online dating experience, saying that she “discovered that you do have to write ‘I am a male to female pre op transgendered female’ “Because otherwise if you just put transgender that is such an umbrella term that that can be quite confusing for somebody that doesn’t understand the ins and outs of transgender…”
She goes on to talkabout some of the negative experiences where she received messagesabout her genitalia, but admits that she learned to “… take that on the chin because they’re not worth it,”
“What used to give me a lot of fear wasif you were in a situation in a bar for example when somebody would approach you and start talking to you." “And then it’s like, at what point do you say ‘I need to tell you that I am transgender’ and that…well….how quickly would you go into the fact that you have certain genitalia?” “Ultimately if sexis where it is heading and that person wants to have sex with you thinking you have a certain sex then obviously you have to address that.”
She went on to explain why she thinks it is a good idea to disclose your trans status early, saying “I think it’s much more important to get that out of the way sooner rather than later, “if the person isnot going to be interested in you because of that then, that’s that and you kind of have to accept that and be willing to let that go because you will find somebody that isessentially interested in who you are.” 85
National survey shows public supports rights, protections for transgender people
A new study from the Universityof Delaware’s Center for Political Communication suggests a generational blowup over transgender rights could be on the menu this holiday season.
In the study, a large majority of people surveyed said they favor protection from discrimination for trans- gender individuals both in schools (71 percent) and in workplaces (70 percent), and a large majority also supports allowing transgender people to serve openly in the U.S. military (62 percent).
The UD survey reveals the public ismore divided on requiring public buildings, such as courthouses, to have gender neutral restrooms. Only a slim majority of Americans favor this, by a margin of 51 percent to 43 percent.
Looking more closely at the results, Paul Brewer, director of the Center for Political Communication, said clear divisions on these issues emerge based on age, gender and political party.
“Compared to Republicans, Democrats are more favorable toward transgender rights – a divide that the 2016 political campaign could highlight,” Brewer said.
The sharpest political divisions emerged on the issues of requiring gender neutral restroomsand transgender people serving in the military. Nearly three out of four Democrats surveyed (74 percent) said transgender people should be able to serve in the military, while only 43 percent of Republicans supported that idea. Meanwhile, Democratsbacked the idea of requiring gender-neutral bathrooms in publicplaces by a two-to-one margin over Republicans (66 percent - 34 percent).
The CPC study also revealed a generation gap on transgender rights. Respondents between the ages of 18-34 overwhelmingly support transgender protection in schools (83 percent), protection against job discrimination (77 percent) and a right to serve in the military (72 percent), and a clear majority of young people (59 percent) said gender- neutral restrooms should be required. People 55 and older showed far less support for transgender rights and protec- tions, although a majority of older respondents did favor protecting transgender students (60 percent) and workers (56 percent).
Among older Americans, the issue of gender neutral public bathrooms might be a topic to avoid at the holiday dinner table. Only 43 percent of respondentsover 55 favor requiring gender-neutral restrooms.
Women, more than men, support transgender protectionsand rights, according to the study. Four of the 901 respondents self-identified as transgender.
Louisiana’s Next Governor Will Protect LGBT Workers by Executive Order
John Bel Edwardsis still a month away from being sworn in asLouisiana’s next governor, but he’s already signaling a change from the Bobby Jindal administration by announcing plans to issue a pro-LGBT executive order.
The Times Picayune of New Orleans reports that sometime after hisinauguration January 11, Edwards will sign an executive order to protect his state’s gay,lesbian, bisexual, and transgender state employees and government contractors from getting fired,being discriminated against and harassed.
It is currently legal to fire someone for being gay or in a same-sex relationship throughout most of Louisiana. The Times- Picayune reports that New Orleansand Shreveport are the only cities that have enacted laws to prevent businesses from firing a person for being LGBT. The newspaper notes the executive order would not protect nongovernment em- ployees, nor would it necessarily apply to state government outside the governor's control, such as the judiciary.
Jindal and another Republican governor, Mike Foster, would not offer protections to LGBT state workers and contractors, as Democratic former governors Edwin Edwards and Kathleen Blanco did. In fact, Jindal called Blanco's executive order "unnecessary" when he tookoffice in 2007. In May, a little more than a month before the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, Jindal issued an antigay executive order he said was designed to "protect religious freedom." 86
Feds Tell Shelters to House Trans People According to Gender Identity
The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a new regulation that would require homeless shelters receiving federal funds to house transgender people according to their gender identity.
The denial of access to safe and appropriate shelter is a significant crisis for transgender people. Sex-segregated shelters frequently refuse to house transgender people in shelters thatmatch their gender identity or force them to use shelters designated for the wrong genderin order to be allowed to stay. According to the National Transgender Discrimi- nation Survey, nearly one in three trans people who tried to access homeless shelters were turned away on the basis of their genderidentity, and 42% were forced to stay in facilities designated for the wrong gender.
Because of widespread job and housing discrimination and social marginalization, transgender people are especially likely to need access to a shelter: in fact,one in five report having been homeless because of their gender identity. Transpeople who are able to find a shelter that will take them in are often at a horrific risk of violence and abuse. Of survey respondents who stayed in a shelter, 22% report being sexually assaulted there and 47% reporthaving to leave a shelter because ofharassment or assault. Transgender people of color are at an especially high risk: for example, 33% ofblack transgender people and 31% of Latina/o transgender people report experiencing sexual assault while staying at a shelter.
For many trans people, staying out on the streetis a safer option than staying in shelters—and, when shelters turn them away, often the only option they have. Discriminatory policies that push trans people onto the street threaten their safety and their lives. That’s why it’s so important that HUD’s new rule would prohibit these practices. Under the proposed rule, providers can place a transgender person in a shelter that isinconsistent with their gender only when the transgender person asks them to do so to protect their health or safety. Recognizing that transgender people are among the most vulnerable in shelter environments, HUD says that the prejudices or discomfortof shelter providers or residents cannot be a reason for turning them away.
New Law: RI Health Insurers Must Cover Trans Health Care
Health insurers in Rhode Island can no longer limit or deny coverage based on gender identity.That's due to new rules from the state health insurance commissioner.
The Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner told insurers they can’t drop someone’s coverage, deny coverage, or refuse to covermedically necessary services for people who identify as transgender.That meansinsurers have to cover gender reassignment surgeryif it’s medically necessary, and other kinds of health care services related to a person’s gender identity.
Rhode Island'sMedicaid agency ruled back in November that governmentinsurers could not discriminate against trans patients. Rhode Island’snew rule extends to commercial insurers like UnitedHealth and Tufts. Transgender advocacy groups have praised the new ruling.At the federal level, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid are also engaged in clarifying rules around health coverage for transgender patients.
Fresno doctor filling the medicalvoid for the transgender community FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno doctor is filling a void in medical care for the Valley's transgender community.
That void was created after a well-known Selma physician, who specialized in transgendermedicine, moved out of state. But patients now have a place to go to get the health care they need.
The OB-GYN came to Fresno from San Francisco, where she also saw transgender patients. Her work at Clinica Sierra Vista fits in with the mission of the health care provider to serve the under-served.
Dr. Nicole said the medical needsof transgender patientsaren't very different from any other patients, but there aren't enough providers who are trained with the right sensitivity. "It'sall about treating the patient with respect. You may not understand what itmeans to be transgender,but you have to treat this person asan individual and treat this person with kindness and respect," said Dr. Nicole.
She said other valley physicians now call her to find out how to treat transgender patientsand the resultsare rewarding. "It's very rare in medicine that we have a field that is so satisfying because 99.9%of the time Imakemy patients feel better," said Dr. Nicole. 87
For more information on the transgender clinic at Clinica Sierra Vista call (559) 457-5800.
Tucson VA main campus to offer clinic for transgender veterans
TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) main Tucson campus will be opening a Transgender Clinic on Dec.16, according to a news release. The clinic will be offered on the third Wednesday of each month, and will be located on the second floor of Building 81.
According to the release, the clinic will provide medical care, mental heath, pharmaceutical and social work services specific to transgender veterans. Providers in the clinic specialize in transgender care, and will be able to provide guidance and education regarding health care needs unique to transgender veterans.
For more information about the Transgender Clinic, call (520) 629-4885.
New Report Quantifies Disparities for Transgender New Yorkers
A new survey-based assessment of the educational, employment,income, housing, and health status of transgender residentsof New York State demonstrates startling disparitiesin their well-being, even when compared to other segments of the LGBT community.
Among the findings was evidence that the transgender portion of the queer community is50 percentmore likely to be in poor or only fair health, 150 percent more likely to have a history of homelessness, twice as likely to live in poverty,and three times more likely to have less than a high school education — all by comparison to lesbian, gay, and bisexual respondents.
The report, produced by the Strength in Numbers Consulting Group, on behalf ofESPA, the New York State LGBT Health and Human Services Network — a group of 54 non-profit organizations statewide coordinated by ESPA — and the AIDS Institute within the state’s Department of Health, was part of a larger study examining the health and social well-being of the state’s LGBT population. A total of 3,792 self-identified LGBT people made up what is known as a “convenience sample,” meaning they stepped forward to participate, rather than being identified randomly. Of that total, 583 respondents identified as transgender. (Another 295 respondents who identified as gender nonconforming butnot transgender were not included in this report, but will be discussed in future reportsbased on the data collected.)
The findings demonstrate that across a broad array of social,economic,and health outcomes, the transgender community in New York faces significantly more serious challenges than the rest of the LGBT community.
Not only are transgender New Yorkers over the age of 24 three timesmore likely to have less than a high school education, they are also only half aslikely to have a college degree. Regardless of whether they have completed col- lege, they are twice aslikely to be unemployed and 140 percentmore likely to be living in poverty, as compared to other LGBT New Yorkers. Among transgender respondentsof all ages, they are twice as likely to live in poverty as their LGB peers.
The transgender community also faces significanthousing barriers, being 150 percentmore likely to have a history of homelessness and twice as likely to currentlybe homeless. Among those in stable housing, transgender respondents are two-thirdsless likely to own their homes. More than 10 percent say they were denied housing because of their gender identity and expression, and more than a quarter reported being harassed by neighbors.
The educational, employment, and housing barriers the transgender community faces have important health impacts. Nearly half of all respondents indicated they are “food insecure” —meaning they have difficulty affording nutritional mealson a consistent basis. Transgender New Yorkers are three timesmore likely to report having inadequate health insurance, which likely contributes to the fact that they are 50 percent more likely to rate their health as poor or only fair, as compared to othersin the LGBT community. They are also more than 50 percent more likely to report experiencing depression.
Transgender people kept out of bathrooms
Votersin Houston, Texas struck down a city law on Nov. 3 that protected LGBT people and others from discrimination. The repeal effort was headed by conservatives who alleged that transgender women were not real women and were,in fact, straightmen that were using the lawin order to go into bathrooms and peekat girls. Apparently, voters agreed with them:The law was repealed by a vote of61 percent to 39 percent, according to the Harris County Clerk's Office. 88
Criticsof the law pushed the message that the law needed to be repealed in order to keep men out of women'sbath- rooms. Buzzfeed News polled roughly two-dozen votersin the Houston area and found that only a quarter knew any- thing about the fact that law had anything do with discrimination, with roughly half believing that the law granted men and transgender women access to public bathrooms.
For years, the “transgender bathroom myth” which states that transgender anti-discrimination laws would expose others to sexual assault in public bathrooms, hasbeen peddled out every time the issue has come up. In fact, the reverse is often true: According to Matthew Shupp, co-chair of the GLBT Concerns Committee at Shippensburg University, more transgender people fall victim to violence than are perpetrators of violence themselves.
In an article byMedia Matters’ CarlosMaza, experts from 12 states came together to debunk the myth, with police officials from states such as Vermont, Minnesota, Nevada and Rhode Island explaining that they have no cases of increased sexual assault or rape asa result of a transgender anti-discrimination laws.
Despite the evidence to the contrary, opponents of transgender anti-discrimination laws still manage to use the “transgender bathroom myth,” asa reason for why such anti-discrimination laws should not be approved.
“I really think the issue is fear and ignorance. When it all comes down to it, I think people fear that which may appear to be differentor outside of whatever society has deemed asbeing normal,” Shupp said. Because of this fear and ignorance, what happened in Houston may happen again in Dallas.
Following the resounding rejection of Houston’s anti-discrimination law, many of the same groups that campaigned in Houston are taking the fight to Dallas, attempting to overturn the city's 13-year-old nondiscrimination ordinance, which the Dallas City Council unanimously voted to amend in order to make the ordinance'slanguage more clear. Several public figures, including TexasLt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Sen. Don Huffines (R-Texas) have weighed in against the ordinance, with Patrick calling the vote “mind-boggling and appalling,” according to The New Civil Rights Movement.
Contrary to Patrick and Huffines, many citiesand states do not find transgender anti-discrimination laws mindboggling or appalling. According to the Human Rights Campaign’s website, 30 stateshave a city or cities that have an anti- discrimination ordinance on the books, including Pennsylvania, Washington, New York and Massachusetts.
Several universitiesalso offer accommodations for transgender students, including the University of Kansas, Michigan State Universityand even Shippensburg University itself. Not only doesShippensburg University offer gender-neutral bathrooms in several spotson campus (including Presidents Hall, McLean Hall II and the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center), but there is also a Students Advocating For Equality (SAFE)meeting every Thursday at 8 p.m. in Room 238 of the Ceddia Union Building, according the GLBT Concerns Committee page on the SU website.
Cruz floats report Planned Parenthood shooter ‘transgendered’activist
Ted Cruz discounted on Sunday assertions the alleged Planned Parenthood shooter wasmotivated by anti-abortion rhetoric by pointing to dubious reports in conservative media the attackeris transgender, calling him a “transgendered leftist activist.”
“We don’t fully know the motivationsof the thisderanged individual,” Cruz said. “We know that he was a man who registered to vote as a woman. The media promptly wants to blame him on the pro-life movement when at this point, there’s very little evidence to indicate that.”
When a reporter pointed out a report Dear said something about “baby parts” while being apprehended, Cruz was again dismissive. “It’s also been reported that he was registered as an independent and a woman and a transgendered leftist activist,if that’s what he is,” Cruz said. “I don’t thinkit’s fair to blame on the rhetoric on the left. Thisis a murderer.”
The Blade couldn’timmediately find any other evidence or reporting indicating Dear is transgender, nor that he was motivated allegedly to kill three people based on transgender activism.
Reassignment surgery not necessary tochange gender markers on ID, ruling says
Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Board of Inquiry has ruled that transgender people will no longer have to undergo reassignment surgery in order to get a change in sex designation on a birth certificate. 89 Kimberley Horwood, chief adjudicator with Newfoundland and Labrador Human RightsBoard of Inquiry, said in a ruling last Thursday thatService NL will stop their current practice when it comes to sex designation on birth certificates. The government department has 30 days to revise the criteria, and another 30 days after that will publicize the changed criteria.
"We welcome this decision by the Board of Inquiry to promote transindividuals' improved access to public services, and thank everyone for their collaborative approach to enhancing services for individualsin Newfoundland and Labrador," commission chair Remzi Cej said in a statement.
In July, the provincial government said it wasplanning on changing the Vital Statistics Act legislation during the next sitting of the House of Assembly. Service NL is expected to post information Wednesday on howindividuals can go about changing gender designation on their birth certificates.
Pentagon report on lifting trans ban on track for January
The Pentagon’s review of the U.S. military’s ban on openly transgender service is nearing the end of its scheduled six- month time period and a spokesperson said initial findings are on track to be released in January.
Matthew Allen, a Pentagon spokesperson, said the review ison track to meet itsgoals and “will present the secretary of defense with a report of outcomes and recommendationsin January 2016.” In August, USA Today reported the Pentagon expected to lift the ban on transgender service on May 27, but Allen denied the veracity of that target date. “The May27th date that has been reported in the press was obtained through leaked working papers and does not reflect an official DoDposition or current planning timeline,” Allen said.
Although the Pentagon won’t commit to the May 27 target date,Thorn said he anticipatesopenly transgender service in the months shortly thereafter. “I thinkit would be a good guesstimate to look at a time frame between May and September of 2016 when the necessary policies will be fully incorporated into the armed service branches and the ban will officially be no more,” Thorn said.
New Tucson VA clinic will treat transgender veterans
The Veterans’ Administration hospital in Tucson will soon become the fourth in the country to hold special clinic hours for transgender patients.
The new clinics are the latest in a seriesof changes that began in 2011, when the U.S. Department of VeteransAffairs ordered its facilities to take better care of transgender veterans. Tucson’s clinic starts Wednesday and will let patients see several specialists in a single visit. Local VA officials say the population of transgender vetsin Tucson has grown from 50 to 130 in the last five years.
Dr. Sonia Perez-Padilla is the head of the Tucson VA’s transgender treatment team. She says the hospital is recognized by the VA as a national center of excellence for transgender care. 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
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