PrettyPretty TGirlsTGirls MagazineMagazine

Featuring An Interview with Melissa Honey

December 2008 Issue

Pretty TGirls Magazine is a production of the Pretty TGirls Group and is intended as a free resource for the Transgendered community. Articles and advertisements may be submitted for consideration to the editor, Rachel Williston, at [email protected] . It is our hope that our magazine will increase the understanding of the TG world and better acceptance of TGirls in our society. To that end, any articles are appreciated and welcomed for review ! Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 1 PrettyPretty TGirlsTGirls MagazineMagazine December 2008 Welcome to the December 2008 issue … Take pride and joy with being a TGirl ! Table of contents:

Our Miss 2008 Cover Girls ! Our Miss December 2008 Cover Girls Cover Girl Feature – Melissa Honey Editor’s Corner – Rachel Williston Ask Sarah – Sarah Cocktails With Nicole – Nicole Morgin Dear Abby L – Abby Lauren TG Crossword – Rachel Williston In The Company Of Others – Candice O. Minky TGirl Tips – Melissa Lynn Traveling As A TGirl – Mary Jane My “Non Traditional” Makeover – Barbara M. Davidson Transgender Tunes To Try – Melissa Lynn Then and Now Photo’s Recipes by Mollie – Mollie Bell Transmission: Identity vs. Identification – Nikki S. Candidly Transgender – Brianna Austin TG Conferences and Getaways Advertisements and newsy items Our 2008 Calendar!

Magazine courtesy of the Pretty TGirls Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/prettytgirls

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 2 Our Miss December 2008 Cover Girls !

How about joining us? We’re a tasteful, fun group of girls and we love new friends!

Just go to … http://groups.yahoo.com/group/prettytgirls

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 3 An Interview With Melissa Honey

Question: When did you first start crossdressing?

Melissa: Early teens, I found a pair of nylons and thought what the heck lets try them on! I was always interested in looking at women's legs and loved the look of nylons. Well after putting on the nylons I found them to feel soft, slinky and quite sexy. I was hooked! I began with the Legg's Brand then onto Hanes! I would wear them whenever I could, I was so lucky not to get caught.....I think. I also remember enjoying watching Tina on Gilligan' Island! She was so attractive and I loved her gowns and heels. I can always remember dreaming of getting a chance sometime to dress just like her!

Question: Describe your early experiences dressing as a girl.

Melissa: Initially, I thought it was all about nylons. I would wear them to school or out among my friends. The feeling of them would drive me crazy! I first tried my Mom's lipstick when I was about 14, thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Just the outline, making a little pout! What fun. Then it was onto a Teddy, sneaking one from my Mom's dresser for sleeping in. What a sensation, lying in bed with nylons and a teddy on! Sleep no way! Fantasy dreams heels and hose! I loved looking thru the Sears Catalogue with all the dresses and skirts and lingerie! In my late teen years I purchase my first outfit that was all red. High Heels..Red! A see thru Teddy, with garter belt and panty all in red. Long red nylons! It was a present to myself for Valentine's Day! That was such a high getting all dressed in that outfit and standing in front of the mirror for the first time in my own lingerie and heels!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 4 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Question: At what age did you start using make-up and wearing wigs? How did you learn how to apply make up? Any tips for other TGirls? Brand of make up you use?

Melissa: In my early twenties I began trying makeup! Typically it was around Halloween when I could get away with having some fun. I would draw on the dark liner and eyes! The more color the better! Bright red lips! Dark shadow! Smokey and sexy as can be! I soon met a person who was kind to the TG community. Often you think your the only one! But she was very helpful in the service industry and provided a guidance for crossdressers. She keep a supply of wigs, makeup and clothes. I will always remember the first time I donned a wig and looked into the mirror after she did my makeup. I almost cried I was so happy, finally I realized, this is what I am all about.

To me makeup is the artist tools. Your face is the page on which to create something of interest to yourself! The most important thing is to enjoy who you are! There are so many web sites out there for info on makeup and application. You should try on different faces, color and have some fun. Pic a style that suits you most. I would recommend a visit if possible with a Makeup artist. Its well worth the money and will save you time and money in the long run. I prefer the talented individuals at M.A.C. Cosmetics. The are great! My two choices for makeup are MAC and Lancome. The quality and the colors are exceptional.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 5 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Question: If you had your choice, what do like wearing the most when being a girl?

Melissa: All of the them! I start from the inside and work outwards. Its a slinky pair of panties. I prefer a thong. Nylons, black is my choice of color with a sandle toe. I use a push up lacy bra with 36B breasts. I top this with a Black teddy. I then return to finishing my makeup! Line my lips and add color to them! Today its a High waisted Black A-line Skirt. The new blouse is Turquoise feminine with light lace on the collar and sleeves. Large Hoop silver earrings are next. Adding a pearl necklace sets of your face and keeps the eyes guessing. A few rings on your fingers and bracelets finish the preparation. What wig shall I go for, Auburn, Blonde or Dark Brown? I often try on several wigs until I get the look I want for the outfit. Finally I have chosen the one. Its Blonde, long with highlites. Now I am ready for the day...... or evening!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 6 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Question: Now a bit of personal information ... What is your marital status? A sensitive area for some girls, but ... how old are you now? Does anyone know you are a TGirl? What country do you live in?

Melissa: Yes I am married, she is an exceptional person. I am 39 (smiling). Yes a few people know I am a TGirl. I live in Canada and am lucky in doing so.

Question: Do you have a website and/or email you’d like to share with us?

Melissa: [email protected] www.flickr.com/photos/melissahoney/

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 7 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Question: Have you ever gone out as a girl? If so, tell us what the first time is like and how you feel being out in the world as a girl.

Melissa: I have gone out many many times as a girl! The first time your heart is on your mouth. You can't breath and you think everyone is looking at you. How narcissistic! Really, no one truly is concerned or cares as much as you think they do! I was in Vancouver at an event and was able to escape to get out for the evening. I got dressed to the nines and went to a local place known for Tgirls. I drove and parked my car as close as I could. I had worn 4 inch heels, my god I must be crazy! Nope your there, go for it, I said to myself. This is the point of it all to get out there and be the girl you want to be! I could hear the click click click of my heels as I walked on down the sidewalk. Oh my god, there was a couple coming the other way, I would have to walk past them, what would happen? I nearly froze but thought what could I do now turn the other way. the opening to the club was closer than the car so I kept walking, I walked past them and no response, no looks, no laughs. Hey this is fine I am going to make it, the Night club was less than a block away. Finally I made it to the club door and walked in. There was a Night club fee but to my surprised they did not charge Tgirls! The girl at the door smiled and said "Hey Girl you look awesome"! I just smiled for the rest of the evening. I had a fun time!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 8 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Question: Have you ever gone through a purge of your female clothing? If so, can you tell us why? How did it make you feel? How long before you went back to being a girl?

Melissa: All Tgirls purge! Its for personal reasons. You question yourself, your direction and pursuit of finding something your not comfortable with but inside you know you are truly happy. You love the feeling,the illusion. You question how can this feel so good but screw up your life so badly if somebody (your partner, friends, family) find out. You know its harmless but it has such a significant effect on who you are or might become. You dread the possible outcomes. So you purge, thinking now I am free of this "feeling" . Two weeks later. three months later your out buying a new outfit! Do I love shopping yes! What's the fashion for the season! We have all purged and it will happen again and again until you can come to an understanding with yourself, who you are and what can you do to have significant others understand you are okay with who you are as well.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 9 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Question: What percentage of time do you spend as a girl?

Melissa: I spend about 20% of my time in girl mode!

Question: Have you ever considered moving towards becoming more of a girl physically with options like hormones, feminisation surgery, breast enhancements, or SRS?

Melissa: I am sure many of us have considered that direction. When I was younger if there was more information available I would have considered the possibility more. In the past, most material that was available was porn related. If you ever heard or saw someone different as in Trans, it was often in a movie. My favorite film along those lines was Pricilla Queen of the Desert. It just opened my eyes to the fact there are people out there who are just like me, even if it was just a movie. In my Twenties, I went to a Las Vegas Female Impersonators Show and loved it. I recognized the possibilities of what I could do! Now that could be my second job! With progression of the internet, online chats, it is only over the past few years that I have considered the other possibility of change and no its not for me. But I fully support those individuals that take that direction in life! I like who I am, I truly enjoy the dressing. the illusion, the feeling and the sensations it brings me when I dress. Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 10 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Question: Do you feel more like a boy or a girl now and why?

Melissa: I do feel more girlish now than ever before because I have truly accepted that inner aspect of me. I have battled the quilt and argued with myself, but over and over have come to the same conclusion, I am a good person, I like who I am, and I just enjoy something different, something that I realize many other boys and girls do. Acceptance is important to yourself first then to those around you.

Question: Have you ever dated or wanted to date another TGirl or a man?

Melissa: I have not dated another Tgirl or man. My interest is purely in dressing and having friendships in TGirl community. I think that's where special bonds can take place in supporting one another.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 11 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Question: Do you have any advice for other TGirls, especially ones that have yet to venture out as a girl?

Melissa: I can't say it in more simply terms than GO FOR IT! It is fun and 99% of the time I have found everyone helpful! Make sure you dress for the time of day or evening, the clothing is so important. Dressing for your age should be considered. A mini is fine at home for fun but not the Mall! Have confidence, watch how girls walk, practise, move slower, smile, look ahead. You are out there, enjoy it.

Question: How is your life now as a TGirl? What's gone well and not so well?

Melissa: Life is good. Acceptance is always a personal issue but I think I am truly okay. I enjoy my time when I can and look forward to the future. shopping specials!

Question: Anything else you'd like to say?

Melissa: Live life! Gain acceptance with yourself first!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 12 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 13 An Interview With Melissa Honey … continued

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 14 EditorEditor’’ss CornerCorner RachelRachel WillistonWilliston Personal Website: http://rachelwilliston.com

Hi Everyone!

If you have any articles for me to put into the next issue, please send them to [email protected]

Please don’t forget that we are lucky enough to have 3 advice columnists (1 GG, 2 TGirls). Please use them as the valuable resources they are … I don’t want to lose them!

(http://rachelwilliston.com)

Here is my latest article of sorts … A Special Word About Our Upcoming January Issue! The January issue of Pretty Tgirls Magazine will focus on Tgirl relationships. To that end, if you have an article, story, experience about you and a relationship with a GG, whether girlfriend or wife, please email it to me !!! This will hopefully serve as an issue where a Tgirl can have her significant other read the contents and better understand us and her.

Even if you have never written anything before, please contribute. Include photos if you’d like. Thanks so much!!! Also, email me with your feminine name and birth date (photo if you’d like) … I will be adding “Happy Birthdays” to future issues!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 15 AskAsk SarahSarah You got questions … and Sarah’s got answers! Advice from a genetic girl’s perspective (email me at [email protected])

Question: I am a young crossdresser and I was curious about how girls really feel about transgenders and how would you go about telling your girlfriend or should you and well just your thoughts on the subject. I'm 20 years old and love it for the thrill but don't identify as a woman. I like being a man, but being able to dress like a girl. I was really wondering for the future since right now I am single.

Response: It is really good that you are single and trying to plan ahead for the future. The worst thing to do is wait until you are in a relationship and keep it secret then figure out how to spring it on someone. As far as how women feel about transgender men who are crossdressers, I cannot answer for everyone. Judging from what I see and hear on the media and from what people say, it is not well accepted by most American women. This is not to say there are not accepting women, but I would not say that is the average woman.

You also have to assess your desire to dress. If it is something you truly enjoy and would rather not live without, the worst thing to do is try to sacrifice your dressing for someone non-accepting. This would lead to many problems. Also please do not go on with the assumption that you can keep it a secret until you think someone really loves you then tell them. Love is not always enough.

The best way to find an accepting girl is to put an ad out stating your situation and let accepting girls come to you. The problem is that almost all ads, if not all, for transgender people are geared towards men and very few genetic girls go to these sites. Then again if you have interest in a transwoman, that might be a good place.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 16 AskAsk SarahSarah …… continuedcontinued You got questions … and Sarah’s got answers! Advice from a genetic girl’s perspective (email me at [email protected])

If you are looking to approach a girl without knowing if she is accepting, I would say be friends first and see how open minded she is before asking her out. Purposely bring up the subject in a non-threatening way. A good example would be asking how she feels about a famous crossdresser like Rue Paul. You can make jokes and see how she reacts as well. If she does not seem open minded then assess your desire to dress.

If she does seem open minded and you feel she is someone you can trust then just tell her. If it still happens to not be her thing then at least you know before you started a relationship.

I hope that helps,

Sarah

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 17 CocktailsCocktails withwith NicoleNicole Perspectives and advice from a TGirl (email me at [email protected])

Please feel free to email Nicole with your questions!

There were no questions submitted in time for this issue.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 18 DearDear AbbyAbby LL Advice from a Tgirl’s perspective (email me at [email protected])

There were no questions submitted in time for this issue.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 19 Rachel’s TG Crossword (answers at the end of this issue … don’t peek first!)

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 20 In The Company Of Others By Candice O. Minky October Travels 2008

October was an extremely busy month which included trips to Atlanta, GA for the Southern Comfort Conference and to Provincetown, MA for Fantasia Fair. I am now writing about trips to two of my favorite cities – Chicago and Boston during the last week of October.

The trip to Chicago was where I would meet up with my best friend Bridgett. The plan was to get something to eat and then head over to a Halloween Party at Club Krave in Blue Island, IL. After some playful elbowing for mirror space we both put on our game faces for a night out. I had decided to wear my Halloween costume out to dinner but Bridgett’s was a little more risqué and she would later make other arrangements. My costume was a blue-green schoolgirl skirt, white shirt, blue neck tie and argyle knee socks while Bridgett was going to wear a boxing outfit.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 21 In The Company Of Others By Candice O. Minky October Travels 2008 (continued)

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 22 In The Company Of Others By Candice O. Minky October Travels 2008 (continued)

First stop was to a restaurant called Velvet Rope in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park. We were instantly greeted by the lovely barmaid named Quinn and the proprietor, Carol, who was also very much a doll. They so loved the schoolgirl outfit and made Bridgett and I feel very welcome and comfortable from the instant we stepped in. Miss Bridgett and I are both very athletic and we found the menu to be tasteful, healthful, and proportioned nicely enough for us to keep our girlish figures.

Exquisite attention to detail can be found throughout the establishment right down to scented candles in the bathroom. The menu was artsy and the food was delicious and well presented by cheerful staff. It was apparent that you needed to be part angel to work there. Our overall experience there was very good. If I had to sum it up in two words they would be – go there! Their website is www.velvetropeoakpark.com. Here you can find their menu, wine list, and a calendar of events.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 23 In The Company Of Others By Candice O. Minky October Travels 2008 (continued)

Our next stop was to Club Krave on Chicago’s Southside. Our visit here was to attend a Halloween Bash hosted by the club. Formerly known as The Edge, the club is best known in transgender circles as the home of Chicago’s Island Girls (www.islandgirlstg.com). Halloween always seems to bring out more tgirls than any other day of the year so we expected to see many girls. After all, Halloween for tgirls is like handing a day pass to a vampire!

Many girls were present for the party and of course many of them were Island Girls. Nurse Lana was there dispensing shots (Jello shots) for those who looked like they needed one, which was pretty much everyone from what I could see. Mother Superior was there and caught this little schoolgirl out late at night. The subsequent spanking I received was well deserved I was informed. Our tgirl girlfriend Ashley came in from Michigan and was very smartly dressed as a French maid. Karaoke was being sung, a costume contest was had, and everyone appeared to be having great fun.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 24 In The Company Of Others By Candice O. Minky October Travels 2008 (continued)

The next stop was 1000 miles to the East and back to my homeport of Boston. Here I visited a Halloween Party at Jacques Cabaret. Jacques is a neighborhood bar and tgirl institution in Boston of many years. I had opportunity to talk with some of the regulars who had been coming there for decades. The folks from the transgender website URNotAlone, Jon, Vicky and Dan were all there for the party. Dan had flown in from Ohio while Jon and Vicky live in the neighborhood. They are really great people and have worked very hard for many years to improve our community. If you are not familiar with their website you may wish to take a look at it. The URL is www.urnotalone.com.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 25 In The Company Of Others By Candice O. Minky October Travels 2008 (continued)

The party at Jacques was great fun with a mix of people from the GLBT community and from the outside. Costumes ranged from the extravagant to the sublime and it was great to be out with others and socialize. I found myself in deep discussion with a very pretty GG about the finer points of the schoolgirl outfit. There was the nightly drag show and Jacques has drag shows 365 days a year. Their website is www.jacquescabaret.com.

As I stated earlier, October was a busy month and it was also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Throughout the month of October I always wore a pink ribbon when out. In fact I gave them out at SCC in Atlanta to all my girlfriends. Most of us have been touched in some way by this dreadful disease and I always do my best to support. I had befriended a flight attendant named Melanie through all my years of travel who had succumbed to the disease. Her story can be found at www.friendsofmel.org. It’s a very touching story and you can get a really cute bracelet there for a small donation. Look for the pink ribbons in my pictures and think pink!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 26 In The Company Of Others By Candice O. Minky October Travels 2008 (continued)

Well that’s my time for now. I am headed for Toronto, San Francisco and Chicago. Plans are underway for getting out with friends and I know we will all have great fun. Look for my report. Remember, please don’t go through your journey alone….get out and enjoy the company of others! Much love, Candice Candy can be contacted at [email protected] or at URNA, http://profiles.urnotalone.com/76280

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 27 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn

Hello, ladies, and welcome to the holiday season! I hope you're all done with your shopping, or at least well on the way. I'm pretty close to done with mine, thank goodness! I hope also that you were able to shop a little for yourselves; I love all the great makeup kits that come out around this time of the year. Time once again for a quick plug to check your makeup expiration dates and replace anything that might be too old.

This month's article strays a little bit away from just makeup; I found some really good information about purses that I wanted to share. As always, any comments, suggestions, or ideas are welcome at [email protected].

When you apply you foundation, you blend it in at the neck and ears, right? Well, here's another thought: you should blend into your hairline or wig line as well. Makeup should be invisible, enhance without being seen. A pale ring at the hairline isn't exactly invisible...!

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A girlfriend and I were out shopping together recently and were in the cosmetics aisle. She was updating her makeup and began putting the most expensive items in the store into her cart. I watched in awe as she racked up over $100 worth of makeup in less than ten minutes! Well, girls, you know I couldn't just stand there and watch this atrocity happening, so I took her by the arm and led her to the less expensive stuff. By the time we were done, she was spending less than $50 and actually had more items! So take this moral away from the story: more expensive doesn't always mean better...sometimes it just means it costs more.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 28 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn (continued)

Here's a subject that I don't talk about enough: makeup removal. I know, I hate taking my war paint off too, but sooner or later it has to be done. Here are a few suggestions for a quick, efficient makeup removal routine:

Pull your hair away from your face and use either a headband or a ponytail holder, or clips if your hair is short. For colored hair, protect your hairline as much as possible. You've probably noticed that the color around your hairline seems to fade faster than the other areas. This is partially due to products that inevitably end up there and are washed off along with the hair color.

Let's start with your eye makeup. Moisten a cotton ball with eye makeup remover and remove all traces of makeup by gently wiping each eye until the makeup dissolves.

You should pick a cleanser that's suitable for your skin type that's also been tested for the removal or breakdown of makeup. Some soaps and cleansers don't thoroughly cleanse your skin of makeup. Check the packaging to see if the product is designed for makeup removal, or, if you're comfortable going out, ask a makeup salesperson for advice.

Splash your face with lukewarm water and place a dollop of cleanser in the center of one hand and rub your hands together to generate some lather. Add water if necessary, then apply the lather to your entire face and rub gently, concentrating on the places where you applied makeup the heaviest. Spend about a minute retracing your path to ensure that you've cleaned your whole face, then rinse your face Three or four times. This will make sure that you've removed all of the cleanser, as well as any makeup residue.

Avoid washing off eye makeup with cleanser, as it's too harsh and drying for this delicate area. Conversely, don't use eye makeup remover to remove face makeup, particularly if you have oily skin. This can cause breakouts, and we all want to avoid those!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 29 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn (continued)

A girl on one of our sister sites recently posted a picture that she felt was the best she's ever done with her makeup. She'd done a nice job, too; her eyes were very striking, her foundation flawless, and she'd been very conservative with her blush. Unfortunately, the whole effect was ruined by her lipstick; she had drawn her lips' outline with a darker liner than her lipstick.

This look was hot once, back in the mid-1990s, but now it's not popular. You draw attention to any fine lines around your mouth, and it really accentuates thin lips in a bad way. If you like light lipstick, choose a liner that is the same color of the lipstick or one that blends with it. If you want a highlight/contour effect, choose a pencil that is slightly darker than the lipstick and blend well.

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Try this for a longer-lasting lipstick: take a soft lip pencil a few shades darker than your natural color and fill in your entire lips. Dot a little bit of gloss in the center for some sparkle. The liner will make a natural-looking stain that lasts for hours and won't dry your lips out or smudge.

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If you use a darker, deeper lipstick shade, try this tip for applying it. Use a tiny lip brush and fill your lips in with light short strokes.

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Winter is upon us, no matter what the calendar says. It's cold and windy outside! This isn't a good thing for your skin. Whenever possible, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Your skin will thank you for it. As a side note, take care of your lips in the cold as well; a good moisturizing lip balm will keep them soft and pretty, not dry and chapped and flaky-looking.

If you do get chapped or cracked lips, here's a fast treatment: brewed tea bags applied a few times a day to slightly chapped lips can speed healing and soothe the pain. Aloe vera gel applied directly to chapped lips, left on for five minutes, then wiped off will re-moisturize the lips, which helps them to heal faster.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 30 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn (continued)

Want to get rid of those little downward lines at the corners of your mouth? Try this out: Use a tiny bit of concealer, and you'll take years off your face. OK, so this doesn't actually make the lines go away, but it will sure look like they did! For a more permanent fix, be sure to exfoliate that area as much as the rest of your face, and try a product with hyaluronic acid to plump the skin a little bit.

Here's a quickie hygiene tip from Women's World magazine regarding your shower puff (assuming you use one). They're fun, they look cute, and they create lots of luxurious suds, but they're also a potential breeding ground for skin- or face-damaging bacteria. You should always hang your puff so that it can drain dry rather than letting it sit in a dish or on the side of the tub. Also, they have a shelf life of about a month.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 31 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn (continued)

Sigh...it's a lot of work being a woman. Here's another item you need to add to the beauty regimen: deep conditioning your hair. You should do this about once a week; your hair will become shinier, healthier, and you'll actually need less styling products to maintain your style en femme (or en homme, for that matter). It isn't hard, just a little bit time consuming. I use a shower cap, but a towel will work as well. After shampooing as usual, soak your hair with warm to hot water and apply your conditioner. Wrap your hair with a towel or put on a shower cap and let the conditioner sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse as usual (try using cold water, it will add to the shine), dry, and style. You'll see and feel the difference.

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Another time consuming beauty treatment is applying a facial mask. Most beauty experts recommend masking about once a week. If your face isn't sensitive, twice a week is fine. Some types of masks to use:

Oily skin: use a clay or mud mask that will absorb any excess oil on the skin.

Dry skin: try a creamy hydrating mask.

Sensitive skin: use a lighter, gel-type mask.

If you have combination skin, Use separate masks for each area; use clay or mud for the oily T-zone area, and hydrating for the dry areas.

A handy little tip for any dry skin mask is to warm the tube in hot water or in the microwave before applying it to your face. The warm mask will be absorbed into the dry skin more easily.

One last note: a lot of the women's magazines and online journalists (myself included) will from time to time provide recipes for homemade masks. When trying out recipes for homemade masks and facials, be sure to find out what different ingredients do. Honey has been known to cause spots for some people. Check and see how different ingredients affect you before you start mixing up your own homemade remedies -- not everything works for everyone!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 32 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn (continued)

This isn't a makeup tip, but it's one that can greatly help you pass as a woman in the world. Carry a couple of feminine products (yes, THOSE feminine products!) in your purse. Women have emergencies sometimes when 'that time' comes, and you can make a new best friend if you have supplies and can help. I've been approached two different times in a ladies' room, and just having the stuff on hand instantly makes you more 'one of the girls'.

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And speaking of purses, this is a little health tip that applies to genetic girls and T-girls alike. We carry a lot of things in our purses: keys, makeup, wallet, loose change, hairbrush, the above-mentioned feminine emergency products, cell phone, book, - you get the idea. I know that my purse is almost my home-away- from-home, with everything I have in it. But! You shouldn't feel like you just competed in a weight- lifting competition when you set your bag down. It's recommended that your purse shouldn't weigh more than three pounds.

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I know, by now you all must be saying, "Mellissa must be a total clean freak, with all the ranting she does about bacteria and germs!" Honestly, I'm not, but I detest getting sick. And since I'm currently riffing on purses, I'm going to recycle my germ-prevention statements about them.

Women, for the most part, rarely go anywhere without a purse. As I said a moment ago, my purse is my home-way-from-home; it goes with me EVERYWHERE. Think about that for a second. Where do you take your purse? Where does it end up? We put our purses down everywhere. On the ground, on the floor of the car, bathroom stalls, on the floor at a restaurant - the list goes on and on.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 33 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn (continued)

This is what's scary. In a recent test, ten women's purses were looked at under microscopes to see what was present. Five were cloth, five were leather. The cloth purses tested higher in bacteria than the leather bags. These are some of the "things" found on almost every purse that was subjected to testing:

Bacteria, including yeast and staph, which can cause skin infections.

Mold.

Fecal matter...UGH!

In most cases, you probably won't get sick from your purse, but just the thought of what ends up on your purse should make you a little more aware. Consider this: what do you do with your purse when you get it home? (Granted, this is assuming that you're a girl who can go out and needs to worry about this, but I digress from my point.) Do you throw it on the kitchen counter, that same counter where you prepare food? Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! Also, germs in or on your purse can get into whatever makeup you're carrying, and we all know how bad that can become.

So. What precautions should you take? The good news is, this isn't difficult to tend to. A few simple changes in your habits when out and at home will significantly reduce the amount of bacteria your purse collects.

* Hang up your handbag, especially in public bathrooms.

* At home, don't put your purse in places that should be free of germs, like your table or a countertop.

* Wash cloth purses often and spray them with a disinfectant spray.

* Wipe down leather purses with anti-bacterial wipes often leather cleaner.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 34 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn (continued)

A handy idea is to keep moistened anti-bacterial wipes in a plastic sandwich bag that seals well. You can always wipe down your purse if you feel it was put in a less than ideal place. That way, the next time you pop into Mickey D's for a snack, you don't have to worry if the person who cleans the seating area was more worried about going home than mopping the floor.

By the way, this also is a good rule of thumb for either gender if you have a baby and carry a diaper bag around.

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Do you have a problem with smells in your handbags? Here's an easy way to stop this: take a lace handkerchief and spritz it with a perfume that you like the smell of. Place it in the bag, and instead of whatever smell you don't want to inhale, you'll enjoy the aroma of your scent.

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Here are a few unorthodox uses for Chapstick that I discovered in an old e-mail. We all know that Chapstick is for chapped lips, right? Well, here are a few other way to use it:

* Rub Chapstick along your hairline to prevent hair color from staining your skin. Be careful not to get it on the hair that is going to be colored so the color will grab the strands and not be repelled by the Chapstick.

* Chapstick will tame your brows! Just dab a little into your eyebrow and smooth it in. Vaseline will work for this as well.

* Chapstick will stop the bleeding from a small nick when shaving. And it's definitely cheaper than a styptic pencil!

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Here's an idea to try when you do your eyeliner. Once you've applied eyeliner, step a foot away from the mirror. You'll be more likely to spot uneven lines or gaps. Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 35 TGirl Tips by Melissa Lynn (continued)

This is a quick and easy tip to try when choosing a blush. Check the natural blush on your cheeks after you've exercised.

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If you have a shade of blush that you love and wish you could find a matching lip gloss in that shade, try this tip out for size. Mix a little of your blush with some petroleum jelly and apply it to your lips with a lipstick brush. If you have any old lip gloss pots, you can mix a batch and put it in them to use later. You can also experiment with different shades to change the colors. Certain eyeshadows colors will look great as a colored lip gloss. The petroleum jelly keeps your lips nice and moist, and the color will be natural-looking.

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All right, that's this for the December edition. Once again, e-mails are always welcome at [email protected]. Happy holidays and I'll talk to you all next year!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 36 Traveling As A TGirl By Mary Jane

The cruise was amazing that Elizabeth and I were on, and definitely a learning experience. Here is a quick rundown of what I learned:

If you feel that you are easily read or scared of problems, as soon as you’re on board contact someone in the staff (a staff manager and head of security) and inform them honestly of your situation and intentions (I.e. TG and will be on board fulltime). This does two things:

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 37 Traveling As A Tgirl … continued By Mary Jane

(1) They will alert the staff which to stifle their prejudices which will ensure the ignorant bite their tongue around you. The first uncalled for confrontations I had on board were with staff members who thought it would be alright to laugh and point. I talked to their bosses and it stopped immediately and we didn’t have a problem the rest of the cruise. Hell, after I talked to the cruise director, all the stops were pulled and the ground we walked on was practically covered in rose petals. Getting a job on a cruise boat is HARD and they don’t want to lose their jobs. However remember that they may not say anything to your face but no one can stop them from talking amongst themselves. Don’t let this bother you and it should be fairly expected. By the end of the cruise I was friends with lots of the staff (especially the photographers) and ended up with some great friends.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 38 Traveling As A Tgirl … continued By Mary Jane

(2) It gives security a heads up in case of harassment from other customers. There generally is a zero tolerance policy on board for harassment and they will kick people off at the next port of call in a heartbeat. Don’t worry too much about other customers though. If you choose your cruise wisely, most of the other patrons will either be too old and senile to notice or too scared to confront you. There are emergency phones all over the ship and if anyone does go too far all you need to do is pick the phone up and ask for security. We only had one group harass me once and the boat staff was on them like flies on shit.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 39 Traveling As A Tgirl … continued By Mary Jane

When at port stay with the group until you feel safe and confident enough in yourself to explore alone. Feel each place out for a bit while with the group and gauge how safe it is. Stay away from areas crawling with youths since they don’t quite know the fine art of shutting-the-fuck-up. I had lots of stares and comments in several of our ports but no actual confrontations and people were always courteous and nice. The locals know that the cruise ships are their business and lifelines. They mess with you and the cruise will skip their shops and restaurants. If you’re going to a dangerous port where being TG is dangerous or illegal and you have alerted the security they will contact and tell you. Chances are this wont happen because a lot of the customers are Americans and we all know how much Americans hate being told what we can and can’t do. (Quick story time!) At Pompeii, all the guys who run the street stalls were really being asses but instead of getting upset I let them take photos with me and just generally turned the whole thing into a circus. By the time I was done I was getting 80% discounts on my souvenirs and had a great story to tell. I now have a 10 inch penis statue with wings that originally cost $160 that I got for $20. Didn’t really need or want it, but who can pass up a story prop like that?

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 40 Traveling As A Tgirl … continued By Mary Jane

Be confident. Be Confident. Be confident. If someone does read you or is an ass (on the boat or at port) don’t deny it. You are who you are.

If someone says “AHH! You’re a transvestite!” and you say “No I’m not” or “I’m telling my mom! Leave me alone.” and run away, they will chase you pointing and laughing because they now have something against you and can run and tell all their friends which makes them cool because they can all laugh together.

But if someone says “AHH! You’re a transvestite!” and you say “No shit.” And stand your ground; they tend to say “Ehhh… You know then… well, hum… just making sure you know… don’t want something like that sneaking up on ya nowadays...” and they look like asses to their friends and will learn a lesson in humility.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 41 Traveling As A Tgirl … continued By Mary Jane

Do your dinners with large groups and if you can, change up the groups you dine with every night. On our boat, this was called “My time dining”. Dinner is the key to meeting people. They are forced to sit with you and as long as your civil and don’t talk about being TG obsessively (no one likes that), you will be part of the conversation and they will see you are just another person no matter what your wearing. Every friend we made on our cruise was over dinner or lunch. They will probably be in a bit of shock when you first sit down so just put on your biggest smile, extend a hand and tell them your name, where you’re from and generally be normal. Don’t bat an eyelid or shy away from a challenge. If someone does get up to leave because you sat down, DON’T LET IT BOTHER YOU. It’s their problem and ignorance, not yours. Those who stay behind tend to feel empowered by their ‘tolerance’ and will more likely purse the friendship route.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 42 Traveling As A Tgirl … continued By Mary Jane

Dress to impress! I had a different sundress and gown for everyday. But be courteous and duck tape or cover the bits and bobs if you’re in a swim suit. It’s odd (and really really funny), but watch their eyes when you walk by and you will see all of their eyes fall to your midriff. Wear sensible and VERY comfortable shoes on your excursions because your feet will be barking at you quickly if you don’t. Save the heels for the boat or very very short port calls. Check the weather and dress accordingly too. (Another short story!) I wore a dress to one of the islands we went to… turned out to be known for being the windiest island on the face of the earth. I ended up walking for 6 hours around a tiny island hunched over with my knees together and one hand up front and one down back holding my dress down. Not a story I tend to tell everyone, but I bet our group has told this to everyone they know!

Only talk TG if they bring it up and keep it short. I guarantee if you open the TG can of worms at the dinner table, you will have everyone’s attention since it is the taboo topic. This is more of a courtesy when there are a lot of honeymooners and anniversaries. Talking about TG issues seemed to trump their stories very quickly. I was on an anniversary with Elizabeth and that was a welcome conversation topic, but the TG topics reduced me to just a bloke in a dress taking the boom out of everyone else’s stick.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 43 Traveling As A Tgirl … continued By Mary Jane

Overall, just enjoy yourself. Ignore the ignorant and walk away from confrontation knowing you have wisdom and the massive brass balls to be yourself that they can only wish for. After the third or fourth day, it won’t even faze you and you will probably forget you’re even in a dress. You will have fun and this cruise will forever change the way you view yourself and being what it means to be TG.

Have fun, Love

MaryJane

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 44 My “Non Traditional “ Makeover By Barbara Marie Davidson

For Most people, the traditional makeover is one where we “girls” go to a cosmetic counter, sit down in “The Chair” and have some young girl who looks like she just stepped out of Ms Vogue magazine or a “fella” from GC – attack our face. They use all sorts of creams, lotions, powders and who knows what else in the “Transformation”. The whole time they are jabbering away –“honey this and honey that”. All of a sudden, they step back, giving you a thumbs up along with the words “: there, you look so much better”. You look in the mirror and agree – having no clue as to what they used or what they did”.

Mine was a little different as I have yet to sit down in” The Chair” for more than a minute or so. Mine was several years of experimentation with “CG” with no guidance as to colors, techniques or how to and not feeling good about my presentation. Several months before Tri-ESS, I decided that it was time for Barbara to make her appearance to the out side world. Being from a small town, I felt that a road trip was necessary to a place where I could get lost in the crowd, otherwise the “tongues would wag” at home. I wound up at the Prescriptive counter at Belks talking with this young man who apparently knew first hand what he was talking about, said to me “CG” is not for “Bubbas”. He then commenced to color code me and proceeded to make a big fuss over this color and that color, giving me exact instructions on “HOW TO” and in what order to use it. The final cost was about $250.00; however I felt that it was money well spent.

Armed with my new batch of “war paint” I went back to the small town. Each day, I would come home from work and practice some times two or three times putting it on and taking it off. As you know there is a lot of truth in the saying “practice makes perfect”. The only thing I came to realize that if I needed help or advice, it was a 100 mile round trip for the 5 or 10 minute critique and with the cost of gas – what can I say.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 45 My “Non Traditional “ Makeover … continued By Barbara Marie Davidson

My only other choice was to go to the Belks store in my home town (hoping that the wagging tongues would remain silent) to get some help. It comes to find out that I knew several of the girls at the cosmetic counters and they were more that happy to help me out – NO questions asked! (Before it was over, all of the ladies at the three counters got involved with my “makeover”). I settled on Clinique and was again color-coded, however about the only thing that changed was the color of the eye shadows. All during this moment in time, I was still in my “bubba” mode. Since I was beginning to run low on some of my Prescriptive supplies, I walked out with another $250.00 worth of Clinique supplies knowing that help was only 5 minutes away if I need it. I went home and practiced some more as it is also good for your ego.

After several more weeks, I decided it was time for Barbara to go out. So, in my Barbara mode I went to visit the girls at Belks. They were quite surprised as to how far I had come in the past month. They all critiqued my looks and all agreed that I should have NO problem passing. Later, I went back to the Prescriptive counter and after several “double takes”, was told the same thing. During the Christmas party several of the “girls” came up to me and wanted to know either who did my make up or who did my make over. It felt good to say, I did it! Phoebe, in her diary in the January issue Southern Belle, paid me a compliment about my presentation when she met me at the mall and the difficult time she might have had “picking” me out. Right before the New Year, I went back to Belks in My Barbara mode and there was a new girl at one of the counters who had only met me in my “Bubba” mode. She could not believe that I was the same person and wanted to know how long I had been doing my make up.

So you see girls, with the proper support, guidance and practice, you also can get the makeover with out sitting “IN THE CHAIR”. I have yet to do it; However, I know deep down that it would be a fun thing to do one of these days.

Barbara

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 46 Transgender Tunes To Try By MelissaLynn

Hi, girls! I was listening to some music the other night on my computer (I have a LOT of music on my computer!), and for some reason started cataloging songs that were about us. It didn't take me long to put a fairly decent list together, but then I started paring it down to what you're about to read. Here's my disclaimer: this list is in no way saying that these songs are the 'best' songs about the T-girl lifestyle; this is why I'm listing them alphabetically. These are just songs that I know, that I like, and are representative of us. If you have something else that you think should be here, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].

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Aerosmith - Dude (Looks Like A Lady), from the album Permanent Vacation. This song has a lot of fond memories for me. The album came out in 1987, as Aerosmith were just beginning their triumphant comeback from drug abuse and an almost-wrecked career. The video was great, and I'd kill for the sequined dress Steven Tyler wears! (It's probably one of his daughters' things; I remember reading awhile back that he's slim enough to wear his daughters' pants.)

It was Halloween 1987, and an ex-fiancée and I were in Phoenix, Arizona. She went dressed as a sheik from Bahrain (she had the authentic garb!), and I went as her American 'escort'(see the below picture). We decided to go roller-skating that night; we used to skate a lot back in the 80s. Anyway, the DJ called an all-girls skate and this song came on. Of course I had to go out there and skate to it!

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 47 Transgender Tunes To Try … continued By MelissaLynn

Beatles - Get Back, from Let It Be. This is one of my all-time favorite Beatles songs, which is saying something, as I'm of the opinion that they never really released a 'bad' song. The lyrics talk about 'sweet Loretta Modern who thought she was a woman, but she was another man'. Nice! The Beatles have transgender mentions in several other songs as well; O-Bla-Di, O-Bla-Da and Polythene Pam are two that come to mind quickly.

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David Bowie - Rebel, Rebel, from ChangesBowie (among other albums). If ever there was an androgynous rock star, it's Bowie. In his music, in his art, in his personal life, the man was an utter chameleon, at least in the earlier stages of his career. Check out the album cover below; Bowie had this dress hand-made for him for this cover, and supposedly still owns it.

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Cheech & Chong - Earache My Eye, from the Up In Smoke soundtrack. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong were never better musically than in this song. Forget Spinal Tap, this was rock parody in the days when rock was still a force. In the movie, Cheech comes onstage in a tutu carrying his guitar much the same way that Ted Nugent carries a bow, ready to kill. And the lyrics! 'My papa, he disowned me cuz I wear my sister's clothes; he caught me in the bathroom with a pair of pantyhose!' Could Shakespeare have captured that scene any better? And remember, Billy S. knew a little something- something about men dressed as women himself...

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Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry) - Sweet Transvestite, from the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack. There's no way I could leave this song off the list. I like Tim Curry quite a lot. He's a great actor with a wide range. I don't think he's ever displayed that so well as in this movie, though. I mean, he's GOOD in those heels! This is one of my three favorite songs from the soundtrack (the other two are Science Fiction Double Feature and of course, the Time Warp). 'I see you shiver with antici-'*

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 48 Transgender Tunes To Try … continued By MelissaLynn

Hedwig - The Angry Inch, from the Hedwig & the Angry Inch soundtrack. The entire album is highly recommended, but this song is the meat of the package (no pun intended) that explains the rest of the story. Essentially, this is every transsexual's nightmare; imagine, a few days after getting your SRS, that your new vagina closes up on itself. The first time I heard this song, I was driving down Interstate 5 in San Diego; I nearly picked myself up a speeding ticket because I was rocking out to it so hard.

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Kinks - Lola, from Lola vs. Powerman & the Underground. This is, quite simply, the greatest of all crossdressing songs. What's amusing is how many people even today don't catch that fact, even though it's stated explicitly in the lyrics. Weird Al Yankovic parodied the music in a song called Yoda (also recommended, although it's not a T-song).

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Monty Python - The Lumberjack Song, from Monty Python Sings! (among other compilations). This is easily one of the best-known bits the Pythons ever performed. Sometimes the background singers make it through to the end of the song, sometimes they don't! 'I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok...' This is the first song about crossdressing that I ever heard; thank you PBS!

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Pink Floyd - Arnold Layne, from Relics. Most people remember Pink Floyd for albums such as Dark Side Of The Moon and The Wall. Well, there was a Floyd before that Floyd, and it was fronted by a poor soul named Syd Barrett (the album Wish You Were Here is basically about Syd). Barrett was a genius who destroyed himself with too many mind- altering substances; he passed on a few years ago, a virtual recluse. But for a short time, he gave us some great music. 'Arnold Layne had a strange hobby...' The song's now on the remastered release of Pink Floyd's first album, Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.

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Lou Reed - Walk On The Wild Side, from Greatest Hits (among other compilations). This song is about three of Andy Warhol's models. 'Plucked his eyebrows on the way, shaved his legs and then he was a she...' I still can't believe this gets radio play, given the blatant mention of oral sex that's included.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 49 Transgender Tunes To Try … continued By MelissaLynn

Suzanna Vega - As Boys Go, available on Amazon.com. Wow. How many of us would like to hear the words this woman says in this song? 'You make a pretty good girl, as girls go...' Not so over the top as to be unbelievable, nor the faint praise from someone who just doesn't want to hurt your feelings. Straight, matter-of-fact, and honest. I like it!

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Who - I'm A Boy, from Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy (or any of SEVERAL other compilations!) These days, the Who are in that same pantheon as the Beatles and the Stones and Zeppelin and Floyd: British rock royalty. But do you notice that three of the five groups I just listed have songs on this list? This one from the Who is an earlier single; it's either about a little girl who wants to be a boy, or a little boy who's being forced by his mother to be a girl. It works either way.

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Weird Al Yankovic - Truck Driving Man, from Straight Outta Lynnwood (I think, it might have been from Running With Scissors). Done to a country beat, this song is absolutely hilarious. I'm not quoting any lyrics so as to not spoil the fun.

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And our very own Christmas song...

Bob Rivers, Walkin' Round In Women's Underwear, available on Amazon.com. Sung to the tune of Winter Wonderland, this gets a play at my house every Christmas. Rivers is a DJ who's done a lot of comedy bits; this is my favorite thing from him.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 50 Transgender Tunes To Try … continued By MelissaLynn

The list below is one that I found online some time ago; for the most part, I don't know a lot of these. There are a few songs I don't agree with being here (I mean, come on, A Boy Named Sue has no TG content whatsoever!), but as I didn't write it, the only alterations I've made are to remove the songs I mentioned above.

Blink 182 - Transvestite Blur - Boys and Girls Bowie, David - Lady Stardust Cash, Johnny - A Boy Named Sue Cramps - Two Headed Sex Change Crash Test Dummies - Androgynous Cure - Charlotte Sometimes Dana International - Viva la Diva Halliwell, Geri - Bag it up James - Laid Kinks - Dedicated Follower Of Fashion Placebo - Nancy Boy Reed, Lou - Make-up Reel Big Fish - She Has A Girlfriend Now Seekers - Georgy Girl Subb - The Dumbest Drag Queen Steeleye Span - Female Drummer Tetes Raides - L'hermaphrodite Unknown - I enjoy being a girl Vandals - My First Xmas, As A Woman Velvet Underground - All tomorrow's parties Velvet Underground - Candy Says Wainwright III, Loudon - I Wish I Was A Lesbian Weird Al Yankovic - Jerry Springer West Side Story - Gee, Officer Krupke! White Town - Your Woman Wonder Stuff - Welcome to the Cheap Seats Ann Margaret - How Lovely To Be A Woman Breakbeat Era - Sex Change Bedtime For Beavis - Dressed Up Boys Blind Fold - Deathwake Of The Paranoid Transsexual Bob Rivers - Country Transvestite Boy George - Satan's Butterfly Ball Cheech - Drag Queen Combine - Suckboy Vs. The Hermaphrodite Crack the Sky - She's A Dancer Cramps - Wet Nightmare Cries Of Tammuz - Hermaphrodite Dandys - Drag Queen Dar Williams - When I Was A Boy David Bowie - Queen Bitch David Byrne - Now I'm Your Mom

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 51 Transgender Tunes To Try … continued By MelissaLynn

The list below is one that I found online some time ago; for the most part, I don't know a lot of these. There are a few songs I don't agree with being here (I mean, come on, A Boy Named Sue has no TG content whatsoever!), but as I didn't write it, the only alterations I've made are to remove the songs I mentioned above.

David Motion & Sally Potter - Change of Sex (From the Orlando soundtrack) Depeche Mode - Blue Dress Dire Straits - Les Boys Douglas Byng - Fairies Eastern Union - Transsexual Date Fang - Motor City Drag Queen Genesis - Cinema Show Genesis - Fountain Of Salmacis (Live) Godfathers Of Infection - Teenage Drag Queen Gonads - I Lost My Love To A UK Sub Harry Toddler - Bad Man Nuh Dress Like Girl Higher Than God - Drag Queen Impaled Nazarene - Transvestite Imperial Drag - Boy or a Girl J Church - Transvestite Show Joan Armatrading - Rosie Mary Gauthier - Drag Queens in Limousines Merritt Brunies - Masculine Women Mike Harding - Lady's Man Mina - Sweet Transvestite Nobodys - Teen Drag Queen Nuclear Rabbit - Cross Dress Parade (might be Cross Dress Crusade) Pansy Division -(He's a Femme In a) Black Leather Jacket Pansy Division - Luv, Luv, Luv Peter & the Test Tube Babies - Transvestite Peter Outerbridge - I'm Not A Fucking Drag Queen Queen - March of the Black Queen Queen - Son and Daughter (From Queen I) Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Apache Rose Peacock Replacements - Androgynous Residents - The Confused Transsexual (Stamen & Pistallate Together Again) Reverend Billy C. Wirtz – Honky-tonk Hermaphrodite Reverend Billy C. Wirtz - A Man's Gotta Do (What a Woman's Gotta Do) Richard Digance - Drag Queen Blues Ridiculous Theatrical Company - Thank God He Made Me a Drag Queen

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 52 Transgender Tunes To Try … continued By MelissaLynn

The list below is one that I found online some time ago; for the most part, I don't know a lot of these. There are a few songs I don't agree with being here (I mean, come on, A Boy Named Sue has no TG content whatsoever!), but as I didn't write it, the only alterations I've made are to remove the songs I mentioned above.

Rude Girls (?) - Rufus & Beverly Savoy Havana Band - Masculine Women Feminine Men Scaffold - Lily The Pink Scorpions - He's A Woman, She's A Man Shock Treatment - Little Black Dress Sister Queen - Let Me Be A Drag Queen Snap Her - Sex Change Smudge - Hermaphrodite Sonic Youth - Androgynous Mind Space - Neighborhood Sparks - I Predict Sponge - Death of a Drag Queen Sponge - Drag Queens of Memphis Tit Wrench - Corporate Sponsored Sex Change Operation Today Is The Day - Hermaphrodite Tony Devitt - Transexual Trio Hasjee - Het leven Van Enn Travestiet, Dat Is Zo Gek Nog Niet U 96 - Drag Queen Uncle Bonsai - Penis Envy Undercover S.K.A. - My Girl Became A Dude (The Transsexual Song) Veronica Klaus - Black Diamond Days Jayne County - Are You A Boy Jayne County - Man Enough To Be A Woman Jayne County - Transgender Rock And Roll Jayne County - Wonder Woman Robyn Hitchcock - Uncorrected Personality Traits "Weil ich ein Mädchen bin" (Because I'm a Girl) Lucilectric

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 53 Pretty TGirl Members Then and Now (Photos of how we looked when first dressing as a girl and how we look today) Yvonne Then Today

This could be you here! Then Today

We are always looking for photo’s of our members from when they first started dressing and now. Please post them in the group. We would love to put them in our magazine.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 54 Recipes by Mollie Bell

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 55 Articles reprinted in Pretty Tgirls Magazine have the approval of The Canadian

http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/transgender_transsexual.html

Transmission: Identity vs. Identification (by Nikki S.) ~~~~~~

The line stretches around the corner of the office, and moves predictably slowly; like most government bureaus, efficiency is the least of their concerns. However, I wait patiently in line, trying to contain my excitement.

I glance around at the other people in the Ministry of Transportation office, trying to guess why they’re here. The lady behind me with her obnoxious two-year-old seems like she’s just updating her sticker, and can’t get out of there soon enough. The elderly gentleman in front of me is quietly reciting the letters on the eye chart, in hopes that he can prove his eyesight is clear enough to retain his license. And then there’s the impatient yuppie at the back of the line, complaining about having to smog-test his Porsche.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 56 Transmission: Identity vs. Identification … continued (by Nikki S.) ~~~~~~

I smile, because my business is of an entirely different nature. I’m not here for a license renewal, sticker, or smog test – these concerns seem downright trivial by comparison. This is a major rite of passage for me, an experience that every transsexual yearns for; I am preparing to receive my first official, government-issued, female ID. I’ve read the web page hundreds of times, so I know exactly what to bring with me. I have a letter to the MTO, indicating my request for a permanent change to my gender designation. I have a letter from my doctor, who verifies that the change is appropriate. I have my legal name change form, my vehicle ownership, and my old driver’s license. Finally, I have a printout of the MTO web page, explaining the MTO’s policy on Gender Designation Change -- Found herein: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/genderchange.htm

Finally, I reach the front of the line, and approach the girl at the counter. She’s obviously a temp, on summer vacation from high school; she’s disinterested and eagerly awaiting her lunch break. She looks up at me, bored look on her face, and asks me in that bureaucratic monotone where all the words seem to run together, “hi- how-can-I-help-you. ” Excited, yet relaxed, I hand the pile of papers to the girl, with the MTO page on top. I smile, and say, “I’d like to get this change processed, please.” I watch, slightly amused, as she reads the Gender Designation Change web page, blinks twice, and looks up at me, face filled with surprise. She looks back at the page, back up at me, back at the page, and calls her supervisor over to the desk.

The supervisor walks over, with the same bored look on her face. She reads over the top page, and gives me a double-take of her own; then, she flips through the rest of the paperwork, trying to balance her surprise and confusion with her desire to maintain a professional demeanour. When they finally see the picture on my now- ancient license, both their jaws drop to the floor, and the temp nearly falls out of her chair.

Moments like these used to feel awkward and uncomfortable; I’ve never met any transsexual who enjoys “outing” themselves, particularly in a government office or public place. However, I’ve found that, no matter how awkward it feels for me, it’s usually much harder for the person I’m dealing with. Most people are good-natured and decent, generally tolerant and accepting, but when they’re caught by surprise, they don’t know how to react. They get flustered easily, and they’re afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. But a little bit of understanding – in both directions – goes a long way.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 57 Transmission: Identity vs. Identification … continued (by Nikki S.) ~~~~~~

So, I lean in towards the counter, and say softly, “look, I’m sure this isn’t the type of request you process every day, so take your time, make sure everything’s there, and we’ll get through this, ok?” I smile warmly, and both the supervisor and temp relax. The supervisor takes one more look through my documents, and says, “Ok, everything looks good, so let’s get this taken care of.” She smiles, meeting my eyes for the first time, and walks away.

After that, the temp flies through the paperwork with a big smile, and a twinkle in her eye. She takes a new picture, gets me to sign the forms authorizing the name and gender change, and prints out a new vehicle ownership form. Finally, she prints out a new Temporary Driver’s License – slightly different name, slightly different Driver’s License number, and very different sex designation – an “F” where there was once an “M.” She tells me that I should expect the picture card within 3-6 weeks, and wishes me a wonderful afternoon.

I thank her for her patience and understanding, and wish her a nice day as well. I gather my papers, smile at her once more, and leave the MTO. My heels click loudly on the linoleum, but I feel as if I’m walking on air. It’s hard to contain the elation I feel, but I find myself making one last, frivolous wish as I walk through the door. . . Oh, how I wish I could be a fly on the wall of the lunchroom when she goes on break! It’s funny how our society regulates gender so rigidly. Some pieces, like a Driver’s License or passport, make it very difficult to change. Other pieces, like a SIN card or the old red-and-white Health Card, don’t even bother to display gender at all. When someone asks for ID, most people barely even glance at “sex” because they’re focused on the name, date of birth, and picture. But when your legally-assigned sex doesn’t match your presentation, every request for ID holds the potential for embarrassment or humiliation, and feels like a gross invasion of privacy.

So why do we even ask for sex in the first place? Is it because we’re so used to putting ourselves (and others) into easily-understood boxes, and we never stop to think why these boxes exist? Is this to limit what men and women are allowed to do, and where they’re allowed to go? Does gender exist to dictate exactly what men and women are allowed to do with each other? Or is it simply a way of perpetuating the myth that there are only two biological sexes?

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 58 Transmission: Identity vs. Identification … continued (by Nikki S.) ~~~~~~

I don’t really have the answer to this question, but one thing is certain – most people are completely clueless as to what gender really means. It’s not simply about being “male” or “female,” nor is it a question of “masculine” or “feminine.” We’re all simply trying to perform our best imitation of what a “man” or “woman” is expected to be. However, the great tragedy is that nobody knows exactly what these terms really mean.

As Kate Bornstein says:

There’s no such thing as a typical man, or a typical woman – these terms change over time, and differ between cultures. There’s no perfect definition, no exact formula to “make” someone a man or woman – we’re just taking our best guess, and trying to copy the imperfect examples we see all around us.

I know that I'm not a man - about that much I'm very clear, and I've come to the conclusion that I'm probably not a woman, either, at least not according to a lot of people's rules on this sort of thing. The trouble is, we're living in a world that insists we be one or the other - a world that doesn't bother to tell us exactly what one or the other actually is.

What differentiates women from men in our society? Size? Shape? Other physical factors? Men, on average, are slightly larger than women, but there are plenty of small men and large women – there’s more variation amongst each group than there are differences between them. Long hair? Breasts? Clothes? Plenty of men grow their hair, and many develop breasts (called gynecomastia) during puberty due to hormonal overload. And fashion changes like the weather; look at clothing styles from the Renaissance, and try to picture someone dressing like that today.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 59 Transmission: Identity vs. Identification … continued (by Nikki S.) ~~~~~~

Genitalia? What about the 1-4% of the population estimated to be intersex, with some combination of male and female genitalia? And what about someone who’s genitalia is altered by other factors? Does a man, who has an accident that destroys his penis, stop being a man? Does a woman, forced to have an emergency hysterectomy, stop being a woman? Obviously not, but these scenarios prove that genitals alone cannot determine one’s gender.

What about chromosomes? This might seem like the best way to tell the sexes apart, but any doctor will tell you that we’re much more diverse than simply XX or XY. There are countless variations, including XXY, XYY, XO, XXX, XXYY, and a whole range of others. One’s karyotype (genetic makeup) doesn’t always determine their gender either.

So, without anything that defines, beyond a shadow of a doubt, exactly what a “man” or “woman” actually means, how can we determine which box we have to fit ourselves into? Or what if neither box fits?

At the end of the day, you alone can make this decision. When you were born, your doctor took a quick peek, and announced, “It’s a ______!” And from that day forth, your whole life has been dictated by those expectations. If they fit for you, and feel comfortable, then the doctor probably guessed right. But if not, then it’s up to you to decide who you are – and how you decide to identify yourself.

About the writer:

Nikki S. is a transsexual scholar and writer, attending U of T for Sexual Diversity Studies and working towards her Master’s in Counselling Psychology. Her goal is to become a psychologist specializing in assisting with gender transition, and plans to continue volunteering in GLBT and Trans organizations.

She appears regularly as a Diamond Girl Dancer at Goodhandy’s in Toronto and The Lounge in Mississauga (see Ladyplus.com for details and schedule) and can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 60 The following is a publication found on Gender Evolve. My thanks to Michele Angelique for her permission to use valuable TG information found on Gender Evolve. Please check Gender Evolve out at www.genderevolve.com

Candidly Transgender (by Brianna Austin) ~~~~~~

I was walking down Broadway -- a small group of friends in tow – when, just as I crossed West 22nd Street, I heard a voice shout, “Hey, beautiful, is that an Adam’s Apple you have”? With a chuckle I turned and saw four or five guys in their late-20s, sitting in their compact car (no doubt part of the “bridge-and-tunnel-crowd” that descend upon Manhattan from New Jersey, Connecticut and the other New York boroughs each weekend) laughing as they waited for the light to change.

“Honey, that’s the least of what I have,” I said with a giggle, prompting them to laugh once more. We then engaged in a playful banter for the next few moments. Were they initially laughing at me? Perhaps, though I wasn’t sure, but, now, they were laughing with me. As the light changed they pulled off with a parting, “you’re pretty cool, have a great night!” And so I did.

Since I had walked out of the closet so many years ago, encounters like these have become a regular occurrence for me. I don’t necessarily go looking for them; but it’s pretty hard not to find them when you’re walking down the street in a pink, spaghetti strap, Gucci mini-dress and matching spiked sandals. And though things don’t always go so smoothly, I have to say that most times they do.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 61 Candidly Transgender … continued (by Brianna Austin) ~~~~~~

For all the remarks that are aimed at me, I never took any of it too seriously. Several of my friends were offended at the Adam’s Apple remark, and given the chance would have opted for a simple, “Fuck you,” or some other aggressive response. Many of the guys who are arrogant with TG girls are often insecure within themselves to start with, making for a potentially explosive situation. So, when met with head on anger it is a breeding ground for physical confrontation. Leaving me to wonder why any TG would risk the possibility of physical harm as their first course of action? What purpose could such an action provide?

Even if I had taken an aggressive stance, met a physical confrontation head on, and emerged victorious, what is the prize? The odds are higher that I would have ruined my new shoes rather than changed anyone’s views about me. Not to mention that the rest of the evening I would have been all worked up emotionally, only to have me right back where it all started anyway. That’s not to say that I take everything that comes along, because sometimes, you just have to stand your ground. But I at least try to give the antagonist a way out, by trying to ease the tension first. If it doesn’t work, then sometimes you have to decide your next option. In fact later that same night, outside of Centro Fly, the club we were en route to, another fellow yelled out from his SUV, as he was waiting to park.

Again – with a smile – I found myself in a verbal banter; however, this time was different. This guy was hostile and arrogant. The more my remarks brought laughs from his friends, the angrier he became. But, I never downgraded him; I only made light of the situation. It is easy to keep a lighthearted mood if you don’t allow people under your skin. By realizing that their words don’t define you, but only them, makes that easier to do. Someone calling me a freak, fairly or jerk doesn’t necessarily make me those things; but does define them for saying it. With every insult he threw, I tossed back something light and easy, until finally, when he had been verbally out jousted long enough, he screamed, “ I’m gonna kick your ass fagot!”

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 62 Candidly Transgender … continued (by Brianna Austin) ~~~~~~ What was I to do? My friends were quite stunned when I reached down and took my shoes off, looked at him and quietly said, “OK, come on. But, keep in mind that how bad a beating I give you will depend on how dirty you get my dress.” He stood there a long minute, absorbing the words, and finally, cracked a smile and started to laugh. And that was that. Maybe he realized how ridiculous the whole affair was, or perhaps he suddenly realized that had he lost, his friends would never have let him live it down. Still, right until the very end, I kept offering him a way out through humor, and just in time, he took it. Confronting someone is always a last resort however, and only if you’re confident you can handle the situation. Otherwise just walk away: use your head, not your ego. Believe me, I have walked away from many hostile situations where I felt that I was in danger.

For the most part I have found that being candidly transgender disarms people. Straight guys love to yell, “You’re a guy,” or something to that effect. But, when you shrug it off as though “Your point being,” what else is there really left for them to say? Their punch line came and went, and had no affect. When they then know that you know that they know, everyone is more comfortable. That doesn’t imply abusing yourself for their sake, but rather making light of the obvious. There are times when being TG can be funny, and onlookers shouldn’t be expected to pretend that something out of “their” ordinary hasn’t occurred. When someone yells out, “Hey, you’re a guy,” that’s an observation not necessarily an insult. And even if it is first intended to be, most people would chuckle when my friend Dahlia would counter, “Thanks for reminding me, I had almost forgotten.”

In the end, we are new to people in the mainstream, and many, especially young straight guys, are intimidated and insecure. So, to cover it up, they try their hand at an insult for laughs. Our society breeds contempt and insult: watch any of the late night talk shows. So I say, there is too much drama in the world already, so why add to it. Does it make you feel better to be hostile to make a statement? Get over it, and make your point by example: live and let live with a smile. Even if the other person is a little slow to grab the idea, usually they’ll realize how silly they are acting in time. Besides, wouldn’t you rather be trying on a new pair of shoes?

Until next time, get out, be safe, and always think pretty! Brianna Austin

Brianna Austin is a free-lance writer for Jazz Review Magazine, Glide Magazine, TgForum.com, and Girls Club Reporter, and previously contributed to Lady Like Magazine, Tg Community news, and Girl Talk Magazine. She can be reached at: www.briannaaustin.big step.com Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 63 Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 64 Transgendered Conferences and Getaways Ok, you’re a TGirl and you want to go out as a girl and be part of the community. Here is a listing of some of the conferences and getaways available that are designed for TGirls! We take no responsibility regarding the places listed, but they are or have been known to be designed for and accepting of TGirls.

If you know of conferences/getaways that are TG-friendly, please let me know at [email protected] Thanks!

•January: First Event Eastern , MA http://www.tcne.org •January: TGSF Cotillion/Annual Debutante Ball San Francisco, CA http://www.tgsy.org/events/cotillion.html •February: Colorado Gold Rush Denver, CO http://www.gicofcolo.org/cgr/ •April: Transgender Philadelphia, PA http”//transeventsusa.org/ifge/index.shtml •April: California Dreamin San Jose, CA http://www.california-dreamin.org/ •April: Diva Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV http://www.geekbabe.com/div/ •April: Eureka En-Femme Getaway Eureka Springs, AK http://www.femmegetaway.com/index.html •May: Esprit Port Angeles, WA http://www.espritconf.com/index.php •May: Be-All Chicago, IL http://www.be-all.org/ •June: Sparkle Manchester, UK http://www.sparkle.org.uk/ •September: Southern Comfort Conference Atlanta, GA http://www.scatl.org/

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 65 Transgendered Conferences and Getaways Ok, you’re a TGirl and you want to go out as a girl and be part of the community. Here is a listing of some of the conferences and getaways available that are designed for TGirls! We take no responsibility regarding the places listed, but they are or have been known to be designed for and accepting of TGirls.

If you know of conferences/getaways that are TG-friendly, please let me know at [email protected] Thanks!

•October: Defying Gravity Conference Louisville, KY http://www.transfamilydefyinggravity.net/programming.htm •October: Fantasia Fair Provincetown, MA http://www.fantasiafair.org •October: GLBTIQ Conference Worcester, MA http://www.transcendingboundaries.org/ •November: Tri-Ess Holiday En-Femme Location Varies http://geocities.com/tri_ess_ne/ •November: Lake Erie Gala Erie, PA http://www.eriesisters.org/ •November: Fall Harvest Omaha, NE http://fallharvest.net/

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 66 Advertisements and Opportunities Want to advertise your TG-friendly store, service, club, group, or your own personal items here? There is NO charge for this … just email the editor [email protected]@yahoo.com .

http://www.spellcosmetics.com/Home_Page.html

Elle

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 67 Advertisements and Opportunities Want to advertise your TG-friendly store, service, club, group, or your own personal items here? There is NO charge for this … just email the editor [email protected]@yahoo.com .

EnFemme Boutique is a VERY CD and GLBT friendly Ebay store. Nan is the wife of a Transgendered person, and understands how difficult it can be for some to purchase items. She started this store for CD, TV, TS and TG’s that do not go shopping in public, need help with sizing, or finding certain items. It is a place where you can find items at reasonable prices and ask questions without worry. All listing are PRIVATE listings, so no one will see what you have purchased. Most are NEW With Tags and are 70 –90% OFF Retail Prices. This is Nan’s way of supporting her spouse Amy and the T-Community.

http://stores.ebay.com/enfemme-boutique?refid=store

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 68 Advertisements and Opportunities Want to advertise your TG-friendly store, service, club, group, or your own personal items here? There is NO charge for this … just email the editor [email protected]@yahoo.com .

We're a transgender (GLBT, TG) friendly boutique. Our store is located in Las Vegas, NV, USA, where Amy and her staff provide products and personalized services to help you become "The Person You Always Wanted To Be". The Just You Family have years of experience transforming men into beautiful women.

Amy: Amy was the manager of GB2 and is now the owner. She is a GG and a wonderful supporter of TG girls of all varieties. She has a wealth of experience with amateurs and professionals and is a tremendous talent with makeup. She is one those special angels sent to help us. I will ask her if she would like to write an article for a future magazine.

Sheila: For my part I simply look after her website as the webmistress. Perhaps at some time I could also write an article (something I have done from time to time). I do want to say that you have done a wonderful job with the magazine and I look forward to reading the July issue.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 69 Advertisements and Opportunities Want to advertise your TG-friendly store, service, club, group, or your own personal items here? There is NO charge for this … just email the editor [email protected] .

Welcome to crazydaizys I carry a large selection of Sexy Shoes & Boots, Costume Footwear, Lingerie, Hosiery, Leather for Men & Women, & more! Your 1 stop shop for all your Favorite things!! I have Storewide FREE! combined Shipping! Save @ Crazy Daizys! Dont see what you are looking for? Contact me! I am still in the process of stocking my store. Thank you for your patience!

http://www.crazydaizys.com/servlet/StoreFront

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/hide.sleek/hs_menu.htm

Hide and Sleek is a wonderful online shop with 2 physical store locations in Scotland as well. Owned and run by Loraine (a gg) and also sponsors the Miss TV Scotland pageant every year.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 70 Advertisements and Opportunities Want to advertise your TG-friendly store, service, club, group, or your own personal items here? There is NO charge for this … just email the editor [email protected] .

http://Glamourboutique.com

The Glamour Boutique is a terrific TG store. The original retail location is in Auburn, MA and now has a Las Vegas retail locations! You can also order online. Can’t say enough about this lovely store! A discount is available to Pretty TGirls members and to visitors of my personal website!

http://Crazy4clipons.com

Crazy 4 Clipons is a terrific online place to discreetly buy clip on earrings at a very reasonable price. They have a large variety to choose from and love to have TG customers! A discount is available to Pretty TGirls members and to visitors of my personal website!

http://www.FemmeFever.com

FemmeFever : Karen has developed a wonderful site and TG resource! Along with coordinating many TG events in the lower NY area, she has a store full of shopping opportunities online.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 71 Advertisements and Opportunities Want to advertise your TG-friendly store, service, club, group, or your own personal items here? There is NO charge for this … just email the editor [email protected] .

Austin’s Angels … by Jamie Austin

I can’t say enough really terrific things about Jamie. Simply put, he works wonders. Careful though, he has done such a wonderful job that several girls have seen how wonderfully beautiful they can be that they have become full time girls! Jamie offers several different makeover packages … well worth every penny girls ! http://www.austinsangels.com

http://www. countessascloset.com

This is a fabulous place for GG’s and TGirls alike. Countessa is a GG, former model, and a terrific supporter of the Transgendered Community ! There is an online store and a physical location in Studio City, California. More to follow about this great Lady and her offerings.

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 72 Advertisements and Opportunities Want to advertise your TG-friendly store, service, club, group, or your own personal items here? There is NO charge for this … just email the editor [email protected] .

http://www.weaveofdreams.com Weave of Dreams is a terrific is a very new online TG store carrying many items for us TGirls.It is run by Carol Deanna. It is worth the visit !

AngelWings Designs by Mary Beth You really should checkout Mary Beth’s products. She hand sews everything and has lovely lingerie items and dresses, plus she is a doll and very supportive of us TGirls !

http://www.angelwingsdesigns.com

Pretty TGirls Magazine – December 2008 page 73 Crossword Answers

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