PrettyPretty TGirlsTGirls MagazineMagazine August 2006 AnAn interviewinterview withwith MandyMandy TaylorTaylor 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 Pastel, 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 and notices are appreciated and welcomed for review ! PrettyPretty TGirlsTGirls MagazineMagazine August 2006 Edition Welcome to the July edition … Take pride and joy with being a TGirl ! Table of contents: ¾Cover Girl Mandy Taylor ¾Editor’s Corner - Rachel Pastel ¾Patty’s Powder Room - Patty Cakes ¾Kathy’s Korner - Kathryn Hughes ¾Mid-Summer Meanderings - Leigh Smythe ¾Being An Online Girl - Tiana Lockheart ¾Coming Out With Us - Michele Angelique ¾Transgendered Word Jumble ¾A Upcoming TG Events ¾Advertisements and newsy items ¾Our Miss August 2006 Cover Girls ¾Our August 2006 Calendar Magazine courtesy of the Pretty TGirls Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/prettytgirls An Interview With Mandy Taylor Question: When did you first start crossdressing? Mandy: I started dressing around 5 years of age, trying on the girls coats in nursery. Question: Describe your early experiences dressing as a girl. Mandy: The earliest memories, and reasons for dressing were a comfort thing, the feeling of the different materials was lovely. After that, from the age of 7-8 it was more of a thrill. 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? Mandy: I didn’t start using make-up until I left home, aged 17 Once I started ,though, I seemed to know what to do straight away , whether I had sub-consciously watched my mother and sister , or because I am an artist , I don’t know. I do now watch how girls do their make-up in mags , but that’s because I want a certain look rather than how to do it. I use cheap make-up, because …… I’m poor (awwwww) so I find Collection 2000 great. Question: If you had your choice, what do like wearing the most when being a girl? Answer: I adore my mini’s, I have about 65 now!! But basically , anything ultra fem but not ‘ flouncy’. Oh God!!! Boots too, love them !! (continued on page 2) Pretty TGirls Magazine - August 2006 (page 1) An Interview With Mandy Taylor … 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? Mandy: Happily married to my wife Joanne, just celebrated our 15th wedding Anniversary. I’m 38, not sensitive about my age, just sour that I didn’t become public YEARS ago!! Virtually everyone knows about me except some of the younger children in the family, but my own 9yo son met Mandy in March of this year , and he loves it!! I am English, born and bred, living all my life(so far) in London. Question: Do you have a website of your own you'd like to share with our readers? Do you want to receive email from our readers? If so, what is your email address? Mandy: My site is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lilboutique/ I’d love to hear from your readers, so if you fancy a chat mail me at [email protected] 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. Mandy: I’ve only been going out at all in the last 8 months, a total of 9 times now. My first time was thanks to an admirer who offered to take me to the Way Out Club , in London, my face ached for 3 days where I grinned all night , it was a world I had never seen before, but one I knew I was a part of immediately. (continued on page 3) Pretty TGirls Magazine - August 2006 (page 2) An Interview With Mandy Taylor … 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? Mandy: I haven’t ‘purged’ as such, except a few times , years ago, I threw all my things out to avoid being found out. I never stopped, just threw my wife off the scent for a while. Question: What percentage of time do you spend as a girl? Mandy: Nowadays, since my son was told I dress about 60-75% of the time. Question: Have you ever considered moving towards becoming more of a girl physically with options like hormones, feminisation surgery, breast enhancements, or SRS? Mandy: I would like to take my feminisation further, but will not do so , because I would lose my wife and son. This is not an option. Question: Do you feel more like a boy or a girl now and why? Mandy: I feel more like a girl now, as the barriers are down , I can be myself, and that self is feminine. Question: Have you ever dated or wanted to date another TGirl or a man? Mandy: No, I am monogamous, no-matter which sex. Question: Do you have any advice for other TGirls, especially ones that have yet to venture out as a girl? Mandy: My advice would be to do it in your own time, and only if you are sure it is for you. I feel there is too much pressure to ‘go out’ , so much so that many girls do it in a blind panic and put themselves at risk. Only do it if you are sure its for you, you have nothing to prove, being a girl is within, you can be just as fem curled up in front of the telly as in a club strutting your stuff. (continued on page 4) Pretty TGirls Magazine - August 2006 (page 3) An Interview With Mandy Taylor … continued Question: How is your life now as a TGirl? What's gone well and not so well? Mandy: The last year has been amazing, since I have gone public I have met so many wonderful people. Its not all plain sailing , there are some nasty pieces of work out there who relish putting other girls down , but that is their problem , not mine. My magazine is another shock to me as it was mostly unplanned. I just wanted my Yahoo group to have something different, so I started Narcisse, it’s grown far beyond anything I could have dreamt, so that’s a huge bonus, but the most precious thing to me is the acceptance from my son, that was, to me , the biggest hurdle. Question: Anything else you'd like to say? Answer: To all the girls I’ve met , and to all those yet to meet , in me you have a friend, just shout xx Pretty TGirls Magazine - August 2006 (page 4) Editor’s Corner – Rachel Pastel Personal Website: http://rachelpastel.com Welcome to our issue for August 2006! My comments this month are very brief …I’ve been a very busy girl I guess! There are so many TG events going on in August and September, you really should check some of them out I have listed towards the end of our magazine. Attending an event that is Transgendered-specific is a great way to feel comfortable going out as the girl we all are on the inside. A great way to make friends, share stories, and realize that we are normal and acceptance of the TG community continues to improve with each day. For me, my first outing as a girl beyond walking outside and driving around, was a CtView meeting. CtView is a terrific TGirl group that has monthly meetings in New Haven, CT (USA). It wasn’t that long ago believe it or not. May 2004 was when I ventured to my first meeting. Before that time, I only ventured out driving or walking in areas where I knew I wouldn’t run into but a couple people here and there. I stumbled across the CtView (short for Connecticut View) group by accident after exchanging a few emails with a member, Gina (in the photo here, far left). I was hailing from Manchester, CT (well, I called that home the rare times I wasn’t working/traveling). The meetings were held in New Haven, CT … not too far away. Gina sort of talked me into going to a meeting, so I got all dressed up, got in my car, and began driving to the meeting. (continued on page 6) Pretty TGirls Magazine - August 2006 (page 5) Editor’s Corner – Rachel Pastel Personal Website: http://rachelpastel.com I got into the parking lot and, as many girls can probably relate to, sat in my car for a few minutes wondering if I should go in or not. I eventually got out of may safe haven (my car) and went into the building. I went up the elevator and went into the meeting room. To my surprise, I was greeted with open arms by several other TGirls.! The instant feeling of acceptance was so terrific. Being accepted as a girl by others like me.