Dina’s Diner 9/18/23

TWITS INDEED

I was looking at last week’s Twit Awards feature here on TGForum by Cecilia Barzyk. As is common in the Twit Awards, there were a few cases of fear-mongering anti-trans hysteria that has wormed its way into the minds of some people.

There is so much about the anti-trans hysteria that is based on wrong information, unfounded fears, poor terminology, and run-of-the-mill small mindedness that it’s hard to know where to start to criticize it. But I have noticed a few common threads in the anti-trans hysteria that are worth noting.

One of my favorite (least favorite?) assumptions that underpin the hysteria is that young children or adolescents or even adults might ‘go trans’ in response to trendiness, or to take advantage of physical athletic prowess, or gain entrance to women’s restrooms. I can’t imagine a more difficult thing for a person to reveal about themselves than that they have transgender feelings. To think someone would frivolously ‘come out’ for a reason that is hardly worthy of a sitcom plot is beneath consideration. But consider it, many have.

The other maddening development is the idea of “grooming.” The word has become a cliché and those who bandy it about are clearly not using critical thinking skills. There is a pushback phrase, “Not a Drag Queen” when people online post stories of factual and actual child predators who are, yes, not drag queens. In fact, a surprising number of those accused are ministers, local politicians, and other supposedly upstanding citizens. And of that set, many are on record as supporters of anti-trans initiatives.

A decade or so ago, the debate about legalizing gay marriages was also fear-mongered as the gateway to normalizing pedophilia and bestiality. None of that happened. So it seems those same forces have glommed onto the transgender issue to have a platform to say ‘No’ to something.

It depresses me to think of so many people falling prey to anti-trans hysteria. I can’t help but think something will turn it around because I have a strong feeling we only hear from the loudest mouths with an agenda of their own.

TIGHTS MAKE RIGHT

Amid the hoopla and news coverage of Taylor Swift’s blockbuster summer concert tour, I was brought back to a question I have wondered about many times. Why do women music performers like Taylor Swift and Beyonce wear fishnet tights while performing onstage?

I found an article on Cosmopolitan.com, the online version of the famous women’s magazine, that was on the same track. It was headlined How Do Pop Stars Like Taylor Swift Make Their Legs So Shiny Onstage? An Investigation. It was dated all the way back in September of 2019. As coincidence would have it, the author, Emma Baty, was also prompted to ask her question by the appearance of Taylor Swift who was promoting a new album four years ago.

Ms. Baty was particularly interested in the sheen on Taylor’s long legs. The secret (which should have been fairly obvious) was that Taylor and her contemporaries wear shiny tights beneath fishnet tights. According to the article, “Beyoncé once said on The View that she wears four pairs at once when she’s performing because she has to keep things tight.” Besides the sheen provided by the tights, the compression of professional grade tights keep the legs and thighs in form. No jiggly thighs, or sweaty calves to be seen under the bright lights. By the way, these fishnet tights are by Capezio, the dancewear brand, and run about $30 a pair. The professional grade sheer tights by Wolford can run as high as $60.

Beyonce in Fishnets

But that anecdote still begged the question of why the ladies wear fishnet tights ATOP the shiny sheer tights. One of Beyonce’s dance captains said, “We usually wear nude fishnets. Fishnets blend a little bit better and look a little more natural. Your skin still comes through enough to make it look like you could be bare-legged, but you’re not. They’re still tough enough and tight enough to contain and suck it all in.” It seems from her answer that the fishnets act as a kind of diffuser to tone down the sheen of the nude tights and make the legs appear more natural. Oftentimes, the fishnets are spangled with sequins or metallic thread to provide a little extra glam to the gams.

I wrote an item about the history of fishnets several months ago. They have had a va va voom factor for me ever since I was old enough to be conscious of beautiful women. It’s interesting to know, now, that they have a functional purpose (besides nudging my libido) to make beautiful legs even more beautiful.

SNEAKIN’ AROUND

In late August, the students in our local college came flooding back to town. I was taking advantage of the August weather to read on a campus bench a few times during the beginning of their Fall semester. It’s always a good place for a fellow (could be anyone, not necessarily me) to enjoy the warm weather, read a book, enjoy the ambiance of tree-shaded campus lanes, and the passing parade of (what were once called) coeds.

Chuck Taylor Converse sneaks.

I noticed what I think might be a little-known social trend in the making. As I watched the young women pass, I noticed after a while that none of them were wearing flip flops. They were almost unanimously wearing sneakers. I should add that these were not running shoes but sneakers: white, seemingly new, basketball style Nikes (or other brands) and a few old school canvas Chuck Taylor Converse brand sneakers. Eventually I saw a few young women in summer sandals but literally no flip flops to be seen.

I must confess that I have never been a fan of the ubiquitous flip flops (or slides) that have dominated the warm weather footwear scene for many years previously. It made me smile inside (maybe even on the outside a little bit) to see so many young women in clean sneakers. Maybe it’s the arch support in sneakers but the women’s legs looked better than they ever did in flip flops.

I don’t know if this trend (if it truly is a trend) can benefit crossdressers. I can’t see any true blue crossdresser giving up high heels or even fashionable flats for sneakers. A friend of mine recently sent a photo of her jogging as her femme self with sneakers (running shoes). Sneakers would be good for those who participate in Pride parades to cushion miles of walking on city streets. And I guess if someone is putting together a funky or eclectic outfit, sneakers might lend a bit of whimsy to the finished product.

The idea of college women (and all women) walking around in sneakers put me in mind of the workout video craze of the 1980s. Jane Fonda, Denise Austin, Kathy Smith, and countless others all leotarded and pantyhosed, above gleaming white Reeboks. All we need now is a rebirth of terry cloth sweatbands and loose-fitting legwarmers.

I tried to research this to see if I was correct in my trendspotting. Alas, I could not confirm my observations with hard facts. I even consulted the Footwear News website to see if they were ballyhooing a rebirth of athletic footwear for young women. There are plenty of articles about new sneaker styles for women but no reporting on a new trend in that direction.

No matter. If stock in Nike or Adidas takes off, send your comments to me in care of Club Med, which is where I’ll be after betting my retirement dough on sneaker companies capitalizing on this trend. Ironically, most of the tourists at Club Med will not be wearing sneakers, they will probably be. . . wearing flip flops.

JEEPERS CREEPERS WHERE’S YOUR PEEPERS?

Looking spec-tacular.

I wear glasses in my non-Dina life. My contact lenses can’t quite match the vision I get with glasses but I’ve never seriously thought of using specs while dressed.

It’s a little frustrating. Putting my contacts in is the last step in the Dina-fication process. So I have worn my everyday glasses at times while I’m getting made up and dressed. The glasses do alter the overall look of your face. Not necessarily in a bad way, either.

The Reddit.com Crossdresssing boards have a lot of photo posts of gurls asking for comments on the “with’ or ‘without’ of eyeglasses. Christy Lewis had a column about wearing eyeglasses here on TGForum in October 2020. I found similar articles with advice about eyeglasses for crossdressers on other sites with a Google search. One poster somewhere was in favor of glasses for the simple reason it is yet another accessory to play with for the transformation process.

Maybe she has a point. Glasses might be an interesting addition to our overall look if you need correction for your eyesight. It can’t hurt and it might make us look spec-tacular.

TWO FOR THE SHOW

I found the photograph here on a Pinterest.com feed a few weeks ago. It struck a chord within me although I have no idea who the women are, what they are doing, or why they are dressed as they are. And that is sort of the fun of it.

It would appear to be a photo taken in the 1950s judging by the hairstyles, eyeglasses, and background furniture. The matching uniforms suggest they are performers of some sort. Perhaps they have an act that includes the dog in it. Animal acts were popular in the mid-20th century. Are they sisters? One is smiling quite nicely, the other seems somewhat severe. Is there a European flavor to the women and the setting? Or is it right here in the U.S. of A.?

The other element I find intriguing about the photo is that the women are not beautiful in the show biz sense of the word. But they have great legs and slim (dancer’s?) bodies. If they weren’t wearing their innocently sexy costumes and high heels you might not look at them twice. They both give off what I call ‘homely sexy’ vibes. I wrote about that in a previous Diner.

Well, you can invent any number of backstories to explain this photograph. I’ve run through a couple myself and tried out names for each of the ladies. It’s possible they are still alive in their late 70s or 80s. Their adult children and grandchildren all know that Gram had it going on during the Eisenhower administration. If anyone wants to send your invented storyline for these two sweethearts, I’d love to hear them. As for myself, I need to stop looking at this photo because I’m starting to fall hard for ‘Rosalie’ (she’s the one in the glasses).

Tags: featured, opinion, Transgender

Category: Opinion, Transgender Fun & Entertainment