Dina’s Diner 12/17/18

SELLING THE SIZZLE, NOT THE STEAK

Nikita Dragun

Many news outlets carried the words of the Victoria’s Secret executive who shot down the idea of trans models for their “Angels” fashion show. The company’s rep, Ed Razek also dismissed plus size models’ participation in the show, saying, “I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.”

I saw that some news sites covered an internet celebrity named Nikita Dragun’s response to the controversy. Ms. Dragun is a 22 year old American trans makeup artist, and “beauty guru” on YouTube. Ms. Dragun’s posted response started with this question: “How’s this for fantasy, Victoria’s Secret?” The UK’s Daily Mail newspaper reported, “She models a white lingerie set and wings and poses in an empty mansion to Christmas music.” TGForum’s TWIT feature had the full video in the December 10 edition. Nikita had this to say: “Every single woman is beautifully unique, and the sexiest thing she can do is own her curves, embrace her differences, and stand tall.” The Mail article further reported that “Nikita has been open and honest about her transition on YouTube, recently revealing she has had ‘everything done’ in terms of her surgeries.”

As you can see from the photo, it would be very difficult to identify Nikita Dragun as anything other than a very beautiful woman — whether she’s in the Victoria’s Secret show or not. It would have been even more interesting if Nikita (or another trans beauty) had been chosen as a model but had not had ‘everything done’ in terms of surgeries and let the viewers make their own minds up about the “fantasy” element in the Angels show.

As the old saying goes, “Sell the sizzle, not the steak.”

WHEN HE WAS TWELVE… IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR

Nes

I saw an article online about a twelve year old crossdressing “internet sensation.” The article appeared on the website “Daily Advent Nigeria” on November 12, 2018. Our TGForum TWIT feature mentioned it from a different news source in the December 3, 2018 edition also.

The article was short so I will transcribe here most of the content:

“A 12-year-old child from Thailand has made sense of how to accomplish fame and make enough money to produce his family a house by displaying his makeup and cross-dressing aptitudes on Instagram. Nes, a boy from Thailand’s Phang-Nga region, purportedly begun playing with his mom’s cosmetics at an extremely youthful age. However, as opposed to discouraging him, his parents upheld his hobby, as well as begun giving him tips. Today, the 12-year-old has more than 280,000 fans on Instagram alone and can bolster his family by posting cosmetics instructional exercises and photographs of himself cross-dressing as a young lady on the well-known social media app. Despite the fact that Nes isn’t the only boy posting cosmetics instructional videos on the web, what separates him is his capacity to utilize his abilities to make himself resemble a young lady. He regularly presents in gorgeous dresses, wearing great wigs, eyelashes and expertly done cosmetics. Nes’ abilities have not just earned him a huge number of steadfast fans on Instagram, yet in addition lucrative promotional campaigns and invites to galas, both in Thailand and countries abroad, such as China.”

As you can see, Nes is a talented young beauty. This new breed of YouTube and Instagram cosmetic tutors and practitioners (particularly adolescent males and females) have channeled their energies into wielding makeup brushes, etc. as other kids have mastered their video game controllers. And it’s nice to see that kids are able capitalize on the “influencer” economy to help their families financially.

I guess if you are a twelve year old boy and using cosmetics to appear to be not just feminine but older and over-the-top glamorous, the images will leave the underlying schoolboy far behind. In fairness, Nes has some photos that show him in mostly male mode or in an androgynous state. But let’s face it: some of the images are presented in a way that most people would criticize severely if a young genetic girl was involved. So, we are somewhat torn. If Nes’ experience as a crossdressing cosmetics “internet sensation” is empowering and personally and financially rewarding, should it be viewed against older-fashioned societal norms?

IT’S A TIGHT FIT

Winter time is not a great time for girl-watching — compared, say, to warmer seasons. One of the bright spots, however, is young women wearing stretch leggings under the hems of their parkas and bulky winter outerwear.

Leggings in winter.

There is something about the silhouette of a sleek pair of leggings supporting the heavily winterized torso of a young woman that I find particularly appealing. If the winter jacket is short enough to reveal the curvature of a shapely booty, so much the better, but this is not necessary.

During a recent rise in temperatures to the balmy 60s, the shopping centers were filled with women still wearing their winter leggings without the cover up of quilted or wooly coats. The result was a parade of lovely, Spandex®-wrapped bottoms to-ing and fro-ing from stores to cars and vice versa. Ah, the glories of a false Spring.

For any crossdressers reading this (caught you!), leggings could also work for us. A nicely built male leg works well in tights. The only caveat would be to cover the fanny area because males are not blessed with the natural curve of hip and derriere of our female counterparts. That having been said, I always wondered if male figure skaters were padding their bottoms (against falls, perhaps?) because so many of the slim young men have feminine bubble butts rounding out their stretchy tight slacks.

Padding?

But back to the ladies. As I contemplate the issue of the leggings silhouette mentioned at the beginning of this item, I wonder if the appeal of the bulky-to-slim look is simply one of contrast or is it a facsimile of a masculine shape (broad torso, slim stems) that ties into the crossdressing urge in the subconscious. Wow, too deep, maybe. Let’s just leave it and say I love women in tight pants.

COUSIN IT, IS THAT YOU?

Kreatur costumes.

I saw a dance review in The New York Times Arts section dated November 5, 2018. The photo of the dancers’ costumes in the review caught my attention. In one of the pieces for Kreatur, the dancers are wearing a fuzzy full body covering.

The “fuzzy” material is actually “laser-cut steel” according to the Times review. It likens the visual effect to “the downy white threads that sprout on a dandelion after its yellow petals fall away.” I thought the outfits were reminiscent of a techno Cousin It costume from The Addams Family.

But I like it a lot. With its voluminous puffiness it’s like a full body wig. I don’t care for the bare legs and unshod feet of the dancers but with some shimmery hosiery and stiletto heels, this would be a great fetish outfit. And what a lovely Kreatur you would be.

THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE

I started watching a couple of afternoon shows on ESPN recently and developed a mini-crush on sports reporter Mina Kimes. Mina guests on the shows Highly Questionable and Around the Horn where she provides commentary on daily sports events and all the surrounding hoopla of sports.

Mina Kimes making a point.

I am impressed by all these ESPN talking heads for how much sports dope they are able to stay current with and provide instant analyses on NFL games and strategies, NBA player dramas, NHL rivalries, and still keep all the NCAA teams also in their sights. Mina has a lot of hot takes on the world of sports and I was wondering how a young woman ever got so much sports knowledge. (Yes, it’s sort of a holdover from my upbringing that surprises me when women are into sports.) And, as every fellow says about his ideal mate: she has a great sense of humor, not least about herself. There are online videos commemorating the funny facial expressions she makes on the shows.

These are edited entries from Mina’s ESPN biography: “Kimes graduated summa cum laude from Yale University with a bachelor of arts in English. Prior to ESPN, Kimes was an investigative reporter for Bloomberg News (2013) and a business writer for “Fortune” magazine (2007-13). A two-time finalist for the Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting, Kimes also earned numerous awards for business and investigative journalism. She was the inaugural recipient of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers prize, honoring journalists under age 30. Other organizations that have recognized her work include the New York Press Club, the National Press Club, and the Asian American Journalists Association.”

In my research into the estimable Mrs. Kimes (she’s married!), I discovered that mine is not the only mini-crush out in cable television land. Discussion boards on a number of sites are filled with fanboys of the lovely Mina . She’s got that smart, hip, cute thing going on and she can obviously talk jock even though she doesn’t look particularly athletic herself.

As much as guys like to talk sports, I once found myself with a very pretty (and somewhat famous) crossdresser from North Jersey and we spent most of our time talking about the New York Jets who had just hired the former coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Boy, was that a wasted conversation! Sports convo can cut both ways, see?

I have to admit even to myself that I probably couldn’t hang with Mina. She’s probably smarter than me about more than just sports; quicker and wittier about everything around us. Pretty, smart, funny, sports-minded…and married to someone else. Isn’t that what all guys want?

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Tags: crossdressing, featured, opinion, Transgender

Category: Transgender Fun & Entertainment