Our Columbian correspondent and Princess of the Night Katherine Diaz files another report on the trans scene in Bogotá. In today’s blog she talks about getting stuck inside on a rainy night in the city but finds that she meets interesting and stimulating people. People like the trans woman who is running for office. Read her blog and practice your Spanish and watch the accompanying video about Senorita Diaz’s rainy night.
Welcome to Dina’s Diner! The coffee is always brewing. Dina has specials of the day, and there’s pie! Today’s specials include Dina’s commentary on Tasi Zuriack’s commentary on how the umbrella term “transgender” has started to push out crossdressers and only apply to those who are going to transition. Then she has thoughts on all the kids who are reporting that they are trans, musings on pre-teen drag queens, and the trials and tribulations of being a working drag performer. For dessert she offers some thoughts on the royals depicted in The Crown. Take a seat at the counter or hop into a booth. Time to eat your fill at Dina’s Diner!
How many times have you been around other people who were joking or commenting negatively on a trans person they have seen? Our guest contributor Sophia Swift gives her opinion on people who have to give their opinion when they may, without knowing it, be talking to a trans person — either someone who has transitioned, or a trans person projecting the opposite of their true self. No one should be forced to endure someone’s anti-trans statements.
Linda Jensen has been blogging about a critical time in her life. During the summer of ’68 she took some steps in a direction that could have led her down a far different road than the one she took. She could have let it define life life and said, “That’s it I’m a drag queen” or “I’m transsexual” but at the end of that fateful summer she decided to take her life in a different direction. In today’s post she tells you more about what she did in the summer of ’68.
Our Fashion Maven Tasi Zuriack takes a fashion break and writes today about crossdressing in general. She asks if crossdressers even exist. Since many of our readers identify as crossdressers we suspect that they do exist. TGForum’s official policy on crossdressers is that they exist under the transgender umbrella. They’re part of the transgender community and the Tasi points out that the word “transgender” may be causing problems for people who just like to dress up like ladies and feel pretty. Read on and see what you think.
Today Kimberly offers advice on preparing to take that big step that takes you out of your closet and into the world. Before you jump into a dress and heels and walk out the door there are some things you need to check, and some questions you need to answer. Are you ready to go public? Have you practiced being feminine? Is your outfit attractive but bland enough to blend in with the other women you will be mingling with? I you bread cover working? Have you worked on a feminine voice if someone asks you a question? If you get “read” will you run home? If people point at you and laugh will you be upset?
Lorraine Anderson, the woman in charge at The Occasional Woman custom clothing service has advice that will never leave you standing in front of your closet saying “I don’t have a thing to wear.” She suggests investing in the classic pieces of attire that can be accessorized for any occasion. From the Little Black Dress to a denim jacket, Ms. Anderson tells you what you’ll need to pull a look together.
Katherine Diaz is our correspondent in Columbia. She is a resident of Bogotá and she enjoys dressing up and walking out through the city as a Princessa de la Noche. Today she writes about that experience, how she feels so sexy as she either wanders with no fixed destination or has a particular nightclub she plans to visit. And she provides an accompanying video. Her blog is en Español.
Our new Australian correspondent offers some info on the difference between nomenclature in the LGBTQ communities of the USA and his native land. We’re all aware of some Australian terms like G’day; Sheilas; and “outback” but those are general terms used in everyday speech. How do the Shielas and Bruces in the LGBT community there chat with each other? Here’s some insight from John Storey.
Dina Amberle has stirred up a hearty stew down at Dina’s Diner. Some of the ingredients she tossed into the pot include: Scientists who have developed software that can produce the perfect woman. At least an image of one. Talk of the demise of high heels is premature. Memories of the hot ladies of drag racing. (Who could forget Jungle Pam?) Then an appreciation of the women who worked in films with Jerry Lewis, and some rumination on why there are so many body building ladies living in Dina’s town. It’s all spiced up and flavored with Dina’s special sauce. Don’t miss a good dose of Dina’s Diner!
Tasi Zuriack, our Fashion Maven, expound on the versatile and stylish sweater dress. Even those of us on the high side of fifty can work this look using some of Tasi’s tips. And no matter what your age you will love the soft feel of your sweater dress and appreciate how it makes you look great while it keeps you toasty warm. Now go on and get all the tips from Tasi so you can start working this look.
Linda Jensen is writing a series about her first foray into the TG world. With acknowledgement to the poet, Robert Frost, she has called it The Road Not Taken. Why? After a short time immersed in that world LindaI veered off the path that leads many to gender re-assignment and a life different than they could have expected if they had remained living a male life. While Linda was on that road it became a trip she will never forget. Today’s post sets the scene talking about what it was like for trans women in Toronto in the ’60s.
Today we are joined by a new contributor from Canada. Pauline Estelle is her name and she was born and raised in England where she grew up during the Second World War and began her adventure in crossdressing at the age of 12. She entered the British Royal Navy at 16 and after fourteen years she left the Navy to work in the engineering field. She and her family immigrated to Canada in 1968 and after her children were raised she began to explore crossdressing more often. Learn more about her life in this introduction blog.
Our seamstress with fashion tips, Lorraine Anderson, proprietor of The Occasional Woman custom clothing service, has some suggestions for how to dress to impress for holiday parties without buying a whole new wardrobe. Since this is Christmas Day and the majority of Christmas parties are over use the next week to prepare for your New Year’s Eve affair. You’re sure to turn heads and make an impression with Lorraine’s budget fashion tips.
Katherine Diaz writes about her evening activities in Bogota, Columbia. There is a full menu of activities for Princesses of the Night to partake of and Katherine samples the goings on at several place before walking through the rain to her usual spot. Read our Columbian correspondent’s latest report and view the accompanying video. En Espa?ol of course.
John Storey is an admirer of trans women and by his own admission a “Perverted Old Pansy.” He is from Australia where he still resides and he is our newest contributor on TGF. As a lusty youth in the 1960s John got sexual release from girlie magazines. One time while boarding with a married couple he was tempted to try on his landlady’s girdle which he took from the clothesline. He was instantly aroused. After meeting a woman through a introduction agency they married. Their sex life was not ideal and after an encounter with a transvestite prostitute John’s life changed. Some parts of his tale may offend those of a more delicate nature but while a bit graphic they are part of his life story.
Dina Amberle is always working in the Diner kitchen to whip up something tasty as a treat for TGF users. Today she has a mix of ingredients that will surely please the most discerning palette. First she stirs in some 10-year-old internet makeup whizzes who happen to be boys. Then she adds some trans history with Flawless Sabrina and Harlow. After that cools down for a few minutes she blends in some speculation on the existence of ladyboys in Vietnam back in the day, and then spices things up with “elevated” drag and an androgynous model from Holland. Oh! And a beautiful wedding gown. Take a seat at Dina’s Diner and get ready for another satisfying repast.
They say that clothes make the man. Since crossdressing is mostly centered around clothes it’s reasonable to say that clothes also make the woman. How much do different styles of attire affect us? Tasi Zuriack investigates just how clothes affect the way we feel and present ourselves to the world. She has conducted some research on which of the varied styles women have available to them that are most popular among the crossdressing community. Are you classical, everyday chic, or little girl?
In Linda’s last post she reported that one night, after her restaurant shift ended, instead of heading straight home she wandered up the street and into what turned out to be a gay bar. Upstairs was a small nightclub that turned out to be ground zero for Toronto’s drag scene. Linda met a gorgeous girl who turned out to be a guy and to make a long story short they had sex. Today she continues her story of how she reached her present life and where things might have been different if she hadn’t taken the road she chose.
Our Colombian correspondent starts her blog today in English but then returns to her native tongue to blog about her philosophy of crossdressing. And she has another video that displays her grace and beauty. For a South American take on the crossdresser’s experience give Katherine Diaz’s blog a read. Don’t read Spanish? Never fear. That’s what they created Google Translate for.
Linda is musing on the path she took in life. She asks herself “Would my life have been different if I had not worked that summer in Toronto, if I had not wandered into that drag bar and if I had not gone home with one of the most beautiful girls I had ever met? I wonder about those ‘roads not taken.’” Of course there is a story attached to the night she wandered into that drag bar. Today she tells you the first part of the story.
Every year Halloween impresario Henri David, a jeweler in Philadelphia, produces his amazing Halloween Ball at a downtown Philadelphia hotel. The Ball occurs on Halloween no matter what night of the week that holiday falls on. Attendance varies with weekend Balls getting near 3000 costumed revelers to between 1500 and 2000 on weeknights. The Ball […]
Our Retro Rerun is a how-to on foundation makeup written by then TGF editor Cindy Martin. It was published on our old website in 1996. As with all our Retro Reruns much of the advice remains applicable today. Some of the terminology is dated but that just adds some fun. The original post ran in two parts but we put them together for you today in one tidy package. Enjoy.
En Norteamérica Halloween is a big holiday for dressing up and going to costume parties, trick or treating and getting a belly ache from too much candy. While Halloween is always on the 31st of October in years such as this when it falls on Tuesday the parties are mostly all on the weekend before Halloween. It’s no different in South America. Our Columbian correspondent Katherine Diaz has a video and a blog post about the Halloween fun in Bogota. (Es en Espa?ol. To read an English translation go to Google Translate and paste in the Spanish text.)
Take a seat and order a cup of coffee down at Dina’s Diner. Today the items on the menu range from tasty observations on an admiral’s wife who caught Dina’s eye, to her take on the footwear young women are sporting, a delicious report on two drag performers who are legendary, and the way that tight, short shorts can be mesmerizing. So relax and read on for the latest specials from Dina’s Diner.
