A Safe House for the Girl Within

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
Post Reply
Bob
Barista Emeritus
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:31 pm
Location: New England

A Safe House for the Girl Within

Post by Bob »

There has been some discussion regarding the difference between us and the Tranny/Transsexual community. In that light, I found this article from the NY Times to be interesting.


September 7, 2006
A Safe House for the Girl Within

By PENELOPE GREEN

THERE was a pilot and a businessman, an accountant, a librarian and a pharmacologist. There was a newspaper publisher, and a court translator. By day, they were the men in the gray flannel suits, but on the weekends, they were Felicity, Cynthia, Gail, Sandy, Fiona, Virginia and Susanna. It was the dawn of the 1960’s, yet they wore their late 50’s fashions with awkward pride: the white gloves, the demure dresses and low heels, the stiff wigs. Many were married with children, or soon would be. In those pre-Judith Butler, pre-Phil Donahue days, when gender was more tightly tethered to biology, these men’s “gender migrations,” or “gender dysphoria,” as the sociologists began to call cross-dressing, might cost them their marriages, their jobs, their freedom.

And so they kept their feminine selves hidden, except for weekends at Casa Susanna, a slightly run-down bungalow camp in Hunter, N.Y., that was the only place where they could feel at home.

Decades later, when Robert Swope, a gentle punk rocker turned furniture dealer, came across their pictures — a hundred or so snapshots and three photo albums in a box at the 26th Street flea market in Manhattan — he knew nothing about their stories, or Casa Susanna, beyond the obvious: here was a group of men dressed as women, beautiful and homely, posing with gravity, happiness and in some cases outright joy. They were playing cards, eating dinner, having a laugh. They didn’t look campy, like drag queens vamping it up as Diana Ross or Cher; they looked like small-town parishioners, like the lady next door, or your aunt in Connecticut.

more...
Rogon
Member
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2003 10:36 pm

Post by Rogon »

Nice article, Bob, but I'm not sure it shows the differences between the two groups.
User avatar
WSmac
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 209
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2004 6:47 am
Location: Northern California(North of the Bay Area, that is)

Post by WSmac »

I can't see the pictures! :wink2:

I figure Bob found the article about someone different from him, to be interesting and felt like sharing it.
Am I close?
I didn't get the idea the point here was to show a difference.
Just to show that Crossdressing Males can be described in a very intellectual, positive manner which doesn't feed stereotypes and derision.

Thanks for the clip.
I found it interesting in an historical manner.
I like the fact that the writer seems to keep her personal feelings out of the story.

oops! I just saw the more.... at the end of the article.

Guess I have some more reading to do... :)
WSmac
Bob
Barista Emeritus
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:31 pm
Location: New England

Post by Bob »

The article doesn't show the difference between the two groups because it doesn't know we exist. For every article about skirts for men, there are about 5 articles about TG/CD stuff. It's up to us to understand the difference. Sigh...
Departed Member

Post by Departed Member »

I suppose it shows the benefit of like-minded people getting together - gaining mental strength by virtue of numbers. A tad like modern day websites(?). I would think the (then) extreme contrast in standard male/female attire may have been part of the attraction - easier to be 'someone else' (in their case of the opposite gender) and act out the (contrasting) gender roles of the times. What they were wearing (other than the presentation of such) appears to be but a small part of what they were seeking.

Maybe that illustrates the void between crossdressers/transvestites and the (individual) aims of folk here. Modern day CD/TV tend to 'stick out' like the proverbial thumb (unless they're particularly good at passing), because they wear styles/clothes from a different generation (the one depicted, for example!). The TS (or TV?) person who lives in the next street always dresses (quite smartly) in what can only be described as '50's 'maiden aunt'. Bearing in mind, a height of 6' 3" too, in today's world, that's going to (& does) attract attention, fortunately more of curiosity (or confusion!). Which is fine, of course! Their life, their choice. But still looking (in Joe Public's eyes) like a 'man in drag' despite all that.........

It doesn't 'help' those of us who just want to substitute a skirt for tr*users, although (as many here have found) it's surprising how few people do actually notice the understated knee length denim or ankle length cargo skirt (for example) if you 'ignore' the fact you're wearing it! Such reaction I've had (from my wife's best friend, say) has been along the lines of "That looks really macho!" Which is nice..........!
Bravehearts.us
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 177
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:12 pm

Post by Bravehearts.us »

gender dysphoria
Do they call it that when a woman dresses in men's clothes? Also, it would be nice if you could post these whole articles so we don't have to register at these sites to finish them. They want to know my income? That's no one's business!!
User avatar
Since1982
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 3449
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:13 pm
Location: My BUTT is Living in the USA, and sitting on the tip of the Sky Needle, Ow Ow Ow!!. Get the POINT?

Gender Dysphoria

Post by Since1982 »

Do they call it that when a woman dresses in men's clothes? Also, it would be nice if you could post these whole articles so we don't have to register at these sites to finish them. They want to know my income? That's no one's business!!
__________________
Lar
I agree wholeheartedly with Lar on this one. I've passed on seeing the "rest" of articles posted here many times because I didn't want to add more cookies to my cookie box by joining these sites. Plus they DO ask some very personal questions that really are none of their business.

Bob, I really appreciate you finding these articles for us, but I do agree also with Lar that you could give us the entire articles without sending us off on internet odysseys to find the rest of the informations.
I had to remove this signature as it was being used on Twitter. This is my OPINION, you NEEDN'T AGREE.

Story of Life, Perspire, Expire, Funeral Pyre!
I've been skirted part time since 1972 and full time since 2005. http://skirts4men.myfreeforum.org/
Bravehearts.us
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 177
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:12 pm

Post by Bravehearts.us »

Yes Skip you’ve had enough cookies and me too. Don’t they always seem to settle in the wrong places? LOL
jlhansen
Member
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:49 pm
Location: Sacramento. CA

Try using this ...

Post by jlhansen »

Bravehearts.us wrote:it would be nice if you could post these whole articles so we don't have to register at these sites to finish them.
http://www.bugmenot.com/ ... might help or maybe help others.

John
Feiyral
Junior Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2004 4:03 am
Location: US

Post by Feiyral »

BugMeNot was indeed useful. Use the login irritated5/irritated to get in without registering. Decent article. Decently long as well, which is probably why it wasn't pasted in its entirety :)

It's based on a book:
http://www.powerhousebooks.com/titles/casasusanna.html
Post Reply