January Meeting

Well, I had felt that this program could go either way. Carol Ann had told me that her presentation was on “What the beginning Cross-Dresser Should Not Do”. As I said in the last newsletter "If this is anything like she said it would be, it should be a lot of fun".

As it turned out, it was nothing like what I expected. I had asked at a meeting several months back if everyone felt this would be an acceptable program, as I had some reservations. Since I was not feeling well, and did not stay for the end, I do not know if she ever got around to the subject that I was looking forward to. I did feel that some of what she did while I was there was not in good taste.

I can only say that I am sorry if anyone else was upset by this and try harder in the future to avoid a repeat of this type of program.

March Meeting

Get out you best cloths, get you makeup done, and get the best hair out. March will be a photo opportunity. All who wish will get their portraits taken by Simone. We are taking a second meeting room for the night so there will be none of the crowding that we had last time.

The details will be discussed at the next meeting and will be published in the next newsletter.

June Picnic on JULY 5

The picnic will have to be moved this year as there is a conflicting program at the church. The easiest thing was to move it back one week. This would avoid having to change the hotel reservations. As this is the date of the Ren meeting at the church, and they are invited anyway, this seemed the best solution.
NO JUNE MEETING THIS YEAR

Ronnie

Ronnie underwent a quadruple by-pass on Feb.5. At first all seemed well, however had problems on Friday and Saturday. She had a defibrillator and/or pacemaker implant on Feb 11 and came home on Feb. 13.

Pat - Sick at Meeting

Back to the E.R. again after the meeting. What at first looked like a heart problem turned out to be a virus. She is well and filled in for Debbie at the Ren. Meeting on Feb. 1. She hopes to remain well but has some doubts.

Girls Night Out

Anyone wishing information about future NIGHT OUT events and dates should contact Alice.

Yes, a Compliment

Recently at a program advising transgendereds to dress like Children if they wish to wear miniskirts (so they will appear to be acting a part, as older men in short skirts will not pass), I told a member of the audience that a genetic female remarked that I look like a middle aged woman. "Is that a compliment?" the listener asked. Yes, it is. If I look my natural age as a female, I can pass, blend in, or whatever you call it. Even if people read me, they will not say anything. I look like a dignified, well dressed professional matron. Though I never married, had I done so, my wife would probably be like me, middle aged. Some men like and chase "sweet, young things." It is nice to have young women as friends. But looking and dressing like a middle aged woman means acceptance of what I would be at my 59 years (old to some) were I a woman, and probably of the wife I would have were I married. The woman who told me that I have little trouble passing because I act and dress my age noted that the female image of many MtF transgendereds is that of a teenager. Many transgendereds have difficult adolescences. I am no exception to this rule. It is simply that my female image of myself has progressed with age. Dressing up like an adolescent girl, or worse yet, like Shirley Temple, is no solution to a bad adolescence. I wonder if middle aged men who dress up like teenage girls suffer from gender or age dysphoria. Doing so may subject a cross dressed male to ridicule by adolescents. I went en femme with two couples (both husbands were en femme, too) on a river cruise. After dinner, we went out on deck. I went up a deck higher, looking down upon the two couples. I was standing in the midst of a group of adolescent males. One of the two transwomen always wears miniskirts. I listened to the boys make fun of my miniskirted friend. She always stands out and draws comments. Perhaps the boys took me to be a middle aged Amazon.

HELP! WITH NEWSLETTER

For those who know me, this might come as a surprise, but I could use some help with articles for the newsletter. Simply email anything to me that might be of interest. Please keep it to about one half of a page as I do not have the time to edit and I can not put long articles in the newsletter.

Fifth Saturdays

Pat has been running a night out in the Bethlehem, PA area for over a year. The routine involves just meeting at a Chinese Buffet for dinner at about 8:00 P.M. and staying until about 9:30. The Buffet closes around 10:00 P.M. You will have to arrive dressed, as there is no changing facility available at this time. The typical cost is about $13.00 and entertainment after the dinner is almost non-existent. If you are interested, contact Pat at the chapter email.