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Monday, October 31, 2022

National Be Something Else Day - 2022

 This is a repost of my Halloween story.  Halloween is a sacred day for us and here is my story.  


There was a time when I was so afraid to venture out, I would get dressed in my motel room mid-afternoon and sit for hours, afraid to move. Finally, getting undressed, taking a shower and swearing, "NEXT TIME!"  
"NEXT TIME!"

Halloween, or as I referrer to it as "National Be Something Else Day", is the day many of us have used to finally escape and venture outside the closet. Be it ever so humble or crude, an exercise that was our first outing. 

Over the years on this day I typically re-post my "National Be Something Else Day" story. It was first posted in 2015 to encourage you to escape; not just on Halloween. After my first time out my world did not end and self-acceptance became the new/better me.      

_____________________


National Be Something Else Day

This is national cross dressing day; AKA Halloween. A day when we can pretend to be anything we want to be. Little boys like being a super hero. Little girls like being a princess. Then there is us. 

Delia Melody at Huffpost Voices described it this way:

"I'm not the only one who loves the excuse to play dress-up in public without the weird stares at least once a year. It's fun to pretend to be someone, or something else for a night. 

I am not going to rain on a parade so today I will tell you about my first time ever “really dressed” and going out. Something I had only fantasized about doing.  Months of planning - frequenting wig shops, boutiques, and hair salons to get makeup lessons all were part of the plan.  This was a time before electronic spreadsheets, but had they existed I am sure the engineer in me would have prepared a detail plan.  Instead, I had written checklists.  

I used "Halloween" and being out of town to solicit help, an innocent request - “My spouse wants to dress me up – so I want to know what I can look like beforehand.” was my cover story (lie). It seemed plausible and remember, this was the late 70’s.  I had barley admitted to myself I was a cross dresser and still had delusion that just seeing my self dressed “once” would cure me.  Let’s get this thing out of my system - forever. 

1984

Several makeup artists I contacted really enjoyed the process, which amazed me. There was one that was so proud of her work she went to get her boyfriend that also worked in the mall, to show him her masterpiece. I think there was a secondary motive in that she wanted to dress him up. Several insisted that we do it again and next time bring the whole “costume”, so they could see the total look. Oh darn – must I – If you insist!  After each encounter, I had pages colored in and products in little bottles with numbers that corresponded to the colors on the face sheet. 

Revelation One: Makeup was much more complicated and expensive than I ever imagined.  

The big day arrived and still out of town, I revisited my favorite make-up artist for the makeover.  She helped me get dressed and WOW.  

Revelation Two:  This was not going to be the cure.  I loved the look.  I would date the woman staring back at me from the mirror.  Where can we go?

I had studied and several upscale restaurants were having a costume party/contest so dinner with my newly unnamed friend seemed in order.  Just choose one and go.  So I drove to one of the places. Side note:  As I look back now, going everywhere, anytime and in a variety of outfits, I see that my anxiety was so unfounded.  Note to younger self – Just do it.

I had arrived early and there was still some daylight.  “I can’t go in yet.”  So I waited for a while - but saw no one else go in wearing a costume.  Cannot go here!  So I drove to the other place. Now it was dark and I was safe, but there were only a few cars in the lot.  Let’s wait until a few more show up.  After about an hour, waiting in the car, only a few arrived and none in costume. Cannot go here!  So, I drove back to the other place. Now I did see a few going in wearing a costume and it was dark.   Perfect.

1984

Cannot go in yet!  By now, nerves and anxiety had taken its toll on my makeup. Therefore, I need a quick trip back to my motel to see if I was still together. I will come back once I know I still look OK.  After a quick check, I was still together and did return to the restaurant. It was getting late by now and I was seeing people leaving in costume.  Had I missed my opportunity? 

I finally worked up enough courage to go in and sure enough the “costume walk was over”.  Prizes had already been awarded.  The host suggested that I go to the bar where several of the “costumed customers” had congregated for a final drink.  “You look great – who did your makeup?” was her comment.

With much fear, I did go and join in at the bar.  I sat down and the bartender asked without hesitation asked " ma’am what can I get you?"  I felt the need to explain everything and his comment – “This is not going to be the last time you do this, is it?”  

Revelation Three: No truer statement was ever said.


 Happy - "National Be Something Else Day".  ESCAPE!


Saturday, October 29, 2022

Today's Clean Canvas...

 What are you going to do / wear?


Tumbler


Friday, October 28, 2022

Friend's Friday - A Happy Soma Customer

I hope that I am encouraging my readers to escape and be visible. Tina wrote me about her recent escape adventure to a mall Soma Intimates Store. A bra fitting is how I started and now working part-time at Soma. The experience is wonderful.  I love my store co-workers. 

I do bra measurements on customers maybe five to ten times a day. With the Covid lockdown, many women stopped wearing bras at home or have gained/lost weight. Now that we all are venturing out again, many come into the store needing a fitting and a completely new bra makeover. Business is good and I so much enjoy working with the customers. Don't you need a new bra - Can a girl have too many?

 

Here is Tina's "Escape" experience:

My Soma Visit


I walked in to the Soma in Braintree, MA, and was greeted warmly by the sales staff. One young associate, Kaya, immediately said she loved my outfit (animal print top and denim skirt) and asked what I was looking for.  

I know I blushed slightly as I said, "I'm a little embarrassed to ask, but may I have a bra fitting?"

Kaya quickly reassured me that I didn't need to be embarrassed and that she would be pleased to help me. She led me to the back fitting rooms and I stood in one as she took her measuring tape and wrapped it around my chest.  

As she did the overbust, I quietly said, "You know these are not real", and she smiled and nodded. But then she treated me just like any other woman in the store, and I was glad to have the experience.

Her measurements came out to a 40DD, a shock to me as I believed my forms to be no more than a C. I told Kaya that I had a couple of D bras and felt that the cups wrinkled too much. She said she would bring me some 40C and 40D bras to try on in multiple styles, and I should make sure to put my top back on to see how the bra looked under clothes. I tried on four different products and picked the Embraceable Perfect Coverage bra in 40C as the one I liked the best. I had a mocha color and wanted to find another, as the sale was BOGO 50% off. She came out to the racks with me and pointed me towards a light pink that I liked. After we found my size, I happily went up to the register with her and she rang up the bras. They were a little pricey, even with the sale, but the overall experience was well worth it.  

As Kaya handed me the bag, I gave her a big hug in gratitude for her help.  


Tina 

Tina - Looking Good!




Thursday, October 27, 2022

More Bad Optics - Horribly Bad...

[Canadian] Parents Concerned About Teacher With Prosthetic Chest Teaching Kids — But School District Is Defending Her


I wish this was a Halloween story - It is not!

The following story out of Oakville Trafalgar High School in Ontario Canada, that represents the worst of optics for our transgender community. Here is what is going on: 1) A teachers intolerable bad choice of retaliation. 2) A school's administrative decision to play into this travisty.  

Here is a little of the back story I found on a conservative site (reliability questionable).

Everyone has heard now about “Kayla Lemieux,” the shop teacher at a high school outside of Toronto, Canada. He’s the man who showed up this year in mini-skirts and wearing fake boobs that look like two overblown balloons. His appearance is so extreme that even those people who support “transgender” madness are uncomfortable. Now, though, there’s a rumor that this is an elaborate troll from a man intent upon highlighting the corruption and lunacy of his school’s transgender madness.

Here is a prospective from a one source: This dude is gaming the system. This teacher was almost fired for ‘toxic masculinity’ last year, as well as not embracing woke culture. He’d dropped redpills (unsettling truth) on his class, such as how silly gender neutral bathrooms are. T

This is the school's position: 

So now Ms Lemieux, who claims to be transitioning from being a male to a female the story has gone viral after students took photos and videos of the teacher, seemingly without her knowledge. In response, the high school has doubled down and defended their employee, writing to parents and explaining why they support Ms Lemieux’s gender expression. 

Needless to say, FOX news has already taken to the story and is playing it for all they can to damage our transgender community.  

In one of Fox News' strangest segments to date, controversial host Tucker Carlson raged against a transgender teacher's fake breasts and compared them to an obscure genre of Japanese porn. On Wednesday (September 21) Carlson returned to the comparison and expressed outrage at the teacher's fake breasts.

Maybe someone in Canada can add some insight and tell us how this is playing out there?  Here in the US we may not be getting the full story other than the horrible optics and the FOX spin.  



Wednesday, October 26, 2022

The Q Collective At VCU

 

I had the pleasure of spending a good part of my day, pre-award event, at Virginia Commonwealth University's Q-Collective

First, let me state what the Q Collective at VCU defines itself to be:

Q Collective - The Queer Research and Advocacy Center, known as the Q Collective, serves as a creative and intellectual hub in support of LGBTQIA+ artistic and scholarly activities among faculty, staff, students and the Greater Richmond community. The Q Collective supports LGBTQIA+ research, scholarship and advocacy; and works to inform and serve the community. The creation of the Q Collective establishes VCU as a national leader in a rapidly growing and evolving field. The Q Collective emphasizes a commitment to VCU’s values of diversity and inclusion.

I attended VCU well over 50 years ago.  A wide-eyed country kid, I immediately sensed something different.  "I was not in Kansas any more; err the country".  We engineering students were clearly a minority population among what at that time was predominantly a professional institute of art, drama, music, graphic design, photography, and fashion design students. Strangely I felt at home. Diversity was everywhere; everyone was open to new ideas, dressed differently; the '60s. There were clubs representing many diverse groups and even a gays group, I think was called the Landba Club.

Archana A. Pathak,
Interim Director Q-Collective
Office of Institutional Equity,
 Effectiveness and Success;
Fast forward - VCU has become a major university offering a vast variety of studies. Still I see this same openness preminating. 

Now especially with the formation of the Q-Collective. It is a building designated as a safe space for any student that is seeking acceptance. There are meeting rooms, a large conference room for group meetings and professionals/facility leading discussions on gender, gay, transgender and queer self-exploration. Just this past summer, post covid, it became fully operational.

One of its first initiatives was a summer "Camp Qmunity 2022" for students to provide input and define what a Q-Collective (LGBTQ+ Center) was to entail. One of their questions, "What does queer space look like?”

While there last month I met with many of its participants in this summer project and was shown their Powerpoint. It was brilliant and so well thought out. Much applause to this group. 

After the presentation we had a wonderful discussion on diversity in general, and one of the questions was "why did you choose VCU and what is unique here?" I was blown away by so many saying "immediately sensed something different." Just as I felt there 50+ years earlier.

Thank you so much, Archana for your vision in establishing and building such a positive environment for the VCU Students. I hope to work with the Q-Collective on future projects and consult in areas of my life experience.

Archana set up a full day of meeting for me at the Q-collective and this was my morning meeting; stay tuned.   

  

My Q-Collective Morning Meeting Group
Students and Facility  

See: Virginia Commonwealth University has earned the 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.




Tuesday, October 25, 2022

I Love A Success Story - Christer Lindarw (Swedish)

Christer Lindarw

 

Stana introduced us to Christer Lindarw, Swedish clothes designer, actor and professional femulator a few weeks back.  Wow what a success story and a beauty.  

Christer Lindarw was born on March 3, 1953 in Eskilstuna, Södermanlands län, Sweden. He is an actor, known for Melodifestivalen 2004 (2004), Gäster med gester (1982) and Jacobs stege (1985).


Wikipedia tells us this about the career:

Lindarw was born in Eskilstuna, Södermanland County. He was educated at Beckmans designhögskola in Stockholm. His 1976 stage debut was as Zsa Zsa Shakespeer in Wild Side Story at Alexandra Charles's club, and he staged his first major production at Hamburger Börs in 1980 together with Roger Jönsson and Lars Flinckman, Lindarw's future co-star of many years from stage shows with their group After Dark. After Dark participated in Melodifestivalen with the song La dolce vita and placed third in the final in Globen.

 Lindarw interest for drags shows started after an masquerade where the theme was reversed gender roles. On Jönsson's recommendation he had started to appear in drag in 1976. 

Lindarw hosted shows at the nightclub Shazam for a few months and then started the dragshow group After Dark and opened his own nightclub with the same name at David Bagares gata in Stockholm. The group had its big breakthrough called Förför Sverige i tiden at Hamburger Börs.

After Dark (Christer Lindarw)

Christer Lindarw also started designing dresses for his friend Lill Lindfors, one being the dress that accidentally "fell off" her during her introduction at the Eurovision Song Contest 1985.

After Dark
In 2017, Lindarw performed the surprise finale number, imitating Queen Silvia of Sweden, during the annual televised show in Öland for Crown Princess Victoria's 40th birthday. In the fall of 2016 Bonniers had published a lauded book about his life. 

Simultaneously, Lindarw began another media-praised show tour around Sweden, with him alone leading his cast; all sold out, it wrapped up a year later at Oscarsteatern in Stockholm, also ending the four decades of successful performances of After Dark.

Outside Sweden Christer Lindarw is known mainly for performances in California and Spain and for clothes he has designed for international celebrities such as Diana Ross.

Monday, October 24, 2022

It’s Just Hair, But When You’re A Trans Woman...

 A Ponytail Can Mean a Whole Lot More


My Note:  This is not just about hair.  This is such a universal truth for all transgender individuals. Well stated with a happy ending.  

By: Charlotte Clymer*


I did the things I was told a “male person” should do, believing I’d eventually be cleansed of this painful longing. Instead the facade exacerbated my depression and anxiety. I went to therapy for years, had numerous uncomfortable conversations, and came out as a trans woman in late 2017. It is the best choice I’ve ever made. It saved me.


The Story Begins:

Charlotte Clymer
When I was in kindergarten—and very much in the closet as transgender—I had begun to crave a ponytail like the ones I saw on many of the girls in my class. I’m well aware that for many girls and women, the ponytail is a “bare minimum” style, often for lazy days, but the girls I saw in my class emulated the women I saw on television who were strong, confident, and successful. I thought they were cool, and I understood immediately I could never have one.

Even at six, I knew better. I was raised in deeply conservative Texas, in a world with firmly cemented gender roles. I was a boy and I had better keep to “boy things.” The bouncy ponytail of my dreams? Not a boy thing.

In 1999, when I was 12, the U.S. Women’s National Team won their second World Cup, and Mia Hamm became a personal icon. For weeks I dreamed of what it would be like to have the freedom to sport a ponytail like Hamm's. By then I was fully aware of a desire within me to be a girl, but I kept it buried in the back of my brain, suppressed whenever possible. Still, it sometimes crept up, summoned by the most mundane signifiers of femaleness. Mia Hamm was confident and beautiful and successful, and although I had no sense of what womanhood meant to me, I couldn’t help but feel that her hair represented all the things I was missing. I wanted an authentic life. I wanted to feel confident. I wanted a ponytail.

I got through high school by pushing these thoughts down deep and leaning into whatever “male” things I could stomach. I played football. I engaged in some sort of half-hearted male performance when I interacted with relatives, including one who told me to “stop listening to faggot music” and was deeply upset after I purchased a scented lotion from Bath & Body Works. I joined the military—and even went into the infantry, which at the time coincidentally excluded women.


Read more here... 


Transgender Activist - Charlotte Clymer with Joe Biden

A ponytail doesn’t define or essentialize womanhood, nor does any other hairstyle. A woman wears her hair how she wants and defines womanhood for herself. But when I was a trans girl in the closet, it was a real and tangible symbol of something I knew even then I wanted. Women like Mia Hamm, full of confidence and ambition, wore their hair in a way that spoke to that girl in Central Texas who felt lonely and insecure and terrified for the future.

Every week I get messages from parents of trans children who say they show pictures of me to their kids on particularly bad days, and it never fails to humble me. These are kids who watch adults on television tell them that their desired gender expression is unhealthy and unwelcome. Once upon a time, I was that kid.

I want to live in a world where everyone can be themselves, where a child shouldn’t have to negotiate the histrionic social hangups and mocking of the adults around them. And the easiest thing I can do to make that happen these days is to put my hair up and walk outside my door and into the public square, past those same adults and their children, with authenticity and confidence.


*Charlotte Clymer is a press secretary at the Human Rights Campaign. She is a writer, military veteran, and proud transgender woman living in Washington, D.C

HRC’s Charlotte Clymer Gives a Powerful Speech Against Trump’s Trans Ban in the Military



Friday, October 21, 2022

It Was A Dark and Stormy Night!

Really it was! 

 
A happy evening with a friend.

On my last trip to Virginia, I had made plans for dinner with friends in my country hometown. There is one restaurant with noted chefs and the food is a combination of local and international. It is an unexpected found treasure and when in town, I always make an effort to dine at the Molasses Grill in Halifax Virginia

My last night in Virginia brought the remnants of hurricane Ian to the mid-atlantic region. As my friend MJ stated, "I like you a lot to go out tonight". We did have a great time and made it into the restaurant and out, between torrential rain storms.    

I clipped the above un-contributed quote from MJ's Facebook page and thought it so appropriate for those of us of a certain age.  MJ and I had dinner and talked, giggled and enjoyed catching up for almost three hours.  Always fun!

MJ, thank you for coming out on "A Dark and Stormy Night!" A wonderful evening. 



Thursday, October 20, 2022

Feminine Differential - Distressed Jeans and A Simple T-shirt


This is a follow up on my "Price-Is-Right" post on jeans yesterday.  I got great comments (thank you) on the distressed jeans and do agree on the trendy nature and utter silliness. With that said take a look below and accept the "feminine differential" nature of tattered / ripped jeans.  

_____________   

Distressed Jeans - A easy-to-put-together outfits that always works. Be it a lunch with girlfriends, a market stop, or shopping at the mall.  At first I thought that distressed jeans were only for the teens. However, I have come to like the feminine differential of simple, not torn-out squares, distressed jeans. I see them everywhere even being worn by my age group

The skinny legs look is stylish and tuck perfectly into ankle boots.  Plus, heels always work.   

I would not invest heavily in too many pairs or pay near $2,000 for a pair. They could easily look dated when the trend ends; as all trends do. 


This brings me to a bargain-find a few days ago at Macy's. The above jeans by CELEBRITY PINK, in button fly, curvy fit, Juniors', Skinny Ankle Jeans.  I paid $19.99. These jeans will pair well with boots, heels, and any "feminine differential" V or scoop neck T. Also they will look great with a "French tuck", to show off the high-rise button fly.  Enjoy. 

Again thanks for the comments...




 

  

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

The Price Is Right - Jeans

 

Which one is the Saks Fifth Avenue
or the Macy's?

A few weeks ago we played "Price Is Right" on Ankle boots.  I had great comments; thank you. 

Before I present today's challenge let me state that some women's shopping decisions amaze me; especially lingerie. I have my "blink point" as to price and many times will pass on an item based on price, even though I really like it. Soma runs weekly sales with many great buys. Example - Last week was five panties for $25.00; yes five dollars each. I will always point out the daily/weekend sales to my customers as the come in.

With that said I am amazed at least once a day, that some shoppers do not even blink when I announce a total price of $200 plus for two bras and a night shirt. Our quality is excellent and style / fit exceptional, however, the total spent at times, makes me blink.  Watch for the sales... 

__________________

So today's challenge:

Saks Fifth Avenue - Balmain Ribbed Distressed Jeans  $1,950 (unisex sizing)

Macy's - CELEBRITY PINK Juniors' Skinny Ankle Jeans 16.99 on sale, normally $32
            (Junior size 0 to 16) Hint, I have two pair in light wash and dark blue.        
 

 Don't look first - What is your guess?
Is there any obvious justification? 

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

John Oliver - Attack On Trans Rights

‘Some on the right have truly lost their minds about trans rights’




BY: Adrian Horton

The Last Week Tonight host looks at the extraordinary legal attack on trans rights in the US and conservative disinformation around gender-affirming care.


John Oliver looked into the extraordinary legal attack on transgender rights in the US on Sunday’s Last Week Tonight, and particularly at deliberate disinformation around gender-affirming care. Since Oliver first covered the topic of trans rights seven years ago, “more people do seem comfortable coming out as trans and gender non-conforming, which is great,” he said. “But as you have undoubtedly noticed, in the past few years, some on the right have truly lost their minds about trans rights.”

There are the bad “jokes” – such as conservatives claiming their pronouns are “patriot” or “asskicker” – and, more concerning, over 100 anti-trans bills introduced in state houses this year. “Frustratingly, there are many on the left who seem at best, reluctant to engage on this issue,” said Oliver. “And at worst, outright hostile to it, either complaining about pronoun police or arguing that this issue will cost Democrats elections.”

Oliver pointed to former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, who in a recent talk said an emphasis on trans rights wasn’t a “winning formula” for elections.

Read More

Monday, October 17, 2022

Why Are Republicans Supporting An Idiot Like Herschel Walker?

Definition: 

Status quo - The existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues.

_________________

Liberal talk show host Bill Maher took aim at Republican Senate hopeful Herschel Walker during his show on Friday night.

Part of the appeal of a Herschel Walker or a Donald Trump or any number of egregious a–holes Republicans have backed is, in their mind, the worse a candidate is, the more it says to Democrats, 'Do you see how much we don't like what you are selling? All that socialism and identity politics and victimhood and oversensitivity and cancel culture and white self-loathing and forcing complicated ideas about race and sex on kids too young to understand it. Literally anything would be better than that.' That's their view.

This is a clear difference between the parties — Democrats also think the other side is an existential threat, but their response is not to nominate sickos to make a point.

Anyone can do absolutely anything in the name of wokeness and the left will never stop them. And that's when Republicans say, 'Well then we'll have to no matter who we have to elect to do it. The fact that Republicans have no shame in their game and will vote for any monster with an R by his name is their way of signaling how serious they are about blocking this."

_________________





My Note: This is the first reasonable explanation I have read/seen explaining the Republican agenda. It goes back to my post on OpticsRepublicans are not about fixing or changing anything; it is about maintaining the status quo; fear of change. We must be smarter!














Saturday, October 15, 2022

Friday, October 14, 2022

How To Travel In Style and Comfort




I had lunch with several high school classmates on my last trip.  A question that came up from one of the women was how do you travel? She may have been asking just how will you present for our lunch, knowing I was coming directly from the airport to the designated meetup. My answer was I am more-or-less the same "Rhonda" look 100% of the time now. I am sure that still left her question unanswered.

Above is a close fashion layout of my travel outfit. My day started with a flight delay out of Palm Beach. There was a hurricane Ian rain bands and a tornado warning. To my surprise we did take off into a bumpy cloud cover. The delay made my connection / hike / run from Atlanta gate E21 to A23 very stressful. Contrary to the way the booties look, they served me well and are comfortable, considering.

Boston Proper
Knit Ponte Stirrup Legging


My arrival in Raleigh / Durham was on time and I did make my lunch in southern Virginia. We spent almost three hours discussing high school classmates and catching up on lost, ailing and still in town friends. Also, we had a spirited conversation on our suspected lesbian / gay teaches; especially one male art teacher that always wore makeup. A kindred spirit?  

Thank you Nancy and Barbara so much for a wonderful fun lunch and conversation.  How could more than 50 years be gone. Seems like yesterday.


Talbots Scoop Neck Tee

_____________



The t-shirt is this season's Talbots, Runched Shoulder Scoop Neck Tee.

The Blazer was last spring's, Lauren Ralph Lauren Women's Pinstripe Linen Blazer.

The pants are similar to Boston Proper's Knit Ponte Stirrup Legging. Perfect with boots. 

The ankle booties 3" heel are Pikolinos, years old, that have served me well. They were somewhat expensive but, more-times-than-not, you get what you pay for.  


Happy travels! 







  


Thursday, October 13, 2022

Transgender Athletes - An Update

Democrats aren’t eager to talk about transgender athletes. The GOP can’t get enough.

Advocates for transgender athletes believe a sports-focused rule is important when legislators in Republican-controlled states are expected to pursue new restrictions when they reconvene next year.

Republicans are building women’s sports into a pillar of the party’s midterm strategy just as the Biden administration’s window to tackle the issue steadily shrinks.

The Education Department has two options: Push out a rule that’s likely to put campaigning Democrats on the defensive, or risk giving a Republican-controlled Congress more time to reverse the rule — and prevent anything “substantially similar.” 

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s new GOP policy agenda declares “only women can compete in women’s sports.” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Georgia Senate hopeful Herschel Walker have both campaigned with an outspoken college swimmer who says she shouldn’t have to compete against transgender women. And in Kansas, the Republican Governors Association has run ads attacking Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly after she vetoed restrictions on transgender student athletes.

While the GOP digs in over gender identity and sports on the campaign trail, Democrats — desperate to retain control of Congress — are largely silent. As the November election approaches, pressure mounts on the Education Department to propose a rule establishing explicit protections for transgender athletes to play on teams that match their gender identity.

The Education Department has two options: Push out a rule that’s likely to put campaigning Democrats on the defensive, or risk giving a Republican-controlled Congress more time to reverse the rule — and prevent anything “substantially similar.”

“The last thing the Democrats want is to go into the midterms arguing about Lia Thomas,” said Jennifer Braceras, director of the conservative-leaning Independent Women’s Law Center, referring to the transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer who conservatives frequently cite in their push for restrictions on transgender athletes. “If the administration releases its sports rule before November, then they have to campaign on it.”


The Biden administration is aware that the issue is “evolving in real time,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in June, when he promised to soon release a proposed rule.

“Trans Rights are Human Rights,” Cardona tweeted last week. “@USEDGov has and will continue to stand with and protect all students from policies that prohibit them from affirming their gender identity.”

Groups advocating for transgender athletes, including the National Women’s Law Center, say it’s crucial to unveil a rule immediately because of the proliferation of state-level restrictions. They’re especially critical of any policy that includes sex testing to play on sports teams, because “they’re humiliating and they’re unscientific, and they also create new risk of sexual abuse,” Patel said.

“This is an opportunity to reverse the alarming trend of lawmakers singling out LGBTQI+ students in an effort to score political points,” the groups, led by NWLC, told the White House, “and, moreover, reject the bigoted premise that they do not deserve the same civil rights protections as their peers.”

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

WUSS N BOOTS - Who Wore Them Best

CLAYTOONZ


Who Wore Them Best

After showing up in sparkling clean white knee-high rubber boots, fascist Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been compared to Nancy Sinatra, Buddy Pine, Green M&M, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, but perhaps worst, Michael Dukakis.

Many political historians have cited the tank photo-op for where it all went wrong for Michael Dukakis’ 1988 presidential campaign. It also hurt that Dukakis just sat back and didn’t respond to attack ads, but yeah…that tank thing is definitely a contributing factor.

If you’re running for office and there’s something you don’t belong in, then don’t crawl inside of it. That goes for tanks, porn stars, and rubber boots. How goofy did Michael Dukakis look wearing an army helmet while riding in a tank? The answer is: Almost as goofy as Ron DeSantis looked in those white rubber boots.

If those boots were actually muddy or had some appearance as if they were necessary, and not just for a photo-op, then maybe DeSantis could have gotten away with it. But he didn’t. He looked ridiculous and now, they’re going to be in every cartoon I draw on Ron DeSantis going forward. You did it to yourself, you goon.


Dukakis and the Tank
The inside story of the worst campaign photo op ever.

How many immigrants from Texas is DeSantis gonna have to import to Martha’s Vineyard now just to restore the street cred lost to the boots?

What I wonder the most is why was he allowed outside in those boots? I mean, does anyone on his staff like him? Surely, he’s hired some Nazis on his staff and they would like him…right? I mean, like him enough to say, “Hey, maybe don’t Nancy Sinatra this photo-op today, mein governor.”


It reminds me of what Wanda Sykes said about Donald Trump boarding Air Force One with toilet paper on his shoe. She said, “‘They don’t like him.’ Everyone around him who works with him, they cannot stand him. They have no respect for this man. I mean, you would stop a stranger to get toilet paper off their shoe. I’ve almost missed a flight because I’m at my gate and I see someone walking by with toilet paper (on their shoe), and I’m like ‘I can’t let that happen’ and I run down and get the toilet paper off.”

Huricane Woke
Basically, nobody on Ron DeSantis’ staff like him. If someone did, that person would have told him how ridiculous the boots look. But it makes sense that no one likes him. I mean, have you seen and heard him talk?

There are bigger issues that should keep Ron DeSantis out of the White House, but if it’s the white boots that keep him from walking to Washington, I’ll take it.



Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Feminine Dfferential - Chic Ideas to Wear The Chambray Shirt

From the site Outfits For Women by MissPrettyPink

My Note: I love the look of a Chambray shirt and it goes with so much.  Dressed up / down, it provides a feminine differential without being over the top. A wardrobe stables with contrasting jeans or skirt.  


A chambray shirt is a versatile and quintessential staple recommended for everyday use. Chambray fabric is lightweight with plain weave construction that makes it a perfect choice for warmer months. Not just men, fashion-forward girls too love to incorporate it in their everyday outfits. But many of us do not know what chambray is, and we often confuse it with a denim shirt. There are some fundamental commonalities that make them look similar. But actually, they are different. Before we give a lowdown on some great chambray outfit ideas, you are advised to know a wee bit about chambray fabric.

What is Chambray?

Chambray fabric offers a soft touch and unique sheen. Earlier, chambray was all about a fabric weaved in white and blue yarns. But now chambray is available in a range of hues like mossy greens, red clays, soft grays and many more.

Chambray shirts are the right go-to option in summer because they are lightweight and lack the ruggedness of denim fabric, and you can wear it on a daily basis.

My Lauren Chambray Shirt


How to Wear Chambray Shirts?

View the MissPrettyPink site for 16 great looks for the Chambray shirt / blouse and to get a passel of outfit ideas based on chambray fabric. These outfits (if tried) are going to be the purchase you will never regret.

#9 Chambray Blouse with White Skirt (One of my favorite looks)

Add a sophisticated glow to your white knee-length (plain or laced) skirt by pairing it up with a cool chambray shirt. The combination of soft blue and white is pleasing to eyes, especially in summer. Addition of strappy sandals and dramatic handbag complements the whole look.




Wrap up:

There are countless styles and outfit ideas that you can try with chambray fabric. All that is needed is an innovative you, with a lot of confidence to flaunt these amazing looks and styles. Are you ready to make these outfit ideas a part of your summer wardrobe? I am sure you are.