April 2001

The President’s Corner

Vice President’s Message

The Lighter Side

A Transgender Journey of Self Discovery

Your Gender Gift

CHANGING FACES

-Idiot Story-

Arizona Adventure Part One

CD-Kids Bill of Rights

The President’s Corner

TO ALL ALPHA OMEGA MEMBERS:

Welcome to a new beginning for Alpha Omega! First, I would like to thank everyone for voting for me as your new President. Diane, Lisa and I have been having several meetings the past few weeks to brainstorm some new ideas for the upcoming year and launch the group into an exciting time.

One of our goals this coming year is Unity. We would like to see the group work more together and function together to get things accomplished and have successful, enjoyable meetings which would result in more cohesiveness within the group.

It is also our goal to reach out and expand the group to accept diversity within the group but still remain loyal to our present goals and rules for Alpha Omega and Tri-Ess. Also, we would like to be able to get our group to have more options for people so they know where they can get more support if our particular group does not meet their needs. We would like to be more supportive of partners and find ways to include them more in the group and its functions. We would like to be able to assemble more information from other groups so that we can offer referrals to those in need of different or more extensive assistance.

Since the group cannot be effective with just one or a few people doing every facet, we would like to have committees set up with a Chairperson for each who would report status of projects and their progress to the President or one of the other Board members so that we can more effectively operate. The standing committees are general Affairs, Financial and Interviews. As we get further into the year, we would welcome volunteers and suggestions for additional committees. We would like to see more people volunteer and pull together. We are very open for new ideas and suggestions on how things could be done better.

Some of the meeting specials we would like to offer this year are:

April Spice & Committee Set Ups (and a surprise)

May CPR Class

June Transformations by RayAnna

July To Be Determined (because of Spice, might move meeting to

following week)

Aug. To Be Determined

Sept. Guest Speaker on Security Issues

Oct. National Speakers Month ( Suggestions )

Nov. To Be Determined

Dec. Holiday Party

Karen D.

Back to Contents

Vice President’s Message

To the membership of Alpha Omega,

I wish to thank all of you for electing me as your vice-president. I will do everything I can, not to let you down.

I would also like to congratulate Karen and Lisa on winning their offices.

The road ahead looks a little rough, but I do feel up to the challenge. I believe we need some changes in order to keep things interesting and lively. I know that some members come from great distances to attend meetings and therefore expect a bit more from the agenda. We will accommodate you the best we can through your and other members suggestions.

Your elected board members have already, and will continue to meet regularly for our "Brainstorming" sessions. I really enjoyed the first one we had. Not only did Karen, Lisa, and myself attend but also Michelle. I would like to see other members attend these as well. It was great to have a "non-board" member present. This will keep us in proper perspective when it comes to our goals and the needs of the membership.

On a more serious note, I must say something about a recent incident that occurred at a meeting and hope that it never happens again! This incident appeared to be pure prejudice. Not one member of Alpha-Omega has the right to show prejudice towards anyone, under any circumstances. Think about it!

We are all very lucky to have an organization and place in which to let out our desires, share our feelings and support one another. We should be opening our arms to anyone that is looking for acceptance and understanding, no matter what their gender orientation. I can't stand discrimination and will not accept it in my new role within Alpha-Omega. Enough said.

Gratefully yours,

Diane Kent

Back to Contents

The Lighter Side

A Little Advice on Handling Hormones

Every "Hormone Hostage" knows that there are days in the month when all a man
has to do is open his mouth and he takes his life in his hands.

This is a handy guide that should be as common as a driver's license in the
wallet of every husband, boyfriend or significant other.

DANGEROUS: What's for dinner?
SAFER: Can I help you with dinner?
SAFEST: Where would you like to go for dinner?

DANGEROUS: Are you wearing THAT?
SAFER: Gee, you look good in brown.
SAFEST: Wow! Look at you!

DANGEROUS: What are you so worked up about?
SAFER: Could we be overreacting?
SAFEST: Here's fifty dollars.

DANGEROUS: Should you be eating that?
SAFER: You know, there are a lot of apples left.
SAFEST: Can I get you a glass of wine with that?

DANGEROUS: What did you DO all day?
SAFER: I hope you didn't overdo today.
SAFEST: I've always loved you in that robe.


Well, what did you expect? This is a magazine for crossdressers and their
wives and partners!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to Contents

A Transgender Journey of Self Discovery
By Heather Anne Hurd

Life is a very complex, multi-faceted experience, to say the least. There is so much to process, even on a daily basis, that many people inadvertently overlook discovering many of the characteristics which together comprise the sum of their being.

Unfortunately, we all live in a hyper-accelerated society that places little emphasis on self-awareness and growth. Too much of our lives are consumed by the pursuit of money and material objects, so there is rarely much time allotted for introspection. The daily struggles of life therefore end up taking precedence over the things that really matter, and that is truly sad. Many people live their lives largely unaware of not only their potentials, but of the very things which make them uniquely who they are.

When transgendered persons stop and face their full personality and learn not only to accept but also to integrate the transgender part of their being into their whole, it allows for perspectives and insights that many people never consider.

If these insights are then made manifest into the actions of their daily lives, the result is a sharing with humanity, which can enrich and further the quality of life for all. If everyone, transgendered and otherwise could do this the world itself would be vastly improved.

Self discovery is the key to this. As I said earlier, it is not something which our modern society exactly encourages. Since self discovery does not seem to be "in" at the current time in history, I think that it is up to those of us who, for very real reasons of survival, have to deal with it, to impart our wisdom, both among ourselves and to society at large. This is the only real way to effect lasting change, far more crucial than merely being "out."In fact, being "out" is not nearly as important as is widely believed. Our actions as human beings have a far greater impact than a visual presentation alone. Consider a transgendered person who is "out," but perhaps espouses bigotry and intolerance in their daily lives. Any progress that is accomplished by being a visual presence is greatly outweighed then by the negativity inherent in their views, and the actions which stem from those views. So, it should then be obvious that one's character is far more important than the mere "symbolism" of being "out."

I have experienced some of this on a personal level. Not that I have ever been racist or anything like that, but I haven't always practiced an enlightened lifestyle, even after "coming out." The transgender community as a whole places far too much emphasis on the "glamorous" aspects of being "out," and conversely far too little on really learning from and using our collective experiences to promote better human relationships. That's not to say that we should not celebrate our beings, we should, but it seems that, in
a lot of ways, we never evolve past that stage. I know that I used to be far more concerned with my appearance when crossdressed than with the real implications of just what it really means to be a crossdresser and what I can do with that insight.

Selfishness is rampant in the crossdressing community, and it is understandable to a degree, as we have spent a good part of our lives fighting against a society which tells us that we can't be who we are. So, of course when we discover others like ourselves after all of that, we very naturally tend to be a bit selfish in our approach. However, if we do not emerge from that, it can be a really destructive force , not only to ourselves, but to our loved ones and to the community and to society as a whole. Therefore, perspective is greatly needed by all of us, but perspective is also something that is not positively reinforced by society.

So, how does one go about incorporating crossdressing and the lessons learned from dealing with it into a daily positive existence? I don't pretend to have all the answers. For one thing, each person's journey is unique, as are the lessons learned from it and the knowledge applied as a result. I think the basic thing is to be real with one's self and with others, and the rest will follow. That probably sounds overly simplistic, but I think that honesty allows everything else one has to give to shine through.

Honesty, unfortunately, is another not very highly valued attribute, but at some point in our lives I believe we all have to rise above society's parameters. In my life, it appears that my crossdressing will be the catalyst for that. I like to look at that way, not only as a means of outward self-expression, but as a way to add something, to leave my mark on the world, however small. I think the most exciting thing in my own journey of self-discovery has been the revelation that just as I am different, we all are different, and that is precisely what makes the world a better, more interesting place.

It sounds cliche, but celebrating our diversity, as well as our commonality, is a goal we should all aspire to. So much pain has been inflicted on those who are "different" throughout human history, and I really am excited and motivated by the very real possibility that my actions may, in some small way, help put an end to needless suffering for future generations. Maybe I'm thinking too big and too broad, but I genuinely believe that we can all make the world a better place!

(from the newsletter of Alpha Tau Chapter)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to Contents

CHANGING FACES

by Karen D.

Last week six of us went to see a very good play downtown called "Making Faces."  The multi-faceted, cross-dressing actor
played 26 different parts of his/her life and the people that had an impact in his/her life prior to and after becoming a transexual. .Some of it was very true and many of us at Alpha Omega have shared similar experiences in our lives  A lot of us find it very hard to deal with friends and family. We are always in fear of being found out and the consequences of others knowing the truth.  Some of us are very lucky to have very supportive people in our lives .But we all should try and educate and enlighten some of the people
that want to know  more about us and try to help others as much as we can. The play emphasized the many emotions and obstacles in our daily lives,and we hope that it will make those that see it more aware.       karen

Back to Contents

Your Gender Gift
By Amanda Lynn

The Holiday Season. A time to think about gifts. Gender gifts in particular.
No, not the outfit or jewelry you are going to ask Mrs. Santa to bring you. Real gifts. Those from the heart.

Many of us say that we are gender gifted. Some might not believe it's a gift, but that's all in the way you perceive who you are. This gender gift is part of you. It's your secret maybe. But it really affects your life in a lot of ways.

Perhaps taking some time for a bit of introspection about your femme side might be a good way to see how you can not only enjoy your gender gift by yourself, but make it a real gift by giving it away.

When you first opened your gender gift, what did you see? Was it peace on earth, or did it cause war in your relationships? Was it Joy to the World or did Frosty the Snowman have a meltdown? Was it Jingle All the Way until you went broke over clothes, cosmetics and wigs, or is there enough left to buy your wife at least one of the Five Golden Rings?

Maybe you didn't understand your gender gift. Maybe you even thought it was one of a kind and no one else had what you had. Perhaps even after playing with your gift for a while, you decided it was better off thrown away. If you're reading this, you are probably one of those who instead of throwing the gift out, decided it was really pretty nice and you ought to keep it.

You might even have given your gift a special place of honor in your home. Spouse, partner, children or friends might even be able to share your gender gift.

Your gender gift is really very beautiful to hang on to for yourself, but maybe you should think about giving it away and thereby making it a real gift. Perhaps you can give some womanly kindness to someone in need, or you can be a little more caring and think about how that brings you in touch with the mothering aspect of a woman. You can give the gift of listening, since maybe you heard of the recent study stating that women listen much better than men.

Beauty is a gift, and it too can be given away in the way we make others feel beautiful by offering a compliment that makes other people feel better about themselves. Women have a natural way of just starting up a conversation and so maybe the next time you see another crossdresser at a meeting with no one to talk to, you might be reminded that
if you take the time to go over and talk to her, you are much more a woman than you think.

Get the idea? The silk blouse and rhinestone necklace can just cover the man within, or better, can they help make the man within a little more like a real woman? I guess it depends on how you use your gift.

The holiday time is really a great time to enhance how deeply you can be in touch with your feminine side. When you decorate this year, or you view other people's decorated homes, you might think about the tradition of putting an angel on top of the Christmas tree. The angels arms are often outstretched and assuming a giving pose. Have you ever noticed all those Christmas tree angels are women?

(from the Chi Tribune)

Back to Contents

-Idiot Story-

In rural Carbon County, PA, a group of men were drinking beer and discharging firearms from the rear deck of a home owned by Irving Michaels, age 27. The men were firing at a raccoon that was wandering by, but the beer apparently impaired their aim and, despite of the estimated 35 shots the group fired, the animal escaped into a 3 foot diameter drainage pipe some 100 feet away from Mr. Michaels' deck.

Determined to terminate the animal, Mr. Michaels retrieved a can of gasoline and poured some down the pipe, intending to smoke the animal out. After several unsuccessful attempts to ignite the fuel, Michaels emptied the entire 5 gallon fuel can down the pipe and tried to ignite it again, to no avail. Not one to admit defeat by wildlife, the determined Mr. Michaels proceeded to slide feet-first approximately 15 feet down the sloping pipe to toss the match.

The subsequent rapidly expanding fireball propelled Mr. Michaels back the way he had come, though at a much higher rate of speed. He exited the angled pipe "like a Polaris missile leaves a submarine," according to witness Joseph McFadden, 31. Mr. Michaels was launched directly over his own home, right over the heads of his astonished friends, onto his front lawn. In all, he traveled over 200 feet through the air. "There was a Doppler Effect to his scream as he flew over us," McFadden reported, "Followed by a loud thud."

Amazingly, he suffered only minor injuries. "It was actually pretty cool," Michaels said, "Like when they shoot someone out of a cannon at the circus. I'd do it again if I was sure I wouldn't get hurt."

Back to Contents

Arizona Adventure Part One

Hi all,

I am not sure about this, but since our adventure was in a motorhome, I will address it to you.

The adventure actually began on a recent Saturday morning when we went to the Vanity Fair store in Tucson and bought a bra and two pair of panties. I was in boy mode, but am now no longer embarrassed to select lingerie. They have really good sale prices there. Each piece was only $3.00.

Later that Saturday evening Tootsye got dressed and went to Jasmine's an upscale boutique where we had been told the Tau Upsilon chapter was going to meet. We waited about half an hour, but no one came, so we went back to the motorhome to get the telephone number of the contact person. We tried to call, but got no answer. We went back to Jasmines, and waited another hour. Then we gave up and had dinner at Pastiche, as very nice restaurant next door to the dress shop. We kept checking periodically until about 9:30 PM. No one ever came. I was so disappointed. I had planned for months, had sent two e-mails requesting visitation privileges and acknowledging that we would attend and giving them my male name and telephone number.

On Sunday, I called the contact person and left my cell phone number, but received no reply. On Monday, I tried one more time to make contact. This time I was successful and was given the name of Sarah and her telephone number. I called her and we
arranged to meet at Woody's on Oracle street, where we had a very nice visit. I learned from Sarah that the Tri-ess meeting had been changed from Saturday evening
to Friday evening to accommodate some of the members who wanted to go to a music concert.

Monday was my wife's day for shopping. We went to Dillards and bought her some very nice things, had lunch in the Food Court and had a very nice day shopping for her. Of course, I peeked at a few things too.

On Tuesday, Tootsye's adventure continued. Enfemme, she shopped at both Old Pueblo Traders stores. They have some good prices on larger sizes, especially shoes. I saw some lovely shoes in size 13. Tootsye tried on several outfits there, but didn't buy anything. My wife bought a handbag. A few blocks from the OPT store, we stopped at a Thrift store. I found a denim skirt and denim shirt for $3.00 each, tried them on and bought both. Excellent bargains! We then had lunch at a Village Inn, and then went to the Tucson mall. Tootsye shopped at the Bath and Beauty store, and bought some pierced earrings at Mervyns. I think they cost $4.00. Tootsye's ears aren’t pierced, but she uses a little trick with surgical tape. Works pretty well!

By this time, even mid heels were beginning to tire her feet, so we concluded a wonderful day. The next day, we travelled to Phoenix, but the rest of the adventure will have to wait until tomorrow!

Tootsye

Back to Contents

CD-Kids Bill of Rights

For those of us who know!

1. We have the right to discuss the subject of crossdressing openly with our parents.

2. We have the right to have our "Dad" (or "Mom" if FTM) when needed.

3. We have the right to seek the support of our peers through such resources as the CD-Kids forum.

4. We have the right not to be pressured into seeing our parent

crossdressed or into going to public places with him/her.

5. We have the right to be asked for permission before any of our belongings are borrowed.

6. We have the right to not have to deal with transgendered issues during our teenage formation years.

7. We have the right to be able to bring friends home without fear of what they may find.

8. We have the right to education and learning materials suitable for our age and maturity.

9. We have the right to say "No" without fear or guilt.

10. We have the right to be kids.

Back to Contents

Copyright 2001 Alpha Omega Chapter of Triess International