December 2001

Masthead 2001

Karen's Korner
November Minutes
December Meeting Announcement- XMAS Party
Holiday En Femme
Alpha Omega Constitution
Who Needs SPICE?
MARLOU Shoes
Transgender Issues Go Mainstream
Congregation Chevrai-Tikva 
HUMOR
Upcoming Events
Holiday Greetings

This has been a good year for us at Alpha-Omega. I have enjoyed working with everyone and being President of the group. I have tried to have different programs so everyone would enjoy coming to the meetings. We have been rewriting the constitution so that it will be more understandable for people in the group and for new members. I have also tried to keep all the Tri-Ess requirements and Alpha-Omega’s requirements. I am also trying to keep the group moving forward and have new and old members regularly attend. I have worked on more outreach programs and widespread understanding of our group too.

It has been very nice to have the support of everyone in Alpha-Omega and support in changes for the better. Outstanding support has come from Diana Kent, Cheryl, Lisa, and Michelle. They have kept me very informed on how to do things correctly and kept me from forgetting things.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving, Christmas and a Happy New Year.

- Karen

*Thank you all for your support. It has been a trying year with all my surgeries. I will be glad when this year ends, for these have been challenging times. I have just one more surgery to go.

Back to Top

Alpha Omega Minutes – November 3, 2001

Meeting was called to order by Karen Davenport at 11/3/01 7:58:45 PM

She welcomed everyone who came, 16 members attended including one new member. Karen also thanked everyone who helped at the last meeting and announced that we have been invited to crystal club in Columbus. She would like to get a group to go down in Feb. Also, she may have the article ready for Gay Peoples Chronicle to run in Dec.

Diane B will look into using a New Location as an alternative or replacement place.

The new Alpha Omega Constitution is very near completion. The current plan is to submit it to the membership in December; we will discuss it in January, and, hopefully, vote on it in February. The voting of course will be contingent upon the discussion in January.

Setup for December is Diane Brennan, Michele Thomas, Diane Kent, Lisa Seymour and, of course, Karen Davenport.

Debbie D. is doing makeup this month (Nov.) as a presentation. Terri and Jill backed out. Diane Kent offered to do before and after pictures for the makeup session.

We are expecting at least two new members is December.

The membership discussed control of web page. It is currently in the chapter’s name and therefore owned by the chapter. We will soon setup automatic billing to the chapter’s account so that no member is responsible for it on their own personal credit card. Diane B. is listed as the contact and billing person and has no problem with remaining in that position. Internic requires that a person be listed as the contact, not an organization. Lisa will look into changing the forwarding of the mail from the site to the appropriate person(s).

Diane Kent expressed her appreciation for the welcome back and her desire to continue to attend.

December Meal:

Diane Vernon will cook roast beef. Everyone bring a dish for 4 to 5 persons. This will provide plenty of food for the meal

Karen announced that she would like to raise the meeting fee to $14. We will vote on it in Jan. 2002

Peggy has announced that she will attempt to come to Christmas Party.

Lisa will check into increasing the fire damage legal liability from 100,000 to the amount of the building.

Lisa moved to adjourn, Michelle seconded.

Back to Top

HOLIDAY EN FEMME – CHICAGO managed to put on a fantastic event. There was plenty for all to do including wives.

This year’s HEF was definitely outstanding. In spite of personnel problems (Denise Peters got out of the hospital the first day), Chicago

Most people think of the Holiday as just being a time for the crossdresser to spend dressed. While that has been true in the past, this year was different.

Besides the usual seminars on wigs, makeup and voice, there were seminars on chapter development, using a digital camera, SO relationships, and even a kid’s panel. Time wasn’t just spent dressed. It was "dressing" with a purpose. Education was there for those who wanted it.

Not that we didn’t have our funtime. Drury Lane is a place that just can’t be described. The room we ate in was like a palace ballroom – very large and very ornate. Of course, the production of "My Fair Lady" met everyone’s expectations. What wasn’t expected was the audience’s reaction to a large group of crossdressers. We were surrounded by a bunch of little old ladies who had more curiosity than a cat. They kept us busy asking questions. It was obvious that they didn’t care what the "guys" wore. They chatted with the openness of children. It was a great opportunity for outreach and great fun.

Next year, HEF will be in New Jersey (close to NYC). Try it and see how much fun it can be even for couples!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alpha Omega Constitution:

Back to Top

WHO NEEDS S.P.I.C.E.?

Everyone needs S.P.I.C.E. Everyone, wives, significant others and
cross-dressers who would like to have a better capability to communicate with
their partner. If you are having trouble communicating, trusting or learning
how to set and maintain boundaries, S.P.I.C.E. has workshops with
professional therapists to show you how.

S.P.I.C.E. workshops help everyone to gain a better understanding of how
communication problems develop and strategies for resolving them.  Conference
attendees gain an appreciation for the reality that what one partner may be
trying to say is not always what is communicated, and they learn how to
resolve misunderstandings that can result.

Conference staff will provide help and ideas for resolving marriage issues.
Professional therapists are on hand to provide assistance when it is
required, and they are backed up by a support team of caring couples who are
willing to listen and to share their experiences with you.

S.P.I.C.E. is about people reaching out to help each other. Often S.P.I.C.E.
attendees form life long friendships.  Come join us at the S.P.I.C.E.
conference in Richmond, Virginia, July 10 through July 13, 2002. 

For additional information, visit the S.P.I.C.E. Website at SPICE. 
Send mail inquiries to S.P.I.C.E., PO Box 9481, Virginia Beach, VA 23450-9481 or e-mail us at triess_spice@yahoo.com.

See you at S.P.I.C.E. X in Richmond, VA

Back to Top

Mar-Lou Shoes

When my favorite on-line shoe store disappeared from the face of the Internet, I had only one place to return to; Mar-Lou Shoes in Richmond Heights. Specializing in women’s shoes to size 15 they are the only place I know of in town for those of us with larger feet. I had given up on them due to an encounter with an elderly Russian émigré woman who frowned on my legitimate search for shoes for a travesty theatrical role I was trying to get. But desperation is the mother of initiative so I thought I’d give them another try.

This time I visited just before dropping over to a Trans-family meeting to see an ailing friend. Sofia, another Russian émigré with a rather different attitude, and belonging to a much younger age group greeted me. Sharing a name was a good sign. She was friendly, courteous, and accommodating. There was, she informed me, a room in the back for people who might be uncomfortable in the larger and brightly lit showroom. If the shoe doesn’t fit, special orders can be taken. Don’t expect to find spike heels here. These are practical shoes. Some lines, such as Magdesian have a dressier side. Not all lines go to size 15 in stock. They are also carrying semi-opaque tights in sizes that I can now confirm fit tall women well. Colors are limited to black, bone and white.

Mar-Lou Shoes  

5148 Wilson Mills Road

Richmond Heights, OH 44143

Phone: (440) 461-6744

Fax: (440) 461-BOOT

http://marloushoes.com/index.html

Diane Sofia Frank

Back to Top

By Miss Sally Stone

Leave it to television to provide us with a look into the collective conscience of American society. If you are like me, you probably often find yourself wondering just what the average person really thinks about the transgendered community and the individuals within. Now, you can say what you like about television and its effect on our society, but when it comes to capturing moods and opinions, television is difficult to beat.

Take for instance, the way television lately, has been featuring transgendered individuals in their shows. It may be surprising to many of us, but ever so slowly, almost going unnoticed, the networks have been working

transgendered individuals into mainstream television. Several years ago, a crossdresser or

a transsexual was usually inserted into the story line for shock value. Now; however, transgendered characters often take center stage and are main characters within the story's fabric. Probably the most well known figure today, is Drew Carey's television brother. Although this character certainly lends itself to comedic situations, ABC's portrayal of a heterosexual crossdresser is an accurate and an honest one.

Other shows have used transgendered characters as excellent story line interests, and for the most part, writers are portraying the characters as viable members of society. Additionally, writers have gone to great lengths to portray these transgendered individuals in a mostly positive light. The result of these efforts has led to a great deal of public tolerance.

A noteworthy example includes an Ally McBeal episode in which Ally attempts to turn a young (confused) crossdresser away from prostitution to a more respectable career. Sadly, the episode ends with the tragic death of the young crossdresser after an angry john discovers her true sexual identity. Sad though the ending might have been, the FOX network dealt with the issue with sensitivity and without the shock value that used to accompany such characters.

Another show that addressed the difficulties of the transgendered lifestyle was the teen oriented show "Popular". The episode included a male teacher, highly respected by his students, who shocked them when he decided to transition on the job. The show not only dealt with the teacher's gender issues; it did a great job capturing the feelings of young adults as they struggled with transsexualism and the concept of SRS.

And now, we have the new CBS television show "The Education of Max Bickford". This new series stars Richard Dreyfuss as a college professor. In the show, one of his long time friends and colleagues transitions, and ultimately undergoes SRS. Veteran actress Helen Shaver plays the transsexual character. Miss Shaver, an obvious genetic female, non-the less, does an outstanding job portraying a male to female transsexual. Shaver plays a major role in the show, and the producers deal with the transsexual issue in a matter of fact sort of way.

When the show producers first pitched the idea of a transgendered main character, they anticipated resistance from network executives. To their surprise, executives not only embraced the idea, they insisted that the character get plenty of development. Miss Shaver eagerly accepted the part because she felt that the writers had done a superb job developing and establishing the character. Additionally, she felt that for an actor, playing the part of such an interesting personality challenged her acting skills to the max.

Several years ago transgendered television characters included mostly drag queens and many of the seedier characters that tend to give the gender community a bad name. Back then, the television public probably wasn't ready for a transsexual professor or a crossdressing brother interest. Now; however, and if the networks have read the American conscience correctly, transgendered characters are acceptable. We can only hope that this latest trend is proving that we are gaining mainstream acceptance.

Back to Top

Congregation Chevrei-Tikva

For centuries Jews have asked themselves and each other what does it mean to be a Jew. We in Tri-Ess have been asking what it means to be a ‘crossdresser’ for considerably less time. We talk about a second self, but that seems strangely limited if our second identity is consigned to monthly meetings of people approximating our experience. On the other hand, we claim we are not transsexual, that the second is not our only or real self, one we have to alter our bodies to realize and experience. There is also a tension of identification and self-revelation. Is it legitimate to simply go out in public and say, treat me as I present regardless of my history and genitals? Is there a middle ground, and if there is how do we find it?

One of the pathways that some transgendered people explore is participation in a church group in their other or preferred gender presentation. Preoperative transsexuals, seeking to complete their real-life-test prior to surgery most commonly do this. Rather than use their habitual or birth church they may seek one that has announced that it is GLBT friendly. But what do congregations really mean when the say they are GLBT friendly? What does that T mean? And does it include second-selves?

To explore this question, I attended services at Chevrei-Tikva, a self-proclaimed GLBT synagogue in meeting alternate Friday evenings in Cleveland Heights. Oneg Shabbat, as it is called, was once a regular part of my life, but I realized after a while that the social aspects and after-services folk dancing on Friday evenings was far more important to me than any spiritual content. Returning to a Friday night service was a dubious enterprise at best.

Making the enterprise even more dubious is the problem of self-identification. It’s easy enough to say that I’m attending the group primarily to write an article about it as a resource for transgendered people. And I’m pleased to report that I was well received. No questions about when did you transition, or when will you transition, or what’s your real name. The service was enjoyable, this one both celebrating the conversion of a woman after long study, who ordered the service, and the holiday of Sukkoth. The female cantor accompanied herself on the guitar. Friends of the service leader from a Unitarian Church in Youngstown attended.

Later, Nancy Huntsman, president of the congregation told me she hoped I’d come back in the future, but confided that some of the membership wasn’t on board with the T in GLBT. And I had a nice chat with two women, possibly a couple that invited me to join them at the theatre on Sunday. (See below). I think if attending Friday services were a meaningful thing for me, this would be a good place to be.

At the end of it all, I’m left with the question of what does it mean to be a Jew and for me to be a Jew. And is it right for me to express my sense of self as woman through the vehicle of religion if 24/7 isn’t even remotely a goal? I can’t answer that yet. But if you are a Jewish sister in the area, and you share this problem, you can safely attempt to answer it on your own at Chevrei Tikva.

Diane Sofia Frank

Congregation Chevrei Tikva

(216) 932 5551

http://uahcweb.org/congs/oh/oh017/main.htm

Back to Top

HUMOR

SLOGANS

1. "Frankly, Scallop, I Don't Give a Clam." (Seen on Cape Cod)
2. "That's It! I'm Calling Grandma!" (Seen on an 8 year old)
3. "Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew Up"
4. "Procrastinate Now."
5. "Rehab Is for Quitters."
6. "My Dog Can Lick Anyone."
7. "I Have a Degree in Liberal Arts - Do You Want
Fries With That?"
8. "Party - My Crib - Two A.M." (On a baby-size shirt)
9. "Finally 21, and Legally Able to Do Everything I've Been Doing Since 15."
10. "ALL MEN ARE IDIOTS, AND I MARRIED THEIR KING."
11. "West Virginia: One Million People, and 15 last names."
12. "FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION. It comes bundled with the software."
13. "I'M OUT OF ESTROGEN AND I'VE GOT A GUN."
14. "A hangover is the wrath of grapes."
15. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance."
16. "STUPIDITY IS NOT A HANDICAP. Park elsewhere!"
17. "DISCOURAGE INBREEDING - Ban Country Music."
18. "MOOSEHEAD: A great beer and a new experience for a moose."
19. "They call it 'PMS' because 'Mad Cow Disease' was already taken."
20. "He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless dead."
21. "Time's fun when you're having flies...Kermit the Frog."
22. "POLICE STATION TOILET STOLEN.... Cops have nothing to go on."
23. "FOR SALE: Iraqi rifle. Never fired. Dropped once."
24. "HECK IS WHERE PEOPLE GO WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN GOSH."
25. "A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, but it uses up a thousand times the memory."
26. "The Meek shall inherit the earth.... after we're through with it."
27. "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."
28. "HAM AND EGGS -A day's work for a chicken; A lifetime commitment for a pig."
29. "WELCOME TO KENTUCKY - Set your watch back 20 years."
30. "The trouble with life is there's no background music."
31. "IF THERE IS NO GOD, WHO POPS UP THE NEXT KLEENEX?"
32. "Suicidal Twin Kills Sister By Mistake!"
33. "The original point-and-click interface was a Smith Wesson."
34. "MY WILD OATS HAVE TURNED TO SHREDDED WHEAT."
35. "Computer programmers don't byte, they nibble a bit."
36. "Computer programmers know how to use their hardware."
37. "MOP AND GLOW - Floor wax used by Three-Mile-Island cleanup team."
38. "Nyquil - The stuffy, sneezy, why-the-hell-is-the-room-spinning medicine."
39. "Quoting one is plagiarism. Quoting many is research."
40. "My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God, and I didn't

Back to Top

Upcoming Events

Christmas Party

Music, fun, skit

Discussion of Proposed Constitution

NATIONAL SO MONTH

Vote on Constitution

Nomination of Officers for Upcoming Year

Election of Officers

Formation of Committees

New Officers take Office

Program Open

Program Open

Program Open

SPICE – Richmond, VA July 10-14

Back to Top

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from:

Karen, Diane K, Lisa, Ari, Cheryl

and Holiday Greetings from your Web Mistress-

Diane Sofia Frank

Back to Top