Newsletter
ARCHIVE

[Valedictory]

Laudatory

Elaine doesn't often show herself behind her quotes, her art and the style and organization she brought to this newsletter.  I was thrilled when Elaine took over from me years ago, and take great satisfaction in the many positive changes she brought to the look and feel of the newsletter and website.  We've noted that like so many organizations out there, we're having difficult times.  But we have a solid core of people who get things done, and passing off jobs is part of how we keep things alive.  I'm just hoping to keep the quality high enough that someone else really talented will come along in time.-dsf

From Our Departing Editrix:

In more news of changes, Mary Lee will be taking over membership duties.  With luck I can persuade her to write a bit about herself and her approach to screening new members.- dsf

[To Top]

[From the Chair]
ALPHA OMEGA

By Gloria Fenton

A Nagging Wondering

Sandy’s plan to let me be all alone in her parent’s home so I could do her chores for the day, and be able to dress like a woman in everything Sandy had, was totally of her own doing and her own choice.  And, quite frankly, there was no way that I was going to refuse Sandy knowingly and willingly allowing me to dress like a woman like her.  I knew that, and though I didn’t think much about it at the time, Sandy had to have known it, too.

Sandy, fully knowing that I liked and wanted to dress and look like a woman, gave me the time and the means to do it, plus get her daily house chores done for her.  Right from the beginning of her plan, Sandy knew that she had clothes and shoes that did fit me, and that I wanted to wear her make up. 

Sandy put no restrictions on what I could or could not wear; and, though it was never really talked about, Sandy , by her own actions must have sensed that I would like to dress completely like a woman.  Of her own choice, on the first day of Sandy ’s plan, I realized that she willingly wore jeans to school that day so that her pantyhose and girdle were in her dresser for me to put on and wear. 

Sandy even taught me to wear her make up by letting me watch her put on her make up, and how to stop a small run in her pantyhose with a dab of nail polish.  In no way was Sandy forced to let me wear anything of hers or to teach me about make up and runs in pantyhose.  Those were all Sandy ’s choices to do for me.  Even after Sandy agreed to let me wear a few of her things in front of her, Sandy never restricted anything I wore when her plan allowed.  So, though Sandy told me I looked too good in her favorite dress, and that I walked like a woman in her high heeled boots and jeans, Sandy never even hinted that I stop dressing like her when I could. 

Sandy really surprised me when she suggested that we get married.  There were lots of reasons for us not to get married, but Sandy did not want to wait.  I dearly loved Sandy and believed in her love for me.  So, though I was reluctant, I agreed to marry Sandy .

Sandy was well into planning the wedding when, one evening, she pointed out that my wearing her things would be easier, and more possible, if we were married.  I wasn’t too sure about that, but there was not reason for Sandy to make a point of it unless she wanted it to happen.

One week before we were married, Sandy planned a time for us to be alone for about four hours.  As we talked about the wedding, Sandy totally surprised me by telling me that I could take some time, get dressed in some of her things, and be dressed in front of her.  Sandy had never offered anything like that before.

We sat and talked about the wedding for about an hour while I was dressed up in Sandy ’s things.  I was actually quite pleased at Sandy ’s willingness to let me be dressed up in front of her.  I had no doubt of Sandy ’s love for me.

Looking back, I have a nagging wondering though, if Sandy did, in a sense, use her things and my need to dress like a woman as a part of getting me to marry her.  I’m not sure now that she didn’t.

[To Top]

We’ve also inaugurated what we hope will be the first of a series of dinners out.  Three AO couples had a lovely Chinese dinner downtown.  There will be more about this…and we’re thinking about opening this up to all couples in the area as well as AO members, with the idea of providing couples with a less formal setting to get to know each other.

Finally, your intrepid report turned heads at her local library branch when she stopped by to see a friend’s painting hanging in a show.  Turning heads was no surprise, and I was only mildly discomfited by my friend’s enthusiastic greeting.  So much for blending in.  To my surprise, the judge of the exhibition was someone who remembered me from a wedding a few years back!  

As I turnover membership duties to Mary Lee I want to note for all and sundry that we've seen recently one of those sudden jumps in interest in AO that clusters. I wish Mary Lee every success in converting this interest into attendance.


[To Top]

Some years ago, I was given a complete collection (till then) of cartoons from the New Yorker. During a period of enforced inactivity, I whiled away the time going through the cartoons in chronological order, marking off ones that reflected attitudes about gender and sex roles of the day. I thought it would make an interesting exercise to conduct such a scholarly analysis as a prelude to writing a thesis and collecting another Ph.D. in something like cultural or gender studies.

The New Yorker, as many know, but a few may not, is a nearly weekly culture and arts magazine based on the view that Manhattan is the center of the known universe.  Catering to a cultural and intellectual elite, it captures some of the social history of the US both in its essays and articles and in its always noteworthy cartoons.

The earliest reference to gender norms comes from this cartoon by Peter Arno, published in the second year of the New Yorker’s existence.  We can wonder what the non-genteel work this rather pretty young man might have had in mind.

1 - Peter Arno (1/2/1926)

 Both feminine men and masculine women are featured in this image later in 1926 by Thayer:

2 - R. Thayer (7/3/1926)

In the background we see two effeminately posed, languid gentlemen.  The one is white has a distinctly feminine posture, bent turned out leg, pronounced waist and hips, a rather limp wrist and inclined head together with a boutonnière that is corsage sized.  The women in the foreground, are by contrast distinctly mannish with short hair and solid postures.  The standing woman (presumably the wife), despite wearing a skirt has a vertical posture, a wide stance, almost no waist or hips.  She has broad, angular shoulder and she’s smoking.  I wonder if the skirt was added to make sure that the figure was identified as a woman.  I also wonder whether readers of the time saw “feminine men” in the background, or whether putting the women in the foreground overwhelmed that perception.

More frequently masculine women were the objects of scrutiny. A more distinctly mannish couple of women turned up on Coney Island later that year.

3 - Constantin Alajalov 7/3/1926

Today, cottaging has a peculiar meaning in gay male slang, although there is evidence that this usage is dying out.  I’ve been unable to trace it back as far as the 1920s.  But it does raise the possibility that Alajalov had a double entendre in mind, corresponding with the masculine figures cut by both women.  The cigars and ties are nice touches.  

The first reference to male to female crossdressing shows up at this pre-depression high society party captured by Peter Arno again:

4 -Peter Arno ( 2/19/1928 )

Arno had a lot of fun with the square jaws, cigars and topic of conversation.  The amorous dancers in the background suggest that this was a livelier party than these two tycoons were capable of appreciating.

A hint of the change in times can be seen in this contemporary cartoon from just a few weeks ago featuring two very soigné female figures in the foreground:

5 - Lee Lorenz (3/17/2008)

As a teaser I posted this on my Yahoo 360 blog (http://360.yahoo.com/dsfrank2001 ) without the caption.

I also raised the question on the discussion boards for My Husband Betty.  I wondered about the choice of caption.  For example, why is this funny and “Everybody thinks we’re sisters, but we’re actually father and son” probably not funny?  My friends there came up with other more contemporary cartoons, including this one.

6 - S. Gross (11/29/2004)

This one is dependent on English speaking readers reading from left to right.  It doesn’t work at all if the male figure's t-shirt is read first.

My plan is to continue this series up to the present day, or Elaine relents or someone else grabs the reins of the newsletter. Next Month- Who knows at this point...but I've got 80+ years to cover.

Diane

 [To Top]

Publication Information
This newsletter is copyright 2008 by The Alpha Omega Society. All rights reserved. Articles and information contained in this newsletter may be reprinted by other non-profit crossdresser organizations with advance permission of the author and provided that proper credit is given to author and source. The opinions or statements contained in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Alpha Omega.

Contributions of articles are welcomed, but may be altered in the editing process, with the author’s intent retained, or may be rejected, whether solicited or not. We will exchange newsletters with any other similar group.

[To Top]

Like the content? Want to see something different?

Send your newsletter comments to: Newsletter Editor

[To Top]