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Last of my pin-up shots from this batch, should get a lot more when I do my next session. Oddly, even though this was the round of pictures where I had the most clothes on, they definitely felt like the “naughtiest.” This was the only concept I went into the session planning on trying. I really liked the idea of doing a set that embraced the gender dichotomy and played with it instead of just ignoring it or trying to hide it.
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Camera
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO
320 		Aperture
f/11
Exposure
1/125th 		Focal Length
47mm

Last of my pin-up shots from this batch, should get a lot more when I do my next session.

Oddly, even though this was the round of pictures where I had the most clothes on, they definitely felt like the “naughtiest.” This was the only concept I went into the session planning on trying. I really liked the idea of doing a set that embraced the gender dichotomy and played with it instead of just ignoring it or trying to hide it.

mirkwood: alloutoffuqstogive: andythenerd: youwontlivethisonedown: Last week, as part of a cultural discovery project for one of my classes, I spent three days wearing ‘girls’ clothes while going about my day. I wanted to explore the general reaction and preconceptions that people in my city have to clothing, especially in regards to gender… By day’s end, I feared a full-on breakdown, unable to stand up for myself or what I believed in to maintain the integrity of the observer’s perspective. In a way, I had no right to feel that way, mostly because of the realization that this is the way that many have to live their lives. I fought back tears as every stare and ill-formed word engrained themselves in my sub-conscious.  Though I may not know you, I think that it’s important that we all come to understand why these things happen. In my book, cat-calling, shaming and harassment are among the worst actions we can engage in. As a heterosexual male, I will never truly know the fear that women may experience while walking home from work, going see a friend for lunch, or being sized-up in public based on their clothing. I will never truly know the gut-rot that a transgender individual may feel while being eyed up and down at the store or in class, strangers seeming to think as if the clothing they see before them begs a legal invitation of ridicule. I will never truly know the plights of these people, but as an ally and a human being invested in true equality, it is now my obligation to stand up for them as if I did.  I wish every single person would have the ability to walk one day in the shoes (literally, as is the case) of a person that society places underneath them. Perhaps then hate would melt away into understanding. Cis white guy does it OMG HOW BRAVE OF YOU WHAT A GOOD POINT YOU’E MADE thousands of trans* femme people/women do it for their whole lives because they fucking have to *WALL OF SILENCE* I will never truly know the plights of these people, but as an ally and a human being invested in true equality, it is now my obligation to stand up for them as if I did. ^ No shut up. Reblogged again for perfectly valid objections. WHAT?!  I don’t agree the objections are perfectly valid.  What is the ultimate end game of social justice blogs if we’re going to continually demonize people who ARE ON OUR SIDE. This guy dressed like I do, he essentially walked a mile in *exactly* my shoes, although I’d have worn better shoes and accessorized better (For real dude, don’t you know at least one girl you could’ve consulted with for some style tips?) I feel glad he did it.  I wish more people would experiment with living outside of their own perspective and learn things, and then not get it thrown back in his face by the very people he was trying to understand and gain perspective on. Yes, it’s a valid point that thousands of us deal with this on a daily basis because it is who we are.  You know who else made it? HE DID!!!! So why are you telling him to shut up?  Every day when I walk around going about my business dressed the way I do, I notice eyeballs on me, I hear scornful comments when people think I’m out of earshot, or when they don’t even care to consider if I am.  And I think to myself, I wish more people were aware of just how commonplace that is.  I wish more people knew just how much of a hassle it is to get my lunch or go to the bank and dress like myself.  I wish more people knew just how many little things pile up so quickly, for the “crime” of expressing my gender in a way that doesn’t immediately mesh with social programming.   This guy knows now, and he’s speaking about it. And what response does he get? He’s told to shut up. This response really, really bugs me.  Fail. 
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mirkwood: alloutoffuqstogive: andythenerd: youwontlivethisonedown: Last week, as part of a cultural discovery project for one of my classes, I spent three days wearing ‘girls’ clothes while going about my day. I wanted to explore the general reaction and preconceptions that people in my city have to clothing, especially in regards to gender… By day’s end, I feared a full-on breakdown, unable to stand up for myself or what I believed in to maintain the integrity of the observer’s perspective. In a way, I had no right to feel that way, mostly because of the realization that this is the way that many have to live their lives. I fought back tears as every stare and ill-formed word engrained themselves in my sub-conscious.  Though I may not know you, I think that it’s important that we all come to understand why these things happen. In my book, cat-calling, shaming and harassment are among the worst actions we can engage in. As a heterosexual male, I will never truly know the fear that women may experience while walking home from work, going see a friend for lunch, or being sized-up in public based on their clothing. I will never truly know the gut-rot that a transgender individual may feel while being eyed up and down at the store or in class, strangers seeming to think as if the clothing they see before them begs a legal invitation of ridicule. I will never truly know the plights of these people, but as an ally and a human being invested in true equality, it is now my obligation to stand up for them as if I did.  I wish every single person would have the ability to walk one day in the shoes (literally, as is the case) of a person that society places underneath them. Perhaps then hate would melt away into understanding. Cis white guy does it OMG HOW BRAVE OF YOU WHAT A GOOD POINT YOU’E MADE thousands of trans* femme people/women do it for their whole lives because they fucking have to *WALL OF SILENCE* I will never truly know the plights of these people, but as an ally and a human being invested in true equality, it is now my obligation to stand up for them as if I did. ^ No shut up. Reblogged again for perfectly valid objections. WHAT?!  I don’t agree the objections are perfectly valid.  What is the ultimate end game of social justice blogs if we’re going to continually demonize people who ARE ON OUR SIDE. This guy dressed like I do, he essentially walked a mile in *exactly* my shoes, although I’d have worn better shoes and accessorized better (For real dude, don’t you know at least one girl you could’ve consulted with for some style tips?) I feel glad he did it.  I wish more people would experiment with living outside of their own perspective and learn things, and then not get it thrown back in his face by the very people he was trying to understand and gain perspective on. Yes, it’s a valid point that thousands of us deal with this on a daily basis because it is who we are.  You know who else made it? HE DID!!!! So why are you telling him to shut up?  Every day when I walk around going about my business dressed the way I do, I notice eyeballs on me, I hear scornful comments when people think I’m out of earshot, or when they don’t even care to consider if I am.  And I think to myself, I wish more people were aware of just how commonplace that is.  I wish more people knew just how much of a hassle it is to get my lunch or go to the bank and dress like myself.  I wish more people knew just how many little things pile up so quickly, for the “crime” of expressing my gender in a way that doesn’t immediately mesh with social programming.   This guy knows now, and he’s speaking about it. And what response does he get? He’s told to shut up. This response really, really bugs me.  Fail. 
Zoom Info
mirkwood: alloutoffuqstogive: andythenerd: youwontlivethisonedown: Last week, as part of a cultural discovery project for one of my classes, I spent three days wearing ‘girls’ clothes while going about my day. I wanted to explore the general reaction and preconceptions that people in my city have to clothing, especially in regards to gender… By day’s end, I feared a full-on breakdown, unable to stand up for myself or what I believed in to maintain the integrity of the observer’s perspective. In a way, I had no right to feel that way, mostly because of the realization that this is the way that many have to live their lives. I fought back tears as every stare and ill-formed word engrained themselves in my sub-conscious.  Though I may not know you, I think that it’s important that we all come to understand why these things happen. In my book, cat-calling, shaming and harassment are among the worst actions we can engage in. As a heterosexual male, I will never truly know the fear that women may experience while walking home from work, going see a friend for lunch, or being sized-up in public based on their clothing. I will never truly know the gut-rot that a transgender individual may feel while being eyed up and down at the store or in class, strangers seeming to think as if the clothing they see before them begs a legal invitation of ridicule. I will never truly know the plights of these people, but as an ally and a human being invested in true equality, it is now my obligation to stand up for them as if I did.  I wish every single person would have the ability to walk one day in the shoes (literally, as is the case) of a person that society places underneath them. Perhaps then hate would melt away into understanding. Cis white guy does it OMG HOW BRAVE OF YOU WHAT A GOOD POINT YOU’E MADE thousands of trans* femme people/women do it for their whole lives because they fucking have to *WALL OF SILENCE* I will never truly know the plights of these people, but as an ally and a human being invested in true equality, it is now my obligation to stand up for them as if I did. ^ No shut up. Reblogged again for perfectly valid objections. WHAT?!  I don’t agree the objections are perfectly valid.  What is the ultimate end game of social justice blogs if we’re going to continually demonize people who ARE ON OUR SIDE. This guy dressed like I do, he essentially walked a mile in *exactly* my shoes, although I’d have worn better shoes and accessorized better (For real dude, don’t you know at least one girl you could’ve consulted with for some style tips?) I feel glad he did it.  I wish more people would experiment with living outside of their own perspective and learn things, and then not get it thrown back in his face by the very people he was trying to understand and gain perspective on. Yes, it’s a valid point that thousands of us deal with this on a daily basis because it is who we are.  You know who else made it? HE DID!!!! So why are you telling him to shut up?  Every day when I walk around going about my business dressed the way I do, I notice eyeballs on me, I hear scornful comments when people think I’m out of earshot, or when they don’t even care to consider if I am.  And I think to myself, I wish more people were aware of just how commonplace that is.  I wish more people knew just how much of a hassle it is to get my lunch or go to the bank and dress like myself.  I wish more people knew just how many little things pile up so quickly, for the “crime” of expressing my gender in a way that doesn’t immediately mesh with social programming.   This guy knows now, and he’s speaking about it. And what response does he get? He’s told to shut up. This response really, really bugs me.  Fail. 
Zoom Info

mirkwood:

alloutoffuqstogive:

andythenerd:

youwontlivethisonedown:

Last week, as part of a cultural discovery project for one of my classes, I spent three days wearing ‘girls’ clothes while going about my day. I wanted to explore the general reaction and preconceptions that people in my city have to clothing, especially in regards to gender…

By day’s end, I feared a full-on breakdown, unable to stand up for myself or what I believed in to maintain the integrity of the observer’s perspective. In a way, I had no right to feel that way, mostly because of the realization that this is the way that many have to live their lives. I fought back tears as every stare and ill-formed word engrained themselves in my sub-conscious. 

Though I may not know you, I think that it’s important that we all come to understand why these things happen. In my book, cat-calling, shaming and harassment are among the worst actions we can engage in. As a heterosexual male, I will never truly know the fear that women may experience while walking home from work, going see a friend for lunch, or being sized-up in public based on their clothing. I will never truly know the gut-rot that a transgender individual may feel while being eyed up and down at the store or in class, strangers seeming to think as if the clothing they see before them begs a legal invitation of ridicule. I will never truly know the plights of these people, but as an ally and a human being invested in true equality, it is now my obligation to stand up for them as if I did. 

I wish every single person would have the ability to walk one day in the shoes (literally, as is the case) of a person that society places underneath them. Perhaps then hate would melt away into understanding.

Cis white guy does it

OMG HOW BRAVE OF YOU WHAT A GOOD POINT YOU’E MADE

thousands of trans* femme people/women do it for their whole lives because they fucking have to

*WALL OF SILENCE*

I will never truly know the plights of these people, but as an ally and a human being invested in true equality, it is now my obligation to stand up for them as if I did.

^ No shut up.

Reblogged again for perfectly valid objections.

WHAT?! 

I don’t agree the objections are perfectly valid.  What is the ultimate end game of social justice blogs if we’re going to continually demonize people who ARE ON OUR SIDE.

This guy dressed like I do, he essentially walked a mile in *exactly* my shoes, although I’d have worn better shoes and accessorized better (For real dude, don’t you know at least one girl you could’ve consulted with for some style tips?)

I feel glad he did it.  I wish more people would experiment with living outside of their own perspective and learn things, and then not get it thrown back in his face by the very people he was trying to understand and gain perspective on.

Yes, it’s a valid point that thousands of us deal with this on a daily basis because it is who we are.  You know who else made it? HE DID!!!! So why are you telling him to shut up? 

Every day when I walk around going about my business dressed the way I do, I notice eyeballs on me, I hear scornful comments when people think I’m out of earshot, or when they don’t even care to consider if I am.  And I think to myself, I wish more people were aware of just how commonplace that is.  I wish more people knew just how much of a hassle it is to get my lunch or go to the bank and dress like myself.  I wish more people knew just how many little things pile up so quickly, for the “crime” of expressing my gender in a way that doesn’t immediately mesh with social programming.  

This guy knows now, and he’s speaking about it. And what response does he get? He’s told to shut up.

This response really, really bugs me. 

Fail. 

Today is the National Transgender Day of Remembrance where we honor those who have been the victims of anger, hate and misunderstanding for the unforgivable crime of wanting to be themselves. I wasn’t sure it was appropriate to do a No Pants November posting today or not because of seriousness of the occasion. Then I realized that it was more important than any other day. My name is Rye Silverman. I am transgender. I am a person. I often feel like a square peg in a world of round holes. But I refuse to not be myself. I am trans* and I am proud and we cannot hide in the dark or in the closet anymore. We must be visible. We must show our faces and let the world know we are not going to cower anymore.
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Today is the National Transgender Day of Remembrance where we honor those who have been the victims of anger, hate and misunderstanding for the unforgivable crime of wanting to be themselves.

I wasn’t sure it was appropriate to do a No Pants November posting today or not because of seriousness of the occasion. Then I realized that it was more important than any other day.

My name is Rye Silverman. I am transgender. I am a person. I often feel like a square peg in a world of round holes. But I refuse to not be myself. I am trans* and I am proud and we cannot hide in the dark or in the closet anymore. We must be visible. We must show our faces and let the world know we are not going to cower anymore.

Confessions of a One-Night Crossdresser Article:

I get google alerts for “Crossdresser” which usually ends up sending me results for stuff that I wish it didn’t, but this one I got yesterday actually interested me. It’s written from the perspective of a Japanese man who spent Halloween in drag (and looking pretty good, in my opinion.) 

Being perfectly honest and forthcoming with my ethnocentric attitudes, I’ve always sort of imagined Asian countries as being sort of a haven for those of the transgendered ilk, having read articles of maid cafes staffed by crossdressing men, or game shows that transform men into women, and the concept of “kathoey” in Thailand  that tends to recognize almost a “third sex”,  leading to an all-transgendered airline that ultimately wasn’t as sound a financial decision as it sounded like to… nobody.

But to the author of this article, a night putting the girl on in Japan doesn’t seem all that different than it would here in America.  

It’s nice that he (I’m using the male pronoun here because the author does not identify as transgendered) starts off with a positive note, about how great it actually does feel when someone calls you pretty.  Even though I exist somewhere in the middle of the gender spectrum, I do like it when people compliment me the way they would a woman.  Sure, it’s also confidence boosting when people tell me I’m brave or compliment me on my confidence, but to me sometimes I would like to just get complimented on my actual look which I’m often very proud of.  

He then observes the same thing I get annoyed with, which is the complete lack of any tact or human decency that people will use when reacting to me and how I’m dressed.  Essentially people tend to forget that unusual people are still people and still have ears and feelings and dignity. 

Another big shock was hearing passersby comment on our group of three dragsters, loud enough for us to hear. That was hurtful. If you have to say something, fine, but couldn’t you at least lower your voice?

Exactly. Or, you know, grow up and recognize that people are different and you don’t have to say something to begin with.  

Finally one more thing I wanted to note was the author’s hair removal strategy:

 I plucked out my beard using tweezers. It took more than 2 hours to get all of those pesky hairs, but then I could be sure I was hair-free for a least a couple of days, with no Cinderella beard to bring an early end to festivities.

Damn dude.  Mineral foundation over some concealer.  Works wonders.  

(P.S. I’m aware the article’s author uses the T-Slur that got me into trouble a couple of months ago, but I’m willing to cut him some slack as he is likely not that initiated into transgender issues, and also it may be a cultural thing where it isn’t used as severely in Japan.) 

Unsnagged

I am probably jinxing it by posting this, but I’m just going to say it.  Kudos, L’eggs for the particularly sturdy pair of Jet Black, Silken Mist pantyhose you made this time around.  Not going to lie, I am incredibly impressed at the amount I have worn them in the past few weeks without having them decide they want my big toe to go right through them.  It’s almost like you heard me say out loud that I was considering switching to footless tights forever and decided to step up your game.   

Barely Beer Bellied

There’s something of a catch-22 in the process of experimenting with women’s clothing and fashions.  On one hand, the very nature of what is appealing about them is how much more open a world it is for creating one’s own sense of style and expression in clothing.  I am continually proud of myself when I look in the mirror at a new outfit and feel like I made something work.


But, on the other hand, I never feel worse about my body than when I am at the mercy of a particularly unforgiving piece of clothing.  I know, this is completely groundbreaking material, it amazes me too that not a single magazine article or academic text has been written about the effect women’s clothing can have on one’s self esteem, but guys, for real, it can be a real shock to the senses to slip on a nice denim skirt and t-shirt combo just to see a sudden bulge in the belly that you can swear for certain *wasn’t* there before you got dressed.  It’s almost like the top… of a muffin.  Seriously, can’t believe no one has covered this.

Enter shapewear.  The not-so-secret weapon of the female closet has gained it’s share of notoriety in the last few years, or at least I’ve noticed a few jokes about SPANX on 30 Rock, and particularly catty fashion blogs like to occasionally catch shots of famous ladies exposing their SPANX by accident. But up until about a few weeks ago, I’d never really worn any shapewear aside from the control top to my tights or pantyhose, which usually decides it wants to roll down to my waist as the evening progresses anyway.  (Seriously, is there something I’m not getting about how to control the control top?)

In December I was in a Victoria’s Secret shopping for something to spend my Secret Rewards card on.  For those who don’t know (as in, guys reading this), the Secret Rewards card is a gift card that VS gives out in November as a gimmick that has an unknown value ranging from $10-$500. By that I mean, it has $10 on it, but you need to come in to a store and have them scan it in order to find out that it only has $10 on it.  I guess there might actually be some $50, $100, and $500 ones out there, but it requires the same level of faith that makes us believe McDonalds’ Monopoly game actually does have both Park Place and Boardwalk stickers.  So, I was armed with a $10 gift card, plus a $10 coupon they sent me for my birthday (yes, I’m on Victoria’s Secret’s mailing list.) 

I’ve actually been feeling a bit more self-conscious about my belly lately, not enough to stop drinking beer or focus on dojng the occasional ab-crunch, but enough to seriously ponder the purchase of a tank-top designed to control my tummy under skirts with a fitted waistline.  Especially at a discount with my double-stack of cards.  And so, added to my wardrobe was the “Better On Top” slimming Tank with medium control, purchased in black.  For courtesy’s sake I have included a picture of the Victoria’s Secret model in this thing instead of myself, but I probably look almost as good…

I’ve worn the tank now a few times now, and it is something that takes some getting used to.  I definitely am much happier with my silhouette when I have it on, but while it isn’t all that uncomfortable, it is tight enough and the compression is strong enough that I am never really able to forget that I have it on. So while I do like the way it makes me look, it also has the side effect of making me feel like a gut-specific Dorian Gray, putting out an outward appearance of a slimmer tighter figure but knowing somewhere in an attic there’s a painting of my love handles knocking lamps off of end tables.  

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