By Olga V. Cambasani
The most famous two people are known as "Shanghai Lily" and "Diva", and people here call them Drag Queens (even though they are -to the best of my knowledge- straight men). These two are just the tip of the iceberg, very fashionable in top-class private parties, or else may work as public relations in discos and the like. Diva is normally around in two places, Joy Eslava and Titanic, the latter being a massive 5-story disco downtown Madrid. Shanghai Lily, conversely, has specialised more in private parties.
Last March 22, in Barcelona (Spain), I was invited as a special guest to a very special party. It was a private presentation of CLUB TRANSGRESION, the first establishment open to the general public in Spain, where crossdressers can safely make their dreams come true, have a drink in good company, and show off a little.
First, the party itself. It was scheduled to start at 9:30 PM (usual dinner time in Spain). At that time I was still getting ready in the Dressing Room, and was required by some of my "sisters" there to help them with their eye- liners, lip-liners, eyeshadows,... Apparently, I was the only one who wasn't a complete nutter in that shrieky birdcage| Everybody was hysterical and just too shaky to do anything properly. When I finished my makeup assistance, I went out to meet the other guests. Nice people, unusual people, funny people... It takes all sorts to make the world, doesn't it? I really enjoyed myself. I made new friends, drank excellent Cava, and ate delicious Catalan specialities (Josephine, the owner, also runs a restaurant). The party went on until 4-5 in the morning.
The project comes from Josephine, Justine and Estefania, 3 crossdressers born and raised in Barcelona. Club Transgresion shares premises with La Caraba, another night club, but for "conventional" couples. This "space-sharing" makes it impossible for Transgresion to be open daily. The opening days are Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2 PM to Midnight (or beyond, if the public want more). Wednesdays, 4 to 8 PM, are devoted to showing visitors around the premises. The services offered are:
Transgresion
Apartado 21142
08080 Barcelona (Spain)
Tel: +34-3-3002059
Despite this club, the world of TVism in Spain is like a pressure-cooker, as I usually say.
I mean, there are loads of "amateur" TVs who cross-dress on their own, because they don't have a place to gather, talk, and share experiences with their "sisters". We don't even have a magazine to publish our pics, experiences and post our announcements.
As far as I know, the only magazine that has been "invaded" by TV pictures, experiences and the like is TACONES ALTOS (=high heels), the Spanish edition of the US fetish 'zine LEG SHOW. It is through that magazine that I could contact a few other TVs in different parts of Spain, and I am now planning to launch a TV coordination for the Madrid area by posting an announcement in that magazine.
The idea is sending a couple of pics with a short text like: "Hi, I'm Olga. How about getting together at a private TV party for those who live in the Madrid area? Interested write to my P.O. box". I am pretty sure hundreds of TVs, young and old, more or less transgendered will respond to that call. I will keep you up to date, if you'd like me to.