by JoAnn Roberts - CyberQueen

"All the problems of the world could be settled if people were only willing to think. The trouble is that people very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work." -- Thomas J. Watson

It would seem that Watson hit the nail on the head in regard to the Winslow Street Fund (WSF) "loan" of $15,000 to the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE). One has to wonder, "What were the WSF trustees thinking?" People are most upset over the violation of trust the community invested in the WSF. They promised never to use the principle for IFGE operations. And, amazingly, except for the trustee, Kerri Reeder, who blew the whistle, the WSF don't seem to understand how they broke that trust. Most folks are saying they'll not give the WSF any more money. The post-loan recriminations are hysterical. Reading the email flying back and forth is like reading The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. The most surprising revelation was that the WSF is not a separate trust fund as everyone assumed. That means the WSF is an asset of IFGE. If IFGE goes down the tubes, the WSF goes with it. That's how they justified the loan. Like most things IFGE has done in the past, they did what was expedient rather than set up the WSF correctly.

One thing that I think should happen immediately is for Abby Saypen and Laura Caldwell to resign from both the WSF and IFGE boards. This mess is their doing. Saypen is the chair of the WSF trustees and a member of the IFGE Executive Committee. Caldwell is the treasurer for both IFGE and WSF. Their participation on the WSF board is a conflict of interest for IFGE. Had any other organization asked for a $15,000 loan, it would have been turned down. My own opinion survey says IFGE has seriously damaged its ability to raise future money. The one bright spot in this mess is IFGE's Executive Director, Nancy Nangeroni. For once, I don't mind eating a little crow. I had wondered if she was up to the managerial requirements of her job. Nangeroni has kept a cool head throughout this crisis. According to insiders, Nangerone is the first Executive Director in years willing to make the really tough decisions about the future of IFGE. Maybe she can pull them out of their 4-year tail spin.

I worry about the spill-over effect IFGE's financial woes will have on the rest of our community's organizations. For example, last year when Renaissance asked for donations, some people asked if the organization was going to become "...like IFGE, always asking for money..." Renaissance, Tri-Ess, AEGIS, FtM International, American Boyz, and the International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy (ICTLEP) all depend, to varying degrees, on donations. Please remember all the good works these organizations do and try to send them a little something. From $5 to $5000 will be appreciated greatly.

My eye was caught by the headline, "Transsexual Sues Therapist" in the Sunday paper local news section. The news item was written very matter of fact. A post-op MtF transsexual sued her former therapist and psychiatrist because she had reassignment surgery, in her words, "too soon." When I read stuff like that it makes me ill. This person refused to take responsibility for their own actions and now wants others to pay, literally, for her mistake. Interestingly, neither the psychologist nor the psychiatrist actually approved her for surgery. Neither did the person complete a "real life test." It was pretty clear from the article that she had circumvented the Benjamin Standards of Care in one way or another. But, the jury must have felt sorry for her because they awarded her a little over $4,000. She had sued for tens of thousands of dollars. If I had been on the jury, I'd have argued for her to pay the two counselors.

We focus pretty intently on MtF issues because until recently MtF TVs and TSs made up the "known" TG universe. Well we know differently now. Our FtM brothers are out there doing, working and struggling just as we did, maybe even harder. One thing is for sure, once we added FtM to the mix, people started to take the transgender community seriously. Phyllis Frye (ICTLEP) says they blow away all the old stereotypes about transgendered people. So, how do you find out more about FtM people? You couldn't make a better start than by attending The True Spirit Conference on FtM Issues, February 20 – 22, 1998, in Laurel, Md. Contact Gary Bowen, coordinator for the American Boyz, PO Box 1118, Elkton, MD, 21922-1118 or send email to: transman@netgsi.com.

I'm pleased to announce the 1998 Fall Paradise In The Poconos, Sept. 24 - 27, will go on as scheduled. It was touch and go there for a while. Bill, the owner of the Pines Resort where we hold our event, was thinking of selling the place and we were looking for a new venue. But he called me just recently to tell me that the Pines will stay open and that he's looking forward to our group. In fact, he's going to focus on alternative lifestyle group weekends like mine. If you're looking for a great place to hold a small to medium sized event (50 to 100 people) get in touch with Bill at 717-595-7172. The food is fabulous!

Sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees. Among the many free things offered through Transgender Forum, many organizations don't seem to know they can get free web space to promote their organization on the Internet. The TGForum Community Center is home to many of the community's organizations, including Renaissance, IFGE, Tennessee Vals, ETVC, GenderPAC and many more. If your organization would like to host its own web page for free, just drop me a line and we'll get you set up. We're open to hosting GLBT community centers as well. Coming in 1998 for TGForum subscribers -- email and personal web pages!

It will be most interesting to see how the Supreme Court handles a same-sex harassment case that will come before it this Spring. A male worker on an oil rig claims he was sexually harassed by his supervisor, also a male. A local district court said the harassment didn't violate federal law if it was between two males. That just doesn't seem to make any sense to me and it didn't to the victim and his lawyer, so they took it to the Supremes. Apparently, the object of the harassment wasn't masculine enough for the supervisor who grabbed the man's crotch and made lewd remarks to him. When the victim complained about the harassment, he was fired. What will be interesting will be how the Court defines sexual harassment in same-sex situations. It may come down to recognizing that gender presentation and gender role needs to be protected in the workplace.

This comes under the "we-already-knew-that" category. According to a blurb published in a recent Playboy magazine: 25% of 5000 men in a British survey said they crossdressed at sometime in their lives and 8% said they do it at least once a week. This is news?

The X-Files have a gillian fans, and if you'd seen the x-tremely erotic Gillian Anderson in the December issue of Allure magazine, you'd know why. L.A. Photog David LaChapelle snapped our x-girl in a black leather tube dress and in a red hot polyester tube dress, both of which show off an x-shaped figure and boobs we rarely get to see on the boob-tube. LaChapelle says Anderson is much sexier than she is on the show.

I've been hearing a bit of a buzz about my recent purchase of a 1967 Corvette. Some people are scandalized that I can afford such an "extravagant" vehicle. I think they're just jealous. Besides, it's called creative finance. Anyone with a good credit rating can do it. It's also my fifth Corvette. I sold my '65 convertible in 1985 and I've regretted it ever since. My goal is to own both a '57 and a '67. Meanwhile, I'm planning a special photo layout in a future issue of LadyLike called Hot Rods. I want pictures of transgendered people and their cars, preferably sports cars. Send the pix to me care of LadyLike Magazine, PO Box 61263, King of Prussia, Pa., 19406. (Please do not email me pictures. They're no good for a print publication.)

The December issue of Glamour magazine handed out hosiery awards. They had real women test 177 pairs (55 different kinds) of hose and here are the results... Longest Lasting Sheer: Hanes Resilience Strong & Sheer, $6.50... Most Natural Nude: Donna Karan The Nudes, $13.50... Sexiest: Victoria's Secret Couture Collection Fishnets, $12... Best Supermarket Brand: L'eggs Sheer Comfort, $4.99... Best Mail Order Buy: Victoria's Secret Glamour Sheers, $7.50... Best Technical Development (& most expensive): Wolford Fatal Opaque (totally seamless), $45.

Dumbest Fashion Idea of the Year goes to the mini skirt with a slit. As if a mini doesn't show enough leg already, the slit makes it nearly impossible to sit gracefully and ladylike. Who's going to take seriously any woman who wears one of those slit skirts?

So I went to see Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil. I have to say the Lady Chablis handled herself very well for an semi-professional. (It wouldn't be quite right calling a female impersonator an "amateur.") What was interesting, though, was how much of Chablis they put into the movie. See, John Berendt's best selling book is about Savannah and the people living there, and it eventually leads up to Jim Williams' murder trial. Naturally, Chablis is a part of the "color" of the city. However, the movie focuses on the murder trial and Chablis could have been excluded with no loss to the story. Actually, the A&E network did a special called Midnight In Savannah that tells the story almost as well as the movie and gives much more insight into the various characters involved. Nevertheless, Chablis is another transgendered character in a film that we can add to our list of positive models. Oh, and Chablis says she's sold the movie rights to her own autobiography, Hiding My Candy, and expects to be playing herself again. Chablis, honey, you ain't no spring chicken. By the time they get around to actually doin' this film, you better want some fresh queen to play you girl!

Looking for a little something to pump up your glam look for the winter season? Try these tricks... Individual eye lashes for the most natural looking lashes (takes a bit of time). Look for Il-Makiage Individual Lashes... For that just-spent-a week-on-the-beach look, try a bronzer... Change the color of your eyes with Wesley Jessen FreshLook disposable contacts... Dragon Lady nails are "in" again. Look for salon-style tips... Fake lashes in goofy colors... And last but not least, a beauty mark.

The stiletto is still the "in" shoe for the fashion conscious. Wearing 4-inch spikes can cause a serious inflammation called plantar fasciitis characterized by a dull ache in the heels, balls of the feet, and arches. The cure is a silicone heel cup, some ibuprofen and foot baths. But, one can wear these tottering towers without problem if the fit is good and you limit the amount of time you wear them.

So, those are my opinions, but, hey, what do I know? I think, therefore I am... I think. Comments? Write care of this publication or email them to CyberQueen@cdspub.com.