Tyra Banks had a good laugh on us ladies.How sweet!

[Jeannie]

Hello ladies. It's 5:00 on Wednesday,May 3rd and I was over a friend of mines and was fixing something for him and he had on The Tyra Banks talk show.Tyra had on a woman and said that her boyfriend had something he had to wanted to share with her. They proceeded to show him in a clip explaining he liked to dress in womens clothes and was always afraid to tell her. She then had him come out to join them and he was dressed in a slip and sandals. Tyra said she had dated a man like that with that "problem". After getting the reactions from the mans girlfriend and audience she revealed it was a joke and the boyfriend was in on it and the audience had a good laugh. Tyra then said I never really dated a man like that.
Ladies. After this I'm going on her website and Little Jeannie is going to give her an earfull. Would she make fun of gays, bi sexuals or lesbians? Is it OK to laugh at Crossdressers or transgendered people?
Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes right to the bone. Tyra is lucky she was born beautiful and ignorant. I'll give her a heads up for us gals. Jeannie can be quite a little B---- when someone gets her back up. Tyra opened the door and little Jeannie is going to run right through. Hugs


Love
Jeannie


PS Ladies. I have the perfect PS for her:

"If I ever want to build myself a new as-----,tell your parents to send me the blueprints Hun! Have a sparkling day!"

[Stephanie W]

Jeannie

I would also suggest writing to the network and making your voice heard.

The more I think about it, perhaps it might be a good idea to have a dedicated thread where we can post these kinds of 'negative' media items, be they TV shows, movies, news reports or whatever. Perhaps we can also add the positive ones too?

That way, we can have a quick reference to who is not behaving themselves (or who is supportive), along with the show/network mailing or email address. It might also encourage more people to write to the offenders with our complaints.

Stephanie

[Jeannie]

You can send an email on Tyra Banks site but you are required to put your name,address,daytime and evening numbers with email address. No problemo for little Jeannie. Everyone here knows about me. anyway. A few more people wouldn't matter! It would be great to hear from her. I could go on the show and give us ladies a little good press for once. I could give you all a shout out too! How cool would that be? Now I'm in a tizzy thinking if I am invited, what will I wear? Casual,business suit or go with the short and sassy look? Decisions,decisions,decisions! What do think Hun!

Love
Jeannie

PS On second thought she might not want me on the show. I remarked I have beautiful little girlie feet and toes not like those big flippers and ET toes that she sports!Was I out of line ladies? That little Jeannie can be such a little B---- sometimes! Hey ladies. I had to get at least one in! You know me! When Jeannies bad she's real bad!:lol:

[Danielle La Belle]

Hi Girls:

I know that it is easier to agree than disagree. I am going to play the devils advocate here.

Eons ago, , Milton Berle, a renouned comedian of his day, played a "Carman Maranda" role in one of his skits in the early 1950's. I remember seeing him all dolled up with the fruit basket on his head.

We learned to laugh at this because, well, in honesty, he looked rather funny. He was dressed to look that way of course. But, today, there are some that say, "Uncle Millton" was A CD/TG at heart and this was his way of making a National TV appearance while retaining his comedy hour show and a means of making a rather decent living.

I am not going to go there. My point, it is funny if done for fun's sake as on the Tyra banks show. True, we all do not like people that make fun of any particular culture, race, religion, physical difference, etc. On the other hand, done correctly, in the spirit of fun and not a prank or hurtful, it can be funny.

The problem honestly is that we think, for the most part, that woman (gg) look cute in over-sized men's clothing. Let's be honest here girls. Men do not really look cute by definition to someone that is attracted to the opposite sex. Hetro men look at woman (gg) and find them both pretty, attractive and cute.

Words that we use here for description are tied to emotional feelings that we define with words such as cute. We need to express our inner feelings, those responses that we feel when we find someone looking appealing to us. No doubt, gay men feel that way about other men and gay woman feel that way about other woman. It is a sensory mechanisim internal to our mental wiring.

So, put away the daggers girls, , Tyra was just using an age-old laugh gimmick to create a little sensation among the viewing audience much the way Jay Leno and David Letterman throw tomatoes off the roof of a building or have taxi cabs go by and squash mellons.

Grow a 3 day beard and then put on your lipstick gals, now that is funny and if you cannot laugh at that, well, keep in mind why it is funny. Cultural ideas, some of which are not going to change. If I were the "bearded lady," due to a quirk in my DNA, no I would not like to be laughed at. But, this is not such a case. In general, not properly done, men look funny in drag. So, I like to think that I have the common sense to know the difference when I dress.

Lucille Ball used to dress as a man many times in her show's TV skits and got many laughs from the adults around me at the time. I was taught through this experience that I am going to need a sense of humor when I dress in my best frock!

Hugs

Danielle Marie
"The devil made me type this."

[Grace]

I happen to be on the left side of the political aisle, and a few weeks ago was listenting to Air America, which is a progressive talk show network. I posted the following in hot topics, since there was this political aspect to my posting. Since that forum doesn't get much activity these days, I thought I'd repost some of the text here, since it is directly relevant. Essentially, one of the hosts made the same bigoted kind of statement, though it was verbal and not televised.

Mike Pappantonio, a co-host with Robert Kennedy, was discussing the NSA's warrantless wiretapping, and he likened it to a throwback to the days of J. Edgar Hoover. Mike then tried to underscore what a slimeball Hoover was by mentioning that he liked to wear women's clothes. I wrote the following letter to them (unfortunately I only received a neutral reply, and nothing was said on the following Saturday's broadcast):

"I was listening to your normally great show on Saturday, when something you said about J. Edgar Hoover jolted me. I think everyone knows he was a slimy individual, but you trotted out the fact that he was a crossdresser to underscore your point. Would you have done that if he'd been gay, black or Hispanic?

"Crossdressers did not choose their lot in life, and as much as people like to make fun of them, they are legitimate people on the transgendered spectrum. It is estimated that somewhere around 5% of heterosexual males crossdress. Although the reasons aren't understood, it is known
that it is not a pathology or disease to be cured, but an intrinsic part of who they are. They deserve as much respect as anyone else, not ridicule.

"Shame on you."

Cheers,

Grace

[Danielle La Belle]

If you really want to be heard Gracie, then standing or sitting safely in the hall closet is not going to really do much. Ya gotta' get out there on mainstreet! Get a parade permit and even if only you march in it at the designated time, day and place, well,,, , that will surely get someone's attention.

It is like advertising. Stand in your garage with a lemonade stand and mom buys a lemonade from you. Move the stand outside in front of the house a few kids passing buy on a hot day will buy a glass. Move the stand to a busy street corner and before you know it, the cops come and make you move your stand cause you did not get a license to sell, ........

So if you want someone to listen, then you have to "get in their face!" Beat a drum, stand silently top of the County Administrations Flag pole, er, ah, no, that might a bit dangerous and illegal.

Beat a drum! Visit your neighbors one saturday in your best frock! oolala, that can be fun!

Hugs

Danielle Marie

[DonnaT]

Danielle, I agree that we should be able to laugh at ourselves, but only when it is funny. Heck, I've laghed when the CDing was humorous as intended.

However, what Jeannie described wasn't humorous. It was a dig. It, in effect, was saying, be glad you're not married to a crossdresser.

Video: Humorous or not?
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006 ... nge-p1.php

I thought it was.

[Danielle La Belle]

Hi Again:

I have been thinking and I must stick with my original input. A man, walking out on stage in a slip is not a TG person. I think that the audience got to that fairly quickly. After all, it was done for "shock and awe" value. Maybe Tyra was making fun of us. We canot lose our sense of self-worth over this typical, everyday misunderstanding about the TG community. I cannot help say that it was light-hearted fun. After all, how many woman (gg) would raise their hand and say, "gee I sure hope my husband, boyfriend etc., is like that." NOT!

So, keep in perspective that this was on the Tyra Banks show, and not "60 minutes" or "The View" or the highly respected "Oprah" show. It is a here today, gone tomorrow show. People will never really take her seriously. We need to fry bigger and better fish that have the public eye and we can do something about.

Hugs

Danielle Marie
Who is to decide what, where and when something is funny?

[Jaye]

On the other hand, Tyra did another show a few weeks ago that was a little more sympathetic, if in a back-handed way.

The show featured four or five couples, and the female half of each couple wanted their mate to understand all the "drama" they go through to look good. So each of the mates underwent a "makeover", after which they came out onstage in a female persona. The makeovers were done by an assortment of drag performers. In between segments, Tyra went over decorating tips with Brini Maxwell.

The transformations were presented in a very positive light, but the transformees weren't crossdressers.

[Lydia]

Hi all,

I was about to write a note here, when the post by Danielle came on. She said most of what I wanted to say very effectively, but I'll add a note or two.

A "guy-in-a-dress" is inherently funny. I have had many laughs from seeing the Monty Python gang, Milton Berle, Benny Hill, etc. in drag. Humor is hard to explain, but most of us find it funny when our sense of the ridiculous is tickled. In my own case, when I look at myself dressed in a mirror, it is funny! I'll bet that this is true of most of us here. It is only the exception or the professional that can truly pass as a female.

Actually, this is what keeps many of us in the closet. We are bright enough and realistic enough to accept the fact that we are inevitably the "guy-in-a-dress." I venture out en femme rarely, and carefully, almost trembling in fear. What do I fear? Being ridiculed or laughed at. Some of you here are much braver than I am, and I envy you.

In any case, let us not take ourselves too seriously. The rest of the world may think we are funny - and I guess we are.

Hugs,

Willy

[Danielle La Belle]

Oh God here comes Danielle again! What's with her? Geez, she must like to hear herself talk/type... .

Oh yeah, it's me again. I liked the entry by "Willy." Not because she agreed with me, rather because she made a really good point. I am fortunate in that with the exception of my height at 6' even, I can "pass" as female under the right conditons. I have the "s" curve of a female with slim hips and a weight of 148lbs. 37 - 28 - 35.

So, if my makeup is done well, add a scarf for flare with the blouse and skirt and people question sometimes and other times they accept me as presented.

My point, accept me as presented! We fear I think naturally, not being accepted as we present ourtselves. We would be laughed at or ridiculed. For some this is just the absolute downer. I experiment with my male appearance as well and find that some think it is funny that I would wear a pair of blue jeans, black low quarters by Dr. Scholls, and a plain solid colored shirt that is more like a business style. My spouse is one for giving me they eye anytime I wear something that does not match up with her current mental picture of me. Even if it is from the men's section of JC Penny's.

So, that has taught me that I can get the same funny look just wearing something that while is culturally appropriate, still draws attention at first when it is different from my day-to-day appearance. It's not like I am wearing a slip and nothing else, .

Cultural fear is bred into us over the early years which simply reflects on the fact that humans in general are constantly verifying their membership in the human race by looking at and making quick asumptions of others. You see that in the mall and walking down the street everyday.

Dressed in male attire, walking by a couple of street tuffs, you puff up and just walk on by waiting for any challenge. Dressed in your best frock, you take on the female role and prepare to be harrassed or cross to the other side of the street fearing they will discover your secret, thus drawing their attention and harrassment.

Same person, expressing 2 distinct roles and associated personalites. Some of us just plain stand out due to our physical size. So I agree with Willy on that point, it is hard to go out when you feel that it is just to obvious a change to be accepted by others. After all, all we want is to be treated as we present ourselves. To be accepted in our modified role.

Hugs

Danielle Marie
I just purchased a roll of duck tape...apply to mouth...ouch!

[Jeannie]

Danielle. At six feet, your looks and with those stats you could model in a womens catalogue. Don't complain! At 5'5" I'm lucky my legs reach the ground.
One thing that upsets me is most clothing stores cater to all types of people except small men. What are we,wood? You have Petite Sophisticate,5-7-9,Lane Bryant,Big and tall mens stores but are there little guys stores? Please! If I buy a mans shirt it looks like a coatdress on me. If I buy a pair of pants or jeans I tell my tailor to make some coulots out of the material he cuts off! I'm a size 14 boys! Maybe I'll be able to get into some big boy pants someday!
I want to open a chain of small mens shops. The front door will be 5'5" and and 5'8" ceilings. I'll clean up! Low overhead! Hugs


Love
Jeannie