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THE TIME HAS COME
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THE TIME HAS COME
Little did I realize nine years ago, when I took my first step into the world of the Crystal Club that an incredible journey was about to begin. A journey that, at it's culmination, would open a new door to a path filled with wonders, excitement, and leading to a real love of this journey that is called life.
Although I have only just begun this adventure, my days have become filled with new experiences and opportunities that are constantly encouraging my growth in many different ways. They require that I focus fully on the road which lies ahead of me, and in order to accomplish that, I must disencumber some of those things that can continue to grow and flourish on their own.
The Crystal Club is one of those things to which I must finally say good-bye, at least from the aspect of leadership. The club continues to grow and will flourish under the tendering of the current officers, all of whom are among the most capable ladies that I have come to know. I have stepped through the door to my future but I will not close it. I know that there are others who will follow the same path as I and some who will remain behind in the comfort of their current surroundings, but none shall be forgotten, for I have formed many close bonds over those nine years. July will be my last meeting as president of the Crystal Club, but because the door remains open, I will be able to step back through to visit some of my closest friends.
My warmest regards to a bunch of very special people.
Love to you all,
Stephanie
By Kelly Davidson
Presidents come and presidents go, that is a fact of life in any club. Sometimes, if you are very lucky, you manage to get a hold of a real leader, one who takes you and other members up to the next level. Stephanie was one of these leaders.
She took over at a time when the club needed someone like her. It was a difficult time, with a lot of internal anger and frustration within the club. But Stephanie was able to work past these problems and get the club back on track towards what its real purpose was, a support group for CDs, TSs, and their spouses. From the day she took over, the club developed a new attitude hich I can put into one word: FUN! These past two years have been fun.
Stephanie is one of these rare people who you are drawn to because of the love and kindness that radiates from her. She is so special to so many people inside and outside of our organization. She brings out he best of people
July will be the last official meeting for Stephanie as President of this club. As I sit here and write these words down, I ponder to think what kind of president I will make. Can I lead the same way she did? The answer is no, I’m a different person with my own different leadership style. But I have learned so much from Stephanie and hope to keep up the excitement and fun that Stephanie has generated since she became President.
Thank you, Stephanie, for leading us and sharing yourself with all of us. What a ride it’s been!
Big “Thank You’s”
I would like to take this time to issue a “Thank You” to a few members of our club. First, I would like to thank Trisha for her fine work on the June newsletter. This was her debut and she really did a great job. She is a welcome addition to our newsletter staff.
And a big thank you is also in order to Jannie, who not only put together a newsletter every three months, but each month checks out and proof-reads the newsletters that Trisha and I create. She is a vital part in getting the newsletter out each month and I’m glad she is there to help us.
Third, I want to say “Thank you” to Anne. Not only for setting up and supplying us with the music for our past Christmas and Anniversary parties, but for also bringing in a VCR and TV to the last meeting. We were able to watch a tape that was featured on the Channel 4 news about TS’s. She is one of those unknown volunteers who puts in a lot of time and effort in to make our meetings a success.
Finally, a big “Thank You” to Dawn, Stephanie and Meral Crane for taking part in the Channel 4 news broadcast about Transgender people. You ladies did a great job and should be proud of what you did. Thank you for allowing yourselves to be featured on TV.
by Diana Brit
The cooks came out like stars the night of June 26 for our monthly meeting. What a feast! Nearly 20 members - and one newcomer - savored the potluck supper, which included lasagna, stuffed mushrooms, deviled eggs, several salads, desserts, and fruit. It was a delightful repast enjoyed by all.
In the absence of President Stephanie, Vice President Kelly conducted the brief meeting. The meeting next month, on July 24th, we will be doing makeovers. Details are still being worked out at this time.
Sally, from southern Ohio, became our newest member. She said she had attended Crossport, the support club in Cincinnati, but felt Crystal Club would serve her better because it was closer.
Mary Ann discussed the plans for Gay Pride Day, which was held Sunday, June 27. Several CC members participated in the parade and other activities. Diana Brit sought ideas from the members for future speakers at CC meetings. A number of suggestions were made, which will be pursued.
In addition to Kelly, Mary Ann, Diana and Sally, others attending the meeting were: Dawn Mari; Dianna Mills; Jamie Elizabeth; Rikki; Pam; Trisha; Jamie; Holly; Renee and Ann; Julieann and Cheri; Ann; Tina; Judy, and Kristen.
Frank Angers Transgendered Community
From GAIN
BOSTON - Openly Gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told the Boston Gay newspaper Bay Windows that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would have "no chance whatsoever" of passage if it included language to prohibit discrimination against transgenders.
"It’s not as if this truck is moving along at 60 miles per hour and they are asking us for a ride. This is an uphill climb," Frank said, according to an article in the June 16 Bay Windows.
Frank’s comments came after the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force announced May 25 at the National Gender Lobby Day that it would not support ENDA without the language protecting transgender people.
ENDA is a congressional bill that seeks to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace.
According to Bay Windows, Frank said he disagrees with the "notion that you don’t accept a partial measure" on an anti- iscrimination bill, such as this.
"The Americans With Disabilities Act, for one, protects gay men with AIDS but not lesbians and gay men without AIDS. Should I not vote for it?" he told Bay Windows.
Frank said he does support inclusion of transgender people in federal hate crimes legislation but not ENDA.
"I’ve talked with transgender activists," said Frank, "and what they want - and what we’ll be forced to defend - is for people with penises who identify as women to be able to shower with other women. There are no votes for that."
It was Frank’s comment about the showers that seemed to trigger the most reaction from the transgender community, according to Queer Unity Initiative Liberty Lantern (QUILL), a "transgender, bisexual, Lesbian, Gay news and communications network."
QUILL said the argument Frank used is "ludicrous" and similar to ones the religious right turn to when fighting against Gay civil rights.
Courtney Sharp, of the national transgendered civil rights group It’s Time, America!, added, "When you start hearing all this nonsense from the religious right, just remember the first salvo regarding communal showers was fired by the Gay representative from Massachusetts who was defending his position for denying equal employment rights to transgendered people."
Frank also told Bay Windows that NGLTF’s decision not to endorse ENDA would have "no impact" on the legislation.
From Patricia A. Whitney in San Francisco
What I'm going to say, you're probably not going to like. But as a postie of ten years, and fighting the battle for TG acceptance now for almost twenty, I feel that I have a right to make my opinion heard, and my experiences passed along. There are a few myths that need to be scuttled, and a few facts that need to be emphasized.
Myth #1
"If we can just get anti-discrimination legislation passed, we'll be able to live our lives in peace." Nothing could be farther from the truth. People have it in their nature to discriminate, and will find a way to do so regardless of any legislation that is enacted. If you're doing a good job for your employer, that doesn't matter if you transition in the workplace and your fellow employees pitch a bitch about you using the bathroom of your gender.
You'll be fired or replaced ... NOT FOR BEING TG, but for another reason that they'll find somewhere. Anyone can be fired legally ... they just have to dig a little harder and fake a little more paperwork.
If you're a dyed-in-the-wool activist, chances are that you'll get fired and you won't have any recourse. AND if by some miracle you manage to hold onto your job, the probability is that you'll be harassed to the point that you'll quit, which has the same ramifications. Yes, I know that there have been some transitions that were successful on the same job, but they're the minority.
Find another one and go there from the start in your new gender and don't make waves. Then you'll have a chance.
Myth #2
"Once I get my surgery, I'll be a new person and get on with my life." Another fallacy that deserves bursting the bubble. The surgery is an anti-climax (pardon the pun). If you're a screwed up person prior to surgery, you'll still be a screwed up person after. Surgery doesn't, by itself, solve any of those problems. All it does is put the frosting on the cake. IF you've done your transition according to the Standards of Care, you may have done a lot towards straightening out many of the problems. IF you short-circuit the time requirements and the therapy requirements, you're also short-circuiting your ability to ease into your new life without causing yourself major disruptions in both home and workplace. The SOC's are there for a reason, and part of it is to make sure that you're prepared to go onward to your new life and not cause yourself as much misery there as you had before.
Myth #3
"If I get all the plastic surgery I can, I'll be perfect and people will think I'm a real woman." <sigh> This one hurts to watch. If all you want to do is look the part, that's up to you provided your checkbook is bulging with disposable income. But bear in mind that most drag queens and Female Impersonators will still look better than you do, and you'll grit your teeth at the thought. The true essence of TG is within, and allowing that inner person to be the outside person. I've heard many times that "ONLY with a lot of plastic surgery will I ever look even close to what I want to." This is the age-old TG anthem, and it still rages in the community. I'm not that good looking, and I get along fine. Tall women aren't that much of a rarity any more. If you think you have to look like Barbie to get along in the world, then look at three people ... Jeanne Kirkpatrick, Janet Reno and Madeline Albright. These are all brilliant women who get along fine while not being among America's ten-best looking women. It's what's inside that counts. If you're a flake before transition, you'll probably be a flake afterwards ... you're not going to change that much.
Myth #4
"Once I go through transition and surgery, all my problems will be over and I'll be happy forever." This sounds much like Myth #2, but in reality quite different. This case is very much like the Apollo astronauts who spent 10+ years preparing for their trips to the moon. Total focus to the exclusion of all else. Once they did it, and came back to their fifteen minutes of fame, most had one hell of a time readjusting to the real world. They'd concentrated so hard on the goal, that they forgot to plan for beyond it.
Many had severe psychological problems once they found out they had to keep on living after the glory. We're in much the same boat. We spend years concentrating on the goal of getting to the transition and through it, and then fall into a pit when we discover that now we have to live our new lives on the far side. All your problems are not going to go away. All the baggage you carried on the front side will still be there to haunt you on the backside unless you do something with your therapist to get rid of some of it. Yes, one (and only one) major psychosis will be solved by transitioning. But you'll take all the other stuff with you if you don't get therapy on the way.
Myth #5
"I'm going to go on Jerry Springer and correct all the bad publicity that the TG community is getting." <shaking head> It ain't gonna happen. These shows thrive only on the bizarre and titillating. If you're even remotely normal, you don't stand a chance of getting on any forum that would give you a chance to correct the impressions. They're looking for meat for the lions, and if you're not weird and kinky enough to satisfy that audience's requirement for blood and vengeance, forget it.
In fact, there's only a few places that you can really do any good by going out into the real world and talking about our community. First is to talk to medical/psych groups at universities. You can do more good educating would-be therapists than by twenty public appearances to mixed groups. Another is making law enforcement aware of the community and the fact that we're not all freaks and pedophiles. Here, we do this at the police academy. A third is, of course, support groups and informational groups for our own members of the community that need help and support. Anything else other than this is usually a waste of your time.
Fact #1
You can try to legislate all the laws in the world, but until you change people's thinking towards the TG community, not much is going to change. We'll still be discriminated against, refused medical treatment on occasion, denied housing and jobs, and lose much of our family support because we are who we are. This won't change until there is a change in moral attitudes towards us and a ground swell shift in what organized religion teaches as those moral attitudes. It's that basic. It isn't going to change in my lifetime and I don't expect it to change for fifty years after I'm dead. We're nearly on the bottom of the moral pecking order, and there isn't a law in the land that'll change that without support from the altar.
Fact #2
It is who you are inside that will determine whether you'll be successful in transitioning gender. After it's all over, you'll still be the same person you were to begin with, with a different exterior. The major thing that transition does is make a better fit for your personality to the society. That's it. You'll never be a "real" woman, because you weren't socialized that way growing up and don't have all the "social education" that women are exposed to from birth. You might feel pretty much like one, but in the back of your mind will always be that 10% that won't fit the female mold, and you'll always be an outsider from both men and women for the most part. The only true support will be from other TG's who are as alienated as you are. You have to accept that you'll only be able to go that 90% and that's the limit for you. It's just the way it is.
Fact #3
Beware of therapists and plastic surgeons. There's a lot of them that are preying on the community, offering services and consultations that are both unnecessary and possibly dangerous. If you stick with reputable therapists and surgeons that are known to the community and have a good track record, you'll be in better shape on the outcome.
Fact #4
(Primarily for MTF's) Beware of relationships until you're at least two years post-op. There's a lot of predatory men out there that just want to bag a T* for their collection of sexual trophies. They can be very destructive to you because until you get your new feet on emotional ground, you're very vulnerable to these kinds of things. They can also get you beaten up and killed. Be careful. When you do finally find a relationship, many of us are finding that it's with another T*. Why? Because they understand where you've been and what you've done. You don't have to explain and you don't have to look over your shoulder and try to remember what half-truth you've told in the past.
Fact #5
You have a life after transition. This means job, money, a place to live. If you don't plan for this before you transition, you've got a rude shock afterwards. Don't put off this planning until you walk out of the hospital after surgery. It may be too late at that point to prevent the economic crash that may occur if you lose your existing job or can't get another one for a while (not to mention the probability of lesser pay if you do get another job.) Think about it long and hard.
Fact #6
You can't do this safely on the cheap. If you use black-market hormones or foreign surgeons, you're taking your life in your hands. Get the real stuff with a prescription, and make sure that the surgeon you go to is reputable and has a good track record in the community.
Fact #7
Unless there's been a major breakthrough recently of which I'm not aware, forget voice surgery. It doesn't work very well, and there are few results that I'm willing to classify as successful. Beware.
Fact #8
Don't believe what you hear on-line from anyone. Me included. There is much information going around that is highly inaccurate and keeps circulating. If you want information, go to one of the agencies that are listed for help and facts. Don't get your information from unknown sources in the Gaz [the Gazebo in AOL] or elsewhere.
Fact #9
Don't try to change the world in relation to the TG community. Going on talk shows or much of anywhere will only get you in trouble. Many of us have done that to our detriment. Our employers have fired us for appearing, and our families have denigrated us for publicly humiliating them. Besides, it doesn't do any good. The only way we make progress is on one-to-one relationships where they find out first hand that we're not too bad as individuals, and that changes their perception of the community. Any other forum is counter-productive.
Fact #10
Don't short-circuit the SOC's. They're there for your benefit (even though you don't think so). If you follow them, you'll be a lot better off. There are lots of folks that think that the SOC's are a crock. There are also lots of folks that think that traffic laws don't apply to them. They wind up with tickets. The price for not following the SOC's is an emotional ticket that you may have to pay later on when you don't adjust as well as you could have. There’s a lot I've left out here and a lot that many people will disagree with. I'm speaking from experience. Your mileage may vary if you're a postie and have had it easier or harder than I've made it out to be. I'm just trying to clear the air from the viewpoint of experience. There are tons of misinformation out there, much of which is portrayed as fact in the Gaz. Find out for yourself and do your own research, then you'll get as close to the straight scoop as you're going to find.
I realize that this goes counter to what many of our activist brethren would have you believe. They'd have you out in the streets waving the banner. If you want lots of rejection and rhetoric thrown your way, then be my guest. I, on the other hand, have managed to make a life for myself that is very satisfactory and rewarding. It doesn't involve throwing TG into the faces of everyone I meet ... quite the contrary. If you want to be happy after transition, then submerge into society and don't become a target. After all, it's your life, not the community's. Make it work for you, not because you "owe" anything to the rest of us. If you are successful in making your life better, you're benefiting the community as much as if you were out draping banners from the city lightpoles.
Cheap, Dual-Purpose Falsies
By Laura “Too Tall” Walker
It is amazing how you can come across a solution for a problem you have had for years with something that has been in front of you all along. My S.O. and I were shopping for the week's food stuffs, when I found a cleverly-disguised package of a dozen artificial boobs for only $2.19. OK, they were on sale and you might have to pay $2.89 any other day. But even that is less than the $289.00, or even more, you would pay for the falsies you see advertised in the TG magazines. And I have found that these work just as well. Also, they are dual-purpose.
So, anyhow, there they were on the shelf, almost ready to use. Actually, for comfort sake, you may wish to put them in a baggie and dust them with a little powder on the outside. But they have the most realistic shape and being dual purpose, they can also be used for those nights out on the town, when everything is so expensive that all you can afford is one drink and no dinner.
Yes, I'm sure you have already guessed the obvious. I am talking about "Archway Soft Sugar Drop" cookies. Their shape is perfect, as is their texture and feel. They must have been designed for the TG community, because it even says on the label, "Just Like Homemade." And great tasting? You bet! You gotta try them. Take it from Too Tall Laura In Holy Toledo, this could either be a gold mine for some enterprising TG or at least a windfall for the rest of us.
Just think of the altruism one can spread. I can just see myself strutting my stuff down High Street, when I come across an indigent without proper sustenance. I reach into my bra and pull out my boob and say to the poor soul, "Would you like to chew on this?" Think of the warm feeling you could experience. And, it would spread the attitude of unrequited giving to all those who witness your generosity. People would tell people what they saw, and it would get around that TG's are wonderful, giving people. Think of the good press for our community. Since you'd have one boob to yet give, and of course no girl would want to be showing unbalanced boobs, you could offer your other boob for someone else to chew on. I can see this really starting a trend. Don't you?
I'm normally very modest, as you all know, but I must say that I have really come across something important. Please send your comments and advice on how to spread this good word to: TOO Tall Laura In Holy Toledo (tootliht@aol.com)
By Angelica R. Bolin-04/30/99
I matter. Yes, I do matter in the scheme of things, as do you. Each person has a place in the world, a place where they fit, where they make their differences. Where they affect their little corner of the world, but is that where their effects stop? Some people would believe that they could not make a change in their corner of the world. But I would like to enlighten you a bit, broaden your perspective on your responsibility in making changes.
Each time you do something good or bad, it's like a drop of water in the middle of a lake. The drop hits the surface of the lake and immediately creates a wake, a wave of energy. This wave goes out in all directions, no matter which way the drop was originally headed, the effect is felt 360 degrees around. At first the wake is very noticeable, you can see it travel. This is the first effect, the effect is felt by those close to you, good or bad, whether you what them to or not.
When the wave passes through them, it then changes just a little, mellows out or strengthens, depending on that person’s point of view, how they were affected, the anger or the joy that they felt or associate with the particular event. From there it continues on to the people that are close to them. The same applies here, that effect is felt by those who are close to them, good or bad, whether they want it to or not, changing ever so slightly again as it continues, constantly changing, even if it is unnoticeable, it's happening, affecting the next level, finally reaching the edge.
But does it stop there? NO, it comes back towards you, with all the little changes that were made to it, after you initially sent it out. It comes back in a way that can make you grow, if you let it. Or it can come back to hurt you also. You see, it depends on what motivated you to send it initially. Was it joy and happiness, was it done in a constructive manner, in a way in which to build people up? Or was it sent out it a way the was meant to hurt someone? Was it hateful, due to spite, out of anger or to damage one's character?
You see what you send out, you receive. It's true, send out love you receive love, send out hate you receive hate. Just something to think about, if what you're looking for is love and understanding, remember you have to send it out first. Be the first to send out the love, and then receive it warmly. If hate crosses your path, let it go, do not give it energy, that it might hurt someone else. Do not allow that anger or hate to grow so that it strikes back. Instead, change it with love and understanding, turn the bad into good.
I wish you all happiness and joy. Love-Angie
By Tina
Hi there, my name is Tina. I want to tell all you wonderful TS, TV and TG people out there that this club, and all clubs (or support group if you want to refer to it at that) across this great country, that when I started coming to some of the meetings, that I began to relax around like-minded crossdressers and started coming more often. But I couldn’t get enough of this time. Some of you may feel an occasional meeting is fine and all you have time for. But I’m different than that. I hope there are more of you out there. If I could, I would like to live in a regular community of all crossdressers. Since that isn’t likely to happen, I want you to know my interest is so strong that I want and need to be around more of you more often. I’d like to know what you think about forming a pen pal club (for those of you out of town) or an extra meeting some place where we don’t do anything except talk about buying clothes (where to buy them, how to buy, etc.), makeup (what to use, how do you buy to get your complexion), feelings, comforting each other with a warm fuzzy hug as a family does (after all, we are all sisters together) or the first time we found out we wanted to be in the clothes of the other gender.
The Crystal Club was started about 10 years ago and this would be a great way of making this club stronger. If you can’t make it to any of these meetings, would like to correspond with us by mail? You may still be a little shy coming out of the closet. You may be a member who just doesn’t know who to talk to when you get the desire to get together to dress up as a woman.
If you come to any of the meetings, let them know you would like to get together more often and how we can let you know if we do. Or, you can write to the club mailbox, attention Tina. Thank you all. I hope to hear from you.
Kelly’s Note: Judy, our Internet screening officer, is in the process of working out a Ladies Night at least once a month. If you have any suggestions on where you would like to go please e-mail her at: Ladyjb4u@aol.com
Game Designers Just Wanna Be Girls
From GAIN
What a surprise it was at the Computer Game Developer's conference six or seven years ago. Dan Bunten, fabled designer of M.U.L.E. and Global Conquest and other classics, was nowhere to be found. Coincidentally, an over six foot tall woman going by the name of Danielle Berry and bearing a vague resemblance to Dan was roaming the conference floor. At the time it was a shock, but everyone knows the story now: Dan had a sex change. Okay, well, that's no big deal. If something happens once, it's a fluke.
Then there was the designer of the great 8-bit classic, Shamus, William Mataga. He recently wrapped-up work on a Color Game Boy version of that game and is looking for a publisher. Only he now goes by Cathryn. If something happens twice, it's coincidence.
Then there's Jennifer Reitz, who's done game work for a number of companies, including Interplay. Yup, you guessed it, she didn't start life with a name quite so feminine as Jennifer. She now runs a site about transgender issues.
And video game geezers may remember a popular coin-op from -- good grief -- nineteen years ago: Gorf's designer, Jay Fenton, later went on to create the hugely influential Macromedia Director, something used to create the majority of multimedia products over the years. Sometimes Jay is still Jay. Other times he's Jamie Faye. If something happens four times, it's starting to be a bit peculiar. And this little tally doesn't stop at four, or even in the single digits. The names aren't important, but the numbers are telling.
If nothing else, the high occurrence of male to female sex changes within the profession of game designer is an interesting anomaly. Jamie Faye Fenton, who recommends this web site for more information on the subject of transsexualism, has offered some good thoughts on the subject over the years. A short talk with her shed a lot of light.
Question: Do you have any theories about what would attract transgendered persons to game development in what appear to be disproportionately large numbers?
Answer: I think being transgender does give you a gift of imagination. I sometimes compare it to being one of the few people who have both an AM and FM radio in their car in a world where most people only get to have one type. There's another factor, which I call the nerd factor. When we are growing up, transgendered kids tend to be socially isolated. They deal with this by both learning and seeking recourse in their imaginations. For example, when I was 11 years old, I constructed in my mind a vast society in which everyone was about half an inch tall. Sort of a giant imaginary model railroad.
Q: Could the physical cause of transsexualism be directly related to high intelligence?
A: The physical causes are not well understood. The prevailing theory has neurological changes being triggered by prenatal hormonal events. Supposedly, transsexual babies don't get masculinizing hormones and then develop "female brains." It is also believed that much of the neurological development in the later stages is subtractive. Maybe transsexuals grew better hardware to start with, but I suspect thenerd factor is more important.
Q: When did you first notice that the percentages seemed higher than among, say, auto mechanics?
A: We have a support group here in Silicon Valley, and one night several of us just showed up. It was something like three out of twelve people there. That's when I started keeping a list.
This higher percentage has been observed in other populations. For example: railroad fans. Supposedly many of the engineers that worked for NASA were also transgender. Of course, during those days, you were more likely to hide it.
Q: How many pre or post-op transsexuals do you know of working in game development?
A: My personal list counts 15. Almost all of these have had surgery. I am one of the few exceptions (although that might change soon!). It's hard to keep track of who is "woodworking" -- that is, so deeply into their female lives that they don't want anyone to know about their past.
Q: Do you suspect the actual numbers to be higher?
A: Yes. Many more are cross-dressers.
Q: Does this strike you as odd, considering the over-the-top macho nature of popular games like Duke Nukem and Half-Life?
A: This is not surprising at all. Most transsexuals have struggled greatly with their predicament. One gambit is called hyper masculinity. A transgender person will try to adapt by joining the military or seeking particularly dangerous work. For example, the woman who was president of the local support group before me was in the Delta force antiterrorism unit. I know several former fighter pilots as well.
For my part, when I began game design I was very much part of the counter-culture. After several years I wound up probing the masculine proclivity for violence. I wound up playing a lot of paintball, acquiring a gun collection and a library of books on forensic pathology and homicide investigation. Ultimately, I was testing to see how much of the darkness I could hold. After I came out and accepted who I am, this paranoid spiral unwound.
It is, of course, important to note that most video game designers are not transsexual, and obviously most players are not!
My personal view now is like the closing credits of "Death Race 2000", which makes the point that violence is what caused human intelligence to evolve and is innate. Now that warfare itself has become so terrible, acting out our capacities in gaming is a necessary sublimation.
[Editorial Note: This piece is intended to bring to light an interesting topic which hasn't received much press. We're not trying to delve into people's pasts and dig up dirt.]
Received from Dallas Denny
Gwyneth Paltrow, who's last crossdressing turn earned her an Academy Award for best actress, is contemplating yet another butch role. Harvey Weinstein, the Miramax co-head who has shepherded Paltrow's thus-far brilliant career (he didn't have anything to do with the perfectly crappy "Perfect Murder") has approached her about starring in the film version of lesbian author Jeanette Winterson's "The Passion." The story is a romance about Napoleon's cook, Henri, who falls madly in love with the daughter of a Venetian gondolier, Vinelle. She, however, is a cross-dressing pick-pocket with webbed feet who prefers action of the Sappho variety.
The material, which Miramax bought in 1997,is admittedly difficult and likened to "The English Patient" in complexity. But in the very capablehands of lesbian producer Christine Vachon ("Velvet Goldmine"), it could result in naked gold man number two for Gwyneth.
Cinderella's Sisters are Boys!
Received from Dallas Denny
"I feel like Dustin Hoffman in 'Tootsie,'" said Atlanta Ballet dancer Jim Stein. He takes on the role of the eldest stepsister in the Ballet's Family Classic Series production of "Cinderella."
Stein, alongside Damien Highfield and Rudolfo Patella, continues the Ballet's tradition of placing men in the roles of the wicked stepsisters. Stein (who is married) is not quite used to wearing makeup.
"We had a professional makeup artist come in for the photo shoot, but we have to do our own makeup for the shows," he explained. "I've never worn it before, so I'm trying to get tips from my wife. I do, however, find myself watching female mannerisms very closely and getting more and more in character.
"It's very different for me. There's a lot of exaggeration and humor in this role. It's very entertaining."
"Cinderella," replete with extravagant costuming and a resplendent horse-drawn carriage, is running at Atlanta's Fox Theatre through May 16.
Vatican: Transsexual Adoption an Insult!
By Daniel Schweimler in Madrid
The Vatican has strongly criticized the decision by a court in Spain to give custody of an 11-year-old girl to a transsexual. The transsexual, called Eva but born Alfredo, says she is a good mother and a devout Catholic who will continue sending her adopted daughter to a convent school.
The girl's natural mother died when she was a year old and her father, who lived with Eva for many years, died two-and-a-half years ago.
The Vatican, in its official newspaper, called the decision by the court in the southern city of Seville repugnant.
It said the ruling was an insult to the institution of the family. The Vatican also said it resented the fact that many courts in the European Union appeared to be making similar decisions.
The 11-year-old girl, who has not been named, first lost her natural mother when she was a year old. She was then brought up by her natural father and his new partner, a transsexual called Eva, who legally is still considered a man.
The father died in February 1997 and Eva continued to care for the daughter until her maternal grandparents took her away and looked after her for 18 days.
There then followed a long battle in the courts for custody of the girl. The courts first sided with the grandparents, but an appeal court decided Eva would be the girl's best guardian.
Eva says she is a good mother and a devout Catholic who will continue to send the girl to a school run by nuns. I believe in equality for all, said Eva, who says she has always felt as though she were a woman.
She is now in the process of changing sex and is saving the money for a full sex change operation.
Eva says everyone knows her situation and she is accepted by the people in her neighborhood and by the other mothers at the girl's school.
Psychiatric reports ordered by the courts say the girl is well-balanced and accepts Eva as her mother.
Spain is a fast-modernizing, increasingly liberal country, but Eva's situation is still a long way from being accepted by all elements of the society.
A Federal Law That Will Stop CDing and Transition at Work
Received from Dianna Cicotello
Imagine this scenario: A co-worker tells the company, your boss/supervisor, that they object to you, your crossdressing, your gender-role transition, that they object to *you* because they perceive you to be gay, and that there is a Federal Law which would require the employer to therefore fire you, or your landlord to evict you because of this objection. There is such a law now working its way through Congress.
Jay Sekulow, Chief Attorney for the (Pat Robertson’s) Christian Coalition and head of a group called the ACLJ, brags openly that this law would enable Christians to rid the workplace and our schools from the "gay agenda"; that "employers would not be able to violate [Christians] firmly held religious beliefs." That a Christian who was offended by the presence of a GLBT or perceived GLBT co-worker would be able to have that person fired.
There's a bill speeding its way through Congress that would shred much of the protection against discrimination provided by the dozens of local and state GLBT civil rights laws. It carries the title -- Religious Liberty Protection Act (RLPA) -- and it prohibits states from "placing a substantial burden upon a person's religious exercise." Conservatives like the RLPA, whose author is GOP pitbull Charles Canady of Florida, because it strengthens the place of organized religion in society. Liberals like the bill because it would protect minority religions in, for example, the wearing of beards, turbans or yarmulkes, or taking off religious holidays not celebrated by employers. Nearly half the original sponsors are Democrats. And RLPA is backed by a coalition of some seventy religious, professional and political groups from across the spectrum.
But now the American Civil Liberties Union, originally a strong supporter of RLPA, has withdrawn from that coalition after careful study of the bill, charging, as ACLU legislative counsel Christopher Anders puts it, that RLPA is "a devastating piece of legislation on sexual orientation, marital status and the like that would upset the balance of civil rights laws at the state and local level." And a number of original RLPA sponsors, including liberal Democrats Jerrold Nadler, William Delahunt and Robert Wexler, have taken their names off the bill because of their concerns about how it would affect local gay rights laws.
Many religions teach that homosexuality is a "sin" and an "abomination" that can never be condoned. RLPA would grant those claiming such beliefs a religious liberty exemption from gay rights ordinances and would also permit other forms of bigotry. While the limits of RLPA would ultimately be decided by the courts, on its face the bill would permit people to cite religion as a reason for discriminating not just against homosexuals but also against people with other differences of which they disapprove on some ostensibly religious grounds. Thus, as the ACLU put it in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee in mid-May, "If RLPA becomes law, an applicant for a job or housing may have no state law protection against having to answer such questions as: Is that your spouse? Are those your children? Are you straight or gay? Are you HIV-positive?"
Judiciary Committee member Nadler offered an amendment that would prevent RLPA from overriding local civil rights laws. But it was recently defeated on a voice vote in Judiciary's constitutional subcommittee. That's why all major national gay rights and AIDS organizations oppose RLPA in its current form, as do the American Nurses Association, the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority, Women Employed and the National Catholic AIDS Network. Sadly, the Beltway liberal lobbies are divided on the issue. For example, People for the American Way, apparently having forgotten how much gay money it raises, continues to support RLPA and opposes the Nadler amendment, preferring--as its legal director Elliot Mincberg explains--to seek a "compromise" when the bill reaches the Senate and to rely on the courts to sort it all out.
This argument is doubly flawed. In the first place, the Nadler amendment is already a compromise, for it would still allow discrimination against gays in owner-occupied housing, small businesses and religious-run institutions. Second, the track record of our conservative courts on such cases is discouraging. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which covers the Western states, recently ruled in favor of a landlord's claim that compliance with a local civil rights law protecting unmarried couples from discrimination based on marital status "burdened" the landlord's religious beliefs. The court thus called into question all local rights laws not motivated by what the decision called a "firm national policy" against specific forms of discrimination (like the constitutional protection against race discrimination). There is, of course, no national civil rights law protecting gays. Courts in Massachusetts and Minnesota have also held that there is a religious liberty defense against state civil rights laws. Moreover, if RLPA passes, the gay movement could be bankrupted by the costs of defending against court challenges to gay rights laws, which Christian right groups testified to Congress they would bring.
RLPA is opposed on states' rights grounds by some thirteen "libertarian conservative" GOP Congress members and by a few conservative groups. But Democrats are disunited: On gay issues a floating bloc of Boll Weevil homophobes and timorous swing-district Dems usually provides from forty to eighty votes against us. Democratic House Judiciary staffers predict that if the House votes on RLPA without the Nadler amendment, it will pass easily.
There's no time to lose. The full Judiciary Committee again defeated the Nadler amendment and favorably voted out RLPA on June 23, and the bill could be brought to the House floor within days. RLPA's chief Senate sponsor, Judiciary Committee chairman Orrin Hatch, has promised to schedule hearings on the bill in July. Contact your member of Congress today, and insist on a vote against RLPA (HR 1691) unless it includes the Nadler amendment.
There is a special activity in the works for the Crystal Club. Judy, our Internet screening officer, is working hard on trying to get a monthly activity planned each month for the ladies in our area. If you visit our web page (ww.gender.org/cc) you can find out what the next activity will be. But don’t let this be just a one person project, Judy could use your input. If you have an idea of some place that would be neat to go to, drop her a line and let her know. In May, she and a few others went to a play, which, while I didn’t get a chance to attend, turned out to be a great time.
For those who have an idea of what they would like to do in the future, please drop Judy a message at Ladyjb4u@aol.com or talk to her at the meeting. Judy, thank you so much for taking the time to set this up.
Brief intro by all members, what name they go by, what they would like from this support group.
Old Business: A PO Box, Dues - Having them or not - A future vote issue
Security - The number one rule, No Dating
Speakers - A listing of businesses that will be willing to give presentations - Kristy to check to see if the make-up/ make-overs can come for the Aug 7 meeting, how many volunteers are needed
Web Page - We do have a web page and an E-Mail location now. The page is located at: http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Park/3756/
The email address is: valley_gems@hotmail.com
Remarks on the new chat link on our page, the available options on this site.
Jennifer’s Beginning
by Kelly Davidson
This story is based on the story called, "I, my sister" and was written by Diana Christy (07/97). This story takes place before Diana's does, however. It is recommended that you read her story first to make sense out of this story. Her story can be found on Michelle’s Home page at www.dragscape.com.
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Chapter 7 - Let the Games Begin
Al woke up in a chair located in Dr. Jensen's bedroom. Someone had removed all his clothes and placed him in a robe. Still a little groggy, he looked around and saw a pile of clothes on the bed. Dr.Jensen was standing in a corner looking at a small computer while Gerald stood next to him. He felt a pain in the back of his neck, as if it had been pricked.
He also could feel several sensors attached to his legs, chest, arms and head. Looking at the clock next to the bed Al realized he had been asleep for over three hours. What the hell had happen to him in those three hours? "Aww, I see you are up." Sarah said to him. "Good, we can begin our experiment.”
"What experiment? I didn't agree to ANY EXPERIMENT! And what the HELL are these things?" Al asked, pointing to one of the sensors on his leg.
"Those are the newest thing in the medical community, remote control sensors. I can pick up all your vital signs on this computer without the need of wires. It's much more comfortable to wear than the old type. Don't worry, you will only have them on for a few days."
Sarah smiled warmly at him. “Now, if we can begin. Since you seemed to enjoy going through my things I thought maybe you would like to try some of them on. I want you to go to the bed and put my clothes on.”
Al was taken back by the request/demand. "Are you crazy lady? There is no way in HELL you or your bodyguard are going to make me put your clothes on. I don't know what you take me for but you can forget that idea. Call the police if you want but I want no part of it.”
"Oh, that is too bad." Sarah said with a frown. "I was so looking forward to seeing you get dressed in some of my finest. Perhaps I can make you change your mind. Ekala! You will do exactly what I tell you to. You will not try to hurt Gerald or myself in any way and you will never speak the key word out loud. Ekala! Now, I want you to getup and get dressed in the clothes I have laid out on my bed." Al felt a slight burning in his neck but ignored it.
"I said are you crazy lady? There is no way..." Al stopped short in mid-sentence. Despite not wanting to, he found himself getting up and walking towards the bed. The burning sensation in the back of his neck got stronger the more he tried to fight it.
"What the hell, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" he yelled at Dr. Jensen. She didn't answer, instead keeping her eyes glued to the computer screen.
Al removed the robe and then watched in horror as his hands, his own hands reached out and picked up a pair of pink nylon panties. He suddenly had a strong desire to put them on.
"No, no, stop, what you are doing. Stop it, I tell you. I don't want to put these things on." Yet in the back of his mind he knew he was going to do just that. He stepped into the panties and pulled them up his naked body. Then he picked up the bra.
"Damn it, STOP!" Al shouted to his body. How in the hell were they doing this? In his mind he didn't want to do this and yet he couldn't stop the desire in himself to do so. He felt like being on a runaway rollercoaster with no control over what happen next. He was only along for the ride.
Al hooked the bra on him just like he had seen his girlfriend do many times before and then pushed his arms through the strap holes. Next, he picked up the lacy blue half slip. The more he tried to fight it, the greater the desire to put it on grew.
"You DAMN BITCH! STOP what you are doing or I swear to God I'll break your neck!" Al shouted out some more threats but noticed Gerald didn't move from his corner to try and stop.
Sarah meanwhile gave him an emotionless expression and looked back at the computer screen. Stress levels, respiration, heart were all way up, far beyond normal. It was a good thing this subject was in excellent shape otherwise there could be serious damage. Well, enough of this, it was now time for phase two. She cut Al off in the middle of some more threats.
"Ekala, you shall remain calm and happy. You will not issue anymore threats and will enjoy doing what you doing. You will only answer questions in a nice and polite way. Ekala.”
Immediately Al's outside appearance changed from anger to complete peace. Inside his stress level raised to 220, 80 points higher than what the computer said it should be. However, his heart rate did drop from 160 to 140 and the respiration showed improvement as well.
"Oh, this is so pretty!” said Al as he slid the half slip up to his waist. Gerald started to chuckle, enjoying every moment of the show. Sarah looked up at him. "Gerald, why don't you wait outside in the hallway until I need you.”
Al saw him give her a questioning look. "It's okay, I have things under control and it looks as if our guest is enjoying this, isn't that right, Joe?”
"Oh yes, doctor. I just love putting on these clothes." This was totally opposite of what Al had wanted to say. Inside he was like a boiling volcano ready to explode. He tried to concentrate, to block out this need/desire, but it only caused the burning in his neck to increase and the desire to dress up grow stronger.
Gerald left the room just as Al started putting on a pair of pantyhose. He used to love watching Sally get dressed whenever she spent the night. But now...now he was doing the same thing based on what he had seen her do and there was nothing he could do about it. It was so frustrating, so embarrassing. Sarah watched the readouts and then spoke to him.
"You know, if you calm down and just accepted this then things would go a lot smoother for you. Getting dressed up really isn't so bad, I do it all the time," she told him with a small giggle.
"Thank you for the advice doctor." Damn it, Al wanted to shout and threaten her and all he could do was reply back in a nice and calm way. How was he going to get out of this? Think man, think!
After the pantyhose were on Al stood and reached out to pick up the...the dress. No, no, he wouldn't put it on. He was going to fight this with all his might. He concentrated as hard as he could on the word NO. No! No! No! You will not put it on. But all this did was build up the desire to wear it more. His hands picked the dress off the bed and held it up in front of him.
It was a beautiful blue and white flower dress trimmed with white lace at the neckline and hem. If Sally had been wearing it Al would have drooled all over her. It was a real feminine dress and knowing that only made it worse. Al knew he was going to put it on. No matter how hard he concentrated, how hard he tried to avoid it there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Still he tried, concentrating on the word "No." His only reward for the effort was a burning sensation in the back of his neck and a desire to put it on that reached a ‘feverish state.’ Every part of his body was telling him it was the right thing to do, that it wanted to feel the dress against his skin while his mind screamed out not to do so. After a few seconds of struggling his body won out. His best effort had failed. There was nothing Al could do but watch as he worked the dress over his head and then used his hands to pull it down over the rest of his body.
Sarah meanwhile watched the readout on the computer suddenly increase. Stress level was now at 260. The subject’s heart rate reached 170 but dropped back down to 120 after the dress was on. Respiration was still high but showed signs that the subject was getting tired of fighting the process. Perfect, just as she had predicted. But there were still other tests to perform before Sarah would be sure.
"Very good, Joe. Now, I want you to sit down at my makeup table here." Al did as he was commanded. "Okay, now I want you to try putting this wig and on some makeup. Don't worry if it can't get it on right, we can fix that later.”
This constant fighting within Al had drained him. Still, he tried resisting with the little strength he had left. It didn't matter, he watched his hands pick up the blonde wig the doctor had set out for him. Carefully he placed the wig on top of his head the best he knew how. Next, his attention turned to the makeup lying about on the table. He had seen Sally fool with her makeup before but had never actually watch her put any on. Sarah gave him some directions but Al ended up doing a terrible job. He put on too much eye shadow, some of the mascara ended up on his nose and he didn't get all of the lipstick on his lips.
Sarah patted him on the shoulder after he was done. "There, that isn't too bad for a first time." She smiled at him in the mirror and Al couldn't help but smile back. But what he really wanted to do was wipe that smile off her pretty little face.
The readouts on the computer were going down now. Heart rate was at 100, respiration was almost back to normal and the stress rate was at 190, still high but much improved. Well, lets see what happens with the next step.
"Come with me Joe. It's time we find out the TRUTH." Joe stood up to follow her out of the bedroom. "Sorry about the shoes, but I didn't have time to buy anything in your size." Sarah said to him as she opened up the door. "Besides, I didn't see a need to buy shoes that you would only wear once." Al was relieved at what he heard. At least he wouldn't have to repeat this experiment again. He couldn't have been more wrong about anything else.
Chapter 8 -- What is Truth?
Gerald was standing in the hallway as Al walked out. "Hi gorgeous!” he said with a smirk. Then he started laughing uncontrollably. Inside Al was embarrassed and angry. He wanted to strike out and teach this asshole a thing or two. Sarah noticed Al's stress level increase on the computer readout.
"Now Gerald." Sarah said to him. "Joe is our guest and needs to be treated with respect... no matter how he is dressed. However, Joe, I feel we need to give you a new name, something to match the way you are dressed. We'll take care of that after we start our chat. Let’s go down into the living room where we can talk.”
Sarah led the way with Al following her and Gerald right behind him still snickering. Al took a seat on the couch wile Sarah and Gerald sat across from him.
"Now, lets begin, Joe." Sarah smiled at him for a moment. "What is you real name?”
"I told you. It's Joe Smith, just like what my ID says.”
“I'm sorry, but I really don't believe you." She miled at him like someone who had the upper hand and knew it. "I see we are going to have to do it my way. Ekala! You will speak only the truth whenever you are asked a question. Ekala! Now, what is your real name?”
Al felt a slight burning in his neck. "My name is Al Parker." What the hell? He had planned to say Joe Smith just as before, not his real name.
"I see." Sarah said with smile. "So Al...how about we call you Alice? You look more like an Alicethen an Al.”
Al felt his ears burn from shame and embarrassment. When he was younger, an older kid had called him Alice once and had paid for it with a bloody nose. He wanted so much to do the same to Dr. Jensen.
"I hate the name so don't call me that again." Al was surprised how rude he was able to sound despite having to remain calm and happy. Perhaps they hadn't worked all the bugs out yet? Sarah looked at him with a frown. "I see we need to help our friend here concerning manners. Ekala! You will no longer be rude or short with Gerald or myself again. You will only answer our questions in a nice, calm, civil manner. You will like your new name and answer to it until we give you another new name. Your new name for now is Alice. Ekala! Now, what do you think of your new name Alice?”
"Oh, I love it Dr. Jensen. Thank you for picking it out for me.” Inside AL cringed at what he was saying. What had happened to him while he had been asleep? Did they plant some sort a mind control device in the back of his neck which made him tell the truth? Well, lets try this again.
"Okay Alice, how old are you?”
"I'm twenty...I'm twenty-two." Damn! He had meant to lie and tell her he was 23 years old. There had to be a way around this. "Now, Alice, where are you from, why were you in an orphanage and when did you run away? "I was born in Kansas City. My parents were killed in a car crash when I was 2 and I was sent to Saint Mary's orphanage. When I was 13, I managed to run away and have been on the run ever since.”
BINGO! For the first time since this nightmare experiment had began Al had hope. Whathe had said was in fact true and yet it didn't reflect what the real truth was. Yes, he did run from St. Mary's when he was 13, only to be caught 3 days later and sent back. But from that moment on Al always felt like he was still running to get away from that place. It was one of the reasons he had enlisted in the Army when he was 17.
At St. Mary's, Al had been a master at deceit. He could spit out facts which, while true, misled people to believe something totally false. It was like telling everyone your Uncle was in prison but not telling them he was the warden. In the army this method had served him well and with the help of others he had managed to fine-tune his skill.
So that was the way around this. As long as they didn't ask him specific questions such as his age or name he was free to mislead them with facts. He wasn't actually lying to them, was he? "It sounds like you had a hard life." Sarah said, trying to sound sympathetic but not doing a very good job at it. "So, no living relatives you can visit? No living brothers or sisters that you know of?”
"As I told you, none. I was an only child." Al didn't mention that he thought of Tom as a brother. He didn't have to, she hadn't specified if he felt like he had a brother. Gerald asked the next question. "How did you get onto our property without setting off the alarm?”
"I was able to climb a tree and use a branch to walked over the top of the wall. Then I jumped down to the ground below." He didn't tell them how he planed to get out.
Gerald wasn't happy with the answer at all. He was in charge of security and it was his job was to keep everything safe and secure. Yet a $100,000 security system had been breached because he had allowed a tree branch to grow over the wall. So damn simple and yet...he had failed to see it coming. Well, he would fix that problem.
But something else puzzled him. Why hadn't the heat sensors picked the transient up when he walked over the top of the wall? Then he remembered there had been a lot of snowfall that night. It must have blocked the heat from his body long enough for him to get across. Damn it, he should have realized this would be a problem. How often did it snow here anyway? Too damn much! The transient’s answers didn't reflect well on his ability to keep things safe and secure. It made him look like a fool, and in front of Dr. Jensen. Gerald didn't like being made a fool of. This Al Parker person was going to pay for his sin.
Sarah knew what Gerald was thinking. Well, too bad. It was good to see Gerald's ego broken down some from time to time. It also gave her something to hold over him and the worst thing about it for Gerald was, he knew it. She smiled inwardly and turned back to her guest to ask another question.
********************
They questioned Al for over an hour but fortunately didn't find out what he really was doing there. Al had been able to twist 50% of the truth around to make them believe his original cover story. Now he was being led by Gerald back to his room in the lab. A few minutes after he was placed in the room Sarah appeared carrying something.
"Here, you can't sleep in that outfit tonight. I got you something more comfortable. Take off the dress, slip, pantyhose..." Oh, what the hell, she wasn't a cruel person, "and the bra. Then put on the nightie while I fix you something to help you sleep." Sarah noticed his stress level, which had been averaging around 150, take a jump on the computer.
It really was amazing to watch him follow her instructions so calmly while knowing at the same time he was raging inside. Putting on a dress had been hell for Al, but a nightgown? He tried resisting but knew it was a losing battle. After he had stripped off the clothes he picked up the black silky nightgown. Inside his mind was screaming. NO damn it! He didn't want to put in on. His hands placed it over his head. Damn it, listen to me you stupid body. It's me, your brain. Stop, stop, STOP. He felt so helpless as his hands reached into the sleeves and a moment later the nightgown slide down his body just like it was supposed to.
"Oh good." Sarah said. "It's not too small. I was afraid it wouldn't fit. I hope it's not too snug, that is the biggest nightie I own.”
"It fits lovely," Al purred back at her, unable to say what was really on his mind. "And so pretty to. I love it. Thank you Dr. Jensen." Inside Al died a thousand deaths.
Sarah just smiled at him while keeping an eye on the computer readings which were going wild. "That's okay Alice. Anything I can do to help things go smoother for you, I will do it. Now, I want you to take this pill, it's going to help you sleep through the night. Tomorrow I feel is going to be a very busy day.”
She watched him swallow the sleeping pill and get into bed. "Good night Alice," she said turning off the light and closing the door behind her. She checked to make sure the door was locked and dismissed Gerald for the night. Then she sat down at her desk and began printing out the results. It took over an hour.
********************
"Tom!" The voice on the other ended sounded very worried. "This is Sally. Have you seen Al in the past couple of days?”
"No, Sally, not for some time." Damn, she's worried about him too, Tom thought to himself.
"Well, I haven't either. He was supposed to be back by today but I hadn't seen or heard from him. That's not like him.”
Tom sat up in his chair. "Back? Back from where, Sally? Did he tell you?”
"No. He called me Tuesday afternoon to say he would be back by Saturday. He didn't tell me much, just that he had been hired to do a job from someone he called Mr. W. That's all I know. I'm really worried, Tom, he would have called me by now.”
Tom knew Al had to be in some kind of trouble. If nothing else, he would have given Sally a call by now. Damn it, why hadn't he told anyone where he was going.
"Don't worry, Sally, I'll go over and check his apartment right now to see what I can find out. I'm sure he left a message there. I' ll give you a call as soon as I find out anything. Okay?”
"Please do." Sally pleaded with him. "I don't think I can sleep without knowing he is safe.”
"Don't worry Sally, Al knows how to take care of himself. I'll talk to you later. Bye." Tom hung up the phone. Now he was worried, Al was the closest thing to a brother that he had. No, Al was a brother to him! He was family by emotional ties. Tom grabbed Al's apartment key and headed out the door. Tom was wishing he had done this 48 hours earlier.
To be continued...
The Crystal Chronicle is the official newsletter of the Crystal Club. The Chronicle is published and mailed a week prior to the regularly scheduled meeting. Complementary copies of the Chronicle may be obtained by contacting a club officer or any club member. News items for the Chronicle should be mailed to Kelly Davidson before the end of each month. Her e-mail address is: HZ150@cleveland.freenet.edu Please specify in the subject field that this is an article for the newsletter. Attachments can be sent to: Kelly@gender.org
Copyright (C) 1999 by the Crystal Club, Kelly Davidson, Editor. All rights reserved. Articles and information contained in The Crystal Chronicle may be reprinted by other non-profit organizations without advanced permission, provided the author and source is cited and a copy of the issue containing the reprinted material is sent to the Crystal Club within two months of publication. The opinions or statements contained in the Crystal Chronicle are those of the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or the Crystal Club. Furthermore, neither the Crystal Club nor the Crystal Chronicle editor assume responsibility for any consequences resulting either directly or indirectly either from advice or from any of the material contained in this newsletter. Contributions of articles are encouraged but may be altered with the author’s intent retained or may be rejected, whether solicited or not. Absolutely no sexually explicit material will be accepted or printed. Contributions may be electronically mailed directly to the editor at ccnl@stargate.com, or sent to the postal address above.