Out!

[mschatelaine]

I debuted in public this evening.

I went to a charity event this evening and met several of my friends. This was the first time they've seen me as Elaine. Everyone kept giving me double-takes and then recognising me. Aoife, Emma and Helena all thought I looked fabulous and complimented me on my makeup. Billie, who is another tranny, said that she liked my look, and everyone else who said anything was impressed by how comfortable I seemed. I don't seem to show any self-consciousness now, although when I'm out in the street I'm very aware of who is around me. Tonight at the event and among my friends I was totally at ease.

The event was an appropriate one - 'Brother for a Day', in support of the Terence Higgins Trust. The organiser, who is a male impersonator, celebrates the memory of her brother who died of AIDS by performing as him on the anniversary of his death. The crowd was therefore inclined to accept gender-crossing, so I fit right in. Hal Duncan started the show off by reading a suite of quite filthy sonnets.

Also, I tried putting 'party feet' inserts in my shoes and I found them quite uncomfortable. Then I took them off and found the shoes themselves immediately worse, so they do make a difference.

Comments

[fjm.livejournal.com]

Brilliant!

Pictures?

[ms-chatelaine.livejournal.com]

Bob, Helena's boyfriend, was taking a lot of pictures, I'll ask him.

I tend to avoid the front of the camera. It's nothing (or not much) to do with self-consciousness, it's just that photos rarely flatter me. It's like dresses, some people look good in anything. I can look good in a photo, but it takes some effort and consideration. Most people's random snaps are the equivalent of just throwing anything on.

Bob's a good photographer, though, we'll see.

[fjm.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean. I don't photograph well. Even people who love me have said this.

[ms-chatelaine.livejournal.com]

I really like your facebook photo. As well as being pretty, it's very alive.

[fjm.livejournal.com]

It;s a very rare good photo.

[ms-chatelaine.livejournal.com]

The one I took of you in Jersey is fairly good as well, or at least, I like it.

Sad to say I lost all the Glasgow ones (in the corset) in a multiple hard drive crash. My main drive and my backup went within days of one another. Needless to say I now have several more layers of backup.

[ms-chatelaine.livejournal.com]

That said, I felt very good; comfortable and right, if you know what I mean. I certainly got a lot of smiles from both friends and strangers. It's possible that this came over, which would help a lot.

I don't think I've ever taken a poor shot of you, not that I've taken many or that any but one have survived. A lot of the problem with not photographing well does come from the photographer. There are skills of timing, observation and composition that make a subject either look good or not. Bob is good, and so am I; although neither of us is a pro photographer, we're both willing to spend money on kit and know that it isn't an extravagance.

I really have to start putting stuff up on Flickr.

[carl-allery.livejournal.com]

Great! So glad this went well. I think you're doing a great job of going at your own pace and it seems to be paying off. :)

[tanngrisnir.livejournal.com]

Well done you. :)