model

Self-Portrait – The Real Me

Just a little practice doing a self-portrait. I am working to improve my craft, but sometimes it is slow-going. Then again, I think this one has something special to say…

self-portrait of tgirl Janie Black

modeling part

Model T-Girl – Modeling

Since I started up this new site, I have scarcely had enough time to put into my modeling efforts. I haven’t even managed to introduce my blog readers to the photos I have posted in the modeling section of this site from shoots I have already done.

Well, today’s the day.

This will be the first in an intermittent series on the photos in my modeling portfolio.

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What I’m Talkin’ About!

I just love this video!

(And here’s a little vid behind the scenes:)

I think it’s a rotten ad for whatever they are trying to sell, but as a depiction of someone who can be either gender at the flip of a switch, it totally rocks my world!

You can see how the slightest change in posture and attitude of this transgender model turns what is obviously a beautiful woman into what is equally clearly a handsome man.

That’s the way I see it anyway. I’m sure others will say this model is either androgynous or both genders at once.

I disagree. But regardless of the paradigm, it looks to me to be a very positive depiction of the blurring line between the genders. It has to make some people sit up and take notice, perhaps open some minds as to what people can be like and how attractive it can be.

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andrej pejic

More on Andrej

I took the time to read the New Yorker article referenced by the Washington Post in my last post.

It is well worth reading.

With all due respect to the esteemed Washington Post, Pejic doesn’t really seem to identify as male any more than he does female.  His focus is, much like was discussed in my missive on Psychology Today, that there is no benefit to identify as one or the other.

He says he never did “drag”; he just dressed pretty, in the same way girls do.  Semantics, perhaps, but evidence of a certain mindset.

He does not divide the world into girls and boys, and roles for each, orientations and attractions.  He just takes it as it comes, with no labels.

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andrej

Beautiful Andrej

More mainstream coverage and acceptance of the blurring of gender lines…

Andrej Pejic is the only person who can walk down top fashion runways as either a man or a woman.  People seem to accept that.

The Washington Post did a feature on him on February 10th.  How much more mainstream can you get?

Oh, but FYI, Andrej is not transgender.  So says the Washington Post:

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The Boy Is Back

isis_antm the boy is backTsk! Tsk!

America’s Next Top Model quickly removed an ad picturing transgender model contestant Isis with the tagline “The Boy is back” after complaints from the TG community.  The company responsible offered apologies.

“The Top Model ad campaign is certainly not intended to be offensive, nor controversial, and we apologise for any offense it has caused. We see it as enormously positive that a hit mainstream show such as ANTM features gay and transgender contestants, and believe that Isis will be one of the stars of the upcoming series. We have, however, received feedback over the past few days that the tagline ‘The Boy is back’ used on the posters featuring Isis is offensive to the transgender community, and in response have already taken steps to have the posters in question removed.”

The complaints basically surround our desire to be referred to in the gender we present, or with which we identify.

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Labels

17 of 19 © 2011 Connie Tsang; model: Janie Black

“I see a spectrum with cross-dressers on one end and transsexuals on the other. I think I’m somewhere in the middle, so I call myself a T-girl. Someone else has said I’m bi-gender. You can put whatever name you want to it, but it’s somewhere in between those.” – Claire Black (Janie)

Trying It

18 of 19 © 2011 Connie Tsang; model: Janie Black

“You start to realize that if you don’t do something that you are wondering about now, you will never have a chance. It’s a very common theme among all the girls I’ve met who start doing this in their middle age.

Today, I think the younger people are starting a lot more to play with their gender, but that’s the generation after me. Among the t-girls that I know, every single one except for me, had thoughts about this when they were a child – either tried on their sister’s clothes or mother’s clothes, did something for Halloween or whatever, really liked it, thought about it again when they were a teenager, but never really could do it or whatever, for the guilt or pressure, until the middle age. Me, I’m the only one who has never thought, for one second, about doing this my entire life before I actually started doing it at this age.

– Claire Black (Janie)

Mirror

16 of 19 © 2011 Connie Tsang; model: Janie Black

“When I wake up in the morning, it’s always an interesting thing for me because I have a big mirror beside my bed, so when I open my eyes, sometimes I see a guy, and sometimes I see a girl. It’s a very strange thing, you know?” – Claire Black (Janie)

Understanding

15 of 19 © 2011 Connie Tsang; model: Janie Black

“One of the things about doing this is I just have gotten a completely different appreciation of what women do, what women are, what they go through, all of those things. If I forgot my phone in the car, or I have to feed the meter or something, running out to my car in heels is different than running out to my car not in heels, y’know?” – Claire Black (Janie)