The StLGF is a non-profit, non-sexuall, social end educational organization open to all adults who believe in freedom of gender expression, Although our members are primarily male-to female crossdressers and male-to-female transsexuals; all members of the transgendered community, as well as supportive family members and interested professionals.

"The Gazette" is published bi-monthly in January, March, May, July, September, and November. The deadline for submissions is the 15th of the month prior to publication. For information please use our voice mail number (314) 367-4128.

All submissions become the property of StLGF, and should be accompanied by a release-to-print statement. Letters, articles, and/or pictures that include nudity, profanity, or obscenities will not be published.

We also reserve the right not to publish any other materials that we consider inappropriate. All issues are copyrighted. However, any nonprofit organization or publication may reprint articles or other information from this publication, provided they allow the free use of their materials by other non-profit organizations.

If you have any questions please write:
StLGF,
PO Box 9433, St. Louis, MO 63117,
or call us at
(314) 367-4128 or
Email the StLGF:stlgf@netscape.net
Web Sites:
http://members.aol.com/stlgf1/
http://www.3dcom.com/tg/stlgf/
http://www.transgender.org/tg/stlgf/

Erika's Desk

Well, it's hard for me to believe it, nearly a year has come and gone since you vested your confidence in a new Board . . . granting a group of disreputable ladies the opportunity to try their hand at revitalizing StLGF. At least from my biased vantage point, many positive things have been accomplished: a more social orientation to our meetings, more interesting meeting places, an uptodate voice mail system, and a greater presence in the community that now extends into the reaches of cyberspace. That's not to say we haven't had, or don't continue to have, our share of problems. Uncertainty regarding a long-term meeting place is now among the most obvious. However, there's little doubt that a satisfactory solution will soon be found among the choices available to us.

A much greater concern relates to the future leadership of our organization. Certainly the slate of nominees for the coming year, a cast of familiar (and now infamous) characters that reads something like the fifth iteration of Star Trek: The Cross-dressed Generation, promises some temporary stability . . . but what of the following year . . . and the next. Who will step forward to lead us tomorrow? Who will be here a year from now when another fearful TG takes a tentative step out of the closet, like someone was here for me . . . and you?

Fortunately, our recent growth spurt has brought many bright and energetic new members (some are even pretty cute, I hate to say). Most of these new members are still playing it shy and insecure (or demure?), more at ease observing the antics of their elder sisters from a safe distance rather stepping forward to strut their stuff. Although our system of centralized leadership has allowed us to rapidly implement some needed changes, and has made our monthly meetings more enjoyable, it has failed to educate "our young".

I guess what I'm saying, is that your leadership has been a bit too protective and maternalistic . Although we're not ready to push you out of the nest . . . We do agree that it's time to begin taking some steps on your own. How can we do this? How can we preserve the things we enjoy about StLGF while assuring our future good health? One step in right direction is to simply reinvolve members in the planning and execution of our monthly meetings under the watchful eye of the V.P. and other board members. Beginning with the date and some general guidelines . . . you take it from there . . . selecting a theme or activity and help to carry things through to the end. If elected, I promise, like it or not , to get YOU more involved. StLGF wants (and needs) YOU!!!

APRIL AT ASHLEY'S

by Stephanie James

Many thanks to Ashley! The April meeting would not have happened Ashley hadn't been so generous as to open her downtown office to us even while she was in the throes of relocating. Thanks also go to Erika (and an unnamed friend) for the food and decorations, Jamie and Andrew for bringing the bar, and Margie for acting as a conversational facilitator and all around fun gal!

I think we all knew our past meeting place, was a little too good to be true, and so it proved to be. With the March meeting cancelled due to that abrupt loss, I think most of us were surprised and pleased at the large turnout for April! We had a wonderful mix of new, veteran, and sort-of-new gals that made the evening a great opportunity to meet interesting people and come away with some new insights and friendships.

The only official business of the evening was the nomination of officers for next year...and the current nominees are: President, Erika Cantrell; VP, Rita Amore; Secretary, Stephanie James; Treasurer, Andrew, and newsletter editor, Christy Kay. These nominations were accepted because a) Erika was swept away by flattery, b) Rita was elsewhere in a tux, c) I was beeped away for unmentionable reasons, d) Andrew wants our money, and e) Christy's already doing it. The election will be at our June pizza meeting where nominations will again be open to everyone. Let's talk about it at the Prom!

The Gazette

by Christy Kay

I had planned to write this article for a later Gazette, but when I read Erika's column, it begged to be included in this issue. No matter who is elected the News Letter Editor at the June meeting, there is only one way to make the Gazette reflect the members of StLGF, and that is to get involved. You do not have to write, but that would be nice. All you have to do is give the Editor a feeling for what you find interesting.

What kind of feedback? If you browsing the Web or find an interesting article, email the Editor the URL of what you've found. Dittoes for magazine articles, email, voice mail, or even US Mail the editor the article. It'll tell her the direction you're going.

Personally, I'd love to see the Gazette full of articles written by members of the StLGF. What better could reflect the makeup of our membership than by not needing to turn to outside sources?

Rita's Oh So Rambunctious Ramblings

by Rita Amore

Dear Ones...Life is certainly an adven-ture, and for STLGF members our April meeting was no exception. Because of the closure of our previous meeting place and the generous offer of club member Ashley Henke to use her office space, we were all treated to the experience of the historic Washington Street loft district. The meeting was one of our largest attended functions of the year, and we all thank you dear Ashley.

C.D.'S AT THE MALLS...My wife is not a mall rat in the general sense of the term, but occasionally she forces herself into one of the larger local malls such as St. Clair Square, St. Louis Centre, or the Galleria to add to her (and luckily mine) collection of feminine finery. While out-and-about lately she has observed more and more crossdressers experiencing the joys of being fully dressed amongst general society. Why she is spotting more now than in the recent past, I don't know. I guess more and more sisters like to do their shopping at 2:30 p.m. on a weekday. How she spots them is much more interesting. "They give themselves away by being constantly on the lookout to see if they are being read, always fidgeting at their clothes or purses, and generally acting terribly uptight. These things immediately trigger a warning in a woman, and she takes a hard second look, thereby prompting "the read" that was trying to be avoided. I had to restrain myself from going up to one guy to tell him to relax and get on with his charade already, but I spooked her off without getting to," said Coco. The moral, if you want to blend in and reasonably pass, is to dress conservatively, avoid times when kids are not in school (pesky teenagers will spot you no matter what), and just RELAX.

MOVIE REPORT...If any of the gendering masses prefer to go out dressed to the movie theatres, I can suggest two new releases that are sure to please. "The Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy" is receiving pretty good reviews. Of course the Kids in the Hall guys perform all gender roles quite well in anything they do. This falls into the drag comedy genre rather than drag as performance art found in such films as "To Wong Foo..." or "Wigstock" or "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." Another movie with some general gender theming is "I Shot Andy Warhol." This flick includes some of the Warhol Superstars, genderbenders to the core. In fact, Candy Darling's semi-major role is played quite well by the actor.

T.V. SCENE...Recently seen on the local scene were four ladies out for dinner and theatre. Our own arts-critic-in-the-making Stephanie James organized an informal pre-theatre dinner at Caleco's (with special attention from our favorite poet and "waitron unit" Jordynne) followed by the stage play "Glen or Glenda" on April 6th. Stephanie, Robin from the Boston Tiffany Club, Chrissie "the Carp" Calvery, and the Lovely One joined the ever-efficient Miss James for a truly enjoyable and splendid evening out. The Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre Company produced an outstanding adaptation of this original Ed Wood schlocky film. The stage version was not only more entertaining than the original, but presented the subject matter of transvestism in a better light (and lighting).

Please note that Stephanie Robin was in St. Louis on business and connected with STLGF through our voice mailbox. This is an example of how sister clubs can provide the gender traveler with advice on local gender activities. Since STLGF is known as a fun club in a fun city within the gender community, maybe we should offer our services to the St. Louis Bureau of Tourism.

On tax return day when most of you were figuring out how much of your dressing purchases should have gone to the tax man, the Elegant One, Chrissie (she needs to lose "the Carp" image -- I'm open to suggestions from you all), and the Lovely One attended the "Vegas in Space" party at the Way Out Club. Being three of the four dressed souls to participate in this futuristic, sci-fi, lounge drag extravaganza; we elected to have a couple drinks, watch part of the campy, low-budget flick, then blow off to get our Editrix some nourishment. What we didn't know was that, right after we left, the place filled up with outrageous sci-fi queens that made the place look like Sunset Boulevard on Halloween. Oh well, guess the queens came in late 'cuz they had to get their taxes done first.

The late night club scene offerings in the Gateway are evolving for us gender-gifted folk. The tried-and-true gay clubs still have the first choice of options. However, other alternative clubs, mixed clubs, and even some straight clubs are getting into drag and male crossdressing. Events are occurring now with different crossdressing themes in places that would have been unheard of two years ago.

POTPOURRI...How many of you remember the "Betty Grable Lookalike Contest" at the Fox Theatre about six or seven years ago held in conjunction with some show at the Fox? I do, but I just found out the winner of this mainstream and straight contest was a man. As reported in TWISL in an interview with the local drag diva and reigning Midwest-Entertainer-of-the-Year Michelle McCausland, I learned the truth. "There were thirty real women on the stage and me in a one-piece bathing suit in front of 4000 people. No one knew I was a man, and I won for having the best legs! It was foam rubber, of course, but I won and that's what's important!" Well, friends, somewhere I have stashed a photo from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of that contest, and as I remember, all the women were very sexy but obviously at a handicap when competing against a professional female impersonator. It's all illusion, Honey, and the best illusion wins! UNTIL NEXT TIME, MY LOVELIES,
If you want to be like the Kids in the Hall,
Watch out for the kids in the mall.

Rita

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Last modified 12/3/96.