To College as Kimberly

[Kimberly]

Today was the first time I've been to college en femme, and found it to be an encouraging first step to me being -even more- out in college. Encouraging, but quite medioca. I guess I'm past that "Oh my god, I'm out dressed as a girl" thing pretty quickly. It was more an interesting exercise in what kind of reactions I get in the wide world, during the day too.

The walk to college was the most interesting in that sense, (which takes half an hour,) because I felt reinforced in my judgement that I cannot pass and will not do so unless I get FFS. I got countless strange looks, and even some funny reactions from passers by... those who reacted actually, were mostly 'late 20s to middle-aged' men. This was about 1pm, and I had no intention of hiding or shying away from anyway. Head up high.

Once at college I felt a lot better, but funnily enough I didn't feel threatened in any way throughout the day and actually was quite uneffected by those bad reactions. Once at college it was safer, because it's a more controlled environment: I know lots of people there, it's a liberal college (of Drama, no less...) etc. We got there and my flatmate needed a tea, so we went to the cafe, full of people, of which three acting students who knew me asked me about what I was wearing... I told one I didn't have to explain myself (), and to another I explained I was TG. This was okay though.

Then it came to the only lecture of the day, to which our tutor wasn't there - but we were substituted, basically, by a different tutor who we knew well... but who knew nothing of my TGism and yet did not make any mental acknowledgement that I was presenting as a female for the day. He carried on the lecture as per usual. Strange... oh well.

So a good day, I'm quite happy. Willing to do it again, whenever I feel the need. Once this becomes a regular thing, than maybe people will get the picture ... rather than being a confused bunch of students. Ah well... just to report on what's going on. I had a good day today.

xx

[Calliope]

Yaaaaay Kimberly - what a great attitude!

And as far as not passing (passing is the deluxe closet, y'know), you may find your righteous attitude and just a bit more experience will take care of everything.

Now get yourself Liz Taylor's part in Virginia Woolf.

[Amy Hepker]

Sounds like fun. I am glad you had a good time and well, now you know what to expect. I think you can handle it. There really isn't much anyone can say about it. The staff dosn't want to get in trouble for discriminating and wiether would the school. All you have to do is put up with the people on the way to and from the collage. It sounds like you can handle that. You will even start to walk more like a young lady with time so you don't stand out so much. The more you do it the more it will be natural.

[Kimberley]

You rock girl!

Dont expect the lecturers to react. Anything interpreted as negative can get them hauled up on the carpet. We train ourselves not to react and sometimes it is extremely difficult, but those are other stories best kept on PM.

I'm glad it was a good experience for you. Keep at it, you are an inspiration for many of us.


Kimberley (with an e) lol

[tekla west]

At a Drama College. I'm shocked! Could have knocked me over with a feather.

Now if you could only get them to cast you as Juliet. Don't listen to Daytripper, doing Virgina Wolfe will only make you old and bitter before your time. Really, wouldn't you rather be saying.......

JULIET
Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face,
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,'
And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st,
Thou mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuries
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,
I'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
And therefore thou mayst think my 'havior light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,
My true love's passion: therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

ROMEO
Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops--

JULIET
O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

ROMEO
What shall I swear by?

JULIET
Do not swear at all;
Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry,
And I'll believe thee.

ROMEO
If my heart's dear love--

JULIET
Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee,
I have no joy of this contract to-night:
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night!
This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest
Come to thy heart as that within my breast!

Old Will could pen a line or two. Though I would think the part to do in R&J is Mercutio giving this speach:

O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
On the fore-finger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies
Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep;
Her wagon-spokes made of long spiders' legs,
The cover of the wings of grasshoppers,
The traces of the smallest spider's web,
The collars of the moonshine's watery beams,
Her whip of cricket's bone, the lash of film,
Her wagoner a small grey-coated gnat,
Not so big as a round little worm
Prick'd from the lazy finger of a maid;
Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut
Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub,
Time out o' mind the fairies' coachmakers.
And in this state she gallops night by night
Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love;
O'er courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight,
O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees,
O'er ladies ' lips, who straight on kisses dream,
Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues,
Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are:
Sometime she gallops o'er a courtier's nose,
And then dreams he of smelling out a suit;
And sometime comes she with a tithe-pig's tail
Tickling a parson's nose as a' lies asleep,
Then dreams, he of another benefice:
Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck,
And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats,
Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades,
Of healths five-fathom deep; and then anon
Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes,
And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two
And sleeps again. This is that very Mab
That plats the manes of horses in the night,
And bakes the elflocks in foul ****tish hairs,
Which once untangled, much misfortune bodes:
This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs,
That presses them and learns them first to bear,
Making them women of good carriage:
This is she--

ROMEO
Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace!
Thou talk'st of nothing.

MERCUTIO
True, I talk of dreams,
Which are the children of an idle brain,
Begot of nothing but vain fantasy,
Which is as thin of substance as the air
And more inconstant than the wind, who wooes
Even now the frozen bosom of the north,
And, being anger'd, puffs away from thence,
Turning his face to the dew-dropping south.

[janelle]

Way to go Kim,keep enjoying.

[Brianna Lovely]

How wonderful for you. I'm happy for you and hope you choose to do it more often. Heck, people you meet, may even start to think your attire is "normal", giggle, but of course, we all know that it is.

[Karren H]

So where's all the photos, Kimberly?? Didn't you have a photo crew fallowing you around? Or at least a small digital cam in you purse? It is Drama college so let's see some Dramatic pics!! hehe

Love Karren

[Deidra Cowen]

Congratulations and good luck. You are quite the pioneer out blazing a trail for others to follow. I look up to you and respect what you are doing.

[Kimberly]

So where's all the photos, Kimberly?? Didn't you have a photo crew fallowing you around?

Dammit, so that's maybe why people were looking at me... silly entourage.

And as for Juliet, don't think so... A drag version of Mercutio maybe. I love that speech!! But the sooner we forget R&J for a little while the better, only so it can be reinvented again in about 10 years time. Honestly, it's been done to death.

No, the theatrical event of the 21st century will revolve around a production depicting transgenderism and all that comes with it. It's going to be the next social revolution - no joke, I'm gearing up for it already! You girls are paving the way, I'm there to walk on it in a few more years of directing experience.

Strive for social acceptance!! The Gender Revolution is upon us!!

grrr...

[Kimkandy]

kimberly,

Thanks for the interesting post. I'm thinking of going to college for Creative Writing in January.

I'm a mature student so I don't know if I'll get in yet. It would be nice to be able to go to the classes en femme.

I'm not sure how well I would pass, but I'll have to wait and see if I get in first.

Kim

[steffie39]

Congratulations Kimberly!

That sounds new and exciting and a great place to express your femininity. Colleges tend to be liberal and that is good for crossdressers. If I would have dressed back when I was in undergraduate school, that may have been something I would have longed to try.

Steffie

[Nikki T]

Hi girl, definetly a great inspiration to all us others who would love to build up that courage to just walk out and go have some fun, have dinner, see a movie etc. Sounds like you are on your way

[Caroline Simmons]

Nice one Kimberly!

[Byllie]

Most excellent, Kimberley. And I agree ... Juliet is not the part for you; too mushy and all. You need a part with more teeth in it. How about Cat from Williams' play?

[JenniferMint]

Enrolling in college en femme, huh...

Is it possible to enroll in your femme name if your legal name (and all your ID documents) is still male?

[Kaitlyn Michele]

very cool kimberly!!

i'm very happy for you and wish you all the best!!

i know exactly what you are thinking with that head held up high

michele