Womamless Beauty Pageants

[Paula_56]

I've noticed that woman less beauty pageant seem to be very popular down south especially in Alabama and Mississippi.

Looking at the pictures here, there seems to be no shortage of young men willing to don a frock for charity. Often many make mocking attempts at womanhood, but there seems to be some pageants that are very serious and the the Moms and sons are looking to be very convincing and win.

I was wondering if any of you had any experience with these pageants and they contestants. What's behind the Mom's and is this really the first time these boys have gone girl??



https://www.flickr.com/photos/104546207@N08/sets/72157636271270946


Also heres an article about then by Starla
http://www.femulate.org/2015/07/womanless-beauty-pageant-theory.html

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Paula, I really don't envy the judges as they have their work cut out for themselves.:hugs:

There are some really lovely young ladies.:daydreaming:

[Jenniferathome]

I think these events would be more accurately referred to as cross dressing pageants. When you are trying to be convincing as a girl/woman, you have left the "just kidding" territory.

[Lori Kurtz]

When you are trying to be convincing as a girl/woman, you have left the "just kidding" territory.

Some of those "girls" are so convincing, they absolutely must be ... well ... let's just say they must be members of our club. There's a difference between a guy in a dress and most of us. Some of those pics are of guys in dresses, but others of them are definitely more like us.

[Ineke Vashon]

I wonder how many of these boys will think: "hey, I like the way this dress feels and I like the way I look" and become lifelong crossdressers, or go beyond?

Ineke

[Jenniferathome]

Ineke, I think they HAD those thoughts long before donning the dress for the pageant. The clothing doesn't make you a cross dresser. You are that before clothes are ever worn.

[Kate Simmons]

I have a personal rule not to compete with others in anything. I found long ago it tends to foster bad feelings unless the intent is to have fun and not to "win". I have no problem with others doing it though if that makes them happy. :)

[Allisa]

With all the smiles these "boys" are enjoying themselves so they have done this before even if in private, probably the way most members here have done. I just wished there were pageants back when I was young, who knows how I would have turned out by now.

[Leslie Langford]

Thanks for that, Paula! And yes, there are also plenty of examples of the same thing on Pinterest and similar sites.

Some of these "girls" are truly gorgeous, and it makes one wonder if this actually is the first time that they have ever done anything like this...and which also begs the question: is there a crossdressing equivalent to the old joke "Once you go "black", you can never go back" ? ;) :heehee:

[CarlaWestin]

I'm actually enjoying seeing a nice backlash to the "I am woman, hear me roar." era. I can be woman (sorta'), too!

[kimdl93]

I've never seen such and event, nor had any interest in participating. As Jennifer said above, I think that presenting effectively in such an even would be tantamount to coming out publicly.

[Paula_56]

Thanks for that, Paula! And yes, there are also plenty of examples of the same thing on Pinterest and similar sites.

Some of these "girls" are truly gorgeous, and it makes one wonder if this actually is the first time that they have ever done anything like this...and which also begs the question: is there a crossdressing equivalent to the old joke "Once you go "black", you can never go back" ? ;) :heehee:


Some of those "girls" are so convincing, they absolutely must be ... well ... let's just say they must be members of our club. There's a difference between a guy in a dress and most of us. Some of those pics are of guys in dresses, but others of them are definitely more like us.

As my friend Stana likes to say they are not "Civilians"

[Katey888]

The article by Starla is an interesting insight into the culture of those States (it's a little long but worth it for those willing to expand their horizons into the 'Deep South' :)).

Those kids aren't trans or harbouring nascent CD tendencies (well, maybe about 0.3% of them might be...) - this is seen as part of 'rites of passage': proving your manliness by being able to look female without giving up your male side... and it clearly seems to be competitive, but only in a technical sense. I can admire that aspect but I still think they're just having fun with it... doesn't mean you can't be good at it AND JUST have fun too... :thinking:

There's some really convoluted reverse psychology going on there... "I want to be the best 'gurl' but that isn't going to impact my being all male-jock at the end of it all..." Actually, I think we also hear that around these pink and fluffy halls a little... Like Starla says in her article - they just don't see the irony of it... ;)

Thanks for sharing Paula - be interesting if we actually get anyone from 'Bama or M'ssipi who has experienced this first hand (but I somehow doubt it...)

Katey x

[Ezekiel]

Ineke, I think they HAD those thoughts long before donning the dress for the pageant.

Maybe they didn't. We don't know for sure unless they came out.


Those kids aren't trans or harbouring nascent CD tendencies (well, maybe about 0.3% of them might be...) - this is seen as part of 'rites of passage': proving your manliness by being able to look female without giving up your male side...

Exactly, just what I thought. Arround here, people seems to think that crossdressing is like some kind let out only for those that are trying to express gender in some way, while actually it is not this way.

Crossdressing is called "crossdressing" because it means dressing with clothes a certain society associates with one gender, but not all people who like dresses or wear one and trying to look good wearing them (including make up and esentially everything women are associated to do) are trying to express anything gender related. They just like it or how it looks.

I'm a good example, I am not gender variant in any way (sorted out after years of confusion, but hey I finally got it), yet I adore how women look anatomically and how they dress, but I'm perfectly a male, I don't want to emulate women in any other way than that. I don't even use a "enfemme" name. There are more like me, and I know some (who I thank much for helping me in my confusion).

I dont think this is a case for making comparisons with me or anyone here or anywhere, but one can like something usually associated to the other gender without it becoming a gender variant thing.

[Lori Kurtz]

With all the smiles these "boys" are enjoying themselves so they have done this before even if in private, probably the way most members here have done. I just wished there were pageants back when I was young, who knows how I would have turned out by now.

If there had been pageants when I was young, I would never have dared to enter. I'd be afraid that my arousal would become obvious, or that someone would somehow figure out that I had done this before.

[ReineD]

Given the deep bias against LGBT in the South, I also don't get the paradox. Why do they go all out to make their male children look as beautiful as they can. According to the pictures, people spare no expense to get their boys to win! :strugglin

Like Katey, I'm hoping that some members who were raised in that culture will shed some light.

So far, the explanation that makes most sense to me is Katey's ... that doing this proves it won't affect their 'manliness'? Or, maybe there's an under-the-radar streak running through this culture, not unlike in ancient Greece, where it was common for young boys to 'pretty up' for older male mentors even though it was not approved if done too overtly, promiscuously, or for money. +? If there's a shred of truth to my conjecture (the possibility of there being a number of older males who like young boys as long as they don't look like boys), it may explain why Southerners protest so much against LGBT.

[Rhonda Jean]

They had one every year in my high school back in the day. Probably still do. I was never asked to participate. As I recall, the participants were sponsored by the various on-campus clubs. Seems like there were about a dozen participants every year. A mixture of presentations from ridiculous to gorgeous. I only specifically remember a few of them. One of them was the kid I rode to school with in 10th grade. I was at his house before school waiting on him to get ready. He had his own long hair. His mother rolled his hair and did his makeup and nails and he wore his sister's clothes. He was STUNNING, and I was jealous, but pretended to be put off. He stayed dressed all day. I saw him recently, and doubt that he is (still) one of us. If I'd been invited I definitely would have done it.

[Leslie Langford]

Given the deep bias against LGBT in the South, I also don't get the paradox. Why do they go all out to make their male children look as beautiful as they can. According to the pictures, people spare no expense to get their boys to win! :strugglin

Like Katey, I'm hoping that some members who were raised in that culture will shed some light.

So far, the explanation that makes most sense to me is Katey's ... that doing this proves it won't affect their 'manliness'? Or, maybe there's an under-the-radar streak running through this culture, not unlike in ancient Greece, where it was common for young boys to 'pretty up' for older male mentors even though it was not approved if done too overtly, promiscuously, or for money. +? If there's a shred of truth to my conjecture (the possibility of there being a number of older males who like young boys as long as they don't look like boys), it may explain why Southerners protest so much against LGBT.

Not just that - the South is also the home of NASCAR racing, and "bubba" just loves that manliest and most testosterone-laden of competitions. Paradox, indeed... :eek: :doh:

[MissTee]

I have lived down here almost 60 years and these pageants have always been very popular. Most are billed as raising money for charity. And raise a lot of money they do. In one pageant we raised over $100k (US) for a battered women and children's shelter.

Do I think many of the participants are us -- absolutely! Down here we publicly pretend not to notice because it's for a good cause. That said, the tongues wag mightily in the after event parties (just like they are on this forum.)

[Krisi]

I have lived in the south for ten years and have never seen or heard of such a pageant. Perhaps it's because I'm a "senior" and just don't come across non -"mainstream" events.

I also don't see all the bias and bigotry that people who don't live in the south seem to project on the south.

[Jennifer in CO]

one thing I notice in these pageants, look at the feet. Some of these "boys" are wearing 3 and 4 inch heels and you don't walk in those without breaking an ankle without a lot of practice. They didn't just slip them on before going on stage...

[Amy Fakley]

For historical context:

http://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history-dept/2015/06/16/413633022/when-womanless-weddings-were-trendy

Even in the breif, bygone era in which this sort of thing was accepted (under the pretense of charity), I don't think it had that much to do with crossdressing and transgenderism as we understand it today.

I grew up in the deep south. I have never in my life even heard of such a thing. The closest to it, was when I was a senior in high school, someone decoded we'd have an "opposite day" for spirit week where the girls dressed like guys and the guys dressed like girls. It was clearly meant to be a joke, and I was terified to participate because I thought for sure everyone would say the sort of things we've been saying in this thread "look at that smile", "It can't be his first time", "he's too good at it", etc. I was afraid I'd be outed, because playing at being trans for joke was a-ok, but actually being trans would have likely gotten me killed in the parking lot.

[Krisi]

Yep, just like Halloween, if you're a crossdresser and not "out", doing too good of a job will cause people to think "This is not the first time he has dressed as a woman." And not doing a good job is just no fun at all.

[CynthiaD]

I sure wish someone had thought of that back when I was a teenager.

[Confucius]

I live in the deep south where these are common. In fact, my school had them. However, it was not exactly what many here expect.

In school it was just one of the events within Spirit Week where classes would compete with each other to show school spirit and earn points. Each homeroom had to enter one contestant. The contestants were volunteers, however no one was ever eager to volunteer. In the homeroom we would try to get the smaller, more feminine guys to volunteer, but they would just laugh it off and they rarely (if ever) volunteered. Usually some popular guy, (a class leader) would eventually take one for the team. We would be relieved and treat him like a hero.

Before the pageant opened the contestants were prepared by some of the girls in their class as well as some of the mothers of the contestants. You could bet that the better dressed contestants were that way because of their mothers, and not because they were natural crossdressers. I remember some guys complaining that their mothers were taking it too seriously, and making them practice at home. We knew these guys were doing it for our class, so the other guys in the class would treat them with respect. The girls in the class were always excited about seeing these guys dressed and they would scream at the sight of them. It was always the highlight of Spirit Week.

No, I never volunteered. Why? Because I knew I couldn't handle it. I was different than everyone else. I knew would have been shaking uncontrollably. I knew I would find it extremely sexually arousing. I was afraid I may orgasm in front of my classmates. The guys who did volunteer were cool. These volunteers would crack jokes, and be funny and clever. I never could understand how they could dress like they did and not appear aroused at all. They didn't seem to feel anything special about crossdressing. They smile because they think they are funny. Yes, during Spirit Week I would be fantasizing about volunteering and wearing a prom dress, and how my mother could help me, but it never happened. During this period in my life I thought I was the only person in the world inflicted with an obnoxious propensity for crossdressing.

[nancigirl]

I think that the generalizing about various regions of the U.S. (e.g. the South) has been way overdone in this thread. I know some parents who are successfully raising transgender daughters in the South and have found good acceptance in their local areas. Same is true in some of the other parts of the country (e.g Kansas) that are 'supposed' to be terrible places for LBTG people. Hate crimes happen in every section of the U.S. (unfortunately!)

[Julogden]

There are lots of videos of these pageants on Youtube, and if you watch them, it becomes fairly clear that the participants are just doing it for goofy fun. However, once in a while you'll see someone who is pretty clearly a future member of these forums. ;)

And they do seem to be more common in the parts of the country thought of as being more conservative.

Carol

[chelle]

Our little high school had the woman-less style show each spring for years. I had never been to one, but a couple years ago, I was asked to be one of the judges. I must say that the 'girls' were very funny and several of them would have fooled anyone on the street, they really were beautiful and looked feminine sexy. Most of them had several girls to work as a team to get the boy dressed, do their makeup, teach them how to walk in heels and to have girly mannerisms during the show.
Last year they were not allowed to have the show because someone had called the school and complained that the boys were making fun of all the girls in school. After seeing the first show I sure wanted to see more of them.
Chelle

[Allison Chaynes]

Krisi, you nailed it with your comment about the attitudes of many non Southerners, claiming to be for tolerance and understanding, turning around and stereotyping the South. Pot calling the kettle black, if you ask me!

I have been in one of these, as a fundraiser for Race for the Cure. I raised $100 for cancer research so it was cool. It was not a real beauty pageant, more of a giant joke done in good fun. It was my wife's idea for me to join it. There was no winner, it was just about having fun and spending the evening soliciting donations.

My high school did one during honecoming week, I would never have entertained the idea of joining in back them though.

[sometimes_miss]

With all the smiles these "boys" are enjoying themselves so they have done this before
That's pretty obvious. Nobody gets good with make up and posing for girl pictures without practice.

Those kids aren't trans or harbouring nascent CD tendencies (well, maybe about 0.3% of them might be...) - this is seen as part of 'rites of passage'
Perhaps for a few, but there are plenty of men who would never even consider doing this as a rite of passage no matter what the reason. OTOH, anyone with any desire to CD just might use this as a convenient excuse to do what they've always wanted to, all while continuing to tell everyone 'this isn't the REAL me. It's just something I did for kicks. Im really just a normal guy'.

one thing I notice in these pageants, look at the feet. Some of these "boys" are wearing 3 and 4 inch heels and you don't walk in those without breaking an ankle without a lot of practice. They didn't just slip them on before going on stage...
^this. When you examine something enough, you get clues as to what's really going on, no matter what people tell you.

It was not a real beauty pageant, more of a giant joke done in good fun. .
See, that's it. You can tell when someone's doing something as a joke or a put on, or really getting into it. Bosom Buddies would not pass and neither would Mrs Doubtfire or the 'Some Like it Hot' gals. Andrej Petkovic, however, could, because he had perfected doing it for real. Some of those guys are way too good at such a complete change in their gender presentation to have it been just a one time 'fun thing'. You don't get that good at it in one performance.