Transvestia

VIRGIN VIEWS

Our Changing Times

One can not look around him these days without seeing signs of change. The change works like a snow ball. It started very small and very slowly and has been gaining momentum ever since, both in variety of change and the rapidity with which it is being accom- plished. I might even hazard a guess that in about 25 years, if the world is still in one piece, that the battle will be won. "You mean that in 25 years the world will allow men to wear feminine clothes", you ask. With tongue in cheek my answer is "yes, that's just what I mean". Then taking tongue out of cheek I'll explain. Men will be wearing feminine clothes and women will be wearing masculine clothes because to a considerable degree there will be no such thing. With little or no segregation of permitted attire and the opportunity to express yourself as you please I think people will pretty well wear what they wish.

Let's go back to the slow beginning. In a way it all started with President Truman. At least that was the first dramatic step. You will remember that he went to Hawaii on a war conference and that he re- turned from there wearing flowered sport shirts with pictures of outriggers, cocoanut palms, hybiscus flowers, etc. in brilliant colors. You know the kind, they are all around today but it was a real break in the drabness of the men's clothing world in those days. Because it was done by Mr. President and because the colors and flowers came from Hawaii where everybody visualizes the strong brown skinned men in tapa cloth skirts climbing cocoanut palms barefooted with a flower behind each ear, there was no hint of effeminacy in this. In fact, it was almost supermasculine. within a season, practically every man in America had shirts like this.

So,

Slowly then other signs appeared, lace fronts and eyelet fronts on tuxedo shirts; a little brighter

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