Transvestia

The answer is: training. So, I said to myself: do something about it! And this is what has happened so far. The Manhattan Yellow Pages is an impressive book of 2136 pages. Under the heading of "SPEECH" you find two sub-headings: "Speech Disorders-Correct- ive training" and "Speech Improvement Voice and Diction." The combined total of places advertised under both headings comes to 43. So, I said to myself, I will enquire if they can help a man to learn to talk and sound like a woman...by choice I elimi- nated all the places that featured a man as the head or director of the clinic or institute...and concentrated on women. I finally found one--and as I write this column I am looking forward to my first consultation session with her. I explained my problem and asked point blank whether there was any way she could help me achieve my goal.

She said: "of course!”

"Naturally I will keep you all posted as to developments. I hope the results will be more positive than my frustrating experiments with the hair-removing treatment!--If it works---I will certainly share with all of you in detail her methods, exercises, etc...Any- way, it's something to look forward to. I am enclosing with this column a polaroid shot which Maureen took of me at Casa Susanna. I hope none of you will be catty enough to remind me that a year ago I was condemning TV's who went for boots and mini-skirts. The picture shows that I changed my mind. But if anyone should make a catty remark..here's my answer in advance: "to change one's mind, my dear, is a woman's privilege." So there too!

Love to all

from Susanna.

P. S. Just before mailing this column to Virginia I had my "get- acquainted" meeting with my new voice teacher, who is also a dramatic coach who works with actors and student actors. I real- ized that someone like her who works with showbiz people would be much more likely to take an interest in forging a new person- ality....and it worked! Of course I fibbed a bit regarding the real