Rhonda 5-B-26 FPE

IT'S A LONG ROAD

HISTORY

Now that I have attained 51 years of age this past May and never having been unemployed during the past thirty-five years, I have finally joined the army of the "unemployed." During this period of in- activity, I have had time to review many of the past issues of TRANS- VESTIA. In reading through some of the issues I had read or had not completed, I have learned there were many others like myself. Like most of my sisters I have read about in the magazine, I thought I was one of a kind for many years until I found Virginia and TRANSVES- TIA.

Since that time, Rhonda, my femme self has become a reality; no longer just things in the closet, but femme dressing has become a daily thing with me. I dress completely to some point each and every day and often completely. I do not necessarily don my wig nor use makeup, because as our brothers know it is rather hard on the face to shave close twice a day in order to enjoy the luxury of makeup. Another thing that has discouraged this particular part of "dressing" is I have not completely educated some of my friends in the past several years to phone me before they "drop" in when they are in the neighborhood. It is extremely difficult to scurry into the bedroom to disrobe without the additional time needed to remove a very nicely made-up face.

I might add that I had never experimented with make-up until I joined Alpha Chapter here in Los Angeles. At my first meeting (and) there have been too few because of circumstances) after I had dressed, I came into the room where Virginia was and she suggested I would look more feminine if I put on some makeup. All I had in my purse (yes, I did have one) was some Cover Girl makeup and lipstick. So my first attempt at make up was rather limited.

39