Maureen 6-J-1 FPE

WHAT IT'S LIKE

What is it like to make a long trip alone en femme by airliner and live as a woman for several days with no masculine clothes to fall back on? It's wonderful! But not as easy as I had thought.

I had been working toward this for several years and when the invi- tation came to attend the banquet at Portland I felt the time had arrived.

Once in the role of Maureen there was surprisingly little nervous tension. Instead, life seemed to be relaxed and natural, pleasant and satisfying. The feel and awareness of the clothes faded rather rapidly. After a few hours I was aware mostly of just being considered a woman, of being called "Mrs. Warfield", of "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am". In my conscious and subconscious self I had become a woman. Surpris- ingly, I cannot recall even once thinking, "I am a man dressed as a woman."

The endless hours of practicing the walking, talking and makeup paid off. I felt neither fear nor excitement even when talking face to face with airline clerks, stewardesses, taxi drivers and motel personnel. But neither did I feel any particular elation in such contacts; it was as if I was doing what any other woman would be doing.

The one overwhelming problem was the urgent necessity to get to the motel within 6 to 8 hours after shaving. Beyond that time my beard shadow would show and the risks would soar. A complete two hour shave and makeup job was required twice daily and the resultant four hours represent a huge amount of valuable time out of cach day. The feeling quickly became one of being chained to the razor and makeup kit.