"All About Renee" 

   basic data & common questions

Where Live: Atlanta, GA
Where From Originally: Owensboro, Kentucky. The home of beautiful horses and very fast women!
Age: Hah! Yeah, Right. *Grin* Just teasing...strangely, I'm very comfortable with my age.
Birthday: June 3, 1961...you do the math
Height: 5'9: workable for my gender. Get me in a pair of 6" platforms + "big hair"? You're staring at a 6'  7" Amazon woman. *Grin*
Weight: 165 lb...and fairly fit. Oh, give me a break - played football. Alas, I'll never be dainty.
Eyes: Deep blue
Hair Color: Light brown with red & blonde streaking...usually slightly more blonde in the summer. Whatever...*Laugh*   
Is "Renee" your real name? It's actually my middle name. Most people are aware it' derivation means: re-born. My birth name was "Rayvonne". Thus I was able to retain my given name since it's fairly androgynous. I now go by "Renee"...but I respond to most anything. *Smile*
Astrological Sign: Gemini (Big surprise, huh?)
Do You have Children?: Yep! Have a 12-year-old "adopted" niece...although I'm not sure just who - adopted whom. Also have a transgender teen in my life that's similarly important to me. Always wanted kids...be careful what 'ya wish for. *Smile*  
Favorite Person in the World: My best friend: "Red"
Most Influential Person in my Life: My mother
Favorite Quote: "Life works out best, for those who make the best - out of how things work out"
Favorite Type of Person: Highly intelligent - I'm a member of MENSA; Quick witted - prefer someone that keeps up with my bantering; A good sense of humor - can't take life too seriously; Passionate - about those things they relish.
People I Tend to Dislike: Don't encounter many people I can't find a reason to enjoy. However, I get a little testy if I encounter racism or bigotry.
Favorite Meal: This is kinda' twisted but my 'fave "meal"? A tasty vanilla latte. I drink way too much coffee.  
Favorite Desert: If it's chocolate? It's on my beloved desert list. *Grin*
Foods I Dislike: Okra, cooked asparagus, zucchini, squash...and a couple of other vegetables that are difficult to pronounce.
My Passions: Fashion - the scope of my wardrobe is 'kinda scary; helping others enjoy their alternative gender experience, my art collection, my ever-growing new family, and always trying to put a positive face on transgenderism.
Favorite Author: Myself! Alas, I'm still waiting for the New York Times to let me know I've got a best seller...
Favorite Book: Richard Bach's "Illusions". Second place? "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand: it profoundly affected my life during an important stage of my development.  
Favorite Actor: "Jack" - in almost every role he plays!
Favorite Actress: Sophia Loren - enough said.
Favorite Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner...adore his luminous works at the Frick in NYC.  Anybody got a spare Turner they want to loan me? *Grin*
Favorite Type of Art: Pieces which vividly represent the human experience. I consider representations of "living" - to be the highest form of artistic expression. I'm also a sucker for the use of  the color red in a piece of art. Want to know why? Me either...*Laugh*
Best Feature: My legs - sadly, nothing else come close.
Most Distinguishing Feature: My blue eyes - they'll melt you or scare 'ya to death - depending upon my mood.
Favorite Fetish: "Hair" - the bigger the better. What can I say - I'm an 80's girl. Belts run a very close second...break into a sweat around killer belts. Shoes & purses tie for third.
Favorite Music: Whew! That's tough. I run the gamut with musical interests. Pop, Jazz, Country, Classical - to me, great music, is just that - regardless of style or artist. However...if you flip on the radio in my car? It'll probably be tuned to a country music station. What else would you expect from a gal that grew up in a small town in Kentucky? *Smile*  

...and a few common questions:

do you live full-time as a woman?

Yep!

Tried almost everything not to transition...did DRAG, invested ions in gender counseling, spent years as a weekend-warrior, developed a large web presence...all in the name of trying to find a way to make my transgendered nature work without transition. I always felt the optimal path for a person with gender dysphasia was somewhere between two genders. Alas, I never found that path.

Still, I've never been happier since I completed my transition.

Getting there?

That wasn't quite so fun-filled.

have you had any surgical changes to enhance your feminine appearance?

Are you trying to insinuate I'm not el naturale?

*Laugh*

Yeah....had my share of feminization work. Lets face it: I was anything but a natural when it came to a gender switch. Honestly? It's easier to tell 'ya what I haven't had done.

Let's see...

The nose is all mine, the teeth aren't veneered & the legs came standard.

The rest?

Just a little lipstick & rouge, sweetheart...lipstick & rouge...*Grin*

how do your old male-friends deal with your transsexuality?

Good question.

My old guy-friends vary in terms of their degree of comfort with my lifestyle. I worked hard with several to help them better understand - "I'm okay" - and they're okay. Some are totally comfortable. Others just say: "I'm your friend" - but steer clear of much direct association. A few have not done well. 

Most straight males' first inclination is to ponder...is he/'she now attracted to me? That's a fairly normal question - from a straight male. I work hard to teach them that friends - are just that. I never had sexual thoughts about my acquaintances before I openly embraced my transsexuality - and I sure don't now. *Smile*

you seem fairly balanced with all this. what's your secret?

Some of you think I've got this t-crap figured out. Think again. I'm as lost as anyone.  In fact, most people would agree that we teach best...what we most need to know. If that's true? My home page is proof of the pudding that I'm bringing up the rear of the class. So don't ya'll leave me behind! *Smile*

There's one principle in which I'm a strong believer: one of the most important components of the human experience here on the 3rd Rock is contribution. Since I've no clue on the solution to world peace and I'm leaving the cure for cancer to some passionate soul buried in a cubicle at Johns Hopkins - I try to fulfill this earthly duty by offering tips on this stuff. It's not much but it helps me feel complete.

i'm visiting atlanta soon. can we go out-on-the town together?

A lot of fun people visit Atlanta on business or pleasure. It's a lovely city and I'm proud to call it home. You'll also find it to be one of the most t-friendly metropolises in America. Of course, we serve as host city to the nation's largest annual gathering of transgenders - SCC (Southern Comfort Conference). That's special.

Unfortunately, between my travels, my work and my everyday lifestyle, I find it difficult to even connect with my best friends socially. I rarely go night-clubbing anymore and almost never on a weekday.

If you're going to be in Atlanta and you have a serious need to discuss your interests about a transgender-related lifestyle...I do my best to remain available for a decent vanilla latte and good conversation in a public forum.

If you'll drop me a line in advance - I'll do my best to visit with you. However, if your agenda is really about wanted some sort of date? Trust me...you don't want to play that game with my temper. ((hugs))

we have much in common, renee. i'd love to get to know you much better. how about if we exchange some emails and become good friends?

This sort of letter is challenging for me to say "no". I always enjoy getting to know people that share my interests. However, I just don't have time to build more on-line friendships. I'm saddened when people take offense to my inability to develop new email associations. Perhaps some day I'll have more free time. 

My on-line life is an important segment of my happiness but it's only one small part. ((hugs))

you're "beautiful"...

Although I appreciate a well placed compliment as much as the next girl, I've no delusions about being beautiful. I've got more flaws than a third world country's bill of rights. Believe me, I know where every one of those bones are buried.

I'll never be comfortable with such comments. On a good hair night? I pull off a decent presentation. However, I gave up on the whole beautiful thing long ago. I found it was a lot like trying to win the rat race. Even if you win? You're still a rat.

I don't lack self-confidence regarding my appearance. I like to call myself "the most beautiful ugly girl in the world" - and I'm very proud to be so.

Beautiful on the inside - that's me.

do you enjoy being a transgender?

Of course.

I love myself - and that love includes all of me. I would hope I'd love myself no matter what my race, creed, sexual orientation - or gender identity.

Besides, if I don't love me? How could I ever expect anyone else to?  It's actually not too hard...I'm fairly loveable. *Grin* 

do you intend to someday write a book about your life?

No, I don't.

I'm dedicated to making this site one of the best places for people to begin their transgender journey. It's free - and a person can access it anonymously - two essential components for transgender neophytes.

I certainly hope my sisters of the future will reach their goals much faster than yours truly. Such acceleration will most certainly provide more in depth understanding as to the how's and why's of all of our t-issues. I consider myself a pioneer of sorts, moving rocks and impasses for future generations. However, I'm really getting sick of stubbing my toe so many times in the process. *Smile*

I have no interest in reliving my personal journey in print. I'm working on finishing a pair of books related to my vocation & another passion. You'll certainly hear all about them once they go to press.

do you profit from your advice?

Yes, I do.  I gain satisfaction from assisting others. This helps me like myself, particularly when I have cause to think otherwise.

I enjoy having a platform where I can say pretty much say anything I want - without influence from third parties. I've no paid members to please, advertisers to coddle, or merchants remain sensitive about, etc. - regarding our needs.

Of course, if any of you want to make a serious offer on making a kept-woman of me - I'll get the paperwork started! *Laugh*

who takes your photos?

I do.

I once tried getting friends to shoot pictures but it was nearly impossible to schedule. Thus, I'm a point-the-lens...set-the-timer...jump-in-front of the camera...and say cheese type of model.

Glamorous, huh?

Never had a professional shoot. It's on my to-do list: right below sleeping with a couple of Hollywood's leading men.  

what are your passions?

I love art and was lucky enough to start collecting at an early age. I have some decent stuff - my favorites are early American Modernism and Latin American artists. My particular interest is faces - in varied styles & mediums. I find renderings of human beings more intriguing than landscapes or inanimate objects. Art collecting is not just a hobby - it's a passion.  Finally, I'm a magician and still occasionally do shows which address transgender issues in an entertaining light. Perhaps I was first drawn to those little assistant's costumes...but I was into magic at a very early age.

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