CANADA BY DEB PIKE

"I am very pleased to introduce this report from Deb Pyke in Owen Sound Ontario in Canada. Deb runs Fantasyland Deb responded to my email call for reports from around the world. I was thrilled with all the stuff she sent as up till now Canada was a bit of a mystery to me. Deb's report shows as always that trannies are everywhere and having fun. Deb Pyke is the owner of Fantasyland She is one of the founding members of the Monarch Social Club and an honorary member of Xpressions (cross-dressing club). Deb designs clothing for cross-dressers primarily, but says everyone is welcome when it comes to wearing "Fantasia Fashions." In her store you can find wear, PVC. lycra fashions, street wear, little girl fashions, maids outfits and wedding fashions.. PLUS books, videos, shoes, breast forms, corsets, wigs, shoes, etc No appointment is needed to shop and if you don't immediately see what you want just ask and Debs will get it for you".

Vicky Lee

I do not know how aware the world's public is about cross-dressing in Canada. Back in the 80's I predicted that by the end of this century the TVs would be "so far out of the closet" that the chain stores would be announcing "Attention Shoppers" there is a special for the cross-dressers in Aisle 8. Well, it is almost that REAL. So many places are "catering" to the cross-dressers over here. On television cross-dressers feature in TV Sitcoms nowadays. The Television Talk Shows (ho hum) do not even bother with it cross-dressing anymore unless there's a special "hook" to the story. In the 60's it was black movement, 70's women's lib, 70's -80's gay pride came along, late 80's to early 90's it was the transvestite. Now it's "out", it's "there, it's acceptable. If you talk to someone here, they will definitely say "oh yes, I have a friend, relative, or next door neighbour who cross-dresses".

I am not saying that if you toured the back woods they would be acceptable, however, I am from a town of 20,000 and have lived here for 20 years. What is "acceptable" here today, would not have been acceptable 15 years ago. However, over 10 years ago some of my "girlfriends" did get a public apology from the Chief of Police, City Fathers and Mayor of the city, after being hassled and escorted back to a motel by police. Today, Monica (one of those fledglings) is living as a successful pharmacist: full time woman with a loving husband with three darling daughters. Cheryl Ann, my "better half" life partner, has lived here with me for 2 years now. She came to me as a closet TV and now lives female and is a successful seamstress for ‘Fantasia Fashions’ while also running her own business "Cheryl Ann's Playse" (electrolysis / aesthetician]). Dawn, one of my prime models, is in transition to female, working for the government of Canada and doing it successfully. I could go on and on and on with the number of transvestites I met years ago, then in a closet of despair. I still am "there" for the beginner. I am still "there" for my first customers. They do indeed come back and visit. And I am delighted to hear how far they have come. I cannot express how proud I was to be part of the movement.

Reflecting the maturity of croos-dressing awareness there is now not with the fervour as there was during the surge of the 80's-early 90's. In those days, I was running a cross dressing club, writing how to books, designing the clothing, doing makovers, teaching, and running a retail and mail order outlet. There were so many "needy" TV's all coming out at once, it was "mind boggling". Now, there are many support groups, public restaurants, hotels, bars and regular retail stores that "openly " accept cross-dressing. Nowadays, I am creating "custom designed" one of a kind "au couture" dresses (I design Cheryl Ann sews). We made a black bridal gown a while back. It had 10.000 Austrian Crystals "hand sewn" onto the dress, the material was all raised bugle beaded flowers. That and other creations appeared at the "Be All" in North Pittsburgh '94. She also sewed a "Bob Mackie" knock off that went to a local dressing party at a high class Spa. My retail store selling books, videos, shoes, breast forms, corsets, wigs, shoes, etc. is BUSY but not in the same way that we were 10 years ago. It is good to know all that work paid off and the doors were opened successfully for so many of my customers.

It is the "Little Girls" and "Adult Babies" that are coming to me now. Whether either of these will be publicly accepted is "debatable"? I am not personally encouraging anyone to go "out" and shout off the rooftops. However, there are getting "out" and "about" amongst their own cloisters, private dressing parties' etc. But that is getting off the subject so I shall leave it there.

I predicted that by mid 1990's the TV population would be "accepted publicly" Well it happened. Now I just hope that my prediction for the new millennium is also true. I predict that by 2010 gender will not be at question - no one will be concerned what lies between the legs of their fellow humans. We will look at the heart and soul, their minds and beliefs..., the outer gender appearance will not matter. On their 5th birthdays children will be asked to answer the question "who are you? do you feel like a little boy, a little girl or a human being"??? OR there will be no questions and no one will consider the matter, the outer skin will not matter. There is no reason in this society why genders and genitals should be so important. Who does what, to who, is PRIVATE and between consenting adults. Which leaves "Gender" out in the open... and if a person is intelligent, self sufficient, decent and kind to their fellow man what else should matter?

Deb Pyke
Ontario Canada

Fantasyland
Box 682 Owen Sound,
ON N4K 5R4
Canada

Street address:
274 8th street E Owen Sound,
ON N4K 5R4
Canada

Phone: 519 371 1215 fax : 519.371.2975

Email: fantasiafashions@hotmail.com

Website: www.fantasylandproducts.com

All photos, transformations, clothes and “magic by Deb Pyke