Scouting and me 4

Scouting in general changed a lot from 1967 and not all of us agreed with it although initially the Cubs wasn't so far removed from the previous Wolf Cubs that it was recognizable to our dads from their own days as members

I personally hold to and follow the ideals and principals of that vision being a Brownie in spirit as a LSG, undertaking many of the exercises and activities you'd of done back then.

Visiting and taking pictures for my Photography badge would of been one and recently I went along the Trent and Mersey canal as that forever brownie

Here's Alice Rose in red and yellow livery. Notice the floral decoration on the front and top of the the barge.

I was able to take this photograph just after the passengers had disembarked to stock up on food and other provisions

Cubs on parade -thoughts

Many of us at young age feel the need to "belong" and for some it can be things like scouting.

It's kind of funny in a way but in Scotland it's quite common for boys in Scouts to wear kilts on parade and at camps too with no questions but just cross the border and anything like a kilt or skirt option just does not exist.

I think one issue in Scouts is they remain stuck with the modernization agenda of 1967 that removed except for cubs the cap and shorts which went much later going for long trousers and a more "street cred" brand although they went co-ed too.

Putting in shorts or skort options especially for Beavers, the added to six to eight year old section as well as Cubs where there is more physical activity would of made more sense as feeling comfortable increases the amount of activity boys and especially girls undertake while allowing their skin to breath more.

It also would of allowed a any individual to express a bit more personal identity within a uniform being no different than many schools.

Hardy footwear really should in their too to support the feet and suited to being outdoors.

Re-introduction

The origins of the concept of this blog really stem the decision to move blogging from Friends Reunited in late March of two thousand six to Blogger with the launch of the SuperChris14 profile that run out of steam.

Part of the problem was having two different audiences viewing it with incompatible expectations and  even having twin identities for each making having a common blog for all an increasing nightmare as sentences had to parsed to a rigorous genderless form but then even that couldn't deal with any references in comments.

I decided to redo it in a slightly different form while I work through all the issues keeping the SuperChris concept, a homage to the cartoon superheroes I loved as a boy albeit a very feminine one.

I have been working on appearences this month to improve my feminine expression and we are starting with foundation garments.

One challenge was to wear hot neon stockings which are shown here with a camisole and matching knickers.

The other was working on a more grown up look, something an older girl may wear outside of sixth form college or her first job.

Her I am wearing black hold up stockings with a pretty bow on them, frilly knickers that repeat the bow and a black bra.

It felt very different to the more schoolish presentations I had previously done and while the track this came from proved to be a dead end, not being really into sissification, it was one I did learn some valuable lessons from.

I learned more about my feminine side. I was "forever changed"

The Girls of St. Brides

Reading is a passion of mine and it is not uncommon for authors  to write a whole series of stories that are self contained and over time start again which does make it hard pick a series to work ones way through.

In the instance of Dorita Fairlie Bruce, she actually wrote five whole series so I've cherry picked this the start of the St. Brides/Maudsley series to work my way through.

 Originally written in nineteen twenty-three and long out of print, this introduces to Island School of St. Brides on Inchmore far away from industrial west coast of Scotland and introduces us to its main characters although it obviously was not conceived as part of the "Nancy at St.Brides" series at the outset as Nancy doesn't make an appearance!

One strong point of this book is the inclusion of a disabled girl, Winifred who was disabled in early childhood and uses a wheelchair which is very rare for the period and how it touches on the idea of integration, talking about the sense of isolation and lack of acceptance showing how in this school and through the friendship with Morag, she emerges becoming very much a part of the school community.

Integrated education is as I know from direct personal experience as a disabled boy is still controversial and indeed for a period many did not have what would be recognized as a (appropriate) academic education.

Because it was written in nineteen twenty-three, Dorita does use the term "Cripple" to describe Winifred which would jar with many today but we need to remember that it is from the German term "Krupil" and one of the meanings of that word is "lame" which medically speaking is true as her limbs are indeed just that as are mine. 

It also is the case cripple did not acquire the common abusive undertones it did in the nineteen fifties and sixties as did "spastic" both of which went on unofficial blacklists of terms not to be used from the late seventies onward but Dorita in fairness uses cripple with sensitivity.

Thus it does not personally offend because her use of and development of that character is not in any way offensive.

Guiding and Baden-Powell

 The statue at Poole, Dorset opposite Brownsea Island of Robert Baden-Powell

Baden-Powell at the 1935 Jamboree, lionized by the Scouts.

He is MY hero, the founder of Scouting for Boys and Guiding for Girls, teaching personal, social and practical skills, increasing the confidence and competence of millions of boys and girls around the World of all races, religion, class and language, moulding them into good productive and useful Men and Women. 

Brownies here take their salute at the weekly meeting just like others across the region and beyond.

Tammy is glad to be a brownie in spirit.

Frilly panties for the feminine gurl

They caused great controversy when mentioned on some sites  which aren't really what being a feminine boy is about but at least talk about the odd thing of interest.

While having an aversion to a forest of lace and details, feminine boys like me like soft comfortable knickers that have a little lace detail and elasticated legs.

These were made by a U.S. concern Manties advertised as "panties for men" and that does translate into having a bit more room around the crotch to allow for our boy parts compared to cuts for girls who are very different in that respect.

To me they just the ticket, frilly panties for feminine boys that fit properly that make me pretty.

Those in some "sissy" communities disagree because they want to wear women's panties by design even though they seldom fit right for biological derived anatomical  reasons and the fact they are designed for men automatically invalidates them.

It's a difference between us and them  I suspect.

Inland waterways

This scene is a typical one near my home.

It is the summer and in this part of England, people travel sections of inland waterways called Canals in a set pattern. The section of canal is called the Trent and Mersey linking the Midlands to Lancashire

This particular vessel is registered at Whixall, Shropshire in the Midlands and often is seen where she is hired from travelling from Audlem in the South to Runcorn in the North of Cheshire, a district with close links to Liverpool and the Wirral.

The people will typically stop overnight having used local shops, the Post Office and Public Houses before travelling toward Middlewich for the next leg.

Sloe Motion. What a name, eh? This one is registered nearby at Northwich.
It has traditional flower and brass fittings.