Photoshoot

Yesterday and today have been pretty much about today's photoshoot. Yesterday I spent half the day on personal/beauty care, cleaning up the house and doing laundry. This morning I was ready for the photoshoot well on time, having had a proper breakfast, shower and everything.

At 10.30 AM the photographer and the cosmetician arrived. While the latter was setting up her stuff I talked with the photographer, who seemed quite interested in my story. They had only gotten the basics so far, especially since the interview hasn't been performed yet. Both of them seemed quite amazed at how terrible the Dutch hospitals have treated me so far and suggested ways to get me into more magazines and newspapers. They expect that after my appearance in the Grazia I'll get a lot more offers for interviews.

Putting on the make-up and doing my hair took fairly long, I estimate around an hour. We continued chatting during this. Afterwards I went with the cosmetician upstairs to my room to pick out some clothes and shoes. We picked out some white pants (which we ended up not using) and a red top. For shoes some high heels. By that time Pieter came downstairs for his lunch break as he was working from home today again. He stared at me for a while in what I can only assume was amazement due to the make-up I was wearing. As the bright lights used during photography tend to make colours 'fade' it is important to boost those, especially around areas like the eyes and the face in general. I thought it looked okay, just a tad more make-up than I usually put on myself :P

Before we left to take the pictures, the photographer went upstairs with me to look at the MRI images as she thought those would be interesting for the article as well. She thought it was quite obvious what could be seen on the images and couldn't see how anyone could deny it.

As all the photos would be taken outside, the two women and I went outside to their car to check out a few suitable locations. We ended up taking pictures at a row of houses near my place,with a wood-like structure on the side of the wall, next to a few pillars and such. Two more locations were used, one at a small park, another next to a big tree with a field of sunflowers next to it. I think I narrowly avoided a sunburn as I had forgotten to put on some sun lotion. It was pretty fun, though, including the part where the cosmetician took off my bra as it didn't look right while wearing the red top. Has to be the first time a woman has unhooked my bra so far :P Even the part where I was standing on top of some rocks while wearing the high heels was kind of fun, especially since I didn't fall ;)

Also fun were the people watching us, with one man who was walking by commenting on what a great model I was. I think I smiled a lot today :) I think I would be fine with more attention, as I'm most definitely not introverted. On a sidenote, I hope to receive a copy of the taken pictures from the photographer soon, which I'll then put up on my site.

Another thing I'm kind of happy about is that I finally found a place here in Almere where they offer permanent hair-removal using electrolysis. I made an appointment there for Friday. If it works out I'll be cancelling my appointment at the place where I used to go to, as the laser (ELOS) method I have used so far just has no significant effect any more on light hairs. With some luck I could be rid of the last few hairs in a year or so. I'm really looking forward to that moment.

Right now I kind of feel terribly impatient at having to wait three weeks until the interview for the Grazia (which is a so-called 'glossy' magazine, and weekly published, by the way). Both because I want to see the results of having my article published in it as soon as possible, and also because I enjoy the attention :) Not that I'm doing this all just because to get attention... far from it. At this point the media is my only defense against the lies from the Dutch hospitals, and the only way to make people aware of what's going on, both in my particular case and with intersexuals in general. There really isn't much pleasant about being intersexual due to the treatment such people receive, many from the second they're born. This can't continue.

Talking about which, I still haven't received a confirmation (written or otherwise) from the UMCG on my appointment. I only got a date from an email from professor Weijmar Schultz, but further attempts to get a confirmation on the appointment by email have been met by silence. Pieter tried to call the UMCG for me today, but the department in question is only available from 8 AM to 12 PM. I may call tomorrow, or else ask Pieter to call again for me on Friday, assuming he works from home that way.

As I indicated I feel like only the media is really giving me the attention I need at this point. I hope it doesn't stay this way.


Maya