As far as I know, Felicity is the oldest living crossdresser. She was photographed by Mariette Pathy Allen for Transformations, and is about to turn 100 years old, on December 15th.
< Felicity sitting in front of a photo of a very young Felicity, as photographed by Mariette Pathy Allen.Let’s all wish Felicity a very happy birthday!
1) You’re turning 100 on December 15th, which means that you’ve been crossdressing for about 90 years or so. What would you say to the 10-year-old boy who will try on one of his mother’s slips today?
No, I haven’t been CDing for 90 years or anytime near that. The first time was involuntarily, by my mother, in 1911. Then none until about 5 years later when I first saw the photos taken of me by my father. I then had the desire, but after trying on my mother’s things a few times I grew out of them and did no more until 1960, when I joined a CD group and went at it furiously. There was absolutely no sexual impulse, just the love of the clothes and the pleasure of being a different person, in public. Never did any CDing in private. Underclothing held little interest for me.
2) What is the biggest change you’ve seen in your lifetime concerning crossdresing?
The biggest change in CDing has been the sloppy clothing being worn by women, which has turned my interest away from CDing, for except in NYC and Washington, where women still dress at least fairly well, except for pants. (If women can wear pants, then why could we not, as men, wear skirts without being ridiculed?)
3) I know you’re a pilot – did you ever fly en femme?
I never flew my own plane enfemme, but did go via airline & train enfemme and of course drove my car everywhere.
4) What is the funniest – or one of the funniest – incidents that ever happened to you while you were out en femme?
I was a regular customer in the biggest Tall Girl shop in NYC and fully accepted as an actual woman. One day, when I had finished trying on dresses I walked to the elevator on the 6th floor to go down. I heard the salesladies behind me calling to me, Mrs. Miller! Mrs. Miller!! I turned around to look at them and they pointed down to their feet. I looked at mine and discovered my panties had slid down around my ankles, due to the elastic band breaking. I stepped out of them and put them into my purse. We all had a good laugh.
On another occasion in the same shop, I had been in the hospital for some weeks, but finally returned. They greeted me and asked about why I was ill. I told them that it was a little embarrassing to speak of it. However, my usual saleslady was not present that day, so another took over for me to look at dresses. She told me all about her recent female type operation, assuming that was what I had had. In one of the other big stores in NYC, the Tyson stalls were not enclosed above about 5 Ft. above the floor, so we could all look at each other and help each other with the zippers which were commonly on the back at the time.
5) The question they always ask centenarians: what’s your secret to long life?
I have no secret other than being determined to eat healthily, and absolutely avoid smoking, alcohol, drugs and even coffee. I studied diet and vitamins, and kept my weight down. Early in my life my father happened to have about 5 or 6 VERY obese friends, related to his business. They all died before age 60, some before 50. I decided never to allow any overweight. I also noticed that athletes did not seem to be long lived and many had permanent injuries. So I decided to avoid athletics. But I specialized in healthy foods, and especially fats and carbohydrates. Of course my desire to fly provided a strong incentive to adhere to the above type of life. I still have the same weight and blood pressure as when 18. It just takes determination!
Anything else you’d like to say?
I am purely a CD and have no trace of transsexualism. Yet, I do not condemn those who do, and fully understand them. I have had a full and happy life as a man with many adventures and accomplishments.