By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Tina Kasuya, left, incognito dressed as a man, shows
what she really looks like in a Liberty House ad.

Woman
behaving manly

Men in drag are common to any big city late-night scene. Not as common are the drag kings -- a growing trend on the East and West Coast and in Asia -- women bending gender to experience firsthand the power of dressing in mens' clothes.

In the spirit of Halloween,
meet Tina Kasuya a k a 'Sam.'

By Tina Kasuya
Special to the Star-Bulletin

Photos by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin

I guess you could say I'm a girlie girl. All my life I have taken great pleasure in being born a member of the feminine gender. As a child, I loved playing with dolls, wearing party dresses, dancing ballet and being the "princess" in every childhood dramatization.

As I got older, I continued to revel in the aura of the effeminate. Manicures, pedicures, make-up, attention from boys, shopping trips with mom, rooms decorated in lace and the color pink, and yes, at the age of 13 still playing with my icon of womanhood, Barbie.

When my boyfriend called to tell me about a Halloween project for the Star-Bulletin, I had no idea that it would turn out to be an emotional exercise in selfhood. Dirk explained that I would be transformed into a man.

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin Elvis is dead: Kasuya inspects the '50s-style 'Elvis impersonator' look and gives it a thumbs down. By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin Look out Keanu: Blush makeup artist Ejay works on a hipper look, ala Keanu Reeves, as customers look on. By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin Leather over lace: Nancy Jin of Liberty House knows every cool dude has got to have a leather jacket, this one by Tommy Hilfinger, $385. By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin I enjoy being a girl: Kasuya scrubs up after a long day of macho mania. "I love every tube of lipstick and every high-heeled shoe ... I wouldn't change it for anything."

"A what? No way," I said firmly.

He explained that it would be a great experience for me, because in my line of work as a model, I'm usually made-up to look glamorous and beautiful. This would let me experience life from a different perspective, he said convincingly.

I arrived slightly fearful at the make-up counter of Blush at Kahala Mall. Ejay, the resident make-up artist began my transformation. He began by placing my hair into a "bald cap" as he called it. Then, a black, '50s-style, ill-fitting wig was placed over the cap. Then he glued on a thin mustache and big bushy eyebrows.

This look just wasn't working for me. If I were a man I don't think I would choose to look like a bad rendition of Elvis. If I had to be a man, I would want to be a cool dude, maybe along the lines of Johnny Depp or Keanu Reeves.

So with the suggestion of my close friend Nancy Lee Brandt, we nixed the wig and the super glue. Ejay then changed "Julio" the Elvis impersonator into a cool, artsy New York type. He used my own hair, and penciled in the facial hair.

That's when the personality kicked in. My new name was Sam, and with the help of two very macho Star-Bulletin dudes -- Tim Ryan and Dennis Oda -- I would learn to walk the walk, talk the talk, and do the crotch grab, or scratch, (this one is still a mystery, actually) until we picked up a chick or successfully used the men's urinal, whichever came first.

Oda finally convinced "Sam" to leave the safe and secure confines of his birth place, Blush. We ventured over to be dressed at Liberty House's men's department.

It was explained to the baffled sales people that "Sam" needs to look like a cool dude. A leather Tommy Hilfiger jacket, about $385, and big black boots seemed to do the trick.

As "Sam," I received detailed instructions in how to sit like a guy. "You have to relax into it," Ryan instructed. "Open your legs and never ever press your knees together."

The walk was a little harder. Some women in the mall later commented that this was the one thing that gave me away. All my hard work as a model to cultivate this money-making walk was wasted in masculine mode.

"Sam's" first assignment was to buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks. What do manly men order anyway? Probably not a tall, skinny latte, which would be my choice as Tina. So I just ordered an iced tea. I didn't exactly pass the man test here either, as I sipped delicately at the tea with a straw.

Ryan quickly grabbed my drink and pulled the straw out. It seems real men chug beverages straight from the glass.

After the iced tea fiasco, I faced another dilemma. Suddenly, I needed to use the restroom. As we approached the "Men" and "Women" signs, it dawned on me, that there was no way I could walk into the women's section, and ethically I just could not "go" in the men's. Besides I would be in the stall with my feet facing the wrong way.

The handicapped individual restroom saved me. I was handicapped in a way. I had a gender disability.

Our next venture was checking out Steck's Restaurant, a beefy, macho, sportsmen type of hangout. Sam went unappreciated by most. Women looked at "Sam" as if he were a freak. The men were indecisive in their opinions. I think some men thought "Sam" was a little sexy.

My gestures needed working on. I've never noticed how feminine my features were until I became a man. My smile gave me away every time. My hands are small and delicate in comparison to my embellished prosthetic shoulders, and having breasts surely didn't help.

Sad to say, "Sam" would never be the virile, testosterone-charged manly man we had envisioned.

There was one thing that I learned and came to appreciate while hastily scrubbing my face clean of all facial hair, and flaw-inducing make-up ... I love being a woman!

I love every tube of lipstick and every high-heeled shoe. I love French manicures, high-tea at three, and every ladylike action, reaction and gesture. I wouldn't change it for anything.

Men, you have difficult lives. Don't let anyone tell you different. I applaud you.

---

There’s intrigue
in androgyny

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

At first glance it seemed an impossible task to turn Tina Kasuya into a Tino, or in this case, a Sam. At 5-foot-9, 109 pounds, with a very trim, female figure, Tina has been a model since she was 12, spending nearly 10 years in Japan, before she returned to Hawaii to continue her career here.

Tina's only request was not to make her look too masculine.

There have been women who have dressed as men throughout history, referred to today as female to male, or FTM.

Female androgyny gets exalted in Calvin Klein ads. There seems to be an intrigue about it, even outside the fashion industry.

But getting to the point where women can pass as men is a rarified art form, said Ejay, the "resident" makeup artist for Blush at Kahala Mall. The FTM look on Tina involved a double layer of pants, men's shoes four sizes too big, a baggy long sleeve shirt and a stuffed leather jacket -- all thanks to Liberty House -- and clipped hair applied to the face with spirit gum and more importantly, Ejay said, a persona that stands out.

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
After Kasuya's transformation is complete, she ventures into
formerly forbidden turf -- the men's room. She finds it really is
no place for a woman. Water was splashed all over
the floor and she called it gross.

Normally the FTM look takes up to four hours for the make-up artist. For the Star-Bulletin, Ejay did a quick job in about 90 minutes. He restyled Tina's real hair, darkened her eyebrows and added a 5 o'clock shadow with makeup.

On the way to the Liberty House men's department, Tina attracted looks from men and women. A Starbuck's server figured it out because of Tina's voice. A mall security guard thought she was a man from the back; and the guy standing at the urinal in the men's room didn't look twice when Tina -- as Sam -- first entered, then decided to exit quickly.

Once the disguise is spotted, the perks can turn into mere quirks. That's because, it seemed to some men at Kahala Mall where Tina walked around, FTMs can seem threatening since they're playing around with male privilege.

But when Tina talked to some male friends prior to her "transformation" they were into it, she said. "They wanted me to go out with them dressed as a guy to pick up women." She declined.

For Tina, the transformation was more than physical. After a short time her mannerisms -- the walk, sitting down, loss of a constant happy smile -- became less feminine. She became, in fact, bold, sitting with her legs open, and slouching in chairs.

"It felt good because all my real identity seemed gone; none of me was left," she said later. "I've tried to be pretty all my life and was always told to act and sit and behave like a lady.

"As a guy I started not to care about how others felt about me. I wasn't conscious of what I was supposed to be. I just was what I was. I was just a guy."

It's a guy thing Tips from model Tina Kasuya and Blush make-up artist Ejay on achieving that manly look: Hair is the most important place to start. Go for a very conservative, short-back-and-sides cut and avoid an all-over crewcut because they emphasize the shape of the skull and can be feminizing. You have to leave something on top. Part your hair neatly to one side and then comb the top back or to the side. No bangs because they are feminizing as well. Use gel or mousse if your hair won't stay in place. As for sideburns, cut them straight across, then use a razor to shape them. If you use a wig, make sure it's of good quality: that means real human hair; inexpensive wigs don't make the transformation realistic. The same goes for fake facial hair -- moustaches, eyebrows and beards. If you can't find a good wig, then work your own hair into a man's style. That's what Ejay did with Tina. As for makeup, less is more, Tina and Ejay agreed. Too much make-up draws attention that the face is artificial. Ejay drew in wrinkles and other imperfections onto Tina's face with different colors of fleshy pencils. You can achieve fake stubble with ground tea leaves or by dotting on eyeliner pencil. As for clothes, if you don't have access to a prosthetic stomach -- a large gut -- wear two pairs of pants to hide a narrow waist. A narrow waist and protruding hips is a giveaway that you're a woman, Tina said. She also suggests padding jacket shoulders for bulk. Make sure the pants fit low -- this helps to hide both hips and the waist. A black or brown leather belt is a good masculine touch. Ties are great like the Ralph Lauren one Tina wore. Breasts should be taped down to flatten them. How to do it depends on your size and build. An ace bandage works well but can make it difficult to breathe. Some female-to-male dressers recommend using control-top pantyhose for small-breasted women. Choose a color close to your skin tone. Make sure to buy a size that will be small on you. Cut both legs off and then carefully cut the cotton crotch out of the middle, making sure you leave the fabric around it intact. Cut the reinforced waist-band off as well if you find that it cuts into you too much. Then turn the whole thing upside down; your arms should go through the leg holes, your head through the hole in the crotch area, and the rest (the waist area) should go down over your chest. Position your breasts down and out as much as possible. Or you can use a sports bra. Tina wore a tight-fitting tube top; a white cotton Ralph Lauren shirt over that and then an over-sized Tommy Hilfiger leather jacket. Knit fabrics usually cling too much while woven ones like cotton bag out better and give a flatter look. Avoid silk because it clings a lot. A vest can also hide your chest. Don't forget the shoes. Tina wore heavy men's shoes four sizes bigger than her own. "A man should have have big feet," Tina said. Jewelry: If you're small boned try a three-quarter size men's watch that looks substantial and masculine without emphasizing how thin your wrists are. Socks: Tina wore black socks with her dark slacks. All clothes used for this story came from Liberty House's Men's Department in Kahala Mall. Halloween revelers who don't intend to get a lot of wear out of mens' clothing can shop the thrift stores, where the price is right and vintage men's jackets tend to run small.