“Within every man there is a woman; within every woman there is a man,” says Dr. Veronica Vera, founder of Miss Vera’s Finishing School for Boys Who Want to Be Girls. In this, the first book ever about cross-gender play for people of all identities and sexes, Dr. Vera presents the importance of cross-gender play as a method of self-discovery and growth. Miss Vera’s Cross Gender Fun for All is the confident, wise, experienced teacher you need to increase your options and develop a richer, fuller and more fabulous existence!

It is estimated that three to five percent of the adult male population of the United States feels the need, at least occasionally, to dress in women's clothing. Judging from enrollment at her academy, Miss Vera would say that figure is low. Veronica Vera founded Miss Vera's Finishing School for Boys Who Want to Be Girls in 1992 and started a gender revolution. Working from the pink palace of the Academy's intimate Manhattan campus, she has helped hundreds of students embrace and master Venus Envy through her expert instruction in the arts of dressing up, making up, going out, and acting like a lady. In her new book, she shares her priceless wisdom with the world. With sparkling wit and dazzling insight, Miss V gives us the 411 on body hair, foundation garments, make-up, and dressing, as well as offering invaluable advice on Creating a Herstory (finding the real life story of the femmeself within) speech, manners, walking in high heels, and--that biggest step of all--going out in the real world all dressed up. Amply illustrated and filled with the real stories of students and graduates, Miss Vera's Finishing School also offers a fascinating history of how the Academy came to be, as well as Miss Vera's own incisive gender manifesto. "As we step boldly toward the new millennium, many more of us will be doing it in high heels," says Veronica Vera. In Miss Vera's Finishing School for Boys Who Want to Be Girls, she proves conclusively that, after a long day in wingtips, there's nothing like slipping into a pair of spiked heels.

The #1 New York Times bestseller that has all America talking—with a new afterword on expanding your range—as seen on CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, Morning Joe, CBS This Morning, and more. “The most important business—and parenting—book of the year.” —Forbes “Urgent and important. . . an essential read for bosses, parents, coaches, and anyone who cares about improving performance.” —Daniel H. Pink Shortlisted for the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you’ll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world’s top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule. David Epstein examined the world’s most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that in most fields—especially those that are complex and unpredictable—generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They’re also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can’t see. Provocative, rigorous, and engrossing, Range makes a compelling case for actively cultivating inefficiency. Failing a test is the best way to learn. Frequent quitters end up with the most fulfilling careers. The most impactful inventors cross domains rather than deepening their knowledge in a single area. As experts silo themselves further while computers master more of the skills once reserved for highly focused humans, people who think broadly and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives will increasingly thrive.

Celebrated photographer Robert Mapplethorpe challenged the limits of censorship and conformity, combining technical and formal mastery with unexpected, often provocative content that secured his place in history. Mapplethorpe’s artistic vision helped shape the social and cultural fabric of the 1970s and ’80s and, following his death in 1989 from AIDS, informed the political landscape of the 1990s. His photographic works continue to resonate with audiences all over the world. Throughout his career, Mapplethorpe preserved studio files and art from every period and vein of his production, including student work, jewelry, sculptures, and commercial assignments. The resulting archive is fascinating and astonishing. With over 400 illustrations, this volume surveys a virtually unknown resource that sheds new light on the artist’s motivations, connections, business acumen, and talent as a curator and collector.

Explores the full spectrum of sexual beliefs, practices, and identities • Shares the author’s fascinating interviews with 20 experts, including clinical psychologist Dr. Lonnie Barbach, sex therapist Dr. Stella Resnick, sexual freedom advocate Janet Hardy, consent educator Dr. Laura McGuire, and Norma Jean Almadovar, former LA policewoman and current president of the prostitute’s union Coyote • Looks at the stigmas of sex work, recovering from sexual trauma, sexual identification, gender fluidity, polyamory, and porn as a mirror for society Exploring sexual customs, beliefs, practices, and identities from a wide variety of perspectives, Dr. Miller shares his fascinating interviews with 20 experts ranging from clinical psychologists and researchers to sex workers and polyamory educators. We learn from sex therapists, relationship experts, and tantric sex teachers, such as Dr. Lonnie Barbach, Dr. Stella Resnick, Katherine Rowland, and Diana Richardson, about the importance of communication, how to keep sensuality alive, and how to generate fulfilling and sustainable intimacy in relationships. Looking at sexual identity and non-monogamy, we hear from Dr. Ritch Savin-Williams on sexual identification and gender fluidity, Sumati Sparks on open relationships and polyamory, Janet Hardy, author of The Ethical Slut, on sexual freedom, and Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens on the possibilities of ecosexuality. Revealing the inner workings of the sex industry, we hear from current and former escorts and sex workers on the stigmas and dangers of sex work and the need to decriminalize it, including Norma Jean Almadovar, former LA policewoman and current president of the prostitute’s union Coyote. Dr. Ogi Ogas, author of A Billion Wicked Thoughts, speaks about using data science and computational neuroscience to uncover true statistics about our sexual desires. We hear from Paulita Pappel on porn as a mirror for society, Faith Jones on escaping a sex cult, Maeve Moon on recovering from sexual trauma, and Dr. Laura McGuire about the broad impact of teaching consent. Validating the extraordinary range and diversity of our sexual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, the author gathers voices that help us free our sexuality from the past, accept our natural urge for physical pleasure, and open us up to sexuality as a power for health, healing, and happiness.

"In Gender Shock, Phyllis Burke explodes the many myths surrounding our rigid gender system of male and female by looking through three lenses of gender identity: behavior, appearance, and science. Analyzing the latest research in psychology, genetics, neurology, and sociology, Burke finds that gender (or behavior) is not the result of one's biological sex (the body itself) and that gender and sexuality are separate elements of the self. With common sense and compassion, Burke challenges the notion that men and women are from different planets by revealing how there are more variations within each sex than there are between the two."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Vera Wylde takes readers on a guided tour on the ins and outs of her life as a crossdressing male. Her life experiences are interwoven with practical advice on how a person born male achieves a feminine appearance. The perfect book for those questioning, seeking guidance, wish to better understand a loved one, or just the idly curious.