Legacy for the next generation

In years to come is there likely to be a positive change in the way CD's are accepted in society?
We are still hidden out of sight, making it difficult to come out and reveal ourselves.
What would it take to achieve this move to more public awareness?
We have a handful of personalities who are out, but the general public do not associate them as
representing a much larger section of society who crossdress.
Does it need those of us who are not in relatioships (or are out to their SO's) to fly the flag for the rest
of the CD community?

Joanne,
Many in the public eye now are TSs, they are appearing more in the press in the UK than ever. The whole TG issue is gaining momentum, in some respects alarming ways.

On the whole CDers are considered men who dress in privacy for their own reasons but usually prefer to keep out of sight. Nowdays seeing a CDer may imply with most people that they are TSs somewhere on the transition road. I guess looking at it in that way our wives/partners will become more concerned with how far we wish to go.

As for being in a relationship or not may not be an issue , I've been very surprised how many partners accompany CDers to my social meetings held in an open situation at a hotel

Like gays, it will come, but gradually. There's no way to know how long it will take. What will it take? Time.
The bigger hurdle will be with women. I believe that there is some innate sexual attraction in women for dominant alpha male behavior, as well as being turned off by feminine appearance and behavior observed in males. While there will be rare exceptions to this, I don't foresee women increasingly becoming sexually attracted to crossdressers. Tolerant, yes; turned on, no.

This subject was one of the many we touched on at the get-together in Houston last week. We were lamenting how difficult it still is for some of our more closeted friends to get ready for a simple evening of dinner and drinks with friends. Someone noted the demise of the one "transformation service" in this town that also offered storage and a safe place to dress. The market for it isn't there like it used to be. I believe that's because the generational shift that Joanne has speculated on is already well under way. Kids are out in high school now, or even earlier, and the individuals who have a problem with that are now the outcasts. Not always, and not everywhere, but this shift is clearly happening. Sadly, that leaves some of our sisters adrift in a cultural backwater, defined in no small part by age, where the flow of acceptance may never reach.

Lexi's right. We've a long ways to go before issues like ours are no longer a thing. Make no mistake about that, but things are most definitely headed in the right direction when it comes to acceptance. The whole "women becoming sexually attracted to crossdressers" question though, is quite another matter. We're working against a few million years of evolution there, so yeah. Expect only rare exceptions there.

As far as making a change in society, it becomes a matter of educating people one at a time or a small group at a time. I do go out dressed and have spoken to people and answered any questions as honestly and patiently as I can.
As we have seen in the news and in regards to the bathroom law bills being bandied about, there is a population of people who are misinformed. They have never met (or so they think) a TS, TG or a CDer and once they maybe meet one and talk to one they might see there is nothing to fear or rant over.

Like it or not, CD's are not a hot topic for debate in the community. TG/TVs are.

Whether that's good or bad is a different issue, since it is pretty clear that at least the USA (but likely a good part of the world along) is going backwards in time. But in any case, dressing alone is a pretty shallow fashion issue, so it's hard to predict what will happen. Barely 30 years ago a guy with an earring would have been labeled as openly gay, now few would even notice. For that matter, 100 years ago a woman wearing pants would also have been a candidate for the loony house.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sometimes_miss

Like gays, it will come, but gradually. There's no way to know how long it will take. What will it take? Time.
The bigger hurdle will be with women. I believe that there is some innate sexual attraction in women for dominant alpha male behavior, as well as being turned off by feminine appearance and behavior observed in males. While there will be rare exceptions to this, I don't foresee women increasingly becoming sexually attracted to crossdressers. Tolerant, yes; turned on, no.

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I haven't thought about turning women on. I just like to look good in makeup and styles that are usually worn by women and don't consider that these things are exclusively for women. Of course, I can't imagine myself wearing these beautiful styles without the figure to make the most of it (and I am not thinking of sexual gratification. I just want to be the best looking in women's styles the same that I try to be when I dress in men's styles.) Maybe some day it won't make a difference to society but I for one don't care. I'll dress for success and hope that I won't offend too many of my aquaintants.

Rhanda

I think change doesn't come from sitting around and waiting for it to happen. Gays, lesbian and trans people have gained alot of rights and acceptance through fighting for their rights, so we should too but it means we would all have to come out.

You may be hidden but many of us are not.
If you aren't willing to get out and be seen who do you suppose should do it?
Why are some people always complaining but not willing to help the cause so to speak?
CD's dream of acceptance but won't put out the effort to make acceptance happen.
In a nutshell if you aren't doing something to change perceptions you are part of the problem.

I really hate to be so blunt about it but my gosh the whole concept is not that hard to understand.

I feel that because there are so many degrees of cross dressing that it will be a long time before it is fully accepted and the norm. Some only underdress, some are only into the makeup, some have heel fetishes, some have girdle fetishes and so on. The problem is they are still considered crossdressers. We have talked about the umbrella on here already about what constitutes a crossdresser. Some thought all parts are covered and others argued that the TG shouldn't be covered some thought they should. On and on it goes. CD today means too many different things. I feel that is one of the problems why noncd's can't understand us. JMHO

The next generation of CD's probably will not be looking for a billboard sign telling them it's OK to be themselves.

Acceptance is kind of like passing it is very subjective, so if you are not getting out and about no one even knows you exist on this earth as a CD...just saying

The positive change will likely only come when CD's are frequently seen by the general population (daily/weekly) and behave in a way that is not obscene or threatening to others.

I think Kelly Marie stated the most likely thing to follow is the generational shift she noted in Post #4

I think it is already changing, society as a whole is beginning to see Transgendered as acceptable, it is only a matter of time before there is wider acceptance of the various gender variations.

Recently at a family dinner one of my kids (early 20s) commented that someone they knew vaguely had recently transitioned, the reaction from everyone else was underwhelming (good underwhelming) good for her someone said. i cannot imagine that reaction would have happened even 10 years ago.

As I posted in another thread we recently saw a bearded guy in a dress at the movies. The other 5 middle aged people I was with all agreed that the only issue they had was the beard, not problem with the fact that a guy was dressed in a red knitted dress. Again i believe this is a relatively new thing.

Look at how many Trans movies, charters in TV shows there are today, the same thing happened with gay people 20 or so years ago. Our time is almost here.