God **** it. Why are we presented in such a negative light?

[Loretta]

My Aunt, Uncle, and I were watching a program called "JAIL". One of the impending inmates was a crossdresser. In the 5 minutes he was on, the audience finds out that this person was 6 foot 3, but was 6 foot 5 in his stolen high heels. Not only that, but he was wearing a stolen Vidal Sassoon jacket, too.
That's two strikes.
Then you find out he was arrested for stripping in public (On a bus full of kids and adults). This not only makes all crossdressers look like perverts, but it puts us in a negative light in the eyes of the public.

America isn't seeing Jennifer, the 5 foot 7 crossdresser who enjoys being feminine, while having a clean criminal record and is a stand-up person in general.
No. That would be too much to ask of Hollywood.
Instead, America sees ________, the outlandish, overly-effeminate, couldn't blend in to a crowd if they had assistance from a cuisinart food processor, Kleptomaniac Perverted Crossdresser that enjoys public acts of lewd and lascivious behavior!

Is it so much to ask that we be portrayed in an honest light?
Is it too much to ask that a crossdresser not be shown on television ONLY when it's in an unflattering light?

And, to top things off, My uncle made a comment about crossdressing being one of the most perverted things ever conceived, so there goes my chance of ever telling him about my femme side. AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

[Marie-Elise]

Hmmm...you know, decaf is an option. On the other hand, who am I to judge? Carry on.

[VioletJourney]

I think the episode of King of the Hill that featured a crossdressing character was pretty realistic. The only untrue stereotype they mentioned there was that crossdressers all perform in drag shows, otherwise pretty flattering.

And your uncle needs to get out more. I have some friends that are into some "perversions" you wouldn't believe, and yet they're still great people.

[whowhatwhen]

And, to top things off, My uncle made a comment about crossdressing being one of the most perverted things ever conceived, so there goes my chance of ever telling him about my femme side. AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Yeah, considering just how many "perversions" there are out there that are more likely to be done by these "healthy, morally conscious" individuals crossdressing really is nothing.
Kinda reminds me of those rabid anti-gay people getting caught having gay sex in seedy bathrooms.

I'm not sure about being portrayed in the media though, I caught a few minutes of Criminal Minds and one of the guys explained that most crossdressers were straight but on the other hand the killer was wearing his victim's clothes or something.
Win some, lose some I guess.

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

Unfortunately I believe and I think some here do too, that education on the subject gender issues would be a great help in smoothing the hard edged mind of some to be able to understand the difference between TV comedy, sitcoms etc and the real person undergoing gender issues including crossdressing.
Not all Australians talk with a nasal twang, wear stubbies and a singlet and like their beer with a ciggie and put another shrimp on the barbie. So many of us Australians realize it is just a persona of one for a comical thingie. Unfortunately many who do not know us think we all are like that person.
I have an uncle and aunt or two like yours, the only good thing is I only see them at funerals, weddings or when someone is sick. Education is a help to alert many to the plight of us and whenever someone publicly comes out to the media, there is a short time of education that helps all of us. Unfortunately I am still trying to accept the need to come out, I have to but when one asks for help with these issues it seems that even therapists and psychologists need education. So where does one ask for help?

[docrobbysherry]

However, 2 points:

"Man bites dog", is NEWS! NOT the other way around!

And, u mentioned G-d. Look how many people believe in THEM with ABSOLUTELY NO PROOF WHAT SO EVER!

[darla_g]

i agree and have said the same thing on here as well. We have so few really good role models.

For grins i did a google news search for a while. it would send me news articles containing "crossdresser" . More than three quarters of the articles i got linked to were about crossdressers that did something horrible, like robbing a bank of something.

[Nicole Erin]

Cop shows love to show the worst of the worst.
They love to refer to MTF TG as "he". Don't expect much respect from them.

ON a good note -
Have you ever heard the expression - "no such thing as bad publicity"?

[ricci]

Another stereotype that gets portrayed a lot that I can't stand is that crossdressers are gay men trying to look like women to attract straight guys. Only to be discovered by peeing standing up!!

[Aprilrain]

Another stereotype that gets portrayed a lot that I can't stand is that crossdressers are gay men trying to look like women to attract straight guys. Only to be discovered by peeing standing up!!

hhhmmm? not a CDer not a Gay man I do try to look like a woman (what woman wouldn't) and I do like attracting straight guys! yum! pee standing up? in the shower maybe!

[Lorileah]

And, to top things off, My uncle made a comment about crossdressing being one of the most perverted things ever conceived, :

He doesn't get out of the house much does he?

And I agree, we get bad press. But so do the shirtless morons they always show on "Cops". That is why I think as a group we need to be more noticeable. But hat won't happen as long as we believe our own bad press.

[Anna Bee]

My son watches a cartoon called "The Fairly Odd Parents" and the other day he was watching an episode where the little boy in the show ridiculed his teacher by mass emailing a picture of him in a dress and some heels. Everyone laughed at him like it was a completely shamefull thing to do...

I was thinking about writing to the show and complaining...

[Loretta]

My son watches a cartoon called "The Fairly Odd Parents" and the other day he was watching an episode where the little boy in the show ridiculed his teacher by mass emailing a picture of him in a dress and some heels. Everyone laughed at him like it was a completely shamefull thing to do...

I was thinking about writing to the show and complaining...

There's an episode called "queen for a day". The Fairy Godmother turns the little boy into a girl, because she got fed up with his sexist comments. It's interesting, and it's my favorite episode.

[kellycan27]

i agree and have said the same thing on here as well. We have so few really good role models.

For grins i did a google news search for a while. it would send me news articles containing "crossdresser" . More than three quarters of the articles i got linked to were about crossdressers that did something horrible, like robbing a bank of something.

I saw a picture of that bank robbing guy in a dress. He wasn't a cross dresser....... did you see that outfit?

[docrobbysherry]

There's an episode called "queen for a day". The Fairy Godmother turns the little boy into a girl, because she got fed up with his sexist comments. It's interesting, and it's my favorite episode.

Timmy was apparently quite the TG/CD, Loretta! There was another episode where turned himself into a girl so he could hang with the prettiest, most popular girl in school who he had a crush on. The cool girl didn't like Timmy, but DID enjoy the company of his fem counterpart!

[LilSissyStevie]

There are a lot of CDs in the world so it figures that there's going to be some lowlifes: thieves, murderers, rapists, child molesters, politicians, bankers and every other conceivable kind of scum you can think of.

[eluuzion]

However, 2 points:

"Man bites dog", is NEWS! NOT the other way around!

I agree...drama attracts an audience.

Try watching the Lawrence Welk Show a few times. zzzzzzzz That will convince you! I had to suffer through that show when I visited my grandparents as a kid. (My family is from Denmark). I still think the entertainers are really androids, or body doubles from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Pretty sure they are not made out of wax...

[Loretta]

Timmy was apparently quite the TG/CD, Loretta! There was another episode where turned himself into a girl so he could hang with the prettiest, most popular girl in school who he had a crush on. The cool girl didn't like Timmy, but DID enjoy the company of his fem counterpart!

That's "Queen for a day". There were three things I remember about that episode:
1) S/he still thought like a guy, with feminine tendencies. So, even though he was a girl, he could still like comic books and other "boyish" things. The popular girl just reinforced this idea, as she liked boyish things as well.
2) I wished I was in his situation. Who wouldn't? I would probably never want to go back, though.
3) I used to tune in to that show specifically in the hopes that that episode would be on. It was refreshing to see a program open kid's minds to breaking out of gender stereotypes.

There are a lot of CDs in the world so it figures that there's going to be some lowlifes: thieves, murderers, rapists, child molesters, politicians, bankers and every other conceivable kind of scum you can think of.

But it becomes a problem when those lowlifes become the representation of our community.
We already have to go through a lot, so why are we forced to be associated with the dregs of society?
It just doesn't seem right is all.

[Pythos]

Want a portrayal of a fairly "normal" CD, who is quite admittedly "just a guy that prefers women's style" check out on you tube, David Ducovney in twin peaks. You will see what I mean. He does really good portrarying this character with a lot of respect, though the cliches are still there.

[Karren H]

New Flash!! Regular nice guy likes to wear women's clothes and act normally". Photos at 11........ Being normal doesn't sell Sham Wows!!

[Chickhe]

What you should do is change the channel and watch something else. The thing to remember, nothing on TV is real. If you have any knowledge of any subject, you will find if you watch what is on TV you will find its all flawed. Here's some examples... Orange country choppers...guys welding with no masks and protective gear...what the heck do the kids learn? DIY shows with guards removed... DIY design shows where they just grab a can of paint and slop it on top of the old paint, Rupaul's drag race where all the cast appear to be gay bimbos (I'm sure all gay people don't act like that bunch), the news where they give a headline at the start of the show and give two seconds of air time for it at the very end of the show, Mike Homes home show...everything is toxic, the guy wears hasmat suits to clean a bathtub, scares the heck out of home owners. Oh and that, repo show...every episode is staged, yet the make it out to be real.

[LilSissyStevie]

Maybe we can get the government to institute a licensing program for crossdressers where you have to go through an extensive background check before you get a crossdressing license. That should prevent bad people from getting skirts and dresses the way it now prevents bad people from getting guns.

[Tina B.]

Thank you Karren, just what I was thinking. After all you watch Cops, or Jail, or Lock up, any of this, and you see a cross dresser, it's going to be bad. They only deal with people on the wrong side of the law, so that regular guy that just happens to wear a dress would only be there if she is a victim, and that's not such a good image either. Let's face it, crime shows, sit coms, and reality shows such as Springer, just are not where we do well. But then not many others do either.
Tina B.

[Bootsiegalore]

And, to top things off, My uncle made a comment about crossdressing being one of the most perverted things ever conceived, so there goes my chance of ever telling him about my femme side. AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

For me it was finding out my roomie was a child pornographer!..... Top that one!

[kimdl93]

Anyone who watchs enough television, will eventually see Tanya Harding making critical comments about people doing dumb things on video. Talk about irony.

I'd suggest buying your uncle a Kindle or Nook.