Cities I have visited en femme - and my review

[jessica wai]

In the past years, I have visited a number of cities en femme.

NEW YORK CITY - RECOMMENDED
Very tolerant. Can shop and visit lady's bathroom without hassles.
Some people on public transport might stare but generally nothing hostile happened to me.
Lots of places to visit and go to.

CHICAGO
Similar to New York City, except that there are less to do there. Night life is far less vibrant and places are spread apart.

ATLANTA
I was there for Southern Comfort 3 times.
Not really as tolerant at NYC. I was picked on while using the lady's bathroom although I think I pass okay (certainly I do not look grossly out of place).
Night spots are spread apart and there aren't that much to do after my 2nd visit.

SAN FRANCISCO - RECOMMENDED
Mecca for CD. Nice weather. Nice people. Highly tolerant. Lots of nice places to go to as well.

SYDNEY - RECOMMENDED
Actually similar to San Francisco. Except that there aren't so many places to visit for a CD girl. Run out of places to go to after a few visits.

VANCOUVER - RECOMMENDED
Mecca for CD. Nice people. Highly tolerant. Except that there aren't so many places to visit for a CD girl. Run out of places to go to after a few visits.

LONDON - RECOMMENDED
Mecca for CD. Supposed to be tolerant and very accepting.
I was there many times and I had tons of fun. Yet, there are also some people who are quite hostile and one must not be too complacent.
Lots of nice places to visit.

SINGAPORE
CD is in the culture. However, CD is also illegal. If you get clocked in the lady's bathroom, you might get into legal trouble !
Also, utterly boring and unbearably hot.

HONG KONG
CD is taboo that is frowned upon. Get treated as a freak. If you get clocked in the lady's bathroom, you might get into legal trouble plus media will attack you within 20 minutes.
Not a place to take lightly.

SHENZHEN, CHINA
Very similar to Hong Kong, yet the media is less picky on CD.
Nothing much for a CD to do here.

TOKYO - RECOMMENDED
Must go place ! Lots of things to do and enjoy. Culturally accepting and being a CD is fun here.
Can just go around town for days as CD and enjoy this wonderful metropolis.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES
CD is well accepted and tolerated in their culture. Can use lady's toilet and socialize as girl even if one does not pass at all.
However, the horrible law and order situation rules this place out.

BANGKOK - RECOMMENDED
Mecca of all meccas.
CD is well accepted and tolerated in their culture. Can use lady's toilet and socialize as girl even if one does not pass at all.
Tons of nice places to visit.
Being a CD is so much fun here. Can do endless things at an affordable cost.
Only negative is the heat !

[StephanieCLT]

This is great, Jessica! I'll add my one (!) experience.

SEATTLE - RECOMMENDED
Went out very easily to a restaurant and then nightclub. Walked around and window shopped for a bit as well. No issues at all. Received a couple of compliments. No issues using the ladies' restroom, either.

[Michelle (Oz)]

I have to disagree with you about Sydney not having much to do. Great variety and many of the galleries and museums keep refreshing. And you can add most if not all cities in Australia to the tolerant list and no problems using the ladies' restroom.

[jacky83]

You really get around. Good info. I think its fair to say Las Vegas is tolerant. The dress code in casinos is green in your purse or wallet. Has anyone had any experience in Scandinavia or Netherlands?

[Adelaide]

Montreal (Canada) is also very tolerant, especially in the gay village.

[jessica wai]

I have to disagree with you about Sydney not having much to do. Great variety and many of the galleries and museums keep refreshing. And you can add most if not all cities in Australia to the tolerant list and no problems using the ladies' restroom.

You are not wrong. Sydney is wonderful. You see, I was born in St Vincent's. I grew up in Burwood & Chatswood. I just love Syndey as I'm a true blue Aussie girl too. Just that compared with London, Tokyo or Bangkok, it's just not as vibrant. I still recommend Sydney to anyone.

[Dawn cd]

"Places to go"? The OP seems to evaluate cities according to the number of TG-friendly night spots. Good heavens! TGs also go to museums, shops, restaurants, parks, theater, concerts, sports events, and they see the sights! Chicago, Vancouver and Atlanta have plenty of things to do.

[mikiSJ]

Dawn is spot on.

Even though I am from and frequently go back to San Francisco, I have never been to a gay or drag bar. I was in the Castro a couple of months ago and was disappointed in how it has gone down hill.

Three weeks ago, I joined with three other girlfriends for a trip to the Asian Museum of Art, we spent about three hours there, had lunch in the cafe and no one batted an eye at three older TransGirls.

Jessica - if you think San Francisco has good weather, you must have been here in the Winter. "The coldest winter I have ever spent was July in San Francisco" (Mark Twain didn't say this, BTW)

[Beverley Sims]

Jessica,
Interesting to see your views, I agree Hong Kong is Chinese redneck territory and Shenzen, being just over the border would be also.

Beijing and Shanghai seem more tolerant although I would not wish to try anything there either.

[kimdl93]

Great list, but I'm probably never likely to visit most of them. It's nice to know there are so many great and often enjoyable places for TG people to visit. I think you can add Houston. I'm out a great deal here and without any problems, despite the presence of a certain percentage of deeply bigoted people. There are lots of things to do, from TG friendly clubs and restaurants to theatre, museums, parks.

[brenne]

ATLANTA
...
Not really as tolerant at NYC. I was picked on while using the lady's bathroom although I think I pass okay (certainly I do not look grossly out of place)...

According to recent(?) news, they're definitely not so tolerant:
http://roygbiv.jezebel.com/trans-wom...ger-1582963179

[mikiSJ]

According to recent(?) news, they're definitely not so tolerant:
http://roygbiv.jezebel.com/trans-wom...ger-1582963179

Such a sad story, and not unique.

[rita63]

An invitation to you Jess and everyone. World Pride in Toronto June 27th trans march, June 29 Pride march. Shop dance visit the beach, dine all as yourself. Hope to see you there.

[Michelle (Oz)]

I grew up in Burwood & Chatswood.

Just down the road from where I grew up in Homebush.

"Places to go"? The OP seems to evaluate cities according to the number of TG-friendly night spots. Good heavens! TGs also go to museums, shops, restaurants, parks, theater, concerts, sports events, and they see the sights! Chicago, Vancouver and Atlanta have plenty of things to do.

Agree totally. Never been to a TG-friendly night spot but to all the other types of places you mention. And only the very rare issue.

[harmony]

i grew up in vienna austria and go back at least once a year to keep up with my relatives(in the us since 1978).i have gone out to all kinds of places even formal balls with no need to hide in the gay scene.ggs are genuinely curious even admireing well turned out cds asking interesting questions.if its a group of ggs you will soon feel part of them.i had loads of fun when i was still young and pretty(see avatar from about 35 years ago).
i think the same goes for most of western europe and britain(where i lived for 6 years and came out in public with the help of the beaumont society in the early 70s.)
so...thumbs up for vienna at the least!

[Rachel Morley]

I can only speak of the few places I have been out dressed, but I agree +1 for New York, San Francisco and London. San Francisco in particular is uber accepting IMHO but that might be that there is (apparently?) a sizable % of the demographic that identify as LGBT or LGBT friendly.

[Aviatrix]

Jessica,

When was the timeframe for your experience in Hong Kong? I'm headed there in about a month, also will be in Taipei... any info there? The bit of info I have found online I haven't seen anything horrible about either one.

Thanks!
Charlene

[kimdl93]

No one has mentioned Sioux Falls, Sioux city, Des Moines, Topeka, or Muskogee, OK.

[Michelle789]

LOS ANGELES - RECOMMENDED

I have only been to one city en femme, and that is the city that I currently live in. Los Angeles is definitely one of the best places to visit en femme, and is definitely a mecca for CDers and TSes. It is very tolerant, and there is lots to do.

You can use the ladies room legally. You can try on clothes in the women's fitting rooms too. Lots to eat, lots of nightlife, lots of museums, lots of shopping, and lots of great scenic drives down mountains and the coast. Great weather, although the San Fernando Valley gets very hot during the summer. Coastal weather is more moderate like San Francisco.

Places in L.A. that are recommended:
L.A. proper: Hollywood, West Hollywood, Miracle Mile, West L.A.

Most of San Fernando Valley including Studio City and North Hollywood

Coastal: Santa Monica, Venice, Long Beach

Negatives: You will need to rent a car, and traffic can be horrendous, it is expensive although not as bad as S.F., NYC, or London, and it is extremely large and spread out. Public transportation exists but it takes much longer to get anywhere by bus or train than it does by car, even with the rush hour traffic it is still faster to drive.

Also, avoid south and east L.A., otherwise known as gangland.

Also, Santa Monica is absolutely the worst for traffic, although very CD/TG friendly.

SINGAPORE - NOT RECOMMENDED EVEN IN DRAB

I would avoid Singapore even in drab because their laws are completely screwed up there, and you can get into major trouble (sometimes physical) for the smallest infraction.