A meetup with local crossdressers

[Katey888]

Paula - it's a great thing for you to be doing this and absolutely you should be continuing the invite..

I know you realise that not everyone in our community will align with the idea of supporting each other, but even as a temporarily undressed crossdresser you make me feel guilty that I don't support my local group even if I had to go along in drab... I've been thinking that for a while and I think I might trail in the masculine footprints of Mikell on this one and go along anyway.

There clearly is a gulf between TS and CD/TG in the final analysis, even if the underlying cause or condition may be related (cousins - I know some good cousin jokes for you Southerners.. ) - but it is important we recognise that there is some advantage to standing shoulder to shoulder even though our motivations and end journeys may be very different, in the same way as remaining the 'T' tagged onto LGB confers more benefits than disadvantages even though many may be keen to distance themselves because of the inferred relationship to sexuality. I'm sure many CDers do continue to question the matter of transitioning, particularly those who are out publicly so young as there does seem to be a resurgence of those feelings as many of us enter middle-age.

And yes, your observations about the end of the evening are very astute - I just hate those hours of creativity and effort being scrubbed off at the end of it all (on the other hand - or foot - it is great to kick the heels off at the end of an evening...)

Keep doing it! You are a profoundly generous and laudable asset to the community.

Katey x

[flatlander_48]

PQ:

To me, the thing that binds us all is that we cross the usual boundaries of gender. The only real difference is whether our needs define that as a uni-directional street or a bi-directional street to be repeated as many times as desired. In those terms, we should rally around those similarities and develop a better understanding of the differences.

I have been involved in employee affinity groups for close to 20 years. In my career, I've worked with people from 18 different countries and lived as an ex-patriate for several years. This was all by design as I asked for assignments that would take me out of the country and to different continents because I craved that experience. Every time I have come back, it is a reminder of the fact that we are more alike than different.

In a similar fashion, it is the same within the LGBT community. I've met lesbians, gay men, other bisexuals and other transgender people and we all want essentially the same things: be who we really are, be wonderfully attached to the people who love us, raise families, be successful in our chosen occupations and just Be Happy. We didn't chose to be who we are; it was a gift that was presented to us. But, in MANY cases, it took years to get to self-acceptance. Sadly, there are some who never get to that point.

So, when you go out and meet those people, it is a reminder that it IS possible to align the mental and physical images to whatever extent is needed. It doesn't say that the process is easy. It doesn't say that the road to self-acceptance is a short journey. But, what it does say is that it CAN be done. That is the message that you bring and the message that needs to be heard. And yes, if there was any doubt, it appears that you are in the right place at the right time.

DeeAnn

[Nadya]

It sounds like a great time. I can really understand the feeling of needing to connect emotionally in situations such as this. It really helps me feel normal. Of the times I've gone out dressed, having to take it all off gets harder and harder. I like how Bruce Jenner put it, I just want to have my nails painted until it chips off for a change. I totally agree. I'm not as sure as I used to be in which category I fit into but sometimes I wonder if further subdividing us into smaller and smaller groups is the right approach to making progress for TG rights.

[PaulaQ]

I'm not as sure as I used to be in which category I fit into but sometimes I wonder if further subdividing us into smaller and smaller groups is the right approach to making progress for TG rights.

It isn't. I always advocate for CDs whenever I can.

[trisha kobichenko]

thanks for all your posts and support.
regards,
trish