From DeadEnders to Eastenders ...Can a soap save the day?

[fiona frisson]

Theres a popular British soap Eastenders that is running a side storyline about a mature crossdresser caught in the maelstrom of trying to save his marriage and his other self - sound familiar? I wasnt even a follower but heard about it ... ironically a neighbour who had mentioned to my wife. We currently are in a holding pattern ... she knows about my dressing ..but as for many of us doesnt easily understand or wish to promote it.. the holding pattern is that we want to stay together on the same flight but maybe take a longer time to get to our final and maybe different destination .. shes more alert to my eye for selection of dress & style ..but my stash of fiona ensemble stays in the attic ..getting back to the soap .. it sensitively portrays the anguish, misunderstanding on both sides ...and like a soap you have to watch the next episode to see where it goes.
For some of us the closet world may seem like were DeadEnders .. Eastenders might reveal chinks of enlightenment and better understanding ... next step maybe is joint slightly uncomfortable viewing on the settee with my wife ;-)

[Teresa]

Fiona,
Sorry I don't watch it I've always found it too depressing but I'm sorry I missed the story line. Coronation Street have run storylines similar in the past one of a CDer who gets badly beaten up and Hayley the TS which was well presentedand very sad at the end.

I came out to my wife twenty years ago after watching a drama titled " A Little bit of Lippy ". It was the story of a CDer married with a young child who was caught by his wife dressed. It went through the inevitable scenario most of us face but eventually the wife came to terms with it and family and friends joined to support her.
My attempt ended in floods of tears and some very difficult times after. My wife gave me the Beaumont Society details so I rang them and mentioned the program and coming out, the comment back was that it was double edged, many came out after watching it and many divorces followed soon after !
Fiona be careful that the program could do more harm, it's not reality but your life is !

[Barbara B]

I don't watch the Eastenders myself but my wife turned the tv over just in the middle of the moment. I did think to myself the wardrobe dept went a bit mad on the makeup and he didn't look a bit like a middle aged tranny at all.. He never had a hair out of place and his make up was perfect. Yeah right!

Lucky I'm out to my wife so can relax and watch it without all the fidgeting about uncomfortably. Lets hope the story line does develop sensibly and hopefully bring our world just a little bit more to the forefront.

[iGenny]

...crossdresser caught in the maelstrom...

I see what you did there....

[reb.femme]

My wife watches all the soaps (I call her Jean Lever - soap addicted sister to Lever Brothers soap powder manufacturers). She called me in from my evening washing up duties (equality eh? ) to see the big reveal.

My wife accepts but is not overjoyed with my presentation, but such events can be a force for good if carried out sympathetically and I will say for once, Eastenders 'gawd blimey' did a pretty good job. I agree with an earlier comment that the makeup was a bit too good, so I must ring them to get their makeup artist round to mine.

Normally, the soaps are pathetic on most subjects. Poorly researched and badly presented but I'll give them 9 out of 10 for this reveal.

Becky

[daphne_L]

Normally, the soaps are pathetic on most subjects. Poorly researched and badly presented but I'll give them 9 out of 10 for this reveal.

Becky

There are probably one or more of us on the writing staff. Maybe its's their way of sticking a toe out of the closet.

Daphne

[Teresa]

Daphne,
I would really like to think so, we do see so many bad representations in the media, they mostly make out we're all gay and have a trail of effeminate men chasing us !
I don't think I've ever seen a story line of of CDer with a family trying to live a normal life ! I suppose it's not dramatic enough.

[Roli F]

they just finished showing a brilliant 6 episode series of a new rom com on BBC2 called Boy meets Girl starring A transsexual actress called Rebecca Root playing a part of a post op transsexual called Judy, absolutely perfectly portrayed with many funny incidents along the way.
I watched every episode twice.
Can't wait for series 2 if they do it.

[Shelly Preston]

There is a thread in media on the subject I suggest you take the discussion there.