there are so few of us

[julie w]

Just look at any other activity whether it be model railways or model cars
coin collectors and thousands turn up to there shows But our group
can only muster up a few hundred I went to fantasia fair in Provincetown
and there was not many of us considering there are millions of people
within driving distance the Gay community have there own hotels
in places like Mexico . and Europe but for us alas no such luck
is it that our goal is to be stealth and try to blend into society more than having
a nice tropical resort just for crossdressers ?

[LisaMichaels]

Yes It would be nice to have a place or an event for crossdressers. My wife and I would love to go to a safe gathering. There are more of us out there. Many couldn't never even join this group.
It helps me to know there is more people like me who love to crossdress. Alot of the problem is people being cruel. It is easier to make fun of what you don't understand.

[Karren H]

Ewwwww. Heat and makeup?? Couldn't you find somewhere more temporate?? Lol

[Chrissy be good]

True there may be only a few of us, but I don't hide the fact that I collect baseball cards to my wife and coworkers.

[SweetCaroline]

There are a lot more in the closet people than you think. I moderate a local Transgender social group and, on one hand, I've never had more than ten people come at once (including two or so regular GG supporters), YET, on nearly a weekly basis, sometimes more often, I had local people contact me privately and tell me they would love to come but it's too close to home and they don't want to be outted or that they haven't even been out yet, and are still very shy. Just because "only" a few hundred people show up for something such as Fantasia Fair, First Event or SCC, doesn't mean there aren't hundreds more who would love to join us, but can't or aren't ready, which is why I think it's important for those of us who are "out" to be out and be seen, and not just at organized events either.

[deja true]

Well, Julie, like Caroline says there are lots lots more of us than you'll ever see at one of the many events...

And she's right, it has a lot to do with the social stigma that's still attached to what we do.

But there's also the cost, distance, time off needed,and on and on...

We are a minority, hun, but maybe not as small as you think. It's just that we're an "outlaw" minority, forced by circumstances to mostly remain hidden.

But our participation in events like SCC or Fantasia Fair (and there are more of us every year) helps get us recognition and eventually acceptance...

[Nicki B]

Both SCC in the US and Sparkle in the UK seem to be able to get a couple of thousand to attend? And that's only some of those who are willing to come out of the closet, unlike coin collectors or model car enthusiasts, who don't generally hide their activities?

[Magickman]

Maybe not so few, but camouflaged and out of sight.

[Kristen Marie]

It took me decades before I went to First Event. But as a result I go out 2-3 times a month now and love it. I have been to Fantasia Fair, but Ptown is a hike for me just to go down for a day.
It's a wonderful experience though and I always wish more girls showed up.

But hanging out socially with Caroline at Club Blu, or Dennie or Paula at the Tiffany Club, or Vikki at Forence's Fashiosn, or Jocelyn at My Changing Room monthy Tea Parties make me realize the web of girls is bigger than we think.

[trannie T]

There are a few of us who go out whenever and where ever they like. There are a few of us who only go out to structured events a few times a year. And there are a lot of us who never ever creep beyond the confines of the closet. A resort or an event would not attract those who are hopelessly mired in the closet. It would appeal to those who go out occasionally and it may get some of those who now go out frequently. At its best it would appeal to a minority of a minority population.

[rickie121x]

There would be more of us out there, and it's not our fault! If only "they" wouldn't look down and judge us. Anyone for that?

Actually, I wonder sometimes if what we do, some of us, is some sort of a rebellious behavior - of course once it is all bundled up with something sexual, then who the hell can really analyze it?

So, if "they" didn't look down on us, would we still do it?

Rickie

[avril findlay]

If we were only 1% of the population that would still mean there are an awful lot of us girls out there (I'm talking about the sort of numbers politicians like!)
Plus it's very hard to tell if someone is a model railway enthusiast by the way they are dressed, whereas a guy in a dress or a skirt could be a bit of a giveaway!

[TGMarla]

Model railroad buffs are free to attend their conventions without recriminations from their wives. The great majority of crossdressers are closet items (like me!....sorta..), and don't have the liberty to attend such gatherings without serious repercussions.

[Celeste]

Well you do have the Rainbow mountain resort in Stroudsburg PA.,they have cd events scheduled in between their gay ones several time per year.I think each event last up to a week,run a search on them to get their schedule.

[txrobinm]

Until I joined this forum a few months ago, I had NO IDEA that there were CD conventions offering the relative anonymity of a strange city combined with the support of others like me, and I've been dressing for years at some level. Only now, after years of closeted don't ask don't tell leading to thoughts of suicide, have I started reaching out to others. Even then, it takes time to create the courage and manage the logisitics to go out. After all, I want to keep my job- it's only taken me 2 other professions and 15 years to find it!

Those on this forum are 1% (ok, maybe 5%) of the 1% of the population that CD's. Time, money, you get the idea.

[beenherelongtime]

sometimes it is the cost of attending these events that keep people from attending. i was always meaning to go to Ptown, but i paid support for 25 years and money was tight, i spent my money on clothes. i also had a job for years that afforded me little time off from work and i worked every weekend.

[sometimes_miss]

I think its because I have other social outlets, I don't feel any great need to go and hang out with a lot of other crossdressers. I don't want to talk about make up or clothes. If there were a possibility of meeting a woman there, then, maybe. But I'm not exactly a pretty female looking person, so that pretty much eliminates that possibility. So, why go out? There's no obvious advantage over writing about it here. And at least 'here' is safe; another hate crime reported early this morning, a lesbian woman beaten for no other reason than her sexual orientation. I'd rather not become a statistic like that if there doesn't seem to be any reason to risk it.

[melissacd]

There would be more of us out there, and it's not our fault! If only "they" wouldn't look down and judge us. Anyone for that?

It was only when I got past blaming others and instead placed the blame squarely on my shoulders that I was finally able to get out there and enjoy this. There is no "they", the real thing that keeps us in the closet is ourselves.

There are risks, however, the risk of hiding in the closet and churning internally on this is infinitely greater from my own personal experience.

Once we can really understand this, once we can own our power and dress on the outside as we feel on the inside. We must get past our fears, step out that door and be in the world - only when enough of us realize this will you start to see more gatherings of larger groups of like minded individuals.

For so long I was angry at a world that would not accept me, I was fearful of discovery, ashamed of myself, guilty all the time, I railed at a cruel "they" that kept me in this awful state of unhappiness. Once I realized that the enemy was me, things started to change. Now I am totally comfortable going out dressed, I am out my family and friends and I am contemplating coming out at work.

If we stop acting like there is something wrong with this then the world around us will start to change.

[PheonaP]

TGMarla said; Model railroad buffs are free to attend their conventions without recriminations from their wives.

Ever hear of the "Model Railroad Widows??" TeeHee. In a lot of cases wives go with these buffs to make sure they aren't buying anything they shouldn't and making sure they get value for money when they do spend.
As with "PINKFOG", some Model Railroad buffs suffer from "LINE FOG".
Been there, done that, got the T shirt etc etc......

[Intertwined]

Have you ever heard of Dignity Cruises?

I have not personally experienced one, but they sound interesting.

This is a cut & paste from the website "Dignity Cruises, in association with Absolute Best Cruises, offer members of our community the opportunity to experience the finer things in life while dressed as a beautiful woman or as a man. The cruises offer wives, partners, family members and friends an opportunity to interface with others who have shared some of their own life experiences."

This is the website: http://www.pmpub.com/

[Angie G]

I was with a large fraternal grope And could get only 10 to 15 people to meetings and some only came for Support of what they wanted then you wouldn't see them anymore. It just the way it is. I am a union member And see people want and want but don't want to do to get it.
Angie

[JoAnne Wheeler]

Sisters, it takes courage and confidence to attend an event like Fantasis Fair. I suspect that we would all like to do that, but due to years of fear, shame, secret, and so on, we still do not have the confidence and courage to actually "get out" even though inside we really want to.

JoAnne Wheeler

[AmandaM]

Model railroaders don't have to hide.

[DameErrant]

Yes It would be nice to have a place or an event for crossdressers. My wife and I would love to go to a safe gathering. There are more of us out there. Many couldn't never even join this group.
It helps me to know there is more people like me who love to crossdress. Alot of the problem is people being cruel. It is easier to make fun of what you don't understand.

There are many events and organizations for CDers. Go to TGForum, or the Tri-Ess website, and there will be many listed. There is a very large convention at King of Prussia Mall in Penn every year. TriEss puts on cruises for CD couples.

Go to this site for an event called Beauty and the Beach; http://www.cdspub.com/batb.html Have never been so can't endorse it, but it's just one of many.

Texas has the Texas T-Party, there is one in Atlanta, and that's just off the top of my head. You can find them, they're out there.

[Nicole Erin]

I have this really crazy idea for us -
ummm maybe instead of hiding and acting shameful, get out there and be proud of wh you are.