Transgendered Males and Females - Mutual Perceptions

[Sapphire]

Clearly there are both men and women who regard themselves as transgendered - I for one am among them. While most contributors to this section of the forum are male it would be interesting to get a perspective from genetic females who are transgendered on how they regard cross-dressing and transgendered males. Perhaps there is common ground that would justify an exchange of viewpoints – maybe even leading to friendships based on mutual respect and understanding and of a type not experienced in relationships between transgendered men and non transgendered women. Any views on this? Anyone?

[sometimes_miss]

Oddly, the two gay women I knew both tried to tell me that I was probably really gay. I think maybe it's a natural progression of thought among the rest of the world that if we dress like females, and act and behave as females, they by default, we must be attracted to men. But it shocked me that a gay woman would believe that, when she obviously didn't apply the same 'rules' to herself.
Over the years, I've had TS folks try to convince me that I was truly TS, gay folks try to convince me that I was gay. And they were all so sure of themselves, too. I think it's all part of people just wanting to feel normal, and the more people like them that they know, the better about themselves they will feel. I can't remember if it's projection or transference or whatever the psychological term for it is.
I do think that when you find people that have been discriminated against in the past, those same people may be more likely to empathize with you and be tolerant of your 'idiosynchrosies' because they know how it feels to be different. But it doesn't mean that they will understand, or accept your definition of who you are.