Turn crossdressing into a career??

[Shawnacdin]

They (not sure who they are :)) always say that you should turn a passion into a career and you will be great at it. Well I am passionate about dressing, I love it and time fly's when I am working on Shawna, so how can I turn this into a career. I think it would be awesome to do something in the CD community but I have no idea what, anyone have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

[MJ]

Great idea post some pictures and let us see. all the best with your new Career :)

[5150 Girl]

When I started back to school, I gave serious thught to becoming a counceler

[candykowal]

One of my friends is an art gallery salesgirl who clients, some are transgendered.
Sales is a big venue in specialized areas in big citys.
Even office workers can be transgendered if your upfront with your future potential employer.
I really think Big citys are the key. Or start your own business and go dressed for success!!

[docrobbysherry]

Many CDs in Thailand make a "career" out of it, Shawn. The pretty ones make porn movies and the others "date" guys for a living. Over here, there r CDs that r female impersonators on stage. And/or, drag queens.

If NONE of that sounds interesting, maybe u should simply pursue your dreams for yourself as a man? Only try them as a woman?

[eluuzion]

Here are a few options that popped into my head after reading your post...

-make a list of all of the companies/positions that exist, where CD people are currently employed, then apply. Gender Support Organizations/legal centers, etc. I would imagine it would be more productive to expand your search parameters to include anyplace catering to the gay community, rather than just CD specific.

The closer you get to self-employment status, the closer you get to living your own dream in a issue like this.

I found the art community to be extremely open to alternative lifestyles. People buy art because they like it, whether they like the lifestyle of artist or not. Of course, it helps to be artistic if you go this route, lol.

I think there is potential in offering a confidential consulting service for make-up application/make-overs/fashion etc. Geared more to the independent in-home approach like Avon, avoiding the fixed/variable operating costs of having a physical retail location.

There are also a lot of support positions within the adult entertainment industry. Secretarial, administrative etc where the dress code is flexible. Not every person in the business is an "actor". Depends on your moral compass I suppose.

:love:

[kristinacd55]

Well, the wife and I were watching a show on amateur porn last night on Lisa Ling's show. Got me a thinkin.......:daydreaming:

[Karren H]

The only thing that comes to mind is being a pro drag queen....

If you could make money dressing up like a woman seems like 50% of the population would be out there doing it right now. Lol.

[Pythos]

I would absolutely love for this oportunity. I may just have that though with my new GF, she is a Gothic model. LOL. Yes, I just learned this.

[StacyChambers]

If you're blessed with the right DNA, go be a model like Andrej Pejic. :)

[bridgetta]

I dont think any of those ideas solve the riddle. Crossdressing as a profession would be giving makeovers to other cds. Or having a store or something. Or something we havent thought of yet. Like uh. Nonprofit crossdress fundraising telethon or something.

[Jennifer H]

Well all the experts out there say the best recipe for success is to turn something you love to do into a business. If I was a lot younger and if I had had the guts to go for it (Lots of ifs but life is full of them anyway) I would have opened a store with maybe a salon for c/d's with tips on beauty and dressing with lots of goodies to buy at realistic (not inflated) prices. It would have to be in a big city for the catchment area, well dream on girl!!

xxx Jenny

[Shelly67]

Over the pond , here in blighty there's quite a lot of makeover companies popping up , coupled with a photographer for private sets.
Makes you think really , I've considered it , as work over here has diminished beyond belief .
Maybe , just maybe with a trusted female friend , dressed very prim n proper to visit an individual , help him / her get made up , sit down and have tea , cakes - whatever , then to serenily have photos taken in a light hearted atmosphere in the comfort of thyre own home .....
Bet some rotten so and so would protest in one form or another ..... allergies to make up or summat like that .. or worse .
"where theres blame theres a claim"

[VioletJourney]

Aside from the obvious drag queen suggestion, you could perhaps open up a transformation service. Or if you're willing to spend a huge portion of your life in school, a gender therapist.

[Shelly67]

Cookery lessons whilst enfemme ?
Silicon and synthetic fibres love heat .....

Extinguishers at the ready .

[Josie Rose]

Have you considered a dressing/makeup service? There are many TGs who cannot, for many reasons, explore there true characters. These could be very well to do TGs with responsible, and successful, careers; often highly placed within their place of employment e.g officers in the armed forces, judges, business directors. A friend of mine runs such a small, personal service and charges about £50/hour. Clients come. She supplies all the requisite make up and clothes. She makes them up and dresses them. They then either sit about chatting, go for a walk, go to a local cafe for coffee or the client heads off for some TG event nearby. She does all this from a very small flat. The requirements are that you need a flat in a "safe", discrete location and an investment is required in makeup, clothes and shoes of varying sizes and type. The clientelle numbers are small but there IS a need for such an intimate, highly personalized service.

[Kate Simmons]

You can literally do anything you want to my friend, depending on how thick your skin is and if you give a hoot as to what others think or not. The main thing to remember is to pick something you love to do whether you work at it dressed or not dressed.:battingeyelashes::)

[TGMarla]

There were a couple of T-girls in Denver who turned crossdressing into an everyday profession by opening a transition studio to provide the male to female experience. You know....pictures, night on the town, dinner....fully dressed with photos to keep the memory. I think it is called Studio Lites.

http://studiolites.com/shop/

[Vickie_CDTV]

There is also the field of electrology (as I have done), there are a number of electrologists out there who are trans themselves, and there is a real shortage of electrologists in general (for trans and cis alike.)

Compared to the cost of going to school to become a therapist, the cost of electrology training is a huge bargain! :)

[Inna]

As far as I remember, Crossdressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser.
Well if that is so, how about just doing what you like doing, except while crossdressing.

[Sally24]

I have a friend that spends most, but not all her time dressed. When she became unemployed she started posing for photographers for free. Built up a nice portfolio. She went to modeling calls and casting calls. Now she gets gigs for sales and promotions. Even did a bikini car wash at a Harley dealer! She's had parts in lots of local indie films and just recently had a non speaking roll in next years Adam Sandler movie "I Hate My Dad".

True, she's not typical in many ways but she started small and worked her way into at least a part time career. You could too.

http://www.modelmayhem.com/1180588

[MJ]

the makeup and hair n beauty industry are very open to the trans community i think there are two of us members in the ABA that's American Beauty Association i work in hair and makeup. so if you like working with people that would work

hair dressing Cosmetologist, wig stylist, makeup artist

[NicoleScott]

As far as I remember, Crossdressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser.
Well if that is so, how about just doing what you like doing, except while crossdressing.

I agree with this. I hope the pink fog isn't obscuring your judgement on earning a living. Drag Queens and Female Impersonators don't get paid just for crossdressing (and some would argue that it's not really crossdressing but rather wearing their costume), they get paid for entertaining. You're going to get paid for the goods and/or services you produce to the extent that someone's wiling to pay you for them. It would be nice if you could dress for your job, but assign dressing only its reasonable weight when making career decisions.

[NicoleScott]

There were a couple of T-girls in Denver who turned crossdressing into an everyday profession by opening a transition studio to provide the male to female experience. You know....pictures, night on the town, dinner....fully dressed with photos to keep the memory. I think it is called Studio Lites.

Several years ago I visited the store, talked with the owners who were working in the store that day, and bought a few things. They were, however, not working en femme. The clerk that helped me was (don't know if CD or TS).

[Toni Citara]

Drag Queen Bingo!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhImauxDM3w

[Shawnacdin]

Don't get me wrong I am still going to be in my current profession and support my family, it would just be really nice to have my passion make a little extra money. Mind you I already have a fairly good career going just wanted to do something over the long winters here in Minnesota. I really think taking photos and doing makeup are the way to go, who knows we will have to see. I have to say Drag Bingo and Goth model sound fun and interesting. Well thanks everyone for the suggestions I will have to see where this road takes me!!
Shawna

[Speck]

I know this thread wasn't meant for GGs and I hope I'm not hijacking your thread but for some time now, I've been thinking that I would like to do make-up for TGs. I'm not a professional make-up artist per se but I get asked by a lot of people to do make up so I think I'm pretty good at it. I wouldn't mind doing it for free in my spare time at first as it's something I quite enjoy doing. The thing is, I can't imagine doing it in my home as that would mean having strangers over. I wouldn't feel comfortable going to a stranger's home by myself either. So I'm not sure how to go about it. As well, I'm not sure if TGs prefer to have their make up done by another TG rather than a GG. I'd love to hear what you all think.

Speck

[Vickie_CDTV]

Most would probably prefer a GG, as they would be more comfortable with a GG (and some GGs who do transformations specifically mention this.)

You could work on local TGs who are well known and trustworthy in your local TG community. You could also have your husband home with you at the time.

[MJ]

@ Speck
you could always go to meetings and show how to apply makeup it's safe and you can do photo shoots

[Shawnacdin]

I agree with Vickie that most TG's would prefer to have a GG teach them how to do their makeup, I know I would feel more comfortable. I think if you went to meetings and offered your services and the ladies could talk to you after the meeting, you could get a feel for what type of person they are and if you would want to go to there place or have them over to yours. Plus you could sell them the makeup you put on them, kind of like a personal Mac counter.
Shawna

[ElusiveGirl]

Drag queens work for tips. Hard work and very little money. The biggest reward is the opportunity to be the center of attention under the limelight while strutting your stuff.

Counseling requires a lot of training and isn't really suitable as a part time gig.

Makeup and photography services are a decent way to make extra cash on the side.

The most common (and IMHO laziest) method of making part-time cash is becoming a for-pay flirty model with a custom website. Many thousands of these exist... Melissa's Fah-bulous Foto Emporium... Sexy Samantha's Picture Palace... Felicity Feminine's Fantasy Faire... you get the idea. Basically being paid to play around with makeup and stuff. The downside is a loss of privacy which may come back to haunt you in the future. Or leading to other less savory offers of companionship or revealing pics.

I'm about ready to start a Finishing School. It's way, way overdue. lol

[Leslie Langford]

They (not sure who they are :)) always say that you should turn a passion into a career and you will be great at it. Well I am passionate about dressing, I love it and time fly's when I am working on Shawna, so how can I turn this into a career. I think it would be awesome to do something in the CD community but I have no idea what, anyone have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

One start would be to contact the companies listed here, all of which have implemented LGBT and diversity-friendly policies as part of their corporate cultures:

http://www.masstpc.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Employers_with_Transgender_Friendl y_Policies

[docrobbysherry]

I know this thread wasn't meant for GGs and I hope I'm not hijacking your thread but for some time now, I've been thinking that I would like to do make-up for TGs. I'm not a professional make-up artist per se but I get asked by a lot of people to do make up so I think I'm pretty good at it. I wouldn't mind doing it for free in my spare time at first as it's something I quite enjoy doing. The thing is, I can't imagine doing it in my home as that would mean having strangers over. I wouldn't feel comfortable going to a stranger's home by myself either. So I'm not sure how to go about it. As well, I'm not sure if TGs prefer to have their make up done by another TG rather than a GG. I'd love to hear what you all think.

Speck

Maybe it would be better hobby than profession, Speck? I met a GG makeup specialist at the SCC in Atlanta. She's from LA and SPECIALIZES in doing CD/TSs. Nearly 900 CD/TG/TSs in the hotel. She had a booth in the Vendor's Area. I just spoke with her. She says she lost a LOT of money! Mostly on airfare and hotel expenses and not enuff work there!

[SmileS12]

I probably wouldn't have near as much problem telling my entire family neither, if I was a Pro Drag Queen, come to think of it though, that just is not what I get into, I'm not interested in standing out from the rest. But no one says you can't just go to work enfemme, and still make money, especially if you are a secretary, or owner, or maybe a phone representative. Or something. Lol

[Vickie_CDTV]

Sherry, are you thinking of Scarlett's Makeovers?
http://www.scarlettsmakeovers.com/

She is a real sweetie, I met her a few times at conventions (even had a vendor booth next to her last year.)

[Sometimes Steffi]

I know this thread wasn't meant for GGs and I hope I'm not hijacking your thread but for some time now, I've been thinking that I would like to do make-up for TGs. ... As well, I'm not sure if TGs prefer to have their make up done by another TG rather than a GG. I'd love to hear what you all think.

Speck




Most would probably prefer a GG, as they would be more comfortable with a GG (and some GGs who do transformations specifically mention this.)

You could work on local TGs who are well known and trustworthy in your local TG community. You could also have your husband home with you at the time.




I agree with Vickie that most TG's would prefer to have a GG teach them how to do their makeup, I know I would feel more comfortable. I think if you went to meetings and offered your services and the ladies could talk to you after the meeting, you could get a feel for what type of person they are and if you would want to go to there place or have them over to yours. Plus you could sell them the makeup you put on them, kind of like a personal Mac counter.
Shawna

I've had two outstanding makeovers, and both of the make artists were CDs who specialized in transformations. And I believe this was their "day job". Both presented as male during the makeover, made me very comfortable and did an oustanding job. I had seen pictures of both of them en femme prior to my appointment, and admit, I would have been a little freaked out the first time if I hadn't been tipped off that she was a he. After this experience, I would prefer a CD because I think they understand the specific problems of a transformation, e.g., beard cover, etc. than your typical GG would.

Don't forget that a CD might be as fearful of getting into a bad situation as you are. I have heard of cases where a CD was sexually assaulted by someone she was meeting in a hotel room, and she might be just as fearful of coming to your house as you are of having her there. Especially, at least in my case, if a husband greeted me at the door.

Maybe you can arrange some semi-private place like a dress shop or Merle Normal where you can do makeovers. Kind of neutral territory with someone who could keep both of you honest.

[Duana]

It really depends on how much money you're trying to make. For me, doing makeup or some of the other suggestions aren't going to cut it. Very few of those jobs make 6-figures a year. Applying makeup automatically limits your income potential to the hours you can work. You might be able to do 6-figures with a transformation studio but the market is so small that a city is only going to support 1 or 2 of them, IMHO. Houston has Vanity's and it is a beautiful place but I've been several times and have not seen many buyers there any time I've been.

The fact is, this is a very tough vertical to market to because of the closeted/clandestine nature of it and the minuscule size. I do know how to pull 6-figures out of the CD market but I'm not at liberty to share as it would damage my ability to do so.

Personally, I think you're barking up the wrong tree. If you don't understand basic business, marketing, copywriting, advertising, publicity, sales psychology, you don't have much of a chance.

I will share one idea though. Start some unrelated business and use the crossdressing make it novel, as Jessica Who is doing. This would be easy to promote and fit many skill sets. You don't have to be a comic.

[docrobbysherry]

Sherry, are you thinking of Scarlett's Makeovers?
http://www.scarlettsmakeovers.com/

She is a real sweetie, I met her a few times at conventions (even had a vendor booth next to her last year.)

No, it was Gina. Here's her site: www.transformationsbygina.com

She's in LA and has built up quite a CD business! She's actually looking to SELL IT RITE NOW! Of course, she'll stay until the buyer learns everything!

[Contessa]

Yes I sure do. But do you mean quit your day job and do this full time. I don't know if it can get that serious. But contact me with a message and we will get started with something.

[Suzy Parker]

Start a personal shopper business and cater to CD's who are to afraid to purchase their own items themselves. Offer it as a completely discreet and confidential service in that the goods always arrive at their destination in a plain brown package, unlike some stores I have bought from who plaster their name all over the packages. Kind of embarrassing when you have to see the clerk at the post office and sign for it. It only happens once per retailer then they are in my black book of "Never Again". Heck, you might even get so good at it you could even do personal shopping for GG's. This would be perfect for me a Suzy is one crazy shopping machine.

[Joan_CD]

One start would be to contact the companies listed here, all of which have implemented LGBT and diversity-friendly policies as part of their corporate cultures:

http://www.masstpc.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Employers_with_Transgender_Friendl y_Policies

What surprised me is that Macy's isn't on the list. But I never have a problem there. I just applied for part time holiday work there but haven't heard back yet.

[RenneB]

One of our local success stories is Janet's closet. Walk in en fem and they treat you like a real person. Great staff and great location....

www.janetscloset.com

Renne......

[Loretta]

I dont think any of those ideas solve the riddle. Crossdressing as a profession would be giving makeovers to other cds. Or having a store or something. Or something we havent thought of yet. Like uh. Nonprofit crossdress fundraising telethon or something.

*looks at camera*
"Far too many crossdressers have never had a makeover.
Look at this crossdresser. *holds up picture*
This is Jennifer. She's been CD'ing since she was 10. She's 23 now. And yet she's never experienced a professional makeover.
Won't you help her? With a $100 donation, this tote bag can be yours, along with the first 2 seasons of RuPaul's drag race on DVD. Lines are open."