The best readers....

[Emma_Forbes]

Hi All,

I noticed a passing comment in a post the other day about teenage girls being able to 'read' CD's more easily than older women. This got me wondering - is this actually the case or is it just that teenage girls have less hangups about actually saying something whereas older women are more reserved in their judgments?

For those who have been 'read' (not me - not because I'm convincing but because I've never been out!) how old was the person doing the 'reading'?

What about men? Are they better at 'reading' than women. I'm guessing they are not because men are nowhere near as observant as women - unless of course they are a CD themselves....

Be interested in your views.

Emma

[Deidra Cowen]

No doubt about it teenager girls have T-girl radar built in to their evil little brains. :D

Ok I don't pass...but I will brag a bit and say I do a damn good job of coming close on appearance and femmy mannerisms. (voice is terrible however) I can go to a mall, resturant, etc and just about everyone seems to not notice me. But let a teenager girl be sitting on a bench or worse be with a pack of friends and they bust me everytime when I come under observation!!! :eek:

This was not my original observation...someone else wrote it here in the past...but the reason probably is because teenager girls are so tuned into everyones appearance since they are keenly aware of working on their own appearance, fashion, mannerisms, etc.

[BeckyCath]

Hi Emma... wasn't there a radio 1 dj iin the early 90's called Emma Forbes?

Anyway... You asked about being clocked...

I have only been out and about since August last year, and have spent alot of time out and about. I have my nails done at a nail bar right in the middle of one of the boulevards of Milton Keynes shopping centre, and as such have been able to see the reactions of all kinds of people...

middle aged upper middle class women seem to look down thier noses, teen girls have a look, and usually carry on, to be honest, in my experience it's usually teen boys who are the most astute, and one pubescent pimply moron nealr fell over when he had clocked me, the stares from the teen boys are quite disconcerting!
Wome my own age (30 something) usually give me a knowing smile, but on the whole i can be out for 3 or 4 hours and only get clocked once or twice...

Men, i really don't understand why, but "chav" men seem to know instantly, but because they've got no manners they seem to think they can snigger or shout out... but i have sucesfully managed to ignore them, and if they shout "look it's a man in a frock" people look at them instead, and if you ignore the shout and carry on walking, you'll be away before others have worked out who they're shouting about.

We like to thinkit's the teenagers who clock us, but IME, it can be anyone.

The people i find the hardest to cope with, and always try to avoid if i can are late teens and 20's asian and black males, as they seem to find TG's "culturaly abhorant", i have had the most evil stares from them, and i have had chewing gum spat at me by 2 black guys who clocked me in birmingham's gay village during pride...

Emma, I'd say don't worry about being clocked, it actually happens alot less than you'd be led to beleive!

Rebecca

[Kim E]

I'm the guilty party. Was out with some CD and TG friends and that was one topic of conversation. Had never realized it before. Apparently it happened at malls to 3 out of the six of us. Maybe teenage girls are just more observant and quick to critique others, especially when in a group. Observing and trying to find their own style. Mentioned it as a "heads up" to our newer members. None of us needs to be embarrassed in public.

Kim

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

but the reason probably is because teenager girls are so tuned into everyones appearance since they are keenly aware of working on their own appearance, fashion, mannerisms, etc.

Exactly. Likewise, teen boys are checking out women in general, so while they're often less astute than the girls, they're also likely to read you.

Plus, being immature they're more likely to make a big deal out of it. Probably the same with Rebecca's chavs. (I suspect they're also more likely to actively ridicule us because teenagers/young adults are typically pretty insecure and doing so 1) gives them a chance to feel superior, and 2) shows to their friend that they're "normal.")

These kids are one reason the mall actually isn't a great place for initial outings -- plus malls are typically overlit, which isn't the best thing for us.

We're probably being read more often than we know by older people who are more discrete about it. I've seen lots of older women give me a quick sidewise glance and then return eyes forward because they don't want to be seen staring. Likewise, in close-up interactions, where I'm sure a lot of people knew I'm a guy in a dress, I've found most people were happy to play along as it were in order to be polite.

Cultural attitudes also probably play a part too in people reactions once they've read us. Since the general public doesn't really know about CDs, they assume we're gay. So I suspect the (UK) blacks and Asians that Rebecca had problems with probably come from communities that are more homophoic, just as I'm more likely get stares and giggles from Hispanics.

[Jan W]

Maybe one reason young people pass comment is the fact that they are in a group. Who has ever been commented on by a lone teenager?

Just a thought.

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

Maybe one reason young people pass comment is the fact that they are in a group.

Definitely a factor. When I've been out of with a group of t-girls we clearly don't pass -- just too many collective clues -- but while I've heard an occasional giggle from a teenager, even in a group none of them was bold enough to make a wisecrack when there were a dozen or more of us.

[Khrystyinsd]

I was out once and actually shocked a group of teenaged girls because only one of them thought I wasn't really a woman. Alas, it was my voice that ultimately gave me away.

[Helen MC]

I think that some Ethnic Groups have a more macho attitude amongst their young males, they not only have to be Masculine they have to be 100% plus Masculine and thus they respond in an abusive and abrasive and sometimes aggressive manner towards any male who offends against that stereotype. Some areas of the UK are similar. I would be a lot less secure as a CD in Glasgow were I to be found out than in Edinburgh.

As I only dress en femme at home and the only female clothing I wear outdoors are panties under my male drab trousers or jeans I am far less affected by this matter than others who post here who do go out en-femme. I would say that modern teens to mid twenties are an aggressive lot in many cases and I avoid them and their places of entertainment etc as much as I can.

[Amelie]

Everybody reads me,,, then again I walk around in one of those t-shirts that say "Drag Queen" with an arrow pointing to my head.