what's so funny?

[harley47]

Over the decades I have been puzzled why a refererence to 'crossdressing' seems to be a trigger for entertainment for others. A speaker makes a crack about crossdressing, the audience shows amusement. I doubt that it would be OK to kid about stammering or some other issue. I wonder if crossdressing makes 'the public' visualize someone dressed in an exaggerated fashion--oversized wig, super tall heels, falsies that would cause Dolly Parton's envy, mincing across a room--is that what the public visualizes?

Clearly there is fascination with professional crossdressing. Recently when in Las Vegas I saw an illuminated ad for Frank Marino who leads the group of professional actors on a female impersonation show-La Cage. I haven't been able to see it , but I am sure the people are very convincing-and perhaps make some females in the audience jealous!There is a website for the show and these 'ladies' are professional!

So, this is a paradox--the amusement element of someone aping a fancy lady, or so the inference is, and the genuine pleasure in seeing a show like La Cage.
How do others view this and maybe suggestions about how to deal with the cruel humor when someone cracks a remark about crossdressing ?

[Beverley Sims]

Think macho and look at the apparent funny side and roll with the punches.
I just laugh it off as it happens rarely.
It can and does hurt if you are taking life too seriously.
When you start out be prepared for all sorts of jibes.

[Brenda79135]

I think it has to do with the way people are introduced to crossdressing. In my time Flip Wilson was tha only crossdresser that was exposed to the world (mine at least). The younger groups would be more inclined to watch SNL with the Church Lady.

[Kate Simmons]

I would venture to guess that most of the uninformed public equates crossdressers with over the top drag queens, who usually portray caricatures of women more than anything. It's funny that in my personal experience many gay guys go ga ga over DQ's but won't give CD's the time of day.:)

[I Am Paula]

I live in a town so small that I'm the main drag.

[Gillian Gigs]

As a theme, crossdressing is found in comedy in several countries. From the outragious, to the plain, it usually gets the responce that the comedian is looking for. Does it do anything for our cause, I don't thnk so.

[Erica2Sweet]

...Does it do anything for our cause, I don't thnk so.

I'm not entirely sure I know what our cause is. But I suppose that's a whole other kettle of fish.

[kimdl93]

As a young person particularly, I felt self conscious about any common media portrayal of cross dressers...because I felt they reflected on me. I do understand why people are amused by the extreme charictures of CDrs that you see in the media. Corporal Klinger was obviously faking as a CD and quite over the top, as was Tom Hanks in Busom Buddies. I laughed at Monty Pythons "drag racers" myself...even though I was a bit embarassed when the humor struck close to home .

It is interesting to see how differently people react to CDing in different situations. I remember some guy that used to do female impersonations - played in Vegas I guess, and showed up on TV variety shows occassionally, but darned if I remember his name. He was actually pretty talented and quite attractive in his various manifestations...and for some reason middle class, white audiences of the 60's/70s seemed have accepted him. In contrast, I wonder how they would have responded to having a neighbor who did the same thing.

[Kate Simmons]

It may have been Jim Bailey Kim. I believe he classified himself as a female impressionist.:)

[carhill2mn]

Many people often make fun about or talk disparingly about subjects that make them uncomfortable. I often think " the lady doth protest too loudly" might apply.

[dallasmann]

Interesting question, but as you've mentioned, there's a significant history of crossdressing in Hollywood and also in the military history of countries around the world. Young women who pretended to be men in the military are often hailed as national heroes.

I don't take offense to the caricatures or to the occasional punchline. If we're not laughing as a society, then generally, we're not comfortable and I like comfort.

[harley47]

well, it is best to shrug stuff off, I am sure. I think that embarassment often is the root reaction-not hostility. Re the military, I have read stuff and seen TV shows that seem to support the idea that some 'of us' go into the military to try to 'correct the errors of our ways' as some might view Crossdressing. Guess the image of acting extra masculine throws off suspicion.
As Crossdressing becomes more publicized--talk shows of quality (not Jerry Springer's insulting style) have some very impressive crossdressing episodes--clearly popular with audiences! maybe lots 'like us' attend these shows for pesonal validation.

[dallasmann]

I know Maury used to feature some really hot TVs that made even the most macho guys I knew admit they'd consider taking a walk on the wild side. Didn't Geraldo and Montel also feature crossdressers?

[Wildaboutheels]

Cruel humor? And how to deal with it...

That's YOUR perception of what someone said. Does it make any difference if they are simply ignorant OR trying to hurt your feelings and get under your skin? Probably not. But it's best to err on the side of caution IMO. Here is a perfect example. VVV

http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?180977-Not-at-all-what-I-was-expecting

And what IF with some body language, or facial expression or possibly "threat" their intention is unmistakable? You have the choice to simply ignore them and/or walk away. OR spend possibly a minute or two in TRYING to educate them. IF you can do it in a quiet, calm and non confrontational manner, they might reconsider their line of thinking. You would not only be helping yourself but other CDers as well.

[heatherdress]

Maybe, some day, there will no longer be crossdressing jokes by comedians who take advantage of ignorance, fears and prejudices to get a few laughs from unfunny jokes.

[Cindy_Act]

Gee, aren't we all a bit sensitive? There's hardly a subject or stereotype that hasn't been lampooned at some time or another. My sense of humour and the appreciation of the ridiculous is my salvation. I'm delighted to admit that I can laugh at myself for any number of reasons. My first attempt at makeup was worth of a chuckle to myself...the list goes on. I reckon the two trannies on Little Britain are hillarious. You know what though. The few times I have been out in public, I have been treated extremely well...The whole world isn't against us girls. We're just a bit different.

[noeleena]

Hi,

& being different is the crux of the matter. id hate to be normal how bloody boreing. id go stark raving mad if i thought i was normal. im weird & being weird means i dont have to prove im even sane,

If you have real friends they know you & you dont have to prove anything , they accept you the way you are .

Haveing a laugh at our selfs shows we do have something to offer make light of the situstions that come along as said roll with the punch or go down for the count .

...noeleena...

[Shari]

There are only two groups that people still make fun of without seemingly stepping on the P.C. guidelines.
Crossdressers and white males.

[harley47]

thanks for the comments. I think the stigma associated with being a crossdresser (I doubt many know about gender dysphoria) is what hurts. Yes, there are lots of 'Polish jokes' out there and I am sure they could be hurtful (incidentally, I read that Poland has the highest education levels worldwide). But these sorts of teasings are clearly different than what is heaped on publicly and privately on the crossdressing community. If someone is not disturbed by this ridicule (and that is the correct term for 98% of the public perception), good for that person. She is stronger than I. I suspect the only place a crossdresser would be accepted and understood would be at a psychology convention!
Would life be boring without this 'specialness'? I don't know. I am sure I am super sensitive, but being transgendered surely isn't something one would want included in an obituary as a notable accomplishment
best of luck dealing with life.

[outhiking]

Many people often make fun about or talk disparingly about subjects that make them uncomfortable. I often think " the lady doth protest too loudly" might apply.

I think you may be right.

[Vickie_CDTV]

There are only two groups that people still make fun of without seemingly stepping on the P.C. guidelines.
Crossdressers and white males.

I'd add fat people in general to that list. The lamestream media who pushes P.C. are also the ones who tend to hate anyone who doesn't fit their idea of what someone's body should look like. The old "everyone should tolerate everyone and everything, unless it is some group of people or some thing we don't happen to like and then they should be destroyed."

As far as comedy goes, crossdressing for comedic purposes in performance art goes back to antiquity. It is a timeless trope that is unlikely to ever be abandoned.

[ReineD]

This is pure conjecture and I have nothing to back this up, but I think that generally, people fear or are suspicious of differences. They may react with mild shock or laughter if they do not feel overly threatened, or anger if they do. Up until maybe a century ago, most people lived in fairly homogenous societies and there wasn't a lot of exposure to varied lifestyles/beliefs. Even disabled people were kept in sanatoriums or stayed in the home, since there were no accommodations for the physically disabled as there are today. In a global sense, we have been experiencing an ever growing awareness of all types of human conditions due to exposure to so many more people/lifestyles/races/cultures through faster travel, television, and the internet.

So, making fun of disabilities, races, other religions, etc, even same-sex attraction has become justifiably politically incorrect, but very little is known about cross-gender expression because this is the one last thing that is still very much closeted ... and people still react with uneasiness towards it because of this.

[Brianna612]

Comedians are just doing their jobs. If they get people to laugh they did it well. They make fun of every aspect of life. Hey, Life is funny. I’m laughing all the time, sometimes at myself and sometimes at others with no intensions of being mean. If you are going to enjoy life you need to have a thick skin, no mater what walk of live you are from. Relax, Laugh and enjoy live.