PaulaQ
04-25-2013, 01:11 AM
So I had an interesting day today. I had to take my car into town for service, and I planned to attend my first transgender support group meeting, later that evening. So I had several hours to kill - so I did what any girl would do - I went shopping!
I went to Avenue and Lane Bryant. Shopping was fun, especially once I got a SA to help me at Avenue. I was a little intimidated at first, but once I started trying on stuff, I wasn't too worried. (I was in male drab, although I brought my forms with me, to insure fit.) I found that my "I don't give a crap about what other people think" mental filter quickly went to work. I didn't really even have a problem while trying on various women's shoes while women, and their spouses, were in the same area. I'm sure they looked at me - it's be hard not to. I'm sure I was a sight - a dude with orange toenail polish, and heels and sandals. However, "I didn't give a crap what they thought." I ended up buying some cargo pants, jeans, capris, and several tops, and two pairs of shoes. (note to self: need purse.)
I met my wife for dinner, still in drab, since she doesn't want to see this stuff, and we had an OK time. I think I upset her - I don't know that she was super thrilled that I was going to a transgender support group meeting. She went on to her class, and I went back to her hotel room, and changed into the cargos, a pink blouse, and bra. (I left off shoes and forms and my wig to leave the hotel.) This was a little cowardly. I had ZERO time to apply makeup, and still make my meeting, so I went without.
I drove to the center where the meeting was held, slipped my forms into the bra, put on my wig, and changed shoes. I really regretted not having time to apply makeup, but I figured, well, I'm here, and I really don't want to present for the first time as "that other guy - the one I hate so much", so in I went. This was nowhere near my best presentation. I'm not great at makeup, but it still helps a lot, and without it, well, yikes. But hey, I was there, I was cross dressed, and while I was a little nervous when I got out of my car, I found, very quickly, that my "I don't give a crap what anyone thinks" filter switched on really fast.
So the group itself was great. There were three of us who were new to the group. I was one of the three oldest people in the room. There was one FtM and her partner, several MtF's, and three GG's. I believe I was the only TG person in the room not on hormones. I met a couple of fully transitioned girls who'd transitioned really young - had they not told me, I'd never have guessed they were transwomen.
I met a lot of really nice girls. I'd never met another transgendered person in the flesh. We talked about our weeks, I told a little bit of my story - way shorter than I bore y'all with, talked about my relationship with my wife this week, and listened to everyone else. I was gratified to find that a lot of the experiences and feelings I have are not especially unique.
One thing about the experience - I was surprisingly at ease walking around in the center while cross dressed. I dunno - it just didn't seem weird to me. I wished I'd had time to fix my face, but other than that, I was fine.
The group was really accepting. Hey, I even got compliments on my wig! I stayed around after the meeting for half an hour, or so, and talked to several other girls. This was great!
I decided to not bother switching back to drab for the drive home, so I drove en femme back home. My wife isn't home tonight, so this was fine.
I'll have to figure out logistics for the next group meeting, I'd like to be in makeup next time.
I went to Avenue and Lane Bryant. Shopping was fun, especially once I got a SA to help me at Avenue. I was a little intimidated at first, but once I started trying on stuff, I wasn't too worried. (I was in male drab, although I brought my forms with me, to insure fit.) I found that my "I don't give a crap about what other people think" mental filter quickly went to work. I didn't really even have a problem while trying on various women's shoes while women, and their spouses, were in the same area. I'm sure they looked at me - it's be hard not to. I'm sure I was a sight - a dude with orange toenail polish, and heels and sandals. However, "I didn't give a crap what they thought." I ended up buying some cargo pants, jeans, capris, and several tops, and two pairs of shoes. (note to self: need purse.)
I met my wife for dinner, still in drab, since she doesn't want to see this stuff, and we had an OK time. I think I upset her - I don't know that she was super thrilled that I was going to a transgender support group meeting. She went on to her class, and I went back to her hotel room, and changed into the cargos, a pink blouse, and bra. (I left off shoes and forms and my wig to leave the hotel.) This was a little cowardly. I had ZERO time to apply makeup, and still make my meeting, so I went without.
I drove to the center where the meeting was held, slipped my forms into the bra, put on my wig, and changed shoes. I really regretted not having time to apply makeup, but I figured, well, I'm here, and I really don't want to present for the first time as "that other guy - the one I hate so much", so in I went. This was nowhere near my best presentation. I'm not great at makeup, but it still helps a lot, and without it, well, yikes. But hey, I was there, I was cross dressed, and while I was a little nervous when I got out of my car, I found, very quickly, that my "I don't give a crap what anyone thinks" filter switched on really fast.
So the group itself was great. There were three of us who were new to the group. I was one of the three oldest people in the room. There was one FtM and her partner, several MtF's, and three GG's. I believe I was the only TG person in the room not on hormones. I met a couple of fully transitioned girls who'd transitioned really young - had they not told me, I'd never have guessed they were transwomen.
I met a lot of really nice girls. I'd never met another transgendered person in the flesh. We talked about our weeks, I told a little bit of my story - way shorter than I bore y'all with, talked about my relationship with my wife this week, and listened to everyone else. I was gratified to find that a lot of the experiences and feelings I have are not especially unique.
One thing about the experience - I was surprisingly at ease walking around in the center while cross dressed. I dunno - it just didn't seem weird to me. I wished I'd had time to fix my face, but other than that, I was fine.
The group was really accepting. Hey, I even got compliments on my wig! I stayed around after the meeting for half an hour, or so, and talked to several other girls. This was great!
I decided to not bother switching back to drab for the drive home, so I drove en femme back home. My wife isn't home tonight, so this was fine.
I'll have to figure out logistics for the next group meeting, I'd like to be in makeup next time.