Are you seeing more CD’s out in public?

[Stephanie Sometimes]

(Sorry if this topic has already been covered lately)

I am seeing more CD’s or TS’s out and about in public places these days (aside from at specific LGBT clubs and the like). I have been mostly secluded in my home office lately working all day and most evenings and not out much where I would see anyone not already known to me. But just this afternoon I was out for some errands and at Target, while waiting in line to check out, I see a CD walk in the store and down the mail aisle. Now I am careful not to stare or draw attention but I get in a couple of good looks, she is presenting very well and blending in with nice jeans and blouse (thank you Paula for the terminology you brought up today in your other post, I like it). I suspect that maybe only 1 in 20 non-CD’s might read her but my “CD-radar” is always turned on and I had no doubt.

The week before Thanksgiving I was only out a few times (always en-drab BTW) and I saw 3 CD’s that week which was a new record for me. Two CD’s, each one at a different natural foods grocery store and once again I think they presented very well (I see more CD’s in these two grocery stores than anywhere else, guess we all have to eat, and also I go there more often than other stores). That same week I was at a small, intimate performance event one evening with maybe 25 folks in attendance, one of which was a CD. She was with a couple of GG’s as wing-girls. She looked quite nice in a beautiful long dress and everyone was very accepting of her except some cowboy dude (mid 50’s, attending with his SO) that could just not stop staring at her. Cowboy dude looked more incredulous than disapproving. If I had been on his side of the room I would have probably told him he was being quite rude.

Is it just my CD-radar tuned up more or is anyone else seeing more CD’s out and about? If so, I really think that people like the cowboy dude will eventually get over the damn staring and just think it’s normal. We can hope.

Hugs,
Stephanie

[Madeline80]

I went to las vegas over Thanksgiving and didn't see a single one! Soon as I got home, I went to Walmart and saw 3! One guy, 50 or so, pony tail, lipstick, purse, guy clothes. Very little effort but I have to give him credit for not giving a damn. Second, 60 yrs or so, ponytail, androgynous and I really couldn't tell male or female. Third, teenage. F to. M, couldn't tell until he spoke to a friend. All within 10 minutes.

[Katie_Did GG]

I see TG ladies out most shopping trips--some I am thinking are TS rather than CD. I'm estimating at least 2-3 each outing. I don't know if there are more or if I am simply more sensitive to their presence since DH confided in me that he CD's.

[NathalieX66]

Yep.
Shopping malls in particular.

[AllieSF]

Well, where I live in the far suburbs of San Francisco, what we see here is probably not quite normal for other parts of the country. In SF we and they are everywhere. Out here in the burbs I see us/them occasionally. When I do, I look around at others to see how they may respond. So far, it has been no different that an extremely cute girl or woman walking into the local coffee shop, or a big tall man, as a man, or some over weight and sloppily dressed man or woman. I.e. people look up, register what they see and then go right back to what they are doing, playing with their cell phone, talking to who ever is next to them, or whatever.

I must say however, that my TG radar does work much better since I started all this over 7 years ago. That is like right after you pick up your new car with that special paint job and alloy wheels, and then see 5 of them before you get home to put that new car in your garage for the very first time! Our minds are now attuned to look for that specific look.

[Adriana Moretti]

I see them occasionally driving...and if i make it down to NYC...well....we know how that goes

[Trishpdxcd2]

Well there are a lot of gurls in Portland and I rarely see any. Maybe they are just so good I can't tell.

[PaulaQ]

I seem them quite frequently - which would be surprising for Dallas, except that I live in the heart of the LGBT community here. (The gayborhood.) Down here, it's like the straight people are closeted... Everywhere else in town, not so much.

[Courtney Ramona]

sometimes when I'm in the mall I look around to see if there are. but then I think about it if there are they might not the attention.
because last valentine's day I saw a man walking out of Victoria's secret. He saw me looking at him and froze and so did I because I bought my first dress.
but he had know idea. I'll always wonder if he was a dresser?

[~Joanne~]

I never see any sister's while I am out and about and I am all over the place while working so you would have thought it would be rather common to come across someone but haven't.

[Desirae]

I never see any either. It's not like I don't look. Maybe they're so convincing, I can't tell. As a matter of fact, I've never met another TG/CD/TS. At least of which I am aware. Maybe it's just this stupid state of Ohio I live in.

[Janet Bern]

I have never noticed one. Maybe they are out there and thy dress better than I.
Gee, maybe no one notices I am a CD. Hard to believe.

[Angie G]

I live in central N.Y. and did see a man in a dress at Wal-mart one time, Other then that I can't say I have. If so they crossed over real well.:hugs:
Angie

[UNDERDRESSER]

Hard to say, I'm not aware of ant great increase. But then, I've never been looking before. I do know that blurring the lines is getting somewhat common around here. One young male co-worker is very...got to say it, "pretty" He is! He often wears make up, not slathered on, quite carefully done. Or maybe he just has the kind of complexion that you girls would kill him for! There have been quite a few gay co-workers, one ex co-worker has given many indications on FB of being Lesbian, I wasn't aware, but it doesn't surprise me. Just remembered! Another co-worker introduce me to her female partner, seems perfectly commonplace, which is how it should be.

[Stephanie Sometimes]

I seem them quite frequently - which would be surprising for Dallas, except that I live in the heart of the LGBT community here. (The gayborhood.) Down here, it's like the straight people are closeted... Everywhere else in town, not so much.

Hi Paula: The first CD that I ever saw in person (except that one in the mirror when I was 10 wearing mom's lipstick) was in Dallas at North Park Mall in what is now Dillards, must have been late 1970's. Don't think I saw another one for the next 15 years or so!
Hugs,
Stephanie

[Candice Mae]

I don't know if it is that I'm not really looking or if it's because of my location, but other then on Halloween I have yet to see another CD in public. And if you do see another CD in public please leave them alone, think of what it would be like if you were in their place having some strange person gawking at you.

[iGenny]

I only started dressing a couple of years ago, and so I can't say I'm seeing more, but now that I'm looking at women differently (makeup, fashion, as well as how I've always looked at them) I can say I've seen a few and wondered about others.

Right now, near Rochester NY, it's 8 degress F outside - so who can tell if they're even people under those bundles of clothes?

[Launa]

Some of you have Superman Vision because I have rarely seen any GIRLS out and about. There might be one more CD going out in the world tonight though. LOL

[Katy120]

Genny, What you observed about yourself is what I've experienced. Cross dressing changes how you perceive people. You look at faces, shapes of people, and their clothing in a completely new way. And as far as I can tell, you can't go back. This sensitivity becomes part of you.

[linda allen]

If they've done a good job you may see them but not recognize them.

I haven't seen any except for what I suspect was a transexual about thirty years ago asking a drugstore clerk for makeup advice.

So no, I'm not seeing more CDs out in public.

[Beverley Sims]

Hardly any CD's I percieve look like any one on this board.
Most present extremely well.
I would like to see more of the silent majority here.

I see the occasional person that stands out because their dress sense is incomplete.

[Wildaboutheels]

Nope, not at all. But I don't go out LOOKING for them or making it a point to try to figure out the sexual identity of any Human "attempting to present" as a female.

BUT, I am also fortunate enough to live in Florida, where bodies and skin are on display practically year round. None of this covered from head to toe in layers of clothing of every imaginable kind. By seeing so many BODIES ON DISPLAY, it's so very easy to see that trying to determine any Human's sex by the size of their hands or feet, or shape of their thighs or rear ends or any # of things that people here use to "bust" CDers is just plain silly. Humans come in an unlimited variety of shapes and sizes.

The ONLY way to know for sure someone's gender is to actually see their equipment or lack of it and even that may not be 100% accurate for everyone.

[Kate Simmons]

Not sure there are any more, perhaps we are just more aware. As you say what I call my "C-Dar" is always tuned to high. :)

[Patrice_CD]

You might be able to spot a CD, but most would not be able to spot TS. Quite a few of us TS women blend in perfectly and if some have had any surgery, like me, it's even harder to tell. Also, once on HRT, the body changes drastically.

[Marcelle]

Perhaps two but one for sure . . . she was working at Sephoras and helped me with foundation. The second time it is possible but very hard to tell so I can only say for certain one. Of course every time I pass a mirror in a store I see one :)

[ArleneRaquel]

No, about one a month at best, but a very few years ago I would never spot a :heehee:fellow CD ! Except at CD gatherings.

[Billiejosehine]

A few years ago when I was working at FedEx Kinkos I met a TS who I thought was a GG at first. But other then that one time I haven't really noticed anyone else. Although I don't pay much attention either. As most people are saying we may be more sensitive and aware. It's like when you think about a certain car you start to see more of those cars around you.

[linda allen]

I was dressed and at an outdoor mall once and saw my reflection in a store window. Does that count?

[CynthiaD]

I never see any CD's, but then I tend to accept everyone at face value. I have seen men shopping for bras and makeup, while I was doing the same thing, if course.

[Barbara Dugan]

When I used to work on the retail business it was very common to see CD's and TS , I even had a regular CD customer that used to buy her groceries daily...something odd with me I always been able to spot a CD or TS nor matter how or good passable they are. I am not longer working on retail and try to avoid the mall or any big stores but still every once I spot sisters

[S. Lisa Smith]

I have seen a few. Unfortunately mostly in criminal court for hooking, although I did see an unpassble sister in traffic court.

[Madilyn A.]

Other than one CD event, I have never seen another CD out and about. Wish I did.

[Jennifer Kelly]

I seem them quite frequently - which would be surprising for Dallas, except that I live in the heart of the LGBT community here. (The gayborhood.) Down here, it's like the straight people are closeted... Everywhere else in town, not so much.

I lived in Dallas for a couple of years so I'm guessing Turtle Creek or Oak Lawn. :)

[Dianne S]

I've seen one person who was definitely a CD at a restaurant. I think he was out for a quiet meal with his wife or girlfriend.

Another time at an electronics store, the male cashier had long pink painted nails. I complimented him on them and he turned his computer screen towards me... his wallpaper was himself in high flamboyant drag.

And a couple of nights ago, I saw a cashier at a grocery store that I'm convinced was TS. She was very tall, had large hands and a fairly deep voice for a woman. My wife, as it happens, was buying a tube of lipstick and the cashier joked with my wife "and where's his?" As I say, I'm pretty sure she was TS but it's not exactly something you can ask.

So that's about three sightings in 7 years or so...

[Ozark]

I was in a thrift store a couple of days ago and there was a CD dressed in a scarf, long sweater, jeans and some kind of stocking cap. She was taller than I am, had long arms and her hands were definitely 'man hands' ... she was looking at the nightgowns and lingerie, right where I wanted to go.

There were several other people in the store and as I walked down the clothing aisle an older man, younger than me but still old was sitting on a stool at the end of the aisle. He must have seen me looking at the CD as he came up to me, shaking his head with a smirk and started to say something but I cut him off and said, "don't."

I turned around and went teh other way. I did eventually make it to the lingerie department but didn't find anything that interested me. I thought about waiting outside the store adn trying to strike up a conversation but I decided not to.

In another incident I was at a Salvation Army thrift store and I found a pair of JC Penney fantasia lace trimmed bikini panties. I sat down in a chair to check out them on ebay with my iphone and I saw a pair had sold for $30.00 recently. The store clerk, whom I had bought from before, was sitting next to me. I showed her my phone and said that she had a pair of panties just like these on the rack for $1.00 and I was going to buy them. She told me that I'd be surprised at how many men buy lingerie in her store.

Another time I sold a pair of VF panties on Ebay for over $100. I printed off the auction and showed it to a clerk whom I had bought from before. A new clerk came up and the clerk showed the new clerk the ebay auction page. She then told the new clerk that I was ok and I had good taste.

I have seen several CDs in thrift stores that I could easily read. Here's a hint, don't wear fishnet hose, stiletto heels and a leather mini-skirt to a thrift store at 11 in the morning. Do what I do and dress like an Iowa farm wife. LOL.

[JessicaKasey]

I have only seen a CD in public once in London a few years ago. I was intrigued but never spoke to her. No idea why!

[autogirl]

does a gay guy in skinny jeans count?

[AmandaPanda]

I have not seen anyone and believe me ive been looking, i get so bored and lonely shopping sometimes.
if i ever do see a Sister i would go say hi if she was alone because i would like a hello and compliment if i was spotted

[BillieAnneJean]

In Grand Rapids, Michigan and surrounding area I see other CDers about every other month. Almost always alone. But I am out enfemme almost weekly. At least one a month a few of us meet for lunch, shopping, and then clubbing. So if you are in the right place at the right time you may see one or more.

[revlonjennifer]

Sadly I haven't. Hopefully I will at some point

[Sarah Beth]

I've never seen any out and about where I live. It would be way to scary to even contemplate doing that in this area. The closest thing I have seen to that is a guy I have seen around at some auctions who wears a kilt, but he wears a very traditional scottish outfit so I don't consider that crossdressing.

Then again we don't have a wide variety of places to shop and nothing in the town I live in. Where we go to shop there is a sears, a jc penny, target and of course the inevitable wal mart. I've never seen one in any them but then I dont' to wal mart but still in this part of the world I doubt you would see one even there.

[Karmen]

I saw a few crossdressers in public over the years, but since I live in a relatively small town, most of them I saw on the street in hours when streets are more or less empty. I never saw anyone in shops, restaurants or bars fully dressed.

[Jillrox]

I'm new here and recently had read another post about seeing other cd's in public. I think that I have only seen two women in the past five years that may have been a cd. I look at women all the time but pay more attention to them if I see something about them that I like. Now if a cd were to blend in and there were other females around I would probably never spot them. After thinking about this the other day, I went to a grocery store and there was a six foot bald man wearing a short skirt with fishnet stockings . The only thing I thought was wow he's got major confidence. I did avoid him and when I was checking out , I was surprised at the fact nobody was saying anything about him.

[ClaireClark]

Plenty of CDs in London, just getting on with their lives.

Claire x