If you could, would you trade in all your CD experiences?

[SallySC]

If there was a way to trade in all your CD experiences both the heartaches and the thrills for a life of normalcy (in other words a non CD`er) ...would you? I have thought about this quite a bit lately and even with the heartaches...I truly love this crazy life style. I wear a french manicure all the time and wear other girlie things too. I feel so alive and confident with my feminine qualities revealed in my nails and other girlie accessories. My vote is I would not trade.....would love to hear from any others. Thanks

[suzy1]

That’s a very good question Sally. I know from lots of comments on this subject from other members over the years that some would get rid of their CD tendencies and some would not.
Suzy is the best part of me and gives me the most pleasure. Without my feminine side life would be a bit dull and grey looking.

[Kate Simmons]

Not really Hon. I've had too many to go back now. :battingeyelashes::)

[Katey888]

Sally,
As always - it depends on what you mean by normalcy or normality? I've had a pretty normal life up to now - usual relationships, families, tragedies, joys. With this as well I have something that is so unusual - special - not to say weird, even - that does something for me that nothing else does. I'm thinking that there is something very narcissistic, selfish and (counter-intuitively) voyeuristic about what we do... but who isn't selfish? Who doesn't need something so personal that they can be so excited by.
It's cheaper than drugs (just!) - and I wouldn't do that anyway - I think this blends with normal nicely however far you want to take it.
My vote's with you... :D
Katey x

[Beverley Sims]

Sally,
It's a good question and I did take a pause to think about it.
I do wonder how my life would have been without it.
I may be divorced now because I may be a testosterone charged redneck.

As I am not like that I suppose I am happy as I am.

The grass is "not" greener on the other side, no matter where you stand.

[janeycdbbw]

Not me , with all the ups and downs , I still wouldn't trade.

[daviolin]

This normal to me, why would I even think of such a thing as not wanting to dress. Daviolin

[Karren H]

Throw in outstanding skating abilities and one hell of a slap shot.... I'd sign up in a heart beat...

[bridget thronton]

Not really - they have been positive growth experiences

[Teresa]

I don't know any other lifestyle it started so early. If I had the right female partner I would never trade the rest could go and ******. Most men have some sort of hang up, this one will do for me.

[XemmaX]

definitely not.

[Tallulah Rose]

No, I wouldn't trade. I love being this way - best of both worlds.

[JustWendy]

I've always been hesitant to answer "yes" to this question because I wouldn't want to do anything that would change my general nature. I like the person I am. However, I'd like to believe that I'm not the way I am only because of my gender leanings. So, if I could remain the same person, with this one exception, then "yes", I'd be willing to trade off.

Wendy

[Tina_gm]

Yes, I would, most definitely. I am learning to accept myself for who and what I am, and I am even beginning to like this side of me too. But, life would still be much easier without it.

[chrissy111]

I would not give this up ever.

[Chickhe]

On one hand I feel like blaming CDing for many of my problems, but on the other hand CDing was the ultimate tool to overcome certain issues. I used it for good, to overcome shyness and for bad to hide from the world. Its really a hard question to answer because it has a role in who I am today. Would I be better off without it? ...I would be different. ...maybe I would be a drunk, maybe the richest person in the world... maybe bored.

[Dana L]

My first thought was yes, but then I thought about it and No, I defiantly would not trade this life for anything. I can be as feminine as I want or as masculine as I need. I just wish I would have embraced it sooner. Everything worth enjoying comes at some cost. You just need to decide if it's worth the cost. For me it is!

[Stephanie Julianna]

Never. They have helped me to accept myself for who I am.

[chessdragon]

I wouldn't trade it. It's a hobby with it's ups and downs, but it's something special.
Aside from the joys of crossdressing itself, being a crossdresser and looking at the female gender role has opened me up to the issues of gender inequality, too. It's driven me to look at society; the judgement, the inequality, all of it; and really think about it. It's been a part of my coming of age, and that's priceless

[LaraPeterson]

Nope; tried; didn't work. Life is way too short to throw away that which gives you the most comfort in the most difficult of times.

[Laura912]

The question cannot be realistically answered without one living ones life over again. Although at times a burden, the dressing has been an asset...just took a while to realize that.

[Gillian Gigs]

Our character and who we really are, is a sum of our traits, habits and experiences that we have lived. To remove one thing would make changes that may be greater than we may realise. Who is to say that things might have been worse without our CD experiences! Maybe that is where the expression of, "better the devil you know, than the one you don't" comes from.

[kimdl93]

I don't engage in such fruitless mind games.

[kymmieLorain]

In one word , NO. I like wearing feminine attire. I just wish I would have started years earlier than I did.

Kymmie

[Eryn]

One cannot change a single thing about themselves without changing everything else. Even though I didn't actively CD for most of my life, that "special interest" has always been a part of me and has shaped my decisions. Having it "never happen" would also eliminate all of the relationships that I hold dear.

So... no, I wouldn't wish it. I might well have been a "normal" non-CDer who got hit by a truck at age 22 because he didn't pause to watch a girl walking along in a pretty leotard and wrap skirt.

[Rachael Leigh]

For me if I could incorporate all the things I enjoy about being CD into male mode the answer would be yes, I am a little different person when I dress so if I could bring that into my male self without the clothes who knows.

[Stephanie Sometimes]

Hi Sally,

You are engaging in the old sci-fi fantasy of going back in time and changing the parameters in hopes of a better-different outcome. Well guess what, LOL: we all know from watching sci-fi that this is a dangerous endeavor and usually results in a worse outcome! Careful what you ask for honey.

We would all be different people entirely without our CD genes (and for some of us our girl jeans), would we even recognize ourselves?

Hugs,
Stephanie

[Adriana Moretti]

i am normal...... and this lifestyle isnt crazy...I would never trade a thing...except for maybe the purges...can I trade them for more cd experiences????

co-sign on the fruitless comment

[Sarah Marie]

No, I had so much fun and made so many friends through CDing. I had a span of about six or seven years where dressing and going out was such a part of my life. I wouldn't trade those times for anything!

[Alice Torn]

Evan though, it is a big part of my life, now, and an act of art and creativity, I must say, there are negatives, to be rigorously honest. It has reinforced my isolation, and loner life, of mostly solitude, and feeling different. i felt different before i ever did it. Between age 26 and 56, i was becoming a social being, going to church, singles dances, classes. Then, Pink Fog whammed me, and i have been a loner and isolated again. It has kind of taken over my life, and reinforces my hiding, and lonerdom. My memories and pleasure doing this are in private 99%, and on this forum. I think, if there were never this strong compulsion to do it, I would choose to have not been this way, and been social and "normal" and got married.

[Daphne Renee]

as tempting as it might be.. I just dont think I could do it.

[Jocelyn Quivers]

Nope, this is normal this is me. There is no life without or male side without this to go along with it. Sort of like that old Star Trek episode where the transporter malfunction episode happens and makes 2 Captain Kirks. Neither side can survive long without the other. Both have to be joined together as one in order to survive.

[Amanda M]

For me, I am who, and what I am. I try not to push things too hard with people who will not accept or understand me - thank God Carole does. Nevertheless, I won't be
demeaned or put down because of who I am - that brings out the Big Girl claws!

Would I change it - no, well... yes, if I could be just a dress sizw smaller?

[gennee]

Nope! Never!

[AshleyBunnyX]

i'm fairly new to the whole thing so i haven't had many negative experiences. that said it's easy for me to say no. however, even if i had negative experiences, the positive ones far outweigh it. i'm a very submissive person, and i rarely make advances. if it wasn't for things like crossdressing, i'd probably be doomed to virginity. not to mention crossdressing is the only time i look presentable lol. so right now things are looking up :P i can definitely see how this would weigh heavily on certain people. if you're middle aged, married, and wear your wife's lingerie behind her back or something then it would suck. however, i found out what i was into at a young enough age, so i highly doubt i'd get married to somebody who didn't already know. although i doubt i'd get married in general. maybe my opinion will get changed once the bad things start happening.

[Jaymees22]

No because everytime I've traded in I've lost money and also I feel so much happier now that I crossdress. Jaymee

[steeve]

no way no way at all

[mysticalkatie2014]

Never I love my alter ego xxxx

[Wildaboutheels]

I already AM normal. And have never felt any guilt or shame or suffered any heartaches either. Then again, I don't try to/worry about "passing" which I am sure makes being a CDer of any flavor much more challenging and "troublesome".

[MayaMe]

No, I would not do it. It would make me a different person and there is no guarantee that it would make me any happier but would make me far less interesting.

[heatherdress]

No. I enjoy who I am and what I do. Crossdressing is part of who I am. It is a gift and offers me beauty sensitivity understanding excitement diversity and pleasure. I am glad that I crossdress and live a richer life because I crossdress?

[NathalieX66]

Heck no.
I identify as bigender......so far so awesome!
My inner soul is finally at peace.....I am me.

[Michelle789]

This isn't a crazy lifestyle. It's part of who we are. Accept it :)

[KaceyR]

In my case, I don't think I would trade. I can probably say that due to my dull-ish solo life, it's actually kind of helped me with some amount of depression at times. It's also been a bit of a way to express a "self" a bit more. And yeah, in a way I do feel kind of special with all of this. Not just the unique guy. At this early stage of CDing, I've not gone out and about yet (no winter coat or boots yet) but I still plan on doing so. Just to expand this part of my self and to explore it further. So...nope, don't think I'll trade.

The only downside or "slight" reason for trading... is that it'd sure be easier on my wallet :)

[Claire Cook]

Heck no.
I identify as bigender......so far so awesome!
My inner soul is finally at peace.....I am me.

Nathalie, thank you, you have expresed just what I feel -- as have all of you who embrace your normalcy!

[Karen kc]

No thanks, I'm good the way I am and the way it has been!