Interesting experience observing a crossdresser(or transwoman) today...

[dolovewell]

Where I live, crossdressers and transwomen are extremely common. I see several of them every day as I walk to and from work.

Today as I walked home from work there was either a crossdresser or transwoman a few steps infront of me. Whether it was a crossdresser or transwoman I have no idea. I'll refer to the individual as she. She was wearing a women's blouse, jacket, and an A-line skirt with black tights, yellow girl's sneakers, and a purse. However, by looking at her face when she would look to the side, I am not sure how hard she was trying to present as female. I saw no makeup or anything. And the hair would be considered short for a woman - shaggy hair that she attempted her best to style into something that was somewhat feminine, but to be honest there just wasn't much to work with. So the outfit was feminine, but the facial and hair presentation was androgynous at best.

Regardless, this individual was in front of me for most of my walk home. So I got to observe how passerbys reacted, and what they would do after they passed her. Would they talk about it with the person they were with? Would they turn back around for a doubletake?

For me, I have no idea how long she was infront of me for before I personally registered her as a crossdresser/transwoman. Although I saw her from behind, I was still fooled for a little bit. Probably for a minute or two. I was in my own world of course.

Most people who passed by simply either didn't notice, or would look at her and just not care. I'd say 4 out of every 5 passerbys had no reaction.

About 1 in 5 would do a doubletake. But again, this was a crossdresser/transwoman, who facially, was at best presenting androgynous, and more realistically, still masculine. So of course doubletakes were going to happen.

I only saw one person the entire way turn around once they had passed her. I did not see a single person who was in a group, say anything about her once the group had passed. No "Was he wearing a skirt?" or "Did you see that guy in a skirt!?!?". None of that.

However, it wasn't all good news. The very last couple I observed pass by before I got to my building was a younger couple, boy and girl, in their upper teens or younger 20s. The boy of this couple spotted the crossdresser/transwoman first, and looked her up and down, but said nothing. Then the girl of the couple looked at her. Then the girl of the couple stopped, looked the crossdresser/transwoman in the eye, and let out a long and loud "HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" with a smile. I thought, "Good, they must know each other and are friends!". But it didn't take long to realize this was not the case. The crossdresser/transwoman did not stop and kept walking, and turned around and stared at the girl with a "Do I know you? Who the hell are you?" type of expression on her face, sped up and walked faster down the sidewalk as she kept turning her head around trying to figure out who the hell that was.

That was the end of the line for me and I went into my building.

It was interesting to see how people reacted as she passed by, and then in her wake. We passed by dozens of people and most people didn't care. There were some doubletakes, but not nearly as many as I was expecting for someone who was presenting female in outfit only. I honestly was expecting way more. Only one turnaround. No comments in her wake that I heard. Just one little incident there at the end from a teenager/young adult, and if thats the worst of it, I would take that every time. It makes me wonder if the girl in the couple would have reacted that way and let out the long HIIIIIII! if the crossdresser/transwoman had on makeup and a wig and such and was trying to present completely female. I also doubt she would have done that if she were alone and not with the guy. People are bolder in groups.

[Tracii G]

If the girl was not in a group my guess she wouldn't have made any remarks.
In a group she has a bully tendency looks like.
I think the T person did the right thing by walking away giving the look "who are you"?

[phili]

You were there- bu I think it is possible she was awkwardly trying to be friendly- in the sort of way people think disabled people need someone to be friendly but it all ends up feeling strained. Perhaps the person in front looked a bit down and haggard. I get comments like 'Nice skirt!' or just appraising glances or indifference, or looking away, but I'm fully present and alert, and I doubt anyone would stop to mock me.

[SarahSerene]

Thanks for posting that! I mean, how often does that happen - one of us gets to watch the reaction of others to our kind during an extended walk down the street! That is pretty rare.

[dolovewell]

Not even close Melanie

I forgot to add in the age of this individual... she was probably in her older teens or younger 20s.

phili you may be right, maybe the girl was just trying to start a conversation and was interested. But it was clear the crossdresser wanted nothing to do with her at all and scampered away as fast as she could. That may explain the kind of stone face the girl who said Hi had afterward. If she was mocking him she probably would have laughed or giggled with the guy she was with

[Krisi]

Without photos of the crossdresser we don't know how she looked. We don't know how well she passed or blended but apparently not very well.

It's interesting that you say that crossdressers and trans women are common where you live. Apparently they are not passing either or you wouldn't notice them. I don't often see crossdressers or trans women in my area. I remember one trans woman at the beauty school where my wife and I went once. She had a rack to die for but she was over 6' tall and had a prominent adams apple. The only crossdresser I've ever seen was my own reflection in a store window.

I have had people say "Hi" or "Good morning" to me when I was out walking down the street. I manage a short reply and a smile in a feminine voice but I keep moving. I couldn't begin to carry on a conversation as a female.

[dolovewell]

From behind, she looked like an 18 year old boy in a skirt. About 6 feet tall.

Correct on not passing. Some of them give no effort to do so, others put all the effort they can into passing(or being as presentable and feminine as possible) and still fail to do so. I admit I feel bad for the latter, as you know they are trying, they just have too much to overcome. Those who don't give effort, I do wonder what their reasoning is.

I see a lot of the same crossdressers/transwoman every day on my route. Some of them I wish I could pull aside and give them some advice. There is one who I see every day who always has her hands in her pockets, hunched over, shoulders pointing forward, looking down at the ground with no smile and an overall demeanor of "I just want to get where I am going as fast as possible and hope no one sees me". I see this individual every day. Her body language makes me uncomfortable. If she fixed her posture and walk and smiled, it wouldn't be so bad.

I've had people say hi to me as well. But the girl yesterday, her HIIIIIIIII was really loud and drawn out. Which is why my first reaction was "Oh she must know this crossdresser, they must be friends", because it was the type of HIIIIIIIIII you would hear from a pair of friends who haven't seen each other in a while and happened to be running into each other somewhere unplanned and were suprised to see each other.

[Stephanie47]

Portland is a very open city when it comes to cross dressing. I think seeing a cross dresser or transwoman is no big deal in Portland. Ho hum! Maybe an out of towner would take a double take and have something to talk about later in a less accepting part of the country. Several years ago I was sitting in Costco eating a hot dog. A cross dresser went by in an outfit that was put together to shock. Six foot four plus in bra and sleeveless top and short shorts and five inch white heels. I had seen her before in the downtown area. Well, I did watch for reactions. Not a sole took even a first look.

I think the young woman making the drawn out HIIIIIII was just an immature @ss.

[ellbee]

Here's another story of "following in one's wake"...


http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?212499-The-Rose-Coloured-Glasses-Experiment

[Pat]

There's a kind of presumption that passing is the Holy Grail of crossdressing and it remains that to some but I think eventually most of us have to get over it. There isn't enough makeup, surgery or time for me to ever pass as a woman. And over time I've realized that I don't really want that -- what I want is to be left to be who I am. So these days when I'm out and about I just try to look like my best self. I guess I'm trying to present as a transgender person because that's what I am. (And it's hard enough to learn that skill after decades of [successfully] trying to pass as a cisgender male.) I remember when being clocked would be a traumatic event for me. Now I just smile and keep going. ;)