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Chloe St Clair
03-13-2019, 09:19 PM
One year ago I took the very scary step to join this forum. As someone with a highly visible position in a very conservative company I was petrified to take that step. A year later I can truly say I'm glad I found the courage to do so.

I have so many thoughts rolling around in my head about what being a member here means to me, I'm finding it difficult to put them into words.

But they can best be summarized as this, Having a place where I can share my thoughts, hopes, and adventures with other people who have the same feelings, needs and interests is beyond priceless!

Being able to read about the other members adventures helped motivate me to step even further out of my self imposed closet. Eventually, leading me to make an appointment to visit a wig salon where I not only made my first public appearance wearing a dress and heels in 30 years, I purchased a wig. Then a little over a month ago I attended the first of what I hope will be many more GNO's.

Though they have been baby steps, those steps would not have taken place were it not for encouragement and support this forum has provided to not just me, but all the visitors who come here.

There is no doubt the creation of Internet has made a huge and mostly positive impact on human society, but sometimes I feel its anonymity has resulted in a decline in civility.

But thanks to everyone here, and especially the moderators, for making sure this forum is a welcoming and friendly place, I know when I login I won't be subjected to the derision and ridicule which seems to run rampant across many social platforms these days.

We are all truly blessed the founders, whoever and wherever they are, took the steps to create this wonderful place, and I thank them everyday.

As a final thought I'd to share a passage I recently came across which I find quite inspirational and I think very appropriate. It's from a book written in 1951 by William Hutchison Murray, The Scottish Himalayan Expedition.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way...

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

Had I not committed to join this forum, I most likely never would have stepped out of the closet. I certainly would not have come to regard everyone here as being a friend.

Chloe

GracieRose
03-13-2019, 09:28 PM
Well stated, Chloe.

phili
03-13-2019, 09:58 PM
Thank you for sharing the special poem- it speaks to the fact that courage is born of commitment.

I think committment comes from our allegiance to truth and our innate arrow of truth, which persists through time and calls for us to come out in a way that settles us.

Beverley Sims
03-13-2019, 11:59 PM
Chloe,

A nice sentiment.

Tracii G
03-14-2019, 12:35 AM
You deserve the accolades for getting out and doing your thing.
I am a conservative person with like minded friends and we get along just fine they accept me for who I am not what I am.
I have progressive friends too but they they are harder to be around because they always complain about things.

SamanthaToday
03-14-2019, 01:48 AM
"There is no doubt the creation of Internet has made a huge and mostly positive impact on human society, but sometimes I feel its anonymity has resulted in a decline in civility."

This line from you is so true, the internet has been has given so much but has also been so cruel.

"there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans"

I love this line from the poem, for me its the closed minded who crush all advancement in society.

By the way you are so cute in your Avatar.

Samantha

Davina2833
03-14-2019, 03:21 AM
Chloe,

What an outstanding thread. So much of it is me. Thank you for such a lovely piece of
your thoughts and in site as to who we are. I know from the short time that I have
been here I have learned so much from everyone. Again thank you for your thoughts.

Davina

Helen_Highwater
03-14-2019, 05:13 AM
Chloe,

Wonderfully expressed sentiment.

I thought of joining here as being a bit like coming across a new food, something you'd never experienced before and until you try it, you can't know what it tastes like.

Yours is the second recent post that talks about the trepidation felt before actually joining the forum, something I certainly experienced. An irrational fear that we'd be outed to the world the moment we hit the enter key.

Instead what actually happens is we reveal ourselves to ourselves. We find who we truly are.

So, if as you read this you're simply lurking, worried about committing to joining, take inspiration from Chloe's writing and come join us.

alwayshave
03-14-2019, 06:59 AM
Chloe, congrats on a year. I love the sentiment.

missjoann49
03-14-2019, 09:16 AM
Very well stated, congrats on being here for a year and making the progress that you have made

carhill2mn
03-14-2019, 12:01 PM
Good for you! There is another saying that you cannot cross a stream (river?) in two small steps. Once you decide to do something do it as well as you can. Enjoy!

LeannS
03-14-2019, 01:11 PM
Chloe happy anniversary to your one yr here. and it is nice to have someplace to go and get encouragement and the help we need.

GeorgeA
03-14-2019, 09:39 PM
Great post, Chloe.

It's nearly a decade since I joined the forum and do not regret a second of my time here. Being a life-long crossdresser I thought I knew what being a CD is. Then I discovered such a variety of CDs I never expected to exist. We are all different yet still alike.

Being a MIAD I was happy to discover so many kindred souls who also encompass that lifestyle. For a long time I thought I was alone in not wanting to impersonate a woman.

Even those not being MIADs accepted me with politeness and kindness. We all have something in common and understand one another, notwithstanding our differences.

This is a great meeting place where we can exchange ideas and learn something along the way. (UCD? university of crossdressing?)

Aunt Kelly
03-14-2019, 11:39 PM
Well said, Chloe. This virtual community is a godsend for many, it's true. And trust me, the level of civility here, while not perfect, is still exemplary. I was moderating on-line forums since before there was a commercially available Internet. I've seen some staggeringly dysfunctional "communities". As you say, the anonymity can inhibit the filters we might otherwise have.

Meanwhile, you my dear, have stepped up and joined the ranks of those showing the way. You're out there, living it, and then sharing what you've learned in order to inspire others.

Hugs,


Kelly

BLUE ORCHID
03-15-2019, 07:38 PM
Hi Chloe :hugs:, It is like I always say,

"When you are here you are home.

What ever your question is there is a 99.875% chance that one or more of us will have an answer for you."


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Orchid ..O:daydreaming:O..

kimdl93
03-15-2019, 09:09 PM
Chloe, as someone who has spent as much time as you in turmoil about one's identity and as determined to hide that identity, I can only applaud and to a minor degree amplify your observations.

I know we are unprecedented. Till now, it was impossible to imagine anyone living a life incongruent with their internal gender identity.


What a revelation...at 60+years of age to learn otherwise.

Chloe St Clair
03-15-2019, 10:16 PM
Great post, Chloe.

. . .Being a life-long crossdresser I thought I knew what being a CD is. Then I discovered such a variety of CDs I never expected to exist. We are all different yet still alike.

Being a MIAD I was happy to discover so many kindred souls who also encompass that lifestyle. For a long time I thought I was alone in not wanting to impersonate a woman.

Even those not being MIADs accepted me with politeness and kindness. We all have something in common and understand one another, notwithstanding our differences.

This is a great meeting place where we can exchange ideas and learn something along the way. (UCD? university of crossdressing?)

Salerba,

Exactly! Until I started coming here, I only knew about one type of CD. It took me a couple of months to figure out that you, Phili and John weren't misspelling Maid.

For me, I'm not 'impersonating' a woman so much as dressing in a manner that is consistent with how I feel I should be dressing. Unfortunately, since my family wasn't wealthy, and I have't won the lottery, in order to make sure I could take care of my children, I have to dress as our binary society demands.

I think I said this in another post somewhere on this site that I applaud what the MIAD's do. Your willingness to appear in public wearing dresses and skirts without the make-up and wigs makes it easier for those of us who 'need' to present the whole package.

Chloe
First year student at UCD!

- - - Updated - - -


Chloe, as someone who has spent as much time as you in turmoil about one's identity and as determined to hide that identity, I can only applaud and to a minor degree amplify your observations.

I know we are unprecedented. Till now, it was impossible to imagine anyone living a life incongruent with their internal gender identity.


What a revelation...at 60+years of age to learn otherwise.

Kim,
I knew I was different the first time I put on my sisters red velvet party dress when I was five years old.

I firmly believe the Internet and the on-line services (AOL and Compuserve) which proceeded it, have played a large role in the acceptance we get by most people when we appear in public now. Also shows, like I am Jazz, Transparent, Orange is the New Black, and even Ru-Paul's Drag Race all contribute to educating the Public at large. Even if that education is nothing more than making Jane and John Doe say to themselves, oh there goes my neighbor, he's a nice guy even if he likes to occasionally appear in public wearing a dress.

Do I sometimes wish I'd been born in this century instead of the previous one, sure. I'd have a Youtube channel and would be Vloging my face off. :wave2:

Now that my children are all grown, and my career is winding down, it's time for me to let the woman inside me come out. It may not be as often as I wish, but she will be stepping out for sure.