Scotland

[Liz Jones]

Hi ,
in view of the interest in Mark B video can i tell about our holiday in Scotland last year ? We went for a day out (Wife &I ) we went to the Bo'ness &Kineal preserved Railway.Sitting in the railway carriage we were made aware of a person at our seat who introduced herself as --Linda. Now Linda was dressed in grey tights, grey dress &agrey cardigan (i think) She was selling calanders to the railway visitors(we bought one ) She went the length of the train(and back) seems Linda does most weekends on the railway--they have thousands of visitors a year--takes some courage .......
What impressed us was the fact that (like me)Linda could be easily "read" ........
Liz

[Micki_Finn]

There are very few crossdressers who can’t be read in close inspection. One more reason to not trip over yourself worrying about “passable”

[Rogina B]

What about transgender women just living their life?

[Micki_Finn]

Well since trans women are women, it’s a bit of a different conversation.

[Crissy 107]

Liz, Nice on the trip and nice you supported Linda, it sounds like she is comfortable with herself. Good for her

[DianeT]

About being "read". Full disclosure I never go out so I what I'm about to say may or may not be relevant. Anyways, a lot of crossdressers seem to attach great importance to it. If you are fearing for your own safety, or dislike the "looks" you can get, I understand why it can be important to pass (however delusional that can be). But when you dress and go out, you are obviously trying to look at your best. You may not be looking like a woman, but you may be looking like what you consider a beautiful version of you. If you still look male but look fine in your female attire, it seems like reward enough to me. Everybody can read you and that's cool, no games, no more or less sincere confirmations. They simply see and interact with the real you.

[paulinescotlandcd]

I travel all over Scotland and oddly of all places I called in just weeks was Bo'ness. I have not popped into the railway for over 30 years. I was last there taking my son to a Thomas the Tank day. I hope you had a had a good holiday :)

[Liz Jones]

Hmm,, did yu go to THAT fish &chip shop--wish we had one as good.......
Liz

- - - Updated - - -

We holiday in Scotland each year --never been elsware!My Father came from Glasgow&still have relatives in Scotland. This year is the first time we have not been "North"in 41years.........
Liz

[Helen_Highwater]

Liz,

You wrote, "seems Linda does most weekends on the railway--they have thousands of visitors a year--takes some courage ....... Can I suggest another interpretation, and that is "Takes confidence"

I'll agree that there is that initial first time, that step into the unknown and that does take courage but once you're mastered those initial fears then being confident in what you do and how you interact with folks will carry the day.

As for being read, as others have said very very few of us pass and even fewer pass 100%. The trick is knowing you don't pass close inspection and being comfortable and confident with that. What isn't that difficult to achieve is to present yourself so that from most angles the majority of people will see what they believe to be a female. I'm sure a lot of folks who travel on that train who's first encounter with Linda is a view of her from the back will register a female. Even at some distance face on that could still be the case.

I don't pass but I've learned from experience that the package I put together allows me to blend into a crowd such that I've had a GG who was standing at my side speak to me and only when I replied did her body language tell me of her surprise that she realised I wasn't what she'd expected.

As for Linda, she's living her life, doing something that I suspect for her is a passion but doing it presenting as the person she wants to be.

[Teresa]

Liz,
Also consider Linda could be FAB but presenting as NB or even F/M TG . What you read a person as may not be what you think it is .

Diane,
You are making assumptions based on CDing . As you say your comments may not be relevant because you've never ventured out , which in this case is true .

Being TG means coming to terms with and accepting your presention , if fear still comes into it then perhaps you shouldn't be doing it . At some point we have to accept we are not read as male and believe we are being read as female and it's not a case of fooling yourself and others . I have been out now for for over two years and do not get misgenderd and part of that reason is I don't misgender myself anymore .

[Liz Jones]

Hi,
Thanks everybody for your interest in this post.
Liz