Dressing in the UK, Canada, EU and the USA...how differant is it?

[SophiaRose]

When I was young I used to love watching the Monty Python troop do skits in drag. My fav is the lumberjack song of course! I grew up thinking CDing was much more accepted in the UK vs the US and was indeed part of the social fabric. I imagine that was a naive impression. So, what's it like dressing in other countries? Is there more or less acceptance in the UK/Canada/EU? Are SO's more accepting?

I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK!

[docrobbysherry]

I have no experience dressing in the UK or Europe. And, advised NOT to even think about it in the Middle East. But, I've found remarkable acceptance in Asia. Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, and Tokyo at least.:thumbsup:

I found their cultures to be less restrictive as to CDing and much less sexually repressed than America.:sad:

[GracieRose]

the Monty Python lumberjack song/skit, is a favorite of mine. It often becomes an earworm when I'm cutting trees or splitting wood. Most people think it is outrageously funny, but to some of us, sometimes, it is spot on.

[danniUK]

I'm British and a huge Monty Python fan (got to see one of the live shows they did - I almost said 'recently' but now realise it was 10 years ago almost to the day!) Comedy that never gets old.

But to the subject on hand:
I think that these days, most of the western world has similar views on CDing and anything else that's considered 'unusual'. So I think the US and the UK probably have pretty similar attitudes in general - including things like being more accepted in big cities than small towns.
I'm not sure if there's always been a lock-step between western nations on this kind of thing though... it wasn't too long ago - at least in the UK - that a CDer would've just been branded with all of the derogatory terms that were used for gay people (regardless of their actual orientation). I'm thinking of times right up to the 90s.

[Helen_Highwater]

Danni's assessment I think is on the money. Reading the out and about stories on the forum there seems to be the same levels of acceptance on both sides of the pond including the wider European countries.

We have to be aware of our surroundings. I've said many times previously that in drab even if accompanied by a fully armed squad of SAS, there's parts of many cities I'd be wary of setting foot in. How we're relieved does depend to some extent on where we go. Going out shopping dressed to blend does seem to allow us a fair degree of freedom. The more effort we put in to looking like the women we come into contact with, the more we're accepted and for that matter engaged with.

We are a target for those waging a political culture war and certainly there's a section of society antagonist towards us. However the number of individuals prepared to actually vocalise their opinion face to face seems to be a small minority and to date I've not encountered any. Far more have been engaging and kind.

[Stacy Darling]

In My experience. Drag & CD in Australia (My home), Asia Pacific appears to be more accepted. Possibly as this has been in culture for a lot longer in or on our island regions. Pre Industrial revolution etc.
It however is always state by state and town by town.

[Christina C]

Been to all 50 states of the US and 20 plus different countries and I found SE Asia to be the most accepting.

[Sometimes Steffi]

And I always thought the the Brits had a "Stiff upper lip" about it.

I hope "Brits" is not derogatory. I don't mean it to be.

[Helen_Highwater]

Steffi,

"Brits" won't offend, often used to describe ourselves. Drag has always been part of British culture with most kids being exposed to it at an early age through pantomime. The shows always have a "Pantomine Dame", a male actor playing a usually matriarchal character. Never to my knowledge traumatised any child.

The LGBTQ Community as we now know it was always there but more an out of sight, out of mind relationship although being Gay was a criminal offence up until the the 1960's but the law was only partially changed and men were still being arrested right up until 2003 when further reforms took place.

Polomi was the gay version of Cockley rhyming slang and many terms in common use today originated from there. Stereotype gay men were staple characters in many comedy shows both on radio and later TV. However there was a social pressure for " decent honest people" to actually have distain for in particular gay men. Female gay couples got referred to as spinsters. I had two "spinster" aunts who only many years later did I come to realise were in fact living as a couple. They were just accepted as being part of the wider social family.

In the here and now as we ll now there are still the haters and some unscrupulous members of the press and politics stir up mistrust against our community for their own personal gains. However my experience is most people are really not that bothered having more important things to contend with in their daily lives.

[alwayshave]

So I had to go to YouTube and watch the lumberjack song, pretty funny.

[danniUK]

I hope "Brits" is not derogatory. I don't mean it to be.

Being the Welsh girl that I am I'm completely happy with "Brit". Just don't ever call me English!
(I love the English, it's just that despite living in England these days I'm not one of them!)

- - - Updated - - -


So I had to go to YouTube and watch the lumberjack song, pretty funny.

Monty Python totally shapped my sense of humour when I was a kid. On rewatching these days, some of it is hit-and-miss (of the kind that comes with age) but some is still hilarious!

[NancySue]

There?s no question in my mind that cding is much more acceptable most anywhere but the USA, especially the Midwest and South. One of my favorites is Benny Hill. The test is realism. It seems if you dress outrageously, i.e. drag, it?s OK, but if you dress to blend, pass, etc. the fear of getting caught is always there. It?s definitely true around here. JMO.

[Kayy]

I don’t go out as I don’t think I’d be able to pass and go unnoticed. Having said that, I have seen a few men wearing skirts/dresses in my area, no one seemed at all bothered by them or taking much notice, and I live in a fairly conservative part of the UK.

[Debs]

Sophia, I travel and go out a lot, large cities in the uk always has a lgbt community area that you are pretty safe in. Smaller town Hmm ok, but as an experienced and confident traveller Ive never encountered any problems, Shopping Malls are pretty safe for shopping, security guards at most shops. Ive Been out with Helen Highwater shopping and to pubs and clubs, we never had any hostile encounters, in fact just the opposite, we have been shopping and had foundation makeup tests we chatted in the shops to the girls about makeup, weve sat in coffee shops and chatted with the people on the next table, all seemed natural to us. We did the same at night in the pubs. A lot of it is down to confidence. So when you say acceptance ?, my understanding of that is how confident are you when dressed out in public, not actually where you are ?

[kimdl93]

Of course, I remember the lumberjack song from back when Monty Python first was broadcast via Public Broacasting back in the early 70s. I have no idea if the Python skits reflected greater acceptance or tolerance in British society or if it was just considered OK to make fun of.

[Leslie Langford]

When I was young I used to love watching the Monty Python troop do skits in drag. My fav is the lumberjack song of course! I grew up thinking CDing was much more accepted in the UK vs the US and was indeed part of the social fabric. I imagine that was a naive impression. So, what's it like dressing in other countries? Is there more or less acceptance in the UK/Canada/EU? Are SO's more accepting?

I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK!

Well, Sophia, I "see" your Monty Python troupe and I "raise" the ante by adding a Kids in the Hall ensemble.to the pot...Canada's contribution to crossdressing skit comedy. And truth be told, our "gals" were far prettier than the screechy "ladies if a certain age" often satirized so devastatingly by the Pythons :heehee:.

And let's not forget that it was CANADIAN lumberjacks who were portrayed by the Pythons in that skit, and supported in that iconic song by a rousing chorus voiced by group of Canadian Mounties...

[michelleddg]

The Kids in the Hall chicks are crazy gorgeous.

Hugs, Michelle

[susan jackson]

Polomi was the gay version of Cockley rhyming slang and many terms in common use today originated from there

Um... you mean Polari Helen. Polomi is something completely different

[Sometimes Steffi]

Being the Welsh girl that I am I'm completely happy with "Brit". Just don't ever call me English!
(I love the English, it's just that despite living in England these days I'm not one of them!)

I just learned something today. I didn't realize that you "Brits" have a North/South "problem" like the US does. I never really thought of Wales or Scotland being different than England.

I'm probably walking very deep into an area that I can't even begin to understand. And way off topic too.

Again, no offense intended.

[danniUK]

Again none taken!

The Welsh/Scots/Northern Irish find it a bit irritating when the rest of the world refers to us all as 'English' but generally excuse it.
'Britain' or 'Great Britain' is the big island that's composed of Wales, England and Scotland.
The 'United Kingdom' is Britain plus Northern Island.
There's quite a few Brits who don't get that distinction, let alone the rest of the world!

But what we find most annoying (and inexcusable) is when the English refer to what is clearly either Britain or the UK as 'England'. An example is I heard someone refer to 'the English Olympic team' the other day - there isn't one! Just the GB team.

Sorry, that's the last off-topic post - honest!