Being around my kids as Liz Michelle

[LizMichelle]

Being around my kids as Liz Michelle, they are cool about it. They do call me my femme name when I am dressed as her including using she and her. My 21 year old son and daughter and 18 year old daughter, They have been great about. When they were 13 and 10,my wife and I discussed it was time to tell them finally which we both agreed on it. They were always noticing there was something about me and asked me about another side of me. It was finally 8 years ago I revealed to them there was a female side of me, Liz Michelle I like to dress as part time. They learned I am still like any normal dad when I am not dressed as her. Did ask what she is like she is like and told them Liz Michelle is real nice. Shown them pictures of me dressed as her at first. Finally one weekend they did get to meet me dressed as her and called me by my femme name right away. Also got to know her more too and that went well and has been great ever since. They did get harassed and bullied at first saying I was a weirdo and told them that is not true. Luckily the principals did take care of it and that stopped. How they see me as Liz Michelle is a 2nd mom that also cares. When I am not dressed as her, they still see me as a normal loving dad in their life to this day. My daughters say I look better in a dress than mom as Liz Michelle and my wife agrees with them.

[alwayshave]

Liz Michelle, That is wonderful that your family is so accepting.

[Marketa]

That is great! I'm glad we live in times when we are accepted by society.

[LizMichelle]

My youngest graduates high school in May and she has already asked me to go as Liz Michelle to her graduation. Told her yes on that and is excited about it

[Jasmine23]

Hi Liz Michelle,
That's great, you're lucky you get to dress whenever you like. It's awful that your kids got bullied, but, great that it got sorted. How did other people find out that you dress up and have you noticed a change in how they treat you.
Edit: just seen about going to your daughters graduation, that's great news, hope you have a great day!

[LizMichelle]

It was 50/50 at first with the other people finding out. The others that took it well,it was acceptance and the others learned to adjust whom did not accept at first. Their friends,it is been good seeing I was different in a good way

[docrobbysherry]

I didn't tell my kids until I had to. When one was still living with me at age 18. And, almost caught me a few times!:doh:

I didn't want them to know when they were young because if they told their kid and teen friends, they mite be very mean!:sad:

I don't want my grandkids to know for the same reason.:straightface:

[JulieC]

My wife and I decided long ago not to tell our kids at least until they were out of school and off to college, for the same reasons noted about by Docrobbysherry and by LizMichelle; harassment. Young kids can be very, very mean sometimes. We didn't want them to have to put up with that.

Now, the kids are all adult. We don't see a pressing reason to tell them. I have zero...absolutely zero...desire to dress in front of them. I would like to dress more often than I am currently able (two of them still living at home). But, since I would not dress in front of them telling them doesn't change that. A bit paradoxically, once they move out then there may be a reason to tell them. What we don't want to have happen is if I am dressed and they walk in the door unexpectedly. So, we may have a conversation with them once the last one moves out. Until then, it's on a need to know basis and they don't have a need to know.

[danniUK]

What a great thing to read Liz Michelle!

I've been thinking about this for a while now. I have one adult child and one teen (both boys). Would I want them to know? As already mentioned, there's always the risk that the eldest could turn up at the front door unannounced at any time so to preempt that maybe. I don't think I'd want to talk to my youngest about it until he was an adult, I think Sherry said earlier: playground gossip if it got out would be horrible.
All of this is kind of academic though, while I think I'd like to "go public" one day, I don't think my wife's opinion will ever change so it'll be in private and/or anonymous places where I'll never be recognised only.

[Connie D50]

What a wonderful family thank you for sharing.

[Fiona_44]

I'm so glad to hear about your family's acceptance. A big burden off your shoulders for sure.

[ColleenA]

I told my oldest and youngest when each turned 18 or 19 about my dressing, which at the time was only an in-the-house thing. (My middle child had found my stash at about age 12, so that was a different situation.) I told them not because I was worried about them walking in on me while I was dressed, but because I worried that if I had a medical emergency while dressed and collapsed, they would be hit with two huge shocks at once.
It's been more than 20 years and none of them have met Colleen. She's a part of my life that I don't share with most people, but especially them, and they have never expressed interest in meeting her. I'm ok with that.