When did we know?

[Jan W]

Girls,

I realize that this is a subject much discussed but one I feel needs quantifying.

At what age did you know that you had trans feelings?

Please answer through the poll.

Thanks,

Jan

[Faye Emmette]

..But was never fully accepting or happy with it til my 30th birthday ( or leading up to it).
Felt conscious in the Cinema when I saw "Psycho" and they mentioned that Norman Bates wasn't a transvestite (and thinking " Oh S*#t I hope no-one realises I am")..

[allisonrn06]

I remember wanting to wear tights/pantyhose as early as kindergarten,possibly even a year or 2 before that.

[Angela Burke]

Always Jan, always.

[Phyliss]

I was around ten or so when I did the usual curiosity thing but kinda grew out of it until my mid 20's and began to get more interested. That about marks the time when "I knew".

[Vicky_Scotland]

I was around 11 or 12 when out one day on my bike I cycled through a drying area in my local area. On one of the washing lines I saw several pairs of satin panties a satin bra. Before I knew it the panties and bra were in my pockets and I was madly cycling for home.

Once i got home i went upstairs and shut my bedroom door and tried them on. As they say the rest is history. I had many trips out on my bike after that and gathered lots of underwear and hoisery from peoples washing lines. I know now that this was basically theft and wrong but then it was a thrill and the only way of obtaining those wonderful items.

I remember one time in particular I was out and grabbed a suspender belt ( first time I had seen a suspender belt on a washing line) and stockings and was just about to cycle away when i heard a mans voice shouting at me to leave them alone. I have never cycled so fast and been so frightened in my young life. But the urge even after that just got stronger. I amassed a fair collection I can tell you.

Anyways just to put your minds at rest I am married to a wonderful woman who accepts my femme side and I have my own wardrobe bought and paid for legally. Anyway thats how I got started and it might sound like a made up story to some but i can assure you that's not the case. Just thats how it happened.:happy:

[Janelle Young]

My earliest memory was at around age three when I got caught wearing my sisters panties. I did not really know until around age 12 though.

[RachelDenise]

It all began around age 12 as near as I remember. I mean really began to understand what it all was about.

[Teresa Amina]

Actually a pre-dressing experience. I liked to play with the little girl next door when I was very small, and was told I should play with the boys down the street. Couldn't imagine Why I would possibly have any interest in that! They were rough and loud- I wasn't. I liked going next door and playing girly. Don't think I was dressed up or anything, it just seemed right to be playing with my own kind!;)

[Sarah Rabbit]

I was around 11 or 12 when out one day on my bike I cycled through a drying area in my local area. On one of the washing lines I saw several pairs of satin panties a satin bra. Before I knew it the panties and bra were in my pockets and I was madly cycling for home.

Once i got home i went upstairs and shut my bedroom door and tried them on. As they say the rest is history. I had many trips out on my bike after that and gathered lots of underwear and hoisery from peoples washing lines. I know now that this was basically theft and wrong but then it was a thrill and the only way of obtaining those wonderful items.

I remember one time in particular I was out and grabbed a suspender belt ( first time I had seen a suspender belt on a washing line) and stockings and was just about to cycle away when i heard a mans voice shouting at me to leave them alone. I have never cycled so fast and been so frightened in my young life. But the urge even after that just got stronger. I amassed a fair collection I can tell you.

Anyways just to put your minds at rest I am married to a wonderful woman who accepts my femme side and I have my own wardrobe bought and paid for legally. Anyway thats how I got started and it might sound like a made up story to some but i can assure you that's not the case. Just thats how it happened.:happy:

So that's where my Panties went??. Give them back. Washed, thankyou.:D

Sarah R. :bunny:

[annekathleen]

The more I was around womens clothing, the more curious I became.
From older sisters, to sisters of my best friends, to my girlfriends, my wives, friends of my wives, you get the picture, the more opportunities that I had, the more I explored.

[Sam-antha]

Guess I was a late starter, but that helps in the selection of what I wanted to do.
Somewhere in the early thirties, ( my age that is) and I have not got the foggiest idea why. Like getting married.
Wanted too.
Samm

[Joy Carter]

About three or four then quit at about twelve it all came rushing back at twentyone and it took over a quarter of a century to finally accept myself. The pain and depression I endured is forgotten now and I have to make peace with my spouce over this. So much information from all the gurls here so much advice from the GG's it all has been so helpful at last I'm not alone any more.

[Rene]

At about 3 or 4 years old I was playing dolls with a nieghbor girl. Her mother told me I didn't have to play dolls if I didn't want. I told her that was it was OK, I wanted to be a girl. I don't remember playing with her again after that.

[Tina Dixon]

It's was some where around that age of 12 when I discovered my mothers half slip and I was hooked.

[sparks]

Yep! Found memories of playing spy guy! Enemy agents made me wear my grannies bra. I was all by myself the enemies were imaginary but hooking the bra was not. And the journey down the rabbit hole began.
Funny I recall getting busted by my mom many times in my younger years between 4-6 but she never really said anything to me about and especially later til now the topic has never come up.

[Jan W]

Thanks girls for participating in the poll and your replies.

I myself dressed in my sisters clothes at three years of age. I can recall it vividly and was caught in the act by my mother who just smiled and let me be. Have never stopped for any length of time since.

This is the reason for my poll. What would make me prefer to be a girl at such an early age? Obviously not sexual reasons.

Will continue to ponder.

Jan

[CrissyBlair]

I was about 4 when my mom caught me in the bathroom putting her hose on.

[Helen MC]

I always mark when I first wore a pair of my big sister's knickers (panties) when I was 12, but realise that I was attracted by female clothing, both panties and skirts, dresses etc before that. I also was never a "macho" or "butch" boy, hating "rough and tumble" games, any team or gang activities, hating having to rough it or getting dirty etc, detesting competition, and have always been a bit "girly" in my outlooks and activities.

[Falcor]

Like many others,at a very early age[around 4 or5]I stumbled upon a wardrobe of dated 50's clothing of a much older sister,everything was there,shoes,massive amounts of underwear,dress's,skirts,just everything!
And that was that!

[betty56]

I too started at 4 or 5, I remember finding a black dress in our garage one day.Everyone was home and I could have been caught but that didnt stop me! I put it on anyway! I progressed quickly to my moms lingerie,( the only female in the house). Been enjoying cding ever since! (45 yrs):D

[Lilith Moon]

Obviously, I didn't know about trans or gender roles and stuff. But there must have been some reason why I wore bedsheets as improvised skirts and dresses and stood on the bed so I could see myself in the mirror.

Just like others here, I quickly graduated to mothers clothes.

[Krystal Lee]

Jan W,
I have always known and my earlist memories are of wearing my sisters and my mothers panties.

My mother put together a collection of early stuff, pictures, grade school report cards, etc.. for each of us kids. In mine is a picture of me in diapers and wearing her high heels.

I always thought that just might have been an early indication.

Hugs Krystal.

[cosmolovesph]

I remember wearing Pantyhose to elementary school, so i chose 5-10 since we moved from that area when i was 9 ;) wow... I even told a classmate i was wearing... and now i still remain "concerned" someone i know will see me from time to time... go figure :p

[CherylB]

I always prefered playing girls games when I was very young. Even playing 'Mother and Fathers' I insisted being the mother or the daughter. It just seemed natural for me to play a female role rather than a male role.

[MsEva]

I chose around five. My only friends at that time were girls..there were two that I would play with. The boys in my neighborhood were loud and I was afraid to approach them. It was about a year later that I summoned the courage to join the boys. But I think the die had been cast. I remember one halloween at elementary school one boy dressed as a girl in mod dress, go go boots and blonde wig..I couldn't keep my eyes off her. I didn't understand why, but just knew I loved it. There were some other boys from school that I summoned the courage up to play "girls". They were ok with it..but asked me how to play it..I said..I don't know, let's just pretend we are girls and play with our cars. It went ok for a while but other friends were not too eager to play so...shut that avenue down. Later on, I tried on mom's stuff, heels girdle etc. It went into sort of remission. But I discoverd that my mom had some cute go go boots in white and black and wore them on many occassions. Later after we moved to a new house bought from friends of the family, I discovered a hope chest in the attic with two beautiful merry widows that became mine. In college I found some panties left in the laundry mat and started to wear them. I guess it wasn't until many years later in my marriage that I went all the way with makeup, wig and my own wardrobe.

[Siobhan Marie]

I always thought that I was a dirty little pervert who liked nothing better than wearing ladies clothes and it wasn't until recently (last December) that I realised that I am a crossdresser and have recently accepted it. I feel so much better inside these days. All I want now is my own wig, wardrobe and footwear.

[MsEva]

I always thought that I was a dirty little pervert who liked nothing better than wearing ladies clothes and it wasn't until recently (last December) that I realised that I am a crossdresser and have recently accepted it. I feel so much better inside these days. All I want now is my own wig, wardrobe and footwear.
Well, I hope you get it soon luv.

Eva

[donna h]

In my early teens I started with my sisters and moms lingerie, still dont know why but now in early forties and still love the way the clothes make me feel.Stopped off and on but you know how it is.

[ronda]

i remember at age 3 & 4 wearing my sisters and my mothers night gowns and high heels they had to make me take them off i remember tucking in third grade to see how i would look if i was a girl and wanting to be one:happy: :happy: :D

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

I realize that this is a subject much discussed but one I feel needs quantifying.

FYI, there have be several formal research surveys on this as well as informal ones like the 1999 Yvonne's Place Survey (http://www.yvonnesplace.net/survey/survey99/survey99_results.htm) of about 1,300 CDs.

The results are reasonably consistent from survey to survey, given the inherent problems in surveying a closeted population.

Yvonne's survey found that 4 in 5 CDs (83% to be exact) began by age 12 and only 2% began after age 21. The most frequent starting ages were:
8 = 12.72%
5 = 12.55%
10 = 12.47%
12 = 9.89%
6 = 7.90%

Yvonne's survey did find an earlier starting age overall than previous studies, which may be because the number of respondents were both more numerous and more diverse (the next two studies mentioned, recruited through CD organizations in the pre-Internet era). It may also be because the question may have been asked differently -- i.e. allowing people to enter specific ages vs. age ranges.


Richard Docter's survey (done in the 1980s) found
<5 = 10%
5-10 = 43%
11-15 = 32%
16-20 = 5%
21-25 = 3%
26-30 = 1%
31-35 = 2%
>35 = 4%

Prince and Bentlers survey (published in 1972) reported 54% before age 10 and 85% before age 15.

The ongoing Crossdressers' Secret Garden survey (http://cdsecretgarden.femmegetaway.com/body_survey.htm) (originally developed by Richard Docter) doesn't ask about crossdressing per se, but does ask for "earliest remembrance of transgendered role behavior" with the following results from about 1,500 respondents:

3 years old = 5%
4 - 6 years old= 37%
7 - 10 years old = 30%
11 - 15 years old = 22%
16 - 20 years old = 3%
21 or older= 2%

[CammyT]

Aloha,
I see my need to be en femme as a part of being a whole human being. Yin and Yang. I love the duality of it all!