Anyone begin dressing by appearing in a school play?

[Belfast Bill]

I was wondering if anyone got started dressing as a girl by taking part in a school play, boy scout show, or talent show, and at what age this happened, and what was the reaction of school friends, family etc?

[Amy Hepker]

I would have been to embarrassed to do it back then.

[Chari]

As a Cub Scout (pre Boy Scouts) at age 8, I had to play the part of a little girl as I was the smallest of the group. For two weeks prior to the play my mother dressed me completely as a girl, making me act, talk, and do everything as a little girl when I was home. She even changed my name to "Sissy" and made me carry a "dolly" where ever I went. Day of the play most people thought I was a "real girl", probably assuming I was someones little sister. I was confused as to why I enjoyed the soft silky feel of girl clothes, the smell of perfume, taste of lipstick, and the pinch of earrings, but never said anything. Mother liked me as a girl and she continued my "petticoat punishment" into my mid teens, demanding I wear frilly girl clothes, that she bought, when we were alone. For many years I had very little self worth, carried alot of guilt, humiliation, and the fear that someone would find out I had to wear "sissy" girl clothes.

Chari

[celeste26]

Chari this sounds very much like the plot to some of the stories at Fictionmania. While I am not accusing you of offering fiction in one of the threads here it is suspicious.

[matti]

When I was younger my cousin was going to a catholic school where she had to wear a skit and blouse everyday. One day after school I was with her and my aunt doing my homework and she wanted to go outside to play and I didn't. My aunt told her not in her school outfit. There were no changes of clothes so she ask her aunt if we changed clothes could she then go out to play and my aunt said if it is ok with me it is ok with her. So we went into the bedroom bath room and she undressed and I undressed. She put her clothes outside the door and I put mine outside her door. What a feeling I had putting on her underwear blue tights skirt blouse and shoes and then went back to my homework. She put on my underwear pants shirt and shoes and went out to play. I was given the opportunity to leave her clothes on for the rest of the day but had to change back before I went home late that evening. We changed a few times more before we both got older. The last time we got together we talked about those good times.

[Chari]

Celeste26, My Mother was a very demanding, forceful individual, who enjoyed her controling power over weaker persons, whether they were child or adult. Consequences were harsh if refusal or retaliation were given. Thankfully I lived through it. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Chari

[insearchofme]

It wasn't a school play, however the neighbor kids would put on plays for our parents. For the girl roles we got our mother's old dresses and at that time I could fit into them so I was the girl. It was fun, but alas I grew too big for their clothes and had to play boy roles.

[Carly D.]

When I was in grade school we did christmas opperetas and a couple of years I was supposed to wear tights but my mom would have none of that and I ended up having to wear pajama bottoms as tights.. I don't know if I made a big stink about wearing tights or what but if I would have known how good I felt in them I would have worn them back then..

[StephanieH]

:daydreaming:I've said it before here, but in the 4th Grade we had a "boy's beauty pageant" at school. Those of us who were in it stayed in our girl garb all day, the contest was early in the day and we just stayed dressed because the adults thought it would be fun I suppose. They were right! I WON the contest, 1st place, wearing a short tennis dress and the matching tennis undies, had a long brown wig on, and I loved the whole darned thing. That day is seriously one I can point back to as a turning point.

I always had rather fem tendencies and such, even before that, but that was the day I discovered what it felt like to see how "the fairer sex" lives and I seriously liked it - no idea why, just did - still do - still have no idea why!

Take care and God bless! :D

[Cristi]

I just attended a school play put on by a local high school. While none of the boys were dressed as women, the play called for a lot of men, which was a problem with such a small school. So it ended up that about half the 'male' parts were played by girls in male 'drag'.

The thing that got to me was that nobody batted an eye at this at all... but if the tables had been turned and they needed a dozen boys to fill GIRL'S parts in dresses and makeup, it would have caused quite a stir and would have become the focus of attention (if they were even able to talk any of the teenage boys into doing it)!

Anyway... the play (fiddler on the roof) was great, but the one thing that kept catching my attention is that one of the girls was wearing the exact same skirt that I own, so I was watching her every move as she danced and swirled around in it... *sigh*.

[Sarah V]

Yes, I experienced this also in my youth at our church. My hometown church, back in the day, had a very active adult amatur comunity theater guild program and I was asked to be in a few of their plays as a child character, and also as one of the main characters (Tin Man) in the [I]wizard of Oz. [I] I ]vividly remember having to wear girls tights as part of my costume in a few of the productions. I remember my mother taking me to one of the local department stores to buy them.

I throughly loved the opprotuity as I had already begun to experiment with dressing by "borrowing" my sisters on occasion to try on. Looking back on it now almost 30 years later, I think my mom knew I enjoyed wearing tights in the plays as I can remember her making a comment about it.:daydreaming:

[black leotards]

I was in 5th grade when I was in a play for a drama class. I played a prince who was being held captive by elves. I was supposed to wear tights as part of the costume. I desperately wanted to do so, but a friend who was an elf king was also supposed to wear tights. He protested big time, so I felt I had to as well. Too bad. I should have just gone ahead and worn the tights! :)

[TracyH]

I notice there's never a "anyone begin dressing because of a convenient laundry hamper and some privacy?" Thread. Because if there were, I'd be all up in that.

[lisa_e_love]

I notice there's never a "anyone begin dressing because of a convenient laundry hamper and some privacy?" Thread. Because if there were, I'd be all up in that.

That's me too. It would be a dream come true to be in one of these school drag pageants or plays. But when it comes down to it, I was just alone one day and saw clothes in a hamper and decided to give in. Much more unglamorous.

[Gemma Rhodes]

Not as such dressing as a girl but when I was 5 or 6 I played the part of Dick Whittingtons cat in a school play and this involved wearing a black leotard and black tights. I can't really remember if I enjoyed the experience but often think back and wonder if this was the trigger for my dressing.