Why do u think CDs r reviled, the world over?

[docrobbysherry]

The "CDs in the closet" thread got me wondering. I think most of the population don't like, ( I'm using that term litely), CDs for the following reason. I believe they see us as the worst kind of dirty perverts. Probably gay, but hate us even worse than just gays. Because----?

I believed those same things about myself, ( and still do, on the rare occassion), until I came here one year ago.

CDs flaunt the religious teachings of most all the major religions. Altho I'm not terribly religious, but many people in the USA r. Is that one of the biggest issues folks here have with CDs?

It's even worse for CDs in Eastern block countries. Anyone who goes out dressed there, will likely be assaulted, or even worse! After years of communism, they r not nearly as religious as the US. But, they seem to hate anyone sexually/genderly different from the norm. Why do they hate us and gays so much?

Obviously people world wide feel threatened by CDs. But why?

Please feel free to rant, preach, posture, or debate, on this thread. It's the eve of our NATIONAL HOLIDAY! Go for it girls!:Angry3:

[Samantha43]

I think it is as simple as people fear what they don't understand. Because we dress as the opposite sex, we must be perverts. Some people are simply narrow minded, and won't let themselves accept anyone "different" than them.

[Celeste]

I agree with the statement "they fear what they don't understand",I also feel ignorance of a segment of society is no reason to be discriminatory toward them.My family encouraged prejudice when I was growing up,after identifying it as being counter productive in my life, I've disposed of it and moved forward.My wish would be that in time people will learn its not "their's" to cast judgment regarding others lifestyles.To me, they are throwing their time away trying to change the flow of a river.

[DeborahAnne]

One thing that I have found after nearly 50 years of crossdressing is that very few hates us these days the same as very few hate Gay people. I have many Gay friends both men and women though I myself am not Gay. I have found that Gay men/women are not interested in CD/TV simply because they have no interest in people who like to pretend they are of a certain gender. They understand and are happy to let us get on with our lives.
I don't understand why you think that people worldwide feel threatened?
Debby xxx

[Natasha Carlo]

I think it is as simple as people fear what they don't understand. Because we dress as the opposite sex, we must be perverts. Some people are simply narrow minded, and won't let themselves accept anyone "different" than them.

I couldn't agree with you more :)

[Nicole Erin]

I have not run into a lot of hate. Some yes...

There are groups that are hated a lot more than we are.

free loaders, hagglers, pedos, bill collectors, telemarketers, in-laws...

I think we are misunderstood but maybe "hated" is too strong...

[battybattybats]

The most important thing to do is to point out that the very thread title is wrong!

CDs aren't reviled the world over!!!

When the King of Tonga is crowned or married who is considered sacred enough to plan the ceremony?

A crossdresser!

In much of the world crossdressers have been sacred and in some parts they still are.

But hate has been allowed to spread.

In India where Gods crossdressed and changed sex now the conserative fundamentalist Hindu groups oppose the rights of TG people and gay people, but they took on their homophobia and transphobia from other cultures and are ignoring their own religion!

In the Islamic world there have been centuries of tolerance and acceptance of crossdressers and homosexuality as well as of other faiths and now wahabist death squads stalk the streets of Iraq seeking gay and TG folk as well as Zoarastrians whose temples have stood in that land with their sacred flames constantly burning for thousands of years and the Yezidee and other religions that have survived in the country for century after century after century.

The problem hides in the guise of religion but thats only an excuse. How many CD-hating christians eat pork? Shrimp?

Did they miss the bit in the same list of laws that said to not impose their own rules for themselves over others http://bible.cc/exodus/22-21.htm

That law in the bible (stated many times unlike the one mention of crossdressing which is likely misstranslated and two iirc against homosexuality) makes every single homophobic and/or transphobic or anti-muslim christian utterly wrong and if they believe gay and trans folk are going to hell and they ever slighted, oppressed or wronged anyone because they are gay or trans or from different religion or country then they will be in hell right alongside them along with the pork eaters and the shellfish eaters and those who once wore cotton blend socks but getting much more attention from the devils pitchforks because the intolerant christians broke a more often stated and more important rule.

Why is that not preached in every fundamentalist church where they rile against gay marriage?

Because its not about religion, its just hidden in religious preachings.

It's about the carefully taught hatred of the different, about accepting what is preached without question or checking for ones self to enable political power and to enable the propagation of hatred.

That hatred is being deliberatly taught and deliberately spread into places where for centuries crossdressers have been sacred or accepted.

We aren't reviled the world over, we are reviled the most in countries where extremists from Abrahamic religions have selectively cherry-picked their religious texts to justify their hatred and ignore the commands not to hate and then these liars have taught their hatred to others in the false guise of rightousness and constantly struggle to spread it around the world corrupting the teachings of the books they proffess to follow and causing bloodshed in their wake.

It's not religion, it's not tradition. It's scapegoating for power. It's deliberate fostering of hate through lies.

If CDing or being Gay were so bad it'd be in the 10 comandments or the direct teachings of Jesus not a small line in Leviticus and a letter by Paul.

If they are so bad why did Gods crossdress, change sex and marry members of their original sex?

The real reason is that people who knew better stood back and let liars and haters spread this stuff without speaking out against it.

One of the first things the Nazis destroyed when they took power was the clinic of the first doctor to really start treating sex change as valid and proper. They sent crossdressers and gays together to the death camps wearing pink triangles to die with the gypsies and the jews.

People need to stand up and speak out against hate, against all hate or evil is allowed to spread.

[PamelaTX]

I must agree with battybattybats. Crossdressers are not really reviled the world over, and I really don't think it's all that bad in this country either, although there certainly are exceptions. There are some people who are extremely vocal and even though they are the minority, they get all the press.

There are some people who believe that anything they don't like must be a sin. For instance, I have a friend who believes that Rock and Roll is the most sinful thing that could ever exist. These people are too lazy to actually read the Bible (or other authority) to find out what's really right and wrong, and also too lazy to learn the truth about things they don't understand. There isn't much help for them, but they are the minority.

What we really need is more guys walking around in skirts. (Don't look at me, I'm as much of a chicken as anybody else.) If one could see a CD on every street corner, and if these folks were your grocer, your druggist, your next-door neighbor, pretty soon it would be "no big deal" and even the lazy people wouldn't bother to waste their time condemning it.

Just my two cents.

[Jilmac]

I think it's a fear of the unknown. Society as a whole doesn't know (or understand) why we love to present ourselves as feminine. I also think people fear us foisting our lifestyle on them, and they consider anything out of the accepted gender or sexual norm as perverted. Just some food for thought.

[Sally2005]

I don't agree. I think we are our own worst critics many times. Some people hate anyone who is not the same as them, I think there is a very small percentage who hate people who CD. I think we mostly fear that people will burst our pink cloud.

[Jocelyn Renee]

CDs are certainly not reviled in the U.S. and we most definitely do not flaunt the Christian Bible. The ONLY mention of crossdressing in the Bible is to condemn the wearing of women's garments in order to avoid the responsibility of military service. Let's not confuse the agendas of humans in distorting the truth with the agenda of God.

The simple fact is that hatred will always be with us. There will always be a small percentage of people willing to scapegoat a group for their own gain. At the same time, there's a huge gulf between those people and larger society. The overwhelming majority of folks are perfectly fine with us, once they have the opportunity to interact with us. At least that has been my experience in small-town West Virginia.

[jackie_p]

It seems to me that people don't like anything that is different. Or maybe even more basic than that, they don't like anything that will change the status quo. If it is different or means some sort of change in belief, habit,
or the way things are done, my experience is that we search for a good reason not to do it. Historically, people looked toward the bible or other religious text for guidance. Now it seems that they look more to find passages to support their current beliefs so they can argue that change is wrong and not have to face the fact that change is simply a part of life.
:2c:

Jackie

[battybattybats]

I think it's a fear of the unknown. Society as a whole doesn't know (or understand) why we love to present ourselves as feminine. I also think people fear us foisting our lifestyle on them, and they consider anything out of the accepted gender or sexual norm as perverted. Just some food for thought.

But its only become unknown recently!

In Australiasia its been less than 200 years since most communities included TG folk just fine. In many pacific island cultures they still are just fine such as Samoa and Tonga. In North America it's been not a lot more than that because many native traditions involved Two Spirit people being sacred.

In many parts of Europe CDing traditions managed to exist within christian countries both eastern and western until quite recently.

What has happened is that in a few generations in most of the world TG people have been pushed out of public life and the general populace convinced they were never there before. The history nearly erased.

Yet every generation has had prominant crossdressers, even great war heroes like Joan of Arc, great painters and writers, royalty including reigning monarchs.

Yet over and over again people have let TG folk get pushed down, pushed out, silenced and erased or diluted from history.

In most of the world it's just been a handful of generations! In many parts of the world it's only been one or two.

We have been a part of every culture. We are featured, often well, in every major myth cycle. There have been crossdressing Gods, Saints and Heroes. Some for certain occassions and for others it was a big part of who they are. Thor and Loki crossdressed (the full story is 'lost' but its referenced in other tales we still have) as did Hercules and several Knights of the Round Table including the great grail seekers Gawain and Parceval.

Quan Yin the Goddess of Mercy accross much of Asia and along the Silk and Spice roads changed gender often.

Some theologians even translate Josephs Coat in the bible as a womens one!

We are not new, we have only become unknown because we have been driven into hiding and our history made a taboo and thats mostly happened quite recently.

[Bethany_Anne_Fae]

I think it is as simple as people fear what they don't understand. Because we dress as the opposite sex, we must be perverts. Some people are simply narrow minded, and won't let themselves accept anyone "different" than them.


On the money with this, Samantha.

Its an interesting dichotomy to be sure. The whole women wearing mens, men wearing womens clothing will never go away. Its okay for woment to wqear whatever... but god forbid should you step into territory that they normally control. One can see a lot of ultra-catty behavior in that arena. Even worse if you happen to do it better than someone else.

I had one woman follow me around at a Ren-fest (she was married to a fellow cast member who told her what I did). She was mostly offended because I was a guy looking really good in a court gown than she did. She was older (50s), had aged unnaturally (time had not been kind to her), and had a major beef with my portrayal. Her answer to dealing with me? To out me to anyone who would listen.
I would be performing as Embyrre, have a crowd around enjoying my bit, and this woman would walk up behind and whisper "You know thats a guy dont ya??"
Luckily for me, I never got a negative reaction out of it, but it still irked the hell out of me as a performer.
Best of all, (and the moment that "Owned" her and made me cheer loudly inside) was the day she did that while I was having my picture taken with a patron's six children. The Patron woman turned around suddenly on the woman and said:

"Ya know, for RIGHT NOW she is a Beautiful Faery and my kids are enjoying their day... thats ALL I care about so please dont ruin the moment!"

Talk about a wonderful moment for us!!

*hugs*

Zarabeth

[trannie T]

I was not aware that I was reviled the world over. When I have gone out I have not noticed any great outpouring of hate directed at me.
People do not necessarily accept crossdressing.
Many people are not comfortable near crossdressers.
I do not believe that we are hated or reviled.

[Miss Tessa]

There are historic times and places where transgenderism is accepted and even RESPECTED in some cultures.

[JennaDesire]

I am living through a marriage where the wife hates us and everything we stand for. Of course she has not taken the time to understand or even try to understand the inner feelings of a cd. As is usual with these situations, I am on the road to divorce. We will never be accepted in society, but as long as we have each other, we will be strong!

[VtVicky]

DRS. I know that our society is at least a little uncomfortable with us. But, then, WE are a little uncomfortable with ourselves. When you read some of the postings on this forum, it is easy to get the sense that many of our members revile themselves, or at least the part of them that crossdresses.

If you would like to experience a society in which CDing is clearly not reviled, take your next vacation in Thailand. All the talk about previous societies and distant cultures makes it seem like acceptance is hard to find in the 21st century. Spend a couple of weeks in Thailand and I guarantee you will never be the same again.

[docrobbysherry]

DRS. I know that our society is at least a little uncomfortable with us. But, then, WE are a little uncomfortable with ourselves. When you read some of the postings on this forum, it is easy to get the sense that many of our members revile themselves, or at least the part of them that crossdresses.

If you would like to experience a society in which CDing is clearly not reviled, take your next vacation in Thailand. All the talk about previous societies and distant cultures makes it seem like acceptance is hard to find in the 21st century. Spend a couple of weeks in Thailand and I guarantee you will never be the same again.

Unless u meet the Katoi up close, u CANNOT believe how female, males can appear! I had drinks with a few. I STILL couldn't believe they were originally males!:eek:

[Electra]

The most important thing to do is to point out that the very thread title is wrong!

CDs aren't reviled the world over!!!

When the King of Tonga is crowned or married who is considered sacred enough to plan the ceremony?

A crossdresser!

In much of the world crossdressers have been sacred and in some parts they still are.

But hate has been allowed to spread.

In India where Gods crossdressed and changed sex now the conserative fundamentalist Hindu groups oppose the rights of TG people and gay people, but they took on their homophobia and transphobia from other cultures and are ignoring their own religion!

Good point but not all gods in India's mythology crossdressed. However, a most interesting thing is that one of the supreme gods, Shiva, is often represented as half male, half female and there is a way in southern India of draping a sari so that the left side appears like a dhoti (the traditional male wear) and the right side like a female sari, thus imitating one perceived nature of Shiva.
-Electra



Male-to-female crossdressing appears to have been common in all cultures. Think also of how ubiquitous crossdressing, MTF as well FTM, is in Shakespeare. No real explanation for these urges seems to be forthcoming. Psychology has simply muddled the issue with absurd theories of childhood sex abuse etc since the urges appear to be ingrained in human nature.

[Jazzmine]

I think there are residual feelings in society that if you are dressed like a woman (when you are really a male) you must be gay or abnormal (queer). And many older people still think to be gay is 'wrong'. It is a hard stereotype to break.

Generally, anybody who is different from the perceived norm is treated as inferior e.g. deaf? = dumb, blind?= raise your voice because they probably can't hear which means they could be dumb as well, wheelchair? yell at them too because they're possibly deaf as well, mental illness? = watch for signs of odd behaviour and don't leave them on their own, old person? = patronise them in anyway you can and when they get senile throw them into a home and forget them!
These stereotypes are hard to break and still exist in pockets of our modern society.

So despite our advanced education systems we (all) are still are a bunch of bigoted know-alls trading in our thinking power for ezi-street stereotypes.

I personally get a bit of a laugh out of seeing a male in a skirt. Yet I want my expression as a female to be taken seriously when I dress myself. I think the male in me knows it's 'odd' for a man (me included) to dress-up like a woman. To be honest, I think it is humurous what we do because it is such a long shot! If a person wants to have a laugh at me, fine, I get the joke.

The problem I see is when the joke becomes cynical and nasty, with the intent of making me conform to their limited view of reality. I get frustrated. And maybe this is where we get this overall general theme of 'hate'. People try coercion to make us conform to 'normal', just because their thinking cannot progress from a square to a cube!

Hope that helps Doc!
Hugs Jazzmine

[Veronica27]

As most have stated, in Western cultures we are not hated or reviled. We are simply not understood. Most of us could out ourselves to our friends neighbours and relatives without fear of physical harm or reprisals. Sure there are cases where we might be ostracized and ignored, laughed at and teased or gossiped about, but mostly we could just go about our lives as if nothing had changed. The BIG stumbling blocks are a): the uncertainty as to what these people think about crossdressers and what they perceive us to be, and b): what impact would outing ourselves have for our families and loved ones even more than for ourselves.

I certainly don't want to think that people are just being nice to me because they have been taught that it is politically correct to do so, if in fact they perceive me as being some sort of pervert or wierdo. There are two stages to finding happiness with the revealing of our secret; acceptance and understanding. All of the posts about spousal approval show that many accept but do not yet understand. This eases some of the difficulties, but in most of those cases the CDer still longs for understanding.

Whenever I read the stories of the great adventures we have when out and about interacting with sales people, waitresses and so on, I think how nice that must have been and am happy for the writer, but I also can't help wondering whether they were understood or just accepted for whatever reason, be it to make a sale, not be seen as a bigot or even fear of the unknown. Some will say they don't care and that their right to be themselves outweighs such concerns, but I can't help caring, not so much for myself, but for those who despite their attempts, may be having difficulty understanding me.

Veronica

[DameErrant]

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that people don't like to think any more than they have to. They want simple, definable, categories that they can put all information, and people, into so they can stay in their comfort zones.

In our society, we are taught that things are either/or, and people like that get upset by people like us who refuse to fit into their neat little categories.

Combine that with the uncertainty created by the constantly changing male/female roles over the last few decades. When men don't know who they are supposed to be, and society gives conflicting answers, they create categories for themselves. And the more insecure a man or group of men is, the more rigid, arbitrary and binding the new/old roles become.

Blessed are the men in a society where the roles are defined but still fluid enough to include people like us.

It's the same for women sometimes; they are confused about what they want or expect from men, but God help us if they don't get it, whatever it is. They can be harsh on what they think they don't want!

And some women hate the competition. If we put in so much effort to be feminine and beautiful, (and we know we have to,) it makes it tougher for the GGs to justify "getting comfortable" and not making the effort themselves. I've seen this at my support group. For every wife who actively gets into the fun with her husband, three or four sit and pout about how their husband is prettier than they are. Fortunately they are a minority. My wife encourages me to look as good as possible; she says I embarass her when I don't!

I've always said that if true femininity is to be preserved for future generations, it's up to us CDs to do it, since we can't trust the current generations of GGs to do it.:D:eek:

There, I have finished my mini rant. I welcome comments, because I still have a lot to learn.

[Bethany_Anne_Fae]

They're not, how many times do we have to say it?
Let's just take Great Britain as an example:
!


Now that you mention it, I remember back in 97 talking to a CDer who happened (or at least claimed) to be the commander of a British Battleship. It was quite intriguing listening to the stories about dressing on the job ;)

very cool!

Zara

[Sheila]

In our society,

Ya know it is our society, have said it before and will keep saying it ............. if u choose to segregate yourselves from society do not blame society for the ills you feel, we are all apart of the "SOCIETY" u keep knocking :doh:

[StaceyJane]

I've always though of CDing as the ultimate in false advertising.
At least to people who don't understand.
Secondary sex characteristics are supposed to send a message but CD's mix that up.
I think that's what threatens people.

Stacey :)

[TSchapes]

First of all, people have trouble expressing their own sexual needs and desires. We cross-dressers have a way of forcing people to think differently about their own orientation and sexual gender identity. When a person is accidentally "turned on" by cross-dresser they have to ask themselves what it is about the cross-dresser that is "turning them on". Is it their dress? Their demeanor? To a person who has not done a lot of introspection, this can be quite jarring for them.

I think too because we are in the closet and don't stand up for ourselves, it's hard to have other people stand up for us. :2c:

Love, Tracy

[andrea e]

CDs flaunt the religious teachings of most all the major religions. Altho I'm not terribly religious, but many people in the USA r. Is that one of the biggest issues folks here have with CDs?

What a novel idea! To flaunt a religious teaching as if it was a fashion accessory. Personally, I'd rather flout it.

[gisella.31]

I would really like to have GGs who gave it a serious thought,:doh:, to tell us what makes CD so unbearable.
Clearly our culture refuses CD for all has been written above, and it takes us a lot of time to realize that there is actually no particular reason for being so ashamed. However, that is the only rational conclusion.
After the understandable shock, and after all reassurances (se Marla's letter in another thread) what is really that prevents significant others (GGs) to get to same conclusion?

[Nicki B]

I would really like to have GGs who gave it a serious thought,:doh:, to tell us what makes CD so unbearable.
Clearly our culture refuses CD for all has been written above, and it takes us a lot of time to realize that there is actually no particular reason for being so ashamed. However, that is the only rational conclusion.
After the understandable shock, and after all reassurances (se Marla's letter in another thread) what is really that prevents significant others (GGs) to get to same conclusion?

Gisella...

IME, for the vast, vast majority of genetic women, CD'ing isn't unbearable - they often find it interesting, they realise we put ourselves in the same firing line they do, they often respect our courage and frequently are very protective?

The line is crossed when it is their partner (at least for many). Then, suddenly, it is a reflection on their own gender role and sexuality - it is a threat to the relationship continuing (what if they transition?) and, still, many women measure their status by that of their partner. :sad:

But you only have to look around here and the large number of other trans sites to realise that many of them can still be very supportive? :strugglin

[Katheryn]

Why do they hate us so much?

The first thing usually said about anyone following birth is "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!".

Messing around with society's pretty little bi-gendered world, blurring that line, even so much as the adrog look can really get people upset. There's a line in Easy Rider, the biker movie from the 60's that says something like "Tell someone they're not free and they'll go running around killing and maiming to prove they are."

Societies have their pretty little notions that they use as building blocks and if you threaten them, like the keystone of an arch, the whole thing could collapse.

Kate

[TxKimberly]

Well the first thing I'd like to say is awesome thread! You got people interested and involved in something that is significant.
The next thing I'd have to say is that I agree with those that sort of argued with the basic premise of the thread - I don't think we ARE reviled the world over. As most of you are painfully aware as a result of my inflicting my countless posts on you, I have traveled a good deal of the US and other countries and I have not found much hatred.
Yes, I have run into a few individuals here and there that made it clear they didn't like me, but I run in to jerks in male mode as well.
Some are amused.
Some actually respect us for our courage.
Some Do dislike us.
But as a general rule, most people couldn't care less.

Batty, I LOVE the details and examples you provided.

[battybattybats]

Some are amused.
Some actually respect us for our courage.
Some Do dislike us.
But as a general rule, most people couldn't care less.

I'd add
Some are uncomfortable about us because of ignorance and/or missinformation but quickly come round once shown reliable data or getting to know one of us

Though also

Some few do genuinly hate us, not just dislike but hate. Not many but enough to vicitmise us in law and physically.
Some (maybe most) of those that hate us do so because they can't handle being attracted to us because of who we are not despite who we are or because they also have the urge to CD but cant cope with or face that so they attack us because of that (both of which are often the case with homophobia too).


Batty, I LOVE the details and examples you provided.

:hugs:

Now if we consider what this means...

It means in a very short time we can turn society right around!!!!! :eek:

If most aren't fussed about us, if the ignorant can be educated and accept us fine then in just a matter of years it would be possible to isolate the few that really do hate us till their views become the pariahs! As insignificant a force as not even the KKK but the Flat-Earthers!

And with most of society being fine with us many of even the haters will eventually come to terms with their TG-attraction or TGness themselves.

All saving lives, ending the high suicide rate of TG folk, dropping the murder and assault rates, the employment discrimination and all the rest.

If the problem is just an over-vocal tiny minority of haters then we can change society. We can gain acceptance and approval.

We can BE the change we want in the world.
We CAN have a society and culture that loves CDs just like some still do and most used to.
We CAN turn back the ignorance and erasure and confusion and lies and take or rightful place in the world!

[Annie D]

In keeping with the occasion of Halloween when so many of us go out dressed unafraid, you do so because if you are caught then it is the night when you can trick everyone and it is okay. Halloween is that special night when everyone expects the unexpected. Every other day of the year it is not okay to trick or fool people. My simple explanation is that the general public doesn't like to be fooled or tricked by someone dressed in a way in which we are perceived as trying to get away with something. For those of you who have come out, most of you say that you are accepted and I think that because you are not masquerading as a female but are presenting yourself as female you become accepted for who you are. Some go out wearing female attire and don't try to fool the public into thinking that you are a female but simply a person who enjoys wearing female clothing. When I do that, I may get an occasional sideways glance or stare but I have had no one laugh or ridicule my form of dress.

[Hali]

I think there are residual feelings in society that if you are dressed like a woman (when you are really a male) you must be gay or abnormal (queer). And many older people still think to be gay is 'wrong'. It is a hard stereotype to break.

Generally, anybody who is different from the perceived norm is treated as inferior e.g. deaf? = dumb, blind?= raise your voice because they probably can't hear which means they could be dumb as well, wheelchair? yell at them too because they're possibly deaf as well, mental illness? = watch for signs of odd behaviour and don't leave them on their own, old person? = patronise them in anyway you can and when they get senile throw them into a home and forget them!
These stereotypes are hard to break and still exist in pockets of our modern society.

So despite our advanced education systems we (all) are still are a bunch of bigoted know-alls trading in our thinking power for ezi-street stereotypes.

I personally get a bit of a laugh out of seeing a male in a skirt. Yet I want my expression as a female to be taken seriously when I dress myself. I think the male in me knows it's 'odd' for a man (me included) to dress-up like a woman. To be honest, I think it is humurous what we do because it is such a long shot! If a person wants to have a laugh at me, fine, I get the joke.

The problem I see is when the joke becomes cynical and nasty, with the intent of making me conform to their limited view of reality. I get frustrated. And maybe this is where we get this overall general theme of 'hate'. People try coercion to make us conform to 'normal', just because their thinking cannot progress from a square to a cube!

Hope that helps Doc!
Hugs Jazzmine

Yes i think this is my view so lets all accept the differences in other pple and move on. It is my prediction that man will be ashamed in future for his previous history of non-acceptances that lead to many atrocities in history which include racial killings, religiuos killings, "ideology differences" killings, gender difference killings etc

[Satrana]

After the understandable shock, and after all reassurances (se Marla's letter in another thread) what is really that prevents significant others (GGs) to get to same conclusion?

I think this is really the pertinent question. The rest of society can be put aside until we work out how we can communicate with our SOs so that they can understand and be comfortable with who we are. Once we crack that then the rest of society will be easy.

BUT the first step is to understand ourselves and why we do what we do. There is much ignorance in the CD community about our own motivations and a seeming willingness to just
accept that we were born this way and just enjoy ourselves without thinking of others. Problem is our behavior indicates that we are reacting to environmental stimuli. To others it looks like a choice/hobby/perversion. People want to understand us before they will drop their guard and accept us.

People distrust us because they do not understand us because we do not understand ourselves and so cannot offer them a sensible clear explanation.

[DonnaT]

For those who have said we are not, I beg to differ.

We may not be reviled by everyone, but we are reviled all over. Even in some of the most accepting places, like some of the pacific islands, there are those who do not understand, and there are those (men) who find themselves attracted then deceived.

In any country where there is cross gender behaviour, there are some who get quite angry about it.

That is why it is so important you know your surroundings when going out. Many will ignore us, some find us curious, some find it detestable, some are intrigued, etc. But I doubt anyone here can say for a certainty that we could go anywhere in the world without fear.

Sure, there are a lot of places these days we can go without fear, but that's not everywhere is it?!

Reasons for hate:

ignorance
bigotry
misplaced attraction
religion
meanness

[joann426]

just maybe they are jelious of us that we aint afraid of being who we are and what we like:)