one gives us a bad name

[k lynn]

So I was in wal -mart sunday night and a sister got caught red handed at stealing she was wearing a pink dress and pink high heal shoes she got caught stealing light bulbs and panties she was trying to put the panties in her bra when the managerconfronted her Letme tell you she started pulling those panties out of her bra as fast as she could Other customers standing around making fun and joking and one woman said crossdressers are all the same I wanted to tell her no we are not I have never stole anything and I have the balls to pay for the clothes I buy besides I was standing there in my panties bra girl jeans and tennis shoes

[victoriamwilliams1]

I wonder why would a person say that? That is an offensive generalization. People need to get their facts right and understand that the action of a few are not the actions of all.

[JennaR]

I'm actually shocked and somewhat confused in that the only people who would call it cross-dressing would know the difference between cross-dressing and all the rest of the labels. I don't think I've ever heard any one out side of the people who do (or know someone) use the term crossdresser Most would say "what a pervert" or dare I say "what a FN fag" that’s the general perception of people who don't really have a clue. Whereas you, I, and the rest of us know that yea, it's a little weird but, Hey, we just like being a girl sometimes. What's not to like about that?

[Jenny Doolittle]

I agree Lynn, the person stealing is a thief above all else, and just also happens to be wearing women's clothes.

It was unfortunate that the person made such a wide generalization as saying all CD'ers are the same, it just showed her ignorance on the subject.

[t-girlxsophie]

I think the customer who said "that crossdresers are all the same" was making one hell of a leap in that statement.Its wrong to blame a whole section of society for the actions of one.Only last week we caught a Teenager in our store shoplifting,so should we accuse all kids of being like him,of course not.Sweeping Generalisations as I see it are one of the biggest problem the haters have regarding us

Sophie xx

[Kate Simmons]

I doubt that the shop lifting had anything to do with CDing. People that have that need (to steal) need another kind of help.

[AKAMichelle]

People say negative things like that because they see us on Jerry Springer shows as some kind of a freak. Then the only time we get any press coverage is when we steal, kill someone. Or when we are killed for being who we are. We are where gays were 20-30 years ago still. We are the group of people which is kicked around for fun. The only way to change that is to have more of us become more open in the world. Until people actually meet a cd'er, they will believe the stories and think we are all nuts.

[jenna_woods]

I find this very interesting,why would someone say crodressing instead of a thief, I enjoy paying for my things, why steal, they do need help.

[Christina Horton]

It's just like it always has been. Long ago if a black person was stealing someone would say " well it's just tip-a-call of dem black guys to steal stuff. Der all duh same!!"

The fact that this person said that is not out of the norm. Just that we ade the ones getting stearo typed is what were not used to.

Education is key. That's why I'm glad I don't pass. I help people whom have neve met CDers or anyone from the TG family understand us better. Like I wrote a thread about a girl I met at a birthday party. I was the first CD she had ever met. If you want to read more look up my thread.

So do get mad get educational.

[mklinden2010]

So I was in wal -mart sunday night and a sister got caught red handed at stealing she was wearing a pink dress and pink high heal shoes she got caught stealing light bulbs and panties she was trying to put the panties in her bra when the managerconfronted her Letme tell you she started pulling those panties out of her bra as fast as she could Other customers standing around making fun and joking and one woman said crossdressers are all the same I wanted to tell her no we are not I have never stole anything and I have the balls to pay for the clothes I buy besides I was standing there in my panties bra girl jeans and tennis shoes

Sorry, I can't see this as anything but amusing.

Shoplifting from Walmart? Please. When you could shoplift from Tiffany's?

In a pink dress and pink heals? "Please center your rounds on the pink target."

Bra stuffing with panties? What is this, seventh grade?

Stealing light bulbs? What... Do you not have enough "light bulb moments" in your life?

Other customers standing around watching? "Your honor, my client denies the allegations and, furthermore, is hereby countersuing the plaintiff for..."

And, "All crossdressers are the same?" Who says that? Somebody jilted by a crossdresser in the past?

Go to Walmart...

"They got everything there... Even crossdressing clowns."

(Kids love 'em.)

[Nikki A.]

Pink dress and heels at Walmart? Call the fashon police.
Seriously though, this person is firstly a thief and should be prosecuted. I think it should be handled more discreetly though.
as far as the comments made, generalizations are always bad and it makes it tougher for the rest of us to be accepted. Although looking at the average Walmart (not us fine ladies) shopper I don't expect to find too many enlightened souls there.

[Kim_Bitzflick]

Maybe it's a cry for attention?

[Nicole Erin]

Stealing light bulbs? What the crap is THAT?
A lot of TG don't unite anyways, so how could one make the rest look bad?

So many CD want to sit in the closet and then brag when they wear panties under their work pants, and so many TS think "Well I don't need the community anymore, I pass, I have made it, F the rest of you"

So until there is any kind of unity in the TG community, you cannot really say that one makes the rest look bad.

Yep, ejukashun sur is the key.

[Sarah Doepner]

Each year I try to go to Diva Las Vegas for a few days. One of the topics of discussion leading up to that event focuses on the expectation that everyone will do their best to not leave a bad public impression when they are on a planned activity with other attendees.

While most understand this, there are a few who refuse to be confined by this philosophy because it stifles their self expression. It's difficult to explain they can be creative on their own time but we want to leave the general public with an odd, but generally positive impression of crossdressers. "Mostly Harmless" would be sufficient. "Stylish" would be appreciated. Thief, Combative, Argumentive, Serial Killer and so many other impressions make it difficult for us to go back and be welcome. Sometimes it's not about the individual because of the tendency for folks to generalize from one simple event, shoplifting in this example, to the entire population.

I feel bad for the CD who was caught and worse that she was put in a position where she was exposed to public criticism. Unfortunately it was in Walmart and that generally isn't considered to be a public forum where views and impressions can be politely debated. I hope she gets her act together and I would wish that the folks who saw her don't judge the rest of us by those actions. It's not right, but that seems to be the way of the world.

[Kara Connor]

Each year I try to go to Diva (snip)
we want to leave the general public with an odd, but generally positive impression of crossdressers. "Mostly Harmless" would be sufficient. "Stylish" would be appreciated. Thief, Combative, Argumentive, Serial Killer and so many other impressions make it difficult for us to go back and be welcome. Sometimes it's not about the individual because of the tendency for folks to generalize from one simple event, shoplifting in this example, to the entire population.
(snip)

Well said. It always make my heart sink when I read this kind of thing. Like we need a more negative image! This person sounds like they may well have some sort of mental problem, and is deserving of sympathy and support, not ridicule. But it still helps purport the negative stereotypes, though "thieving" is a little odd, unless they are accusing all of us of stealing from washing lines (sigh). I think many of the discussions on this forum show that the vast majority of us are talented in many areas, interested in art, music, science and engineering (see the recent Moon Landing thread) as well as clothes and makeup. We are, as was said earlier in this thread, regarded in the way gay people were thirty or forty years ago. I hope I have the courage to change that in some small way. I am trying to teach my kids to be tolerant and accepting, and I have hope that younger generations in particular are showing signs of being more accepting.

[kellycan27]

Seiously now folks does anyone really believe that anyone who witnessed this incident is going to walk away with a bad a bad impression of crossdressers? Or are they going to see it as that person being just a thief?
I for one see myself as a pretty normal and rational person, and in a case like this I would just see the person as a thief. We need to get over this persecution complex and realize that not everyone is out to get or discredit tg people. Yes, there are the haters out there, but it has been my experience that most people have a live and let live attitude, and couldn't care less about us.

Kel

[Jilmac]

Shoplifters come in all shapes and sizes, gender or transgender has nothing to do with it. But the news media is always quick to jump on any story involving trans issues. A while ago there was a bank robber in my hometown who was wearing a dress and wig as a disguise. The tv news people referred to him as "the crossdressing bandit" but from the pictures obtained from the bank cameras, he looked more like a buffoon than a crossdresser. He certainly gave a bad name to all us self respecting girls.

[Chickhe]

More and more, I care less about speaking up. You should have just said, 'just because someone is accused of a crime doesn't give you the right to make offensive comments". If I was dressed, I would probably get out of there quietly, but in drab, I would speak up.

[sterling12]

Yes, it was a bad thing to do! Yes, for a lot of people with little exposure to us, is a simplistic assumption that: "They are all like that!"

However, maybe we can apply a bit of logic here, and learn something from The Incident. 1.) These Days, almost all Initial Security Screening is done via the use of Camera's, and they are going to give more attention to people who look out of The Norm. So, logical conclusion: "Don't wear things like Pink Heels and Pink Dresses that don't look like The Standard "Uni" for shopping at Walmart. 2.) Don't be playing with your Bra. Making movements like you are perhaps concealing things in your clothes is going to get their attention! 3.) "Do you ever take an opportunity to "stick your neck out and defend The Community?" If someone told me about this incident, I would probably try to at least "disrupt" their generalized Assumption...."Hey, we get a lot of Trans Folk in Our ER. When I deal with them, they are pretty much like everybody else, except they make some unusual clothing choices." "I don't think it's fair to label them all as thieves, or perverts!"

If she was stealing because she was too ashamed to go through The Checkout with her Gurly Purchases, I feel sorry for her. She obviously needs serious counseling about her much larger problems. If she was stealing for just about any other reason I can think of, I am ashamed, disappointed, and angry with her. She makes life just that much more difficult for The Rest of Us!

Peace and Love, Joanie

[Niya W]

Try reading this


A lone, predatory cross-dresser has been cautioned for outraging public decency after having sex with a dog in the moat of an English Heritage castle.

Then cringing because you now know people are going to say CD are perverts and pedophiles.

[Fab Karen]

Kelly's probably right- most would just walk away thinking "sad pervert" not "crossdresser."

[MsJanessa]

I never understood the urge of people to shoplift---particularly our TG/CD sisters---if they are too embarassed to buy girly stuff, it must be ten times worse to be caught stealing it---and you ladies are right--a thief is a thief no matter what they are wearing

[PretzelGirl]

I feel what you are seeing when someone makes a general, negative comment about a group/person is just a version of gang mentality. Who is going to defend the shoplifter? So people just make blanket negative comments about them. Happens all the time because they can feel above it and no one will defend the attackee.

[eluuzion]

Was she trying to steal "dim bulbs"? Just curious...

As to the CD "remark"...

"Never interrupt a socially inept person when they are in the process of hanging themselves".

It is rarely necessary to defend yourself against an idiot. Most people that hear those type of comments have the same impression of the speaker as you did.

Axe murderers all used axes. I own an axe too. Am I an axe murderer?

[Rianna Humble]

Axe murderers all used axes. I own an axe too. Am I an axe murderer?

OMG, axe murderers give us such a bad reputation