How about that this site is search-able by all of the major search engines on the INTERNET and I felt uncomfortable showing my picture to people who should not see it.
If this site was not search-able and locked down to the public and the only people who could see it was the people who sign into this site, I would be glad to show my real face.
You see no picture of me for the simple reason I can not pass, plus I only underdress. Facial hair showing and dressed???? Nope I just don't think it would do justice to me nor would anyone else enjoy seeing it.
Good question Jess!
Although i can understand peoples apprehension on not wanting to show themselves, with privacy concerns and other issues online. However if someone I know spots me on this site they have things to hide too.
But me i want to express my progress although I know have lots of room to grow and more to learn, think showing your progress gives others to compliment and to give advice along the way.
Megan Martin
" some guys play golf, I play girl"
My avatars have been a reflection of my progression in my dressing. At first, it was a cartoon because I had almost no clothes and no pictures. Then I posted a pic of my legs in stockings and heels. I still wasn't comfortable showing my face and I didn't have a wig or makeup. Then I posted a very dark grainy image of my face, but it was hard to even tell if it was a human let alone a man or a woman! Now, as you can see, I feel better about how I look. I'm not worried that someone I know may stumble across my pics, and if they did, I don't think they could tell it is me. I do understand the fear and would never hold it against anyone who wouldn't post a face pic.
I didn't have one for a little while.
I couldn't wait to take one of me out somewhere.
There's a comfort level that alot have to reach to post one of themselves.
<------- Me!
Cindy
I haven't put up a pic yet, primarily because I've been here for only one month and frankly I don't have one worth showing. I don't have any clothing or a wig and prefer to keep "man in makeup" to myself right now.
For me, just being on this site is a step in the right direction of personally accepting who I am. But, I will say, any lurker with a fetish and a desire to be here for the wrong reasons could be. So, I accept that adding an avatar will lend me credibility as a real TG person (girl) and until then I don't expect I will be making friends, but just taking in the wealth of knowledge available to us here.
Honestly, I can't begin to imagine how many men with a fetish sign up here when they've had a few too many. They let their mind wander, post some ridiculous drivel and never come back, or only when they get another chance to tie one on. So it does make sense that a post with a unique avatar (of the person) lends credibility to the poster.
I will just repeat, I am not the first to post that the opportunity to post a pic hasn't arrived yet, but will in the near future. Sooner, than later, I'll find time to post a pic of myself. Until then, know I'm not a lurker and will be around for a while. I appreciate everything I've learned from the girls here and am grateful this site exists.
OK, so after a little gushing, and a long winded response, thats why I don't have an Avatar.
Just a suggestion, for me in the early days i would share my pictures with all the Ts, GG's and other accomplished cds to get oppinions, suggestions etc even though it was HORRIBLE and painful to hear it helped me so much. I was so self conscious about my appearance i would only photograph myself in dark sunglasses.
Megan Martin
" some guys play golf, I play girl"
I don't show a photo because I no longer dress completely (altho I have in the past). I have no wig, no dress, and don't present myself as a woman. On the other hand I wear plenty of women's clothing in public, have longish hair, wear light makeup, shape my eyebrows, polish my nails—so I belong. I'm sorry if Smile won't be my friend for that reason. Her loss.
I use a real photo because I am proud of who I am.
I want others to know who they are hearing from and interacting with. It took me a long time to be happy with how I am and how I look and now that I am in that blissful state I like that others can finally see me.
I don't wear women's clothes, I wear MY clothes !
<--- That is me, and my security needs are satisfied by keeping my face small and resolution low. I chose that picture because it was one of the first ones I took that looked reasonably good. It is getting a bit stale and I need to think about replacing it.
I like having it there because it makes it easy to find the point at which I last commented on a thread.
Eryn
"These girls have the most beautiful dresses. And so do I! How about that!" [Kaylee, in Firefly] [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"What do you care what other people think?" [Arlene Feynman, to her husband Richard]
"She's taller than all the women in my family, combined!" [Howard, in The Big Bang Theory]
"Tall, tall girl. The woman could hunt geese with a rake!" [Mary Cooper, in The Big Bang Theory]
My picture was taken at the photography studio in the Temple, Texas Walmart.
I used a stock photo for my avatar when I first joined because I had no picture of myself enfemme. I have never really been happy with any of the photos I have taken of myself. The avatar photo is just a picture I like, I try to have a sense of humor, but it doesn't represent anything in particular about me.
Recently I added a picture of myself on my profile page, so anyone who is a member can see what I look like.
Allie I've seen you both ways and I can guarantee that no one would be able to recognize you. I certainly wouldn't have.Originally Posted by AllieSF
Wow, exactly what i was going to say!!!
Digital cameras are very inexpensive. I've seen them for $20. Reall good ones can be had for $100.00.
[SIGPIC]http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=82706&dateline=137762 0356[/SIGPIC]Linda
Privacy. This section of the forum is viewable by the general public. The CDing is stigmatized in our society and even some GGs do not wish to post a likeness of themselves online.
Reine
I would agree as well. I also hear what Smile is saying though I don't feel as strongly about it.
I don't feel anything LESS for those that don't post their own pics, but I do admit to feeling something MORE for those that do. If somebody has their face posted right beside their opinion I pretty much have to take them seriously. It's like putting your money where your mouth is. Allie has stated her reasons and I respect them but she is as real as it gets and I know that only because I am lucky enough to have met her personally a few times. If I didn't know her, then I would probably discount her point of view a tiny bit. It's hard to form a bond with someone when you think there might be a chance that they aren't even who they say they are. I've heard the stories of girls meeting other girls from the forum and well, "she" was a total fraud.
Like me or not, nobody can accuse me of being anything but real. Everything I write can practically be fact checked.
While my avatar and profile pictures are of me, I won't post any that show my face, regardless.
"Taking the time to be in touch with my feminine side"
What, me worry? I'm not afraid to use my real face.
If someone is TS and is planning a transition to full time, then I see your point. Eventually everyone will know anyway, it's just a question of time. If they are not planning to transition but they say they are, then I would question their ability to be honest as well.
But, CDers do not plan on going full time. They do have a gender identity that is not 100% female, they have no need to be femme full time including at work (even if it is paramount for them to express themselves on a regular basis), they are not willing to compromise their jobs, their families, or some of their friends. If they've found a way to live in this very difficult "middle place" by keeping their feminine expression under their control (and by this I mean that THEY choose who should know or not know rather than leave it up to a chance disclosure online), then can they be faulted for this?
Reine
que sera,sera........................
"it all unfolds before your eyes ,let Merlin cast his spell" [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I don't even come close to what I look like in " male mode " so I have no problem posting a pic.. Besides if someone I knew was to ask, then that might be a little un easy..
I do not!! Claim to be an expert on any topic, when I post a new thread or reply on any thread my imput is strickly that of a crossdresser. Not to offend Gay people , Transexuals or any other life style, I am only commenting on one of my own.
I like this picture. I don't think most people would know it was me if they just happened to see it, unless I'm on their mind all the time. If someone did know it was me, who knows, maybe they'd want to go clubbing sometime.
I've had it happen once, someone I knew a few years back asked me if it was me, turns out he dressed to, so it was no big deal.
I am one that uses an avatar. I used to post my pictures online because I am proud of whom I am and I felt it gave some creditability to my posts. One day I got a phone call asking when I did nude pictures. I answered, I never had done something like that. I was given the url. Yep, there I was, sprawled across my monitor in all my glory. Well, not exactly. It was my face on someone else’s body. By the end of the day that picture was on every porn site on the web. It ended up costing me several thousand dollars to get those pictures removed. It cost me several thousand dollars for something I did not do. Every now and then one of those pictures will pop up even today. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me. Well, that is never going to happen again. No pictures online means no pictures can be stolen and used in this manner.
Maybe I'm foolish, but I don't worry anymore! I felt I had to put up a picture of myself in a dress, just to show that I'm not faking! People who know me might recognise me from the pic if they were to see it, but I doubt they will unless I show them
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