in the supermarket today

[Rachel Morley]

As far as I am concerned this is a good thing. Any guy who pushes the envelope and wears something that is obviously a "female garment" and wears it out in public like it's no big deal is doing us all a favor. The more people are exposed to any kind of variance in expected gender presentation the better. Don't know if we'll ever get to place where a guy openly wearing women's clothes is accepted by all, but the more people see of it, the less likely they are to be bothered by it.

[Princess29]

This guy had a beard. I think its a good thing what he was doing and I merely mentioned it on here as an statement of what happened.

[JiveTurkeyOnRye]

Hi Princess, RE: dressing for me it's all the way or nothing.

Me too, I dress all the way as a guy looking as nice as he can in a skirt or dress.

[Rebecca Star]

Most people didnt seem to give a stuff and he just went about doing his thing

So why was this a concern to you...Or are you just putting this out there, a confirmation people aren't as concerned about CDing as we think they are?

and you wonder why people frown on CDing!

My Gran used to tell me, if you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say it!

For someone who openly admits to not "getting CDing" you spend a lot of time in this forum, April. And most of your posts are fueled with put downs to CD's, why is that?

[Tracii G]

Good for him if its something people see more often then they will pay less attention to it.

[diva]

Be thankful you live in the US as attitudes seed fairly liberal like London. For the past two years I have resided in Almeria province in Spain. Not only do the Spanish not mind their own business but they want to know what colour knickers you are wearing.
The thing is they are a worse than 'rednecks' here being in a country area, they have no real lives themselves and so thrive on making hell for anyone different.
Its going to be a long time before anyone wears a skirt around here because people fear too much for their safety.
So much for my wardrobe, my en femme is about 50 times bigger too.

[Rebecca Star]

I don't think it's crossdressing at all!

Similarly, during the late 1960s men were not crossdressing when they had long hair and wore love beads, colorful pants and sarongs:

http://vietnamartwork.files.wordpres.../05/hippie.jpg

Take a look at John Lennon's shirt:

http://www.myfreewallpapers.net/musi...-hippies.shtml

Now I'm showing my age but, back in the 80's when Duran Duran was the best thing since sliced bread, my hair was styled like John Taylor from the band. Took 18 months to grow and because my hair was fine, I'd get a light perm and highlights every 8 weeks. Now back then, doing that was radical.

One time, driving around my neighbourhood, my mate's thought my g/f was driving the car, when it was me. From the back, with my hair, I looked girl...lol... But come to think about it, you know what really baffles me... Back then Boy George was popular too and and whiel there were some parts of my home town you couldn't go dressed like that, there were others where it was ok.

Point is, it seems kinda bizarre that it was ok back then but now it seems even if as soceity we've grown, matured, in some areas we've taken a plunge down the well again, here in Australia anyways.

Its going to be a long time before anyone wears a skirt around here because people fear too much for their safety.

I live in a small country town in Australia, and it's the same here. I can hold my own if I have too but I prefer to avoid physical confrontation if I can. Hell, I wont even wear my shoulder bag here to carry my phone, wallet, key's etc...etc... That's how "redneck" and backward this place is...

[weekend woman]

Maybe he wasn't wearing a skirt, could have been "one legged open-bottomed shorts".

[Jason+]

I think there is an interesting thing to take away here. And Intertwined and Jason may be able to talk to this more direct. But I think there is a little to be said about the direct look. If someone sees a man in a skirt that is obviously a man, they may make a curiosity look and move about their business. If they see a lady and then realize it is a man, then they will start checking things out more because it isn't as obvious. So just wearing a skirt could be more "acceptable" than full out crossdressing.

I like the idea of the direct look. I am not unhappy being a man so for me there isn't a reason to hide it. I don't want people to think I am something I am not. I recognize that a man in a skirt may be "shocking" to some people. It's not a goal of mine and from what I've read about the man in the OP it seems a lot more like his slip "slipped" more than anything else. I prefer the reaction I usually get which is the same as the OP "most don't seem to give a stuff" and go on about their business leaving me to do the same.

As far as acceptability goes I am not sure if people would find my presence more acceptable if I looked more like a woman or not. The staff at the grocery stores, electronics stores, coffee shops and clothing stores for the large part haven't batted an eye at me. Other patrons in the various places have smiled and said hello and gone about their business.

One of the last times I went to the grocery store the parking lot was crowded and there was a black SUV about to pull into an open stall that someone had left a cart in. The woman in the passenger seat was about to get out and move it so since I needed a cart anyway I moved it out for them. The driver sort of just glared at me (or he's like me and looks mean and angry if you don't know better) and the lady smiled, waved and said thank you.

I know there are laughs and stares behind my back. They have been there since 1st or 2nd grade and for far less provocation than skirts which didn't make a public appearance until I was near thirty years old. As long as they stay behind me they aren't worth worrying.

[diva]

Rebecca
appreciated your post very much, very nicely explained...