Have you ever wanted to tell someone (anyone other than SO) about your hobby??

[Rondawants]

Hi ladies! I was wondering if you ever wanted to tell someone about your dressing? I have a real strong feeling to tell someone other than my SO! I guess maybe I just want to share with them as I live in a small town!!!! If you did please let me know how that worked out for you!!! Loves to all Ronda!

[suzy1]

I think I am a bit odd as I have never wanted to.
I think part of the reason is that I know my family and friends and therefore I know that although they would be polite and accepting their opinion of me would drop.
So why do it?

[Erica Marie]

To be honest if it was socially acceptable I would want to tell everyone, but it seems as if you are out of the norm you are looked down upon. I had told my exgf about me about a year into our relationship and she was ok with it then turned it around and said it was too much for her. Well that was just an excuse to mess around behind my back. So it makes me a little gunshy telling others. I have told one close friend and she was very accepting. It does help to have some one to open up to and be able to talk to. I guess that is why a good percent of us belong to the forum. Its a safe place to be among others like ourselves.

[Angela Campbell]

I am very careful about who knows about this side of my life. If there is a reason to know then ok but otherwise I do not. With exceptions of strangers only people here and with tri ess know.

[Jill]

Want to tell others? I have told many friends over the years. I choose who I tell wisely but I have found that it's really nice to have someone around to talk too about it, it just makes it feel less strained, less hidden, less shameful.

[Lady Catherine]

I've told a few family members, but I would love to have a friend I could talk to who was understanding and wouldn't judge. I think that would be awesome.

[reb.femme]

I let my wife tell her sister (a problem shared, is a problem doubled and all that ).

She took it quite well but has neither seen me in pictures or dressed in the flesh yet. Once she has, I'm sure I will have a better gauge of her real feelings.

That said, we were at a family get together a month ago and she was no different to normal with me. Noticed her husband kept his distance so she has almost certainly told him. Do I care.........not a jot!

Rebecca

[Laura28]

I have told one other person who i have know for 12 years (GG) she is very accepting and it is great to be able to talk to someone about. I have not told my SO that i told anyone else.

[Stephanie47]

I disagree somewhat coining what most of do as a "hobby." It is not a hobby like collecting stamps or coins or tinkering with a muscle car. It is an integral part of one's inner person. I would be fooling nobody if I decided to walk around town as a woman.

As to telling someone, I would be extremely cautious in announcing my cross dressing. I'm joining the chorus of keeping cross dressing to a strict need to know basis. Saying , "Hey Joe, do you want to see my 'collection' of 89 dresses?" It does not have the same ring as, "Hey Joe, do you want to see my military model collection of 89 tanks, soft skins, and airplanes."

I would recommend, if someone wants to have interaction with their 'hobby,' seek out a support group or social group of like minded individuals. For the life of me I have no idea how I would sit around and talk dresses with woman, let alone another man.

[GabbiSophia]

I have had one person I wanted to.tell she was a friend and I know she would have understood. Her girlfriend didn't care for me so I never got the chance. We were really good friends though. She would have been a blast to be around too.

[2B Natasha]

Hi ladies! I was wondering if you ever wanted to tell someone about your dressing? I have a real strong feeling to tell someone other than my SO! I guess maybe I just want to share with them as I live in a small town!!!! If you did please let me know how that worked out for you!!! Loves to all Ronda!

Lets see.

I've told my wife, who then a friend from high school. Told her she could do with the information what she felt she needed to do. Can't ask others to bare the burden of MY secret. She in turn told her sister and her best friend. Then I went out and told my two bestest friends who both happen to be female. They told their neighbors. Then. Lets see. Oh yes. She told her BFF. Then we both let it out to several of our work mates. Both her and mine. Different industries.

I think I've lost track of who knows and who doesn't. Oh we'll. life goes on.

So now. Every so often we all get together for "Girls night out's".

I have had no ill reactions. That I am aware of. I think one lady at work tried. Don't really care.

The moral of the story. Tell if you want. Don't tell if you want. Your not being judged by me one way or the other. But don't hide and feel ashamed. No point in that.

Cheers.

[alwayshave]

I don't believe other than my fiancee, I wish anyone in my inner circle to know, present company excepted. It's not that I am ashamed as to who I am, I'm not. It's just a very private part of me that I only share with the person closest to me.

[stephNE]

Yes, I would sortof like to tell someone else. Right now only my wife in in the know. She and I have talked a bit and we have a couple (maybe 3) friends with who I would consider sharing this info. Buit right now we both feel that we want to keep their friendship as is and not take the risk of spoiling it. Beyond those first three, there are a few others who would most likely not let it change anything, but they have childeren who know our children, and therefor may cause other issues for us. So right now its just my wife and I and of course all the gurls here - who I really appreciate! Steph.

[audreyinalbany]

yeah, for some unknown reason I do have the urge to tell someone. My wife certainly knows, but we're pretty much don't ask/don't tell. A couple we've known for years know and they're okay with it, although they've never actually seen me dressed. My brother and sister both know and both have seen me dressed. My sister and I went out together. To the best of my knowledge, thats the whole list of 'knowers." I'd like to be in a better position to interact socially with others, but with the wife not being on board, don't see how that's going to happen.

[Claire Cook]

Want to tell others? I have told many friends over the years. I choose who I tell wisely but I have found that it's really nice to have someone around to talk too about it, it just makes it feel less strained, less hidden, less shameful.

My feeling exactly.

I disagree somewhat coining what most of do as a "hobby."

A hobby is a pastime. Dressing is part of me, so I agree here too.

Lets see. .... I think I've lost track of who knows and who doesn't. Oh we'll. life goes on.
So now. Every so often we all get together for "Girls night out's". ... I have had no ill reactions. That I am aware of. I think one lady at work tried. Don't really care. The moral of the story. Tell if you want. Don't tell if you want. Your not being judged by me one way or the other. But don't hide and feel ashamed. No point in that.

I've lost track too, and while I am judicious about whom I tell, I've never had a bad reaction either. In fact, when I went to to my dentist or audiologist in drab, they both said they missed Claire and wanted to see her next time! (You can bet they will.. )

I think Natasha makes a very good point about telling, not telling and not being judged. To thine ownself be true.

[mikiSJ]

My wife has known since before we married (37 years) but lately Miki needs to get out and meet other girls.

I stopped in at Carla's in San Jose (drab) two weeks ago and talked with Aejaie Sellers. She is one great lady. Got a recommendation for a counselor and had my first meeting the counselor this lunch time.

I purchased a couple of outfits that need alteration and have talked with a local seamstress and will probably hook up with her this week or next.

I am trying to get up the nerve to join some local groups, like Diablo Valley Girls or River City Gems.

[sometimes_miss]

Well, the people that I HAVE told all had a bad response to it, so I don't intend on telling anyone else at this point. What they don't know won't bother them, and hopefully, I'll get to keep the few friends I have left.

[carhill2mn]

Yes but, thankfully, I never did.

[Ericaxd]

The urge to share something so much a part of myself is very strong. I have shared widely--right here. (But no outside of this and a couple of other groups.) The need to share is one of the reasons this forum and others like it thrive, I think. It's important to know we are not alone--something I felt for a very long time.

[xdressed]

I've met a few people recently 'because' I'm a crossdresser, only person I've told other than my SO has been her best friend. She and her boyfriend (who said she was allowed to tell) were both quite giddy when they found out (ones a model and ones a psychiatrist and they both travel all over the world so they've met loads of crossdressers before) but they live in India so I still can't really hang out with them or anything. I desperately want to tell my house mates but 1 out of the 3 of them I don't trust with the information (one already knows as she is my SO) so telling all but one would kind of defeat the point of telling them at all.

[AllyCDTV]

I have thought that it would be interesting to see the looks on some friends faces if I told them about my crossdressing and showed them some pictures of me dressed. But as a crossdresser friend cautioned me, they may look at you again but never in the same way they used to. It's not worth it for me to change the relationships I have with friends that don't know about my crossdressing.

[Maria 60]

A few years ago my wife wanted to tell her good friend who at the time had split with her husband and was over our house a lot. She figured it would get me more Maria time and she knew she would be cool with it. I was kind of ok with it thinking when she came over it could be like a girls nights, but I told her that I was comfortable in the closet. Well about a year later they had a fight and the back talk against themself was bad enough, I could only imagine if she knew about me what a field day she would have had with that. The closet is lonely but is a safe place.

[Jorja]

Yes, I have been dying to tell someone about my hobby. I think about it all the time. In the morning, when I first wake up is the worst. I have so many ideas running about in my head. At lunch I am figuring and planning how I can get just a few more minutes out of the day to spend on my hobby. Finally, evening gets here and I get to partake in that hobby that has been bothering me all day long. It is such a relief. There is no one to tell though. I guess I will tell you though because maybe, just maybe, you will listen and understand because you know just how I feel.

I am a woodturner and I have been learning to turn the inside of my turnings lately. It is so exciting! The tools, the equipment, the wood shavings. It is all so exciting. The wood is so beautiful when the finish goes on. I just love it!

[PretzelGirl]

My first thought is that it is my life and I should be able to do what I want (within the limits of the law and moral values anyway). So if someone else has a problem with it, it is their problem and I can just move on. But so far I have held back from select people. Instead of selecting who to tell, I have selected who not to tell. That may fall apart in the future, but for now it works and has been completely successful.

Now I do believe that if I tell someone, then they should have someone to tell also so they aren't holding my secret. My oldest daughter told her best friend. My Son-In-Law was fine since my daughter knew. Two good friends had the opportunity and just didn't care because they were fine with it. My youngest daughter tells all of her friends, which makes me sigh but isn't an issue since they have no connection to me other than through her.

But secrets do break down. It can end up being like the end of this 70's commercial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgDxWNV4wWY

[MaryAnn40c]

I do tell people what "My Hobbie" is but in a way that most people think I am just a older crazy person. I tell people I work with and trust the truth....others about bets I lost while others just for halloween or special outtings.