I Attended a Meeting While Crossdressed

[jjjjohanne]

I contacted a sort of church in my area that has a rather liberal basis. I asked about an event on their calendar and was invited to attend. I did not mention my preferred clothing. It was a sort of small group meeting. I wore heels, a skirt, a blouse, and a cardigan. I was presenting male. The meeting was in the middle of the workday and was attended by retired people and me. There were three other men and six women. I was the only person in a skirt. They politely welcomed me and asked my name, etc. Similar to how they would have if I was en drab.

One of the women at the meeting immediately brought up my crossdressing to tell me that she was so excited for me to be dressing freely. She thought it was great. She had a friend.... etc. That was the only mention of my clothing by them.

At the end, I tried to get a picture with some people, but I was using a crummy camera I bought that day at a one-dollar type store. It was a bad product and it lost the pictures and then would never attach to my computer. There was no software online to download either. Very bad experience. Vivitar camera. But it is probably a better rule to avoid 10 dollar digital cameras in general!

At one point, I asked a couple ladies for opinions about my outfit. I actually got somewhat candid feedback. They were trying to be polite. But it wasn't biased salesperson feedback that is trying to persuade me to buy something. They approved of my outfit.

I was invited back and I was invited to other events as well. I might try another event that happens during the day and includes lunch.

[Marcelle]

Hi Johanne,

That sounds like a great group of people. It is nice to hear that people can be just people and normalize what a lot folks see as "odd". Gives me hope for the human race as a species.

Hugs

Isha

[josrphine]

You should get out of the tax coast, an come to florida. There is getting to be a lot of areas to go to. Am able to live my life as a women almost 80% of the time an am well received were ever I go. Came from Conn an never looked back. We only get 11 months sun. JO

[Stephanie Julianna]

Wow. For a girl you sure have a big pair. I don't think I could do that.

[Raychel]

Nice story, Good to hear that you found group of people where you can just be yourself.

[josrphine]

Hi Again, once you go out as a women you will see that the more you do it the easier it gets. You Steph are a very good looking women get your heals on girl an step out there. You have not said if you are married. JO

[natcrys]

That sounds very nice.. and I'm glad they reacted so positively!

I don't think I would have done that.. showing up for a meeting without saying what I would be wearing (given that nobody at the meeting would know of my crossdressing).

[AmyGaleRT]

Great job, Johanne! You took a chance on your preferred attire, and it paid off nicely. This will help build your confidence and improve your presentation, and soon you'll be out and about everywhere!

(Stephanie, you look great yourself, there's no reason why you can't get out! )

- Amy

[Christy Stevens]

Great for you! I love hearing stories like this. It gives me hope in humanity, maybe not all people are bad.. I was fortunate enough to go to a Drag bar the first time (and only time so far) I went out, so I didn't have to worry too much about judgement. But I would love for one day to go to an everyday place en femme. That sounds so thrilling!!

[jjjjohanne]

I am sure that if I attended almost any other meeting with less liberal people, I would have a comfortable time. Once people get to know me, the clothes become less important and they will grow to respect me the same way I am respected in any wardrobe.

[Gail Marie]

Am still too skittish to attempt anything like that, but am proud of you! And impressed.

Maybe someday...

[Beverley Sims]

Johanne,
It is not something I would have done, but you were accepted and that is all that is needed.
I would consider surrounding attitudes when presenting as you do.
Enjoy your new status.

[kellibra]

OMG, you are so brave! i could not do what you did w/t fainting. and it seems you have been doing that since 2005. i wonder how you are able to keep in check your desire to appear female and not grow beyond that? i would have expected you to have transitioned (if of course your life permits it) by now.
the only time i did something similar was to wear a bra in a mall a year ago. i was in line at a starbucks when 3 teenage girls stood behind me and started giggling at seeing my bra straps. that was the only openly visible female attire (apart from pantyhose if one looked closely enough) i wore that day. needless to say i didn’t even turn around but promptly left ashamed…
i love skirts and heels and i so would want to walk around a mall like that!

[jjjjohanne]

OMG, you are so brave! i could not do what you did w/t fainting. and it seems you have been doing that since 2005. i wonder how you are able to keep in check your desire to appear female and not grow beyond that? i would have expected you to have transitioned (if of course your life permits it) by now.
the only time i did something similar was to wear a bra in a mall a year ago. i was in line at a starbucks when 3 teenage girls stood behind me and started giggling at seeing my bra straps. that was the only openly visible female attire (apart from pantyhose if one looked closely enough) i wore that day. needless to say i didn’t even turn around but promptly left ashamed…
i love skirts and heels and i so would want to walk around a mall like that!

Kellibra,
I don't want to "transition". I am a guy who likes to wear women's clothes. Unlike a lot of the Crossdressers on this site, I don't want to be a woman. I never fantasize about being a girl. I just like to wear their clothes! So, at some point, back around 2005, I started going out occasionally in shorts and hose for morning walks. Then I tried wearing a skirt one morning (because this stuff always progresses to the next exciting thing). Then I started wearing a skirt in the mornings (as a man). Then I tried going to a store in a skirt and dark hose. Afterward, I was going to go to the mall in shorts and dark hose, but I just kept the skirt on. During these experiences, I discovered that I could dress however I wanted and present male. Before that, I would never fully dress in public if I was not presenting female. I did not care about being female, but I felt like I could not dress up without it. I now know I can dress how I want to and not bother with boobs or makeup. I do not do it a lot. But when I can, it is nice to get out.

These days, going to stores while pretty is losing its appeal. I want to go work at a store dressed up. I want to go to my normal job dressed up. I want to go to a conference dressed up. Maybe a Linux users group meeting. I want to go do normal things while dressed up. This meeting I went to in this post was OK because I was somewhat continually interacting directly with others while dressed. People came up and shaked my hand and introduced themselves to me. People asked if I wanted to eat something, etc. I was interacting with people while dressed. That's rather different than when I am shopping and only talking to two or three clerks. Otherwise, I did not enjoy the meeting all that much. They were a hippie-oriented, left-leaning sort of group. (If that means anything to a global audience.) The discussion was rather strongly in that direction. I don't relate to that. The people were nice and they invited me back.

I tried to go to a lunch event they had this week, but I found out it was canceled when I got there... So, I went shopping (entirely too close to home).

[larry07]

Johanne,
You are my new role model. I am also male with no desire to present as female or transition, but just like to wear women's clothes. I am always underdressed and probably 3/4 of my outer clothing is female, but androgynous enough that nobody notices. So far I have not gotten up the nerve to go out obviously dressed except for a few shopping trips far from home.

Larry