How long will the current Transgender Fad last ?????

[Kelly DeWinter]

For the last few months the increased cultural interest has culminated in an explosion of Transgender / Crossdresser "awareness" . Some in the form of '"Reality Shows" are looking for ways to cash in (no hopefully not Bruce), where as others such as Television are creating shows "Becoming Us" abut TG parents. Others including Salons are offering "Life Experience" packages to see what it's like to be the opposite sex (You Tube is exploding with do it yourself TG/CD How to videos).

Is that what being Transgendered or a Crossdresser is becoming in our society a Fad or a way to Cash In ?

Does anyone else see it ? or am I totally off base ?

[LucyNewport]

Hard to say - I'm still waiting for skinny jeans to go out of style...

Srsly tho, we are enjoying a bit more exposure than usual. It's the curiosity factor that is driving it, and television producers are nothing if not bandwagon jumpers. My guess is in a year or so most of the hype will die down and the trans will just be another bucket for basic cable to dip into periodically like hoarders, hillbillies and megalomaniacal brides.

[AllieSF]

I like that all this is happening, so fad or not, it is good for us over the long run, more exposure, more awareness, more knowledge and maybe a few laughs and tears along the way. Gays had a similar media coming out and now they are starring in movies, coming out in professional sports and so on. I think it is just a way that we can get more exposure, which hopefully will move on to bigger and better things. Or .... we could go back to the way it was and no one knows that we exist except for all their previous erroneous ideas??

[Robin414]

It won't move back, it WILL move forward! It's simple evolution people!!!

[Adriana Moretti]

It could be a fad....or it could be that the TG Community is now starting to be recognized as real people.I was kinda siked when I saw Laverene Cox presenting at the Billboard Awards last week and walking the red carpet....thats a BIG step. I like what Robin said too it is moving forward. Enjoy the exposure...whats the alternative ??? No exposure? No education? Continued ignorance ? go back to hiding in the closet ? Fight the good fights.....

[docrobbysherry]

That was a post I read on FB today. Posted by a T girl "Friend".

I asked her why would anyone pretend to be trans?

R trans so much in the public awareness now that some folks r pretending to be one?

[Badtranny]

R trans so much in the public awareness now that some folks r pretending to be one?

Maybe, but certainly not in real life.

There have been proven internet fakers, but I guarantee these pretenders aren't doing the hard stuff.

What irks me are the dudes that want to hang out with 'us' on Saturday nights and talk a big game about being one of the girls but when I run into him at Starbucks he's all mister macho man. ...bitch please.

[Donnagirl]

Nooooooo... Don't tell me I'm fashionable all of a sudden. I hate being trendy...

But, seriously I think this is more an evolutionary step than a 'fad'. It will plateau but never drop back. Gone are the days of closeted youth thinking they are the only ones in the world with these 'weird' compulsions. The internet was our educational tool, public awareness and knowledge will be the next generations. And that's a good thing!

[Eryn]

Persephone saw it coming, and had T-shirts made for us:

lgbt center.jpg TG logo.JPG

I think that the TG fad will last about as long as the gay fad. It'll never go away, but it will become less prominent with time as people accept us as part of a diverse society.

[PaulaQ]

I think that the TG fad will last about as long as the gay fad. It'll never go away, but it will become less prominent with time as people accept us as part of a diverse society.

Actually, it'll really fade out when this is treated as it always should've been treated - as a childhood condition. The children who so transition will simply be for all intents and purposes not much different than cisgender folks, at least socially. We exist in such numbers now, and are so noticeable when we show ourselves at all, because society has forced us to seek treatment only after we've taken terrible damage from this condition.

For the CDs here, I think it'll only be after enough of y'all come out for there to be a fad...

[Marcelle]

Hi Kelly,

I think the hype for some of the media attention will wane. Indeed, you don't see too much about Bruce J in the tabloids these days. However, I also believe this "blip" on the trans radar has helped to put us out there a bit more. People are becoming more tolerant but that does not always equate to "acceptance". However, I believe we will march forward in tiny steps and who knows one day it won't be trendy it will just be normal every day boring, and that will be the "big win".

Hugs

Isha

[Vickie_CDTV]

Probably when it ceases to make money for those in the media... or, on the other hand, if it becomes profitable to hate on trans people for some reason.

Years and years ago I remember a period when crossdressing was a bit of a fad in the media, nowadays ordinary occasional dressing probably isn't "sensational" enough to give us occasional dressers any press.

[MonicaMarie]

I really don't see it as a profitable venture, given the relatively small percentage of the population we comprise. After all, ratings and selling ads is what drives content. Perhaps it is more of something of a public relations maneuver by media outlets looking to appeal to the wider group of supporters, especially the rapidly-growing number of marriage equality supporters. Would FOX News, for example, ever have anything positive to say about marriage equality or transgender rights? I seriously doubt it. They have a niche audience and pandering to that niche is what they do. If you don't win hearts and minds, no matter how wrong-headed, you will lose viewers, which translates to decreased revenue. This is ultimately what it is all about.

[CynthiaD]

Lots of TV shows want to be edgy and avant-garde. That used to mean having gay characters or exploring gay issues. But gay has become pretty ho-hum these days, so everyone is moving on to trans issues. Of course, with its usual utter lack of perception, the media focus is on transsexuals, completely ignoring the remainder of the TG spectrum, but I'll take what I can get.

[Kate Simmons]

Who knows? Profiteers are always out looking to make a buck on the "in" thing. Once the hubbub dies down they are off on another quest.

[STACY B]

Maybe, but certainly not in real life.

There have been proven internet fakers, but I guarantee these pretenders aren't doing the hard stuff.

What irks me are the dudes that want to hang out with 'us' on Saturday nights and talk a big game about being one of the girls but when I run into him at Starbucks he's all mister macho man. ...bitch please.

Come onnnnnnnnnn ,lol,, They wouldn't do that, To find a real one Roll up on Um when there hanging out with all there good time Buddy's drinking Beer and ask them if they Took there Pills Today. Run across one in Walmart an see if you get the traditional female welcome Hug ? Call them by there girl name out in public an see how fast they Run,,lol,, There is no committing to this Half ass in Denial. If so it's just a game and your always leaving yourself an escape exit. Anyone can Tip toe around town an in and out of retail stores and dark places like clubs, Pull it out in the Middle of Real world an see.

That's why I say CD's have it made an I envy them, To be able to go back an forth at will is a great thing in my book. Best of both worlds but trans chix don't have that luxury. It's not the clothes or how much makeup you put on or pretending to be someone else for a short while. That is the very thing that we hate. It's waking up in the morning and looking at the real you no matter what you have an just getting on with the day as normal as possible. Having to go back an fourth is pure hell with little satisfaction and feeling more and more empty on each return trip like you left something or a big part of you behind an can't get it back.

There is no way to describe the feeling of this, Why do people think you go through all the pain an humiliation and ridicule for? Nothing wrong with playing a part but own what part your playing and try not to be a poser of something your not.
I would respect someone a lot more if they said Hey I am CD an play dress up when I am out, But after this I have to go back to my real world so if you see me some where don't be surprised.

[melanie206]

I don't think we should gauge our progress by the amount of attention we get from reality television. Just like the emergence of gay people into the main stream, our struggle is a long slow but inevitable progression. Civil rights is not a fad. Except maybe on Fox News.

[I Am Paula]

Well, this certainly is not a bubble that will burst, and then numbers will go back down. We are certainly more visible, more talked about, and more in the media, but a fad...No.
Are reality shows trying to cash in?...Absolutely. If not, Bruce Jenner would have done his show on Lifetime, not piggybacked to those despicable Kardashians. This week on About Bruce- The Kardashians make Bruce balance a ball on his nose, while they dangle a sardine above him...I'm gonna puke.

"Civil rights is not a fad. Except maybe on Fox News." Melanie206

[Princess Chantal]

Hey-o Stacy,
Me wants your respect! I answer to both names (Chantal or Jeff) whether I am prettied up or in dude mode in any public or private situation! Geez since getting my hands on this crossdresser t-shirt, I have been proudly wearing in guy mode and next week in gal mode when I dress casual for my monthly pedi & eye brow waxing. Actually thinking of it, the peeps that do my pedi only know me as Jeff and I have been going there mainly in gal mode.
As a crossdresser I really do got it made, get all prettied up for the awesome things and a avoid spending blah time in gal mode. Got no sad violins playing, like the transfolks have to struggle thru!
Anyhoo fad or not? I don't know, but it sure does seem like it is!

[Pat]

I think the question of if this is a fad or a cultural change depends on us. We have some spotlight now -- if we scatter like roaches, it will fade away and we'll have lost the opportunity. If we treat it the way the gay/lesbian culture did, we can use it as a springboard to new cultural understanding. The odd thing is all we have to do to take advantage of it is to do the thing we keep saying we wish for -- get out there and be normal.

How long will it last? Depends -- there's going to be a scandal somewhere sometime: a TG mass murderer or paedophile or (shudder) investment banker. Finger-pointing will start, intolerant people will say this is what comes of welcoming Them into polite society, the J. Edgar Hoover cartoons will come out. If we haven't achieved society's respect by then it will be over. If we have crossed the threshold we can survive it.

[suchacutie]

Increased awareness can only be positive in the long run. New common ideas need to be talked out so even if some of the "press" is less than accurate, it will eventually work it's way through the mainstream and some other "new" social issue will take the place of how trangenderism fits into our society. The more trangenderism is on people's minds the better!

[Jaylyn]

For me I could really care less how far it goes.. Fad or fashion. I'm mid sixties and married and I've been doing this nearly all my life. Maybe I'm not TG but I enjoy wearing my dresses n heels, hose n panties. I started at a very early age. Hiding and enjoying this all the while having what I'd call a normal conservative lifestyle, working, raising kids, and all in an hostile environment part of the country toward any thing of the sort that I enjoy. Would I like going out dressed only in my fantasies maybe. I'm too muscular to pass and have way too many manly passions also. I still enjoy at the end of the day getting into my dress and pretending. I believe we all have degrees of this CD thing that can satisfy us. Mine is being relaxed after a hard days work. A class of wine and a smooth silky or nylon dress can help with that. Don't say I'm not TG but i don't really believe I am. Just a crossdresser who enjoys wearing and walking the walk. If masculine clothing was made that felt this good I guess I wouldn't even be considered a crossdresser. Just my thoughts.

[LilSissyStevie]

The Romans called it panem et circenses - bread and circuses. Take your EBT down to the quickie mart and get some cheese doodles and watch TGs in ring number 3.

[Meg East]

TG & CD has become so popular the New York Times ran a section called "Transgender Today".

All this attention is making me feel uneasy.

[Melissa in SE Tn]

CD evolution: " The times they are a changing " . It 's going to be a more enjoyable ride into the future.