Just saying

[Belle De Mer]

Sara Jessica, you definitely hit a nerve there when you said your rarely see trans in "the wild" I couldn't agree more. Even though I live in one of the most supposedly liberal, progressive metropolis in the world, I can also say that I can count my sightings of trans/CD's on my fingers. Or.... wait, maybe we are just getting too good at "passing" LOL

[Robinadress]

Hi Sara Jessica

Thank you for replying. Oh wait, this isn’t “my” tread. Some treads do really develop in different directions.

I shall be the first to admit that I may be the first to be wrong about acceptance for crossdressing is shifting towards more positive. At least how it is in USA where I don’t live. Where I live there have been a lot of focus in different programs on TV especially about tx, but that has also opened the eyes that a lot of different ways of crossdressing do exist. The young generation growing up knows so much more about it today than we did in the past. When I hear others talk about crossdressing that doesn’t know I crossdress it is very often in an understanding way, and I very seldom experience anything negative when I go out. I take that as a signal that things are changing, but I agree we still have a long way to go.

When I say I have seen a lot of crossdressers when I have been in USA, everything is relative. Of course I don’t see five crossdressers every day (except in New York), but I have seen several in Portland every time I have been there because I always pay extra attention when I see someone wearing skirts or dresses. The ones I have seen hasn’t met any problems at all when they have spent time shopping in the mall.

I do not expect everyone to understand the “man in a dress” phenomena. I actually struggle a bit to understand my self why I do it. I have tried crossdressing both ways, and I actually meet more understanding from others when I meet them as a man wearing women clothes. To them it seems less complicated they tell me. I always try to explain that crossdressing is done in so many different ways and try to educate a bit.

Anyway, my point is that what we are a small group that must defend each other even though we can’t identify 100% with each other. We must not scare each other about how much hate we meet outside when that isn’t the case. We have to be honest to each other and accept that most people don’t understand why any of us are dressing, but the only ones that can start change that attitude are us by showing that we do exist.

All the best
Rob

[MissDanielle]

Transgender alone took a big leap to the mainstream with Transparent and Caitlyn Jenner (say what you will about the family). The fact of the matter is that being CD is still a taboo. Unless I know for a fact that I could completely pass as being 100% female, I'm not going to the pool or beach anytime soon to get those bikini tan lines that I want so badly.

What society doesn't understand is that we are born this way, something just clicks on in our brains one day and it never turns off. I just wished it didn't take me so long to come to terms about myself. I could have passed with flying colors several years ago but without laser hair removal, it's slightly harder now as I am what one would call a hairy beast, haha. But yet I want to present myself as the most feminine that I can. If some people can't accept that, so what. I'll tell them the same thing that I say any other day of the week: IT IS NOT A CHOICE! It's who we are and people have to learn to accept that.

Maybe 2016 is year the CD is no longer seen as taboo. One of the hardest things I did recently was come out to a small group of friends and family. They accepted me for who I am and still care about me. I'll take that any day of the week. Reconciling how my brain works with my religious upbringing has been tough but I've turned to people to help with that and I found nothing but support from that community, too!