Results 1 to 21 of 21

Thread: Welcome to the zoo!

  1. #1
    Silver Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    2,702

    Welcome to the zoo!

    There have been some new members recently, as well as more established members, that have me thinking "huh? What's that about".

    So what I think that I am observing is a crossection of crossdressing. (TG umbrella really, but I live for alliteration). Because we come from different backgrounds and subcultures, our vocabulary, attitude, expectations and even mores are widely varied.


    So then I've recently read about the Ballroom culture. Had no idea, and I am still not all that familiar. But it seems to be closer in line with Rupauls Drag Race and Transcendent. And talk about attitude!

    I've heard or read about some other terms from a different, typically younger Anime oriented crowd, like "trap" (which I find offensive), or the recently debated "sissy".

    While the more pervasive demographic here seems to match my own culture, (middle age white, married with children, long in the closet) there are definitely more curious species. It's good to keep that in mind, and understand the shift in perspective.

    I don't know if anyone has really mapped out this spectrum of cultures, but I think it would be an interesting topic. Much like a zoological study. But then again, I'm an intellectual dork!
    Last edited by Lorileah; 08-31-2016 at 01:26 PM. Reason: this has been removed on another member's post, so no

  2. #2
    Reality Check
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    8,842
    I don't think it could be mapped reliably because many of these terms are regional or popular among certain groups of people. I remember when wearing one earring in a particular ear supposedly was a sign of being gay but nobody was certain which ear it was supposed to be.

    TV and social media changes these things so rapidly that I have decided to just ignore them. At my age, it's not important and the terms are likely to change or go away soon anyway.

    My goal is to look like a normal woman. Call it what you want, use the name of the day, I don't care. At the end of the day, it's the same.

  3. #3
    Senior Member michelleddg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    1,664
    I'm a girly girl who spends most of their time as a middle-aged white dude who's been married far longer than they've been single and spends most of their time in traditionally manly pursuits. I feel well-represented here! Hugs, Michelle

  4. #4
    Adventuress Kate Simmons's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    The Poconos PA
    Posts
    18,971
    I'm personally not that interested in the "culture" myself nor trying to figure it out. What I am interested in is who we are as individuals who are just trying to express who we are and our feelings. When you get past all of the so called "taboos" and so forth we are just regular people more or less and that's what I mostly relate to.
    Second star to the right and straight on till morning

  5. #5
    Senior Member Lori Kurtz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,169
    Okay, Meghan, you've got me stumped with that term, "trap." And I'm probably not the only one. Can you clue us in to what it means? Thanks.

  6. #6
    Silver Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    2,702
    A "trap" is a CD or pre-op that is generally passable, and stealthily beds an unsuspecting straight male. Trapping them. A derogatory term for a dishonest person. Popular in Anime, particularly Hentai.

    I really don't like the implications, or the genre it came from.

  7. #7
    Gold Member Dana44's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Central Texas
    Posts
    5,982
    Megan, lately it does seem like a zoo. But we all come from different backgrounds and there is a lot of new girls here. I find it interesting and we all learn from one another. I never heard of a trap before. That does seem cheap and not a good image of us. I don't pay much attention to culture as it does change a lot. The one who does map things out is Reine and she does a great job of it. But I don't think she would take this on. LOL
    Last edited by Lorileah; 09-01-2016 at 01:45 PM. Reason: removed word that is insulting to others
    Part Time Girl

  8. #8
    Banned Spammer
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Between here and there but mostly here close to the donuts.
    Posts
    22,257
    Seems a lot of the new ones have come here from the sex related fetish sites and think this site is like the site they came from.
    It seems to be coming to an end here and the normal CDer is getting pushed by the wayside in favor of the kinky new I'm gender ( insert term) or whatever the gender term of the month is.
    I guess dressing to look like a cis woman is now a bad thing. This world is messed up so bad wrong is right and right is wrong now.
    I refuse to follow.

  9. #9
    Silver Member paulaprimo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    new york
    Posts
    3,218
    you lost me at the word intellectual! when GOD said come forth for brains, i must of come 5th...
    traps, ballroom culture, sissy are all words way above my area of expertise.
    i'm a simple gal still trying to figure out my mascara
    Last edited by Lorileah; 09-01-2016 at 01:43 PM. Reason: removed word that is insulting
    paula

  10. #10
    tiptoeing thru the tulips ellbee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    US
    Posts
    2,155
    I'm new here!


    Though I don't consider myself being a part of any sub-genre of dressing, which I've been doing on & off for a few decades.

    When getting all dolled-up, I really do just try my best to look like a GG would in various contexts, and then sometimes put myself in situations where I'd be able to experience certain things from their perspective.


    I didn't realize that had a name to it, too? Ha!


    But yeah, there's certainly some little groups out there, with their unique flavors. To each her own, I suppose.

  11. #11
    Banned Read only
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    13,082
    Meghan,
    Maybe look at it from the other direction, there are so many social groups doing their own thing with their own language and the tentative link is CDing and not the other way round. If CDing wasn't involved in those groups you possibly wouldn't give them a second thought .

    Tracii,
    Try and not be that cynical, many of us striving for that will be around for a while yet !
    Last edited by Teresa; 08-31-2016 at 12:19 PM.

  12. #12
    Gold Member Read only Rachael Leigh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Dallas Ft Worth metro
    Posts
    5,589
    Meghan I think the very nature of cross dressing lends itself to the many different styles and ways of what we do.
    Even myself like many it kinda began as a fetish where I dressed like a little girl, I soon realized it was more then that for me. Over the years I finally figured out I fell under the transgender umbrella to where I am now comfortable with that fact.
    Now how do I manage it and not make a fool of myself or leave people out of my life with being to selfish. It's a difficult balance for sure and yes we all are different but it's just the nature of this part of who we are.
    Leigh

  13. #13
    When I started I was only interested in wearing Disney Princess style ball gowns and my main ambition was to dress like a bride.
    Lately I'm turning to more dark, gothy type fashions.
    I'm 6 foot 3, I know I will never pass as a girl, but that can't stop me from looking good though :-)

  14. #14
    This Time Around Lauri K's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Houston Texas
    Posts
    681
    On another note though, what I am saying all jokes aside is that the world is changing at exponential rate and as such I expect the forum will evolve at some point or it will become the VHS machine of days gone by, time will tell.

    I hate all the labels personally, but the filing system of labels are a really result of our own infighting within the community.

    So while I welcome all the new ladies / members, I have to say there have been a few threads that got my brow raised up a bit as the subjects were a bit of a departure from what I typically see here. However I expect the subject departure from normal trend to continue. I do not think this is a temporary thing you are seeing here as I see this same trend on several other forums I frequent.
    Last edited by Lorileah; 09-01-2016 at 01:47 PM. Reason: referenced words that were edited
    Way too Girly ! I couldn't smell the smoke, and now I'll watch the flames

    Out on Parole ......Woo Hoo

  15. #15
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    The South
    Posts
    1,679
    Well we are human and each one of us is unique in so many ways, yet we also have much in common hence the sometimes confusing variations. We might be a zoo but we are a very nice zoo with all sorts of interesting sub-species and types in it.
    I have some gay friends and the variation amongst that community is startling. It goes all the way from "bears" to "twinks" with many types and sub-types in between.
    So I think we just need to relax and accept and enjoy the variety. We are no different to many other "groups" in this respect.
    Last edited by CONSUELO; 08-31-2016 at 01:25 PM. Reason: grammar

  16. #16
    Non-binary/Questioning
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    380
    Quote Originally Posted by Meghan4now View Post
    I don't know if anyone has really mapped out this spectrum of cultures, but I think it would be an interesting topic. Much like a zoological study. But then again, I'm an intellectual dork!
    I'd love to get hold of a database from FetLife or F-List or some place like that and do some sort of factor analysis or discriminant analysis on it.
    Last edited by Lorileah; 09-01-2016 at 01:48 PM. Reason: refers to edited content

  17. #17
    Member Sandy Clifton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    392
    Quote Originally Posted by Meghan4now View Post
    A "trap" is a CD or pre-op that is generally passable, and stealthily beds an unsuspecting straight male. Trapping them. A derogatory term for a dishonest person. Popular in Anime, particularly Hentai.

    I really don't like the implications, or the genre it came from.
    I have heard of "trap" used this way; I've also come across the term "trap queen,"
    which (confusingly) is apparently something completely unrelated to drag.

  18. #18
    Aspiring Member LaurenS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Western Oklahoma
    Posts
    520
    I can only imagine how complicated a 3D Venn diagram would be of all the individuals out there.

    Big rabbit hole.

  19. #19
    Girl from the Eagles Nest reb.femme's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    S London UK
    Posts
    2,281
    Hi Meghan,

    I'm with Tracii on the 'not following the craze', but normal CD Tracii? There's nothing normal about me.

    Krisi makes a good point, in that many terms can be regional (England is great for that), so a survey would definitely be slanted due to interpretation. Even my wife doesn't understand me...well that's not quite what she said, but the truth would be moderated out.

    I've seen no end of people feeling insulted by this and that term, but in this crazy old world, each to their own.

    Quote Originally Posted by paulaprimo View Post
    ...when GOD said come forth for brains, i must of come 5th...
    First seen on a wall in Jerusalem, circa 25 AD I believe.

    Becky
    Flying high under the spell of life!

    http://www.rebsweb.co.uk

  20. #20
    Aspiring Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    765
    to me the greater distinction I've observed is that some identify as crossdressers, with sub categories of fetishists, just crossdressers, love the clothes (texture, variety, etc) and don't care to further define. others have gender identity conflict and crossdressing is expression of that gender ID conflict.

    I've evolved to the latter as I've aged(though I've always had the gender id stuff going on.

    I'm sure this is an oversimplification.

  21. #21
    Ice queen Lorileah's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Denver
    Posts
    11,799
    I have removed responses and specific words that are insulting to ciswomen (and the transwomen here too). I don't care if your friends call you something all the time, when a word has a connotation that is derogatory or insulting to other groups, don't use it. It isn't funny and it is impolite.


    This thread is on thin ice
    The earth is the mother of all people and all people should have equal rights upon it.
    Chief Joseph
    Nez Perce



    “Love isn't a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.” - Fred Rogers,

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Check out these other hot web properties:
Catholic Personals | Jewish Personals | Millionaire Personals | Unsigned Artists | Crossdressing Relationship
BBW Personals | Latino Personals | Black Personals | Crossdresser Chat | Crossdressing QA
Biker Personals | CD Relationship | Crossdressing Dating | FTM Relationship | Dating | TG Relationship


The crossdressing community is one that needs to stick together and continue to be there for each other for whatever one needs.
We are always trying to improve the forum to better serve the crossdresser in all of us.

Browse Crossdressers By State