Great story Kim. You should invite that friendly lady to sit on your patio with you and share a glass with you.
Great story Kim. You should invite that friendly lady to sit on your patio with you and share a glass with you.
That's a really positive development! Go you.
I started getting the courage to go smoke outside my building while dressed and of course it wasn't long before I started bumping into some of my neighbours. None of them reacted strangely, looked at me weirdly or said anything unpleasant. They just acted normal. It was really lovely. I genuinely think that a good deal of the people out there just don't care: most people are too wrapped up in their own shit to bother too much about others!
I have lived here 4 years and I know this older lady very well. We both have a soft spot for a stray dog that frequents the park, and she often stops by with her dog to say hello. Also, she once served on the board of the non-profit I run, which originated as an HIV service provider....so I knew her heart was in the right place. I figured if I was going to reintroduce myself here, she was a natural starting point.
BTW, I did offer her a glass of wine, but she's getting up there...(even compared to me) and no longer indulges in wine.
Traci, you're right of course. Its much easier to be yourself (once you got that figured out) than it is to change yourself to fit other people's expectations. I've contributed to some of those expectations, so this is a bit of an undoing process.
Well it's nice to see so much positive , but I don't want anyone to have to deal with negatives, so I'll just put this out there. Cape Charles Va. Is a small town on The Eastern Shore, it fell apart when the CBBT bridge was built. It was a slum c shooting gallery (drugs) for many years. The people that stayed enticed many gays to move in who quickly cleaned the place up and have turned it into a new beginning, however now it is felt they don't need the gay community anymore and have be squeezing us out.
I was recently told while in my girl clothes I could not use the ladies rooms in the clubs anymore. Some woman who moved here two years ago has taken over and will totally harass any TGs or crossdressers that visit here. 45yrs here and it's time to move on.
Well, I wonder how the delightful new group of bigots will like their community after the undesirables move away and take their good manners, style and money with them? Maybe its time for a little march in Cape Charles?
Kim, I'm glad you seem to have found peace by coming out in your neighborhood. It's hard to get over that hump where we worry about what others think about us.
As for neighborhoods, historically, neighborhoods change. In my city, what was once the best neighborhood to live in is now the "hood" and strangers don't go there at night. At some point it will be torn down and the homes replaced and it will be a good neighborhood again. These cycles usually take eighty years or more.
Suzanne, Does the person who told you not to use the ladies room have any authority to do so? What are the laws in VA? Unless it's illegal, I suggest ignoring her. As far as harassment, harass back. You don't have to take it and you don't have to be driven out of your own town.
BTW: I visited Cape Charles a few years ago and it seemed like a lovely place.
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Kim, I was thinking about you situation last night and I think you've come up with the perfect situation for a crossdresser.
Your home has wheels so you can live as a crossdresser (or woman) and if you get a bunch of grief from your neighbors or the park management, you can just unplug your home and drive away to a new neighborhood. It's much easier than trying to sell a conventional house.
You seem to be accepted where you are and that's good but just keep the ignition key handy.
Actually, Krisi, I think you're right. I could quite easily live my life moving from RV park to RV Park to State Park...etc. In fact, its rather an appealing concept. I'm certainly on the last leg professionally speaking, and I could easily see myself moving from park to park as a woman. Acceptance...or at least avoidance of intolerance is literally only minutes away.