why did you join, did you find what you were looking for, did it help.... +or -

[Kiwi Primrose]

I found the forum and joined in 2006 after exploring the possibilities of the internet.
At last I had found a non-threatening place to discuss my interests without being asked to take my panties off and show my "arousal ".
I have no problems and I don't want to be more than a MIAD. My family, neighbours and friends have seen me dressed.
What more do I need?

[Helen_Highwater]

I would search the internet looking for anything that would help me understand and hopefully improve my ability to CD. The probem was that most sites found were either just picture sites such as Flickr or more explicit meetup ones.

I found this site and lurked for many months. Such was the fear in my head that I was convinced that should I join the whole world would instantly identify me. Finally got up the courage to join and haven't looked back.

Yes there are the practical tips that help us improve our image, advice on where to shop. What items work and are worth the money and those that are to be avoided like the plague.

The most important things though, at least for me are one, being able to put my thoughts out there to a wide and knowledgeable audience. Two, to be able to read and digest the often well crafted thoughts of others. Three, to initially find the support and encouragement to move my CD'ing forward and later to offer my support to others following on based on my experiences and finally to have engaged with so many, most who I'll never actually meet, yet I will still consider them as friend.

I suppose one way to view this site is like a virtual pub. In the real world you go there to meet and talk, sport, politics or just put the world to rights. Here, ok you can't talk politics, but you can discuss something that is deeply important to us all so I'll give my time here a +++++.

[Lacey New]

I can’t believe that it has been almost six years for me since I joined. But I guess my answers are simple. First and foremost, I wanted to understand why I crossdress and other males do not. I still don’t know the answer, but I have learned that many of us on this site don’t know either so I take some small comfort in knowing that I am not alone in my quest to understand. I appreciate reading the many theories that people have advanced. Second, I wanted to learn how and where to shop. Thanks to several members just writing threads and responding to private messages, I finally went to a Dress Barn in drab and purchased a dress. It was a great experience. Finally, while I do not deny the sexual component to my crossdresssing, I am not, nor will for any kind of sexual encounter. Thankfully, this site provides a venue that is free from what might be regarded as gay porn. It is thoughtful and respectful.

[sara66]

My wife found this site (searching for why) and suggested I should check it out. I liked it, it was just normal people with the same need to dress. I don't know if i really was looking for anything. but it was nice to share experiences. I have been very closeted for so long it is just nice to have an outlet.
Sara

[rhonda]

I joined because it was something I was doing , what I joined is a lifestyle with no option to quit , we all here are united as a family , so too speak , and nobody leaves the family , so I guess that makes all sisters , it shore is nice to have a lot sisters

[BrendaPDX]

I joined because I was looking for who I was, why I do the things I do, and to make sure I wasn't crazy. I stayed because I enjoy the honesty here and the fact that it is well regulated, no hate, no heavy kink, and lots of people sharing honestly there experiences. I have met people that helped me break out of the closet, well at least a little. I have found that I am not alone, and that others honestly care about reaching out and helping others. I can't believe I found this site, it is relaxing, kind of like sipping some wine with friends.

[Charlotte-Jones]

I joined because I wanted to try and make sense of it all. Dressing and why I did it and how to accept myself.

I also did because I had come to learn merely reading about it and conversing was a way for me to indulge in dressing by proxy, if even just a little.

Most other places on the net in my opinion I feel tend to reinforce a negative or unhealthy relationship with dressing, which wasn't what I feel i needed.

Ofc, even after making my account I was to shy to say anything... x'D

[Alice B]

A female friend told me about this site many years ago, when I first started dressing. Has and remains a site of inspiration and information for me, and a chance to communicate how I feel about my life as a cross dresser. Have made a few good friends here

[Christie ann]

I joined because this forum is full of real people just like me.

[Tracii G]

I joined after searching for sites to help me understand what was going on with me.
Most sites were fetish related or porn sites and that wasn't my thing.
Found this place by accident and have been here ever since.
It fit what I was looking for which was info and help/understanding.
So glad I found this site because with help from some nice people I have sorted out my issues and know exactly what I am and where I am going.

[Crissy 107]

There are many reasons I joined this wonderful site. My #1 reason is to be with like minded people. Sharing ideas and experiences and reading about how others have handled different situations. Really, where would most of us be without forums like this? I know I would still be in the closet with no hope, at least in my mind, of ever having any chance of acceptance from my wife.
I’ve only been here for a short time but already know I have found my new home. Thanks all, Crissy

[Felicia M]

Why did you join? I began to lurk after coming back to cross dressing last year and asking so many questions of myself. I needed to make sense of what was happening because this time it came back with such force. I honestly wish I had found this place 20 years ago. I truly believe it would have changed the trajectory of my own journey. Eventually I joined to hopefully offer some good advice and share with others, add my own stories and experiences, meet others on similar journey's and have a good laugh with the girls!

Did you find what you were looking for? Yes and then some. It has been more than I imagined and in a good way.

Did it help? Immensely. Even without engaging it was deeply helpful to see others answering some of the same questions I had about myself and going through similar experiences. Participating has only enhanced the support.

[Vivian Chen]

Wow, I didn't realized that I've been on this site for 10 years...

I joined because this is one of the more visible forums for cross dressers. It's good to be with people who share the same interests. I found a lot of friends here but in a backwards manner as I've met them in person first, then found out that they are members of this forum.

[Wildaboutheels]

I actually can't remember why or how I found this place. Maybe it was because in 5 of the six shoe stores I was using, theyseemed to have an awful lot of 11 and 12s and I had never seen any man or woman buying shoes of that size and I wondered who was?

After lurking for a couple of days to get the lay of the land and the flavor of the place, I thought I might be able to help that percentage of folks who were not of the mindset that a crossdresser simply MUST do it in a certain manner. He must do x AND Y AND z. And stand like this and walk like that and..........

As there is no " right way" to dress normally, it only stands to reason, there is no "right way" to crossdress. Clearly, some percentage were just into the clothes and shoes but had no desire for anything more. Quite a few seemed at least willing or compelled to try some or all of the other areas in order to "fit in" here.

The very name of this site says it pretty clearly.

IF one likes the colors or styles or cut or simply the look of outerwear, then buy it and wear it regardless of whether it was sold in the men's or women's department. It's simply NOT mandatory that one tries to "pass" as a female simply because you like the look or feel of some "female" clothing items.

[sometimes_miss]

I came to share what I'd learned about crossdressing, as I had found a whole lot of disinformation here at the time. I had hoped to help people figure themselves out, by providing ways to do that. As well as try to counter the huge pink fog problem, which still exists. Spending a lot of time here, and you will begin to think that all the world loves a crossdresser, that there are plenty of women out there just waiting to have a crossdressing mate of their very own, that there is no evil in the world towards crossdressers, and of course that we're all straight and everyone in the world knows this. While I understand this is primarily a safe and feel good site for crossdressers and those who wish to know more about us, sometimes things go overboard in the opposite direction from reality. As much as it might break someone's bubble of fantasy, it helps to keep everyone's feet on the ground of reality. Telling someone how much they look like a GG and that they could certainly pass, doesn't help if it's not true, because eventually the poor crossdresser will crash and burn when they hit the hard wall of real life.
There was, at that time, and still is, the generally accepted belief that we are all 'born this way'. Much like the gay community used it to stave off the hatred towards them, many crossdressers desperately try to use the same method to avoid having to take the blame for our gender barrier crossing behaviors. Unfortunately, we are not all 'born this way'. Yes, some are. But others are not. And it can help tremendously to try to figure out just how we ended up this way. So many are still gay or bi and deep in self denial, usually because of where they grew up, and often because their religion made them feel bad about who and what they are. Our western society is also to blame, because of the rigid roles thrust upon us when we were growing up, which some of us simply weren't ever going to be able to fit into.
And then, it was about finding out how to find a female mate who could accept and enjoy my life with my crossdressing past, present and maybe future. And during the past ten years, I've found that there is little chance of that. The discovery that femininity in a man is such a strong sexual turn off for the vast majority of women, would mean that most of us would wind up alone, for life. Sad as that seems, at least when we know, we can prepare ourselves for how to deal with it.

[DQ Tanya]

I think in general, I join these sites just to be in a "safe space" where it is fine just to be yourself. I dont like hiding what I am but then on the other hand I dont want to be in places where stand out from the crowd and perhaps hostile - life is just too short. But that being the case, I really dont find talking about being trans very interesting, so I dont really get to indulge much. I just like being trans as a brute fact, now whats next

[mbmeen12]

To gain knowledge on why I felt. Was this a fetish thing? Was this a physical and mental liability? Finding out I was not alone.....

[Beverley Sims]

I joined to help and support others, I think I had already found what I wanted.

I have even created fireworks because I gave support to unpopular posters.

My advice has not always been spot on though. :-)

[SaraLin]

I found this site while doing an internet search for 'support' sites. After a quick look, I liked what I saw, so I stuck around a while, lurking and not joining.
But eventually, I wanted to make a few comments on things I was reading. So - I gathered up my nerve and decided to join.
After a bit of time as a member, I once again took a leap of faith and uploaded a picture for my avatar. Why? Well - I find that it's easier for me to keep track of "who said what" if I can associate a name with a picture. So I figured I'd extend the same 'courtesy' to others. It took some time to find one that would be OK to use, since I don't have many at all. I'm not into selfies. Never was, never will be - drab or femme.

I'm here because it's nice to know that I'm not alone, even if my life isn't exactly like anyone else's. I just like to be reminded of the expression: "Remember you're unique - just like everyone else."

And maybe- just maybe, once in a while, I might have something useful to say. ( I don't think this post is it, though...)

[Ressie]

I got my first internet connection around 1998 and started looking for other crossdressers, info on CDing, and tranny porn. So, 10 years later I came across this website and I saw that members posted cross dressed photos. Honestly, that's why I joined, to see the photos!

Of course, it didn't take long before I started reading interesting threads. And look at me now!

[Amelie]

I came to this forum and other similar forums looking for friends from my past. Back in the day I would hang out in trans bars and made a few, well just three true friends. I was put away for a time and lost contact and was trying to find them on this site cause the bars back then advertised themselves as places for CD's to meet. There was no word transgender though transsexuals hung out there, usually working girls. I have been on and off this forum for 14 years and have been to many other sites including face-book and in all that time I found none of them. I think they're dead.

[kimdl93]

I was seeking a place where I could communicate with other people....share this side of myself in a safe environment. What I found besides a social network was a wealth of knowledge and practical experience. It’s been a constant source of understanding and illumination.

[gownman]

I joined because I like to wear silky nighties - especially long ones. I have no other CD interests. This site has not really been very helpful. There don't seem to be many like me.

[Confucius]

I've spent so much of my life not knowing another crossdresser, and feeling as if I was alone in the world.

This forum has given me so much support, acceptance, and solace. I have found many people like myself who have had similar life experiences. It has helped give me by giving me more appreciation for myself.

[Bobbi46]

I joined because I needed so many answers, needed help and advice, and got so very much from so many lovely ladies. Since then I have been able to put my 5 eggs in to help others. This is a great place to be especially if one is alone as I am and here is all the support one needs.