SirDonna,

In the beginning of our relationship my SO was branching out and wanted to tell people who weren’t in this community. So we decided that I could tell my best friend. It seemed to us that she was open minded. And on my own, I told my brother. Everyone else who knew was involved in the LGBTQ community.

There was no negative talk per se, no insults, no shunning. But, there was disapproval. I think this came from a simple lack of understanding - a lack of exposure to people who crossdress. Both my friend and my brother thought it was an odd thing to do, even though they didn’t put it in those terms exactly. My friend had been invited to come out to dinner with my SO and I (with SO in girl mode), but she made excuses not to go. My brother asked if I was sure I wanted to be in a relationship with a crossdresser. They both knew that I was supportive and was not about to leave my SO.

Over the years we’ve done things with my friend and my brother (although with my SO in guy mode), and they always treated my SO with respect. But, the crossdressing was never brought up. They simply were not interested in talking about it or being involved. And now it’s been so long it’s as if I had never told them.

I think that very few people who know you or your girlfriend will hurl insults to your faces. This has only happened to us once, while we were on an outing and walking on the sidewalk. A group of teenage boys drove by, clocked my SO, and said something nasty out their car window. Most people not attached to this community will keep their real opinions to themselves, if they disapprove.