Is anywhere really the land of the free?

[crossdrezzer1]

yes I understand in america its called land of the free but really? is it?... I think not since society dictates that men shall not dawn dresses and if they do all will point and laugh,, well to be honest isnt that true anywhere and not just so in America?,,, well if you truly are free then dawn the dress and be happy,,, but think of this,,who will you be hurting by doing so,,, wife-kids-family-friends?,,, See my point,, if you dont care and not embarresed then go drag out and be happy but by doing so then you are saying you dont care for anyone else,, the only reason most of us stay hidden is for loved ones and that alone,, if I didnt care what people would do and say to my kid and wife I would get pretty every day and hit the rummage sales thrown by my neibors and chat at the local bar(pub for you over sea folks) and just be merry and to be honest alot happier in my pretty attire other than in my boring old drab,,,, thats why I hide and for that I am blessed.... yup sure sucks that the workld makes us deprived in this way for little by little we are moving into a new time and thank god for that,,,, my son got his ears peirced,,,yup both and in my day that was gay as they would put it,,, glad we are moving foward,,, maybe someday there will be a time when a man can get all dolled up and his girlfriend can say my you look pretty,,lets go out and dance but stay away from other girls because you look hot tonight.... maybe................

[curse within]

Nothing is free hell it even cost to die..

[Jodi]

The US might not be perfect in your eyes, but as for civil liberties, It is far ahead of the rest of the world. I have traveled all over the world and have lived in a number of different countries.

Trust me-- enjoy what we have here in the US.

Jodi

[Debutante]

The US might not be perfect in your eyes, but as for civil liberties, It is far ahead of the rest of the world. I have traveled all over the world and have lived in a number of different countries.

Trust me-- enjoy what we have here in the US.

Jodi

True... but we need improvements, and freedom to speak and criticize is the first step.
I think what is being said, is also felt by women: "are we safe anywhere?" Safe from harrasement, physical assault, rape, etc? It's hard for the feminine to be herself in public, in the world...

[Kayla Shadows]

Its just the way people are I guess.There are people that believe "you should always be yourself",who are the same people that hate other people for being themselves.Just beacause they are different.Sometimes freedom seems like it just freedom for some.

I also dont think being yourself makes you selfish and not care about other people.If you have a wife and kid,then thats the situation you put yourself in.If someone chooses to go with someone who is not fully accepting,it is what it is.If you made the bed,theres not much else you can do.If my family would hate me for who I am,I still think "its better to be hated for what you are,then to be loved for what you are not". Its all a personal choice and a way that you look at life.Opinion is just opinion and nobody has the right answer.

If my happiness is going to be seen as selfishness,Im going to be happy anyway.If Im going to be hated for the destiny I choose,I will still follow my destiny.That path is between me and the goddess.Not everybody is the same or desires to be the same.Everything has its opposite for a reason..To give meaning to it.Light is just light without dark.If it was only clear all the time,youd never know what dancing in the rain felt like.I believe our existence is something more than a human being could have a answer to.

[Linda Laman]

I am a CD living 9 months of the year in Thailand and 3 months in Australia. I have no problem going out in Thailand but just don't do it in Australia which is similar to the US in the bigotted attitudes that exist. In Thailand, transvestism is widely accepted: some schools and universities have introduced TV toilets because of the large numbers of TVs attending those institutions. Even the Girl Guides allow CDs to join - I know because I have seen them (Girl Guys?) Nowhere is perfect but this is way ahead of our "advanced" western countries.

[JOJO44]

This is a hot one! Yes we have choices, and yes we must live with the choices that we make. If we choose to ignore other peoples feelings and they get hurt, yes they can choose to "get over it". But we will live with the thought that we hurt some one. I know, its "not my problem"; but are you sure about that? Are we not all equal in the eyes of God? Are we not all brothers and sisters? Are we not our brothers keeper?

If we truly want to be in the land of the free, we must learn to be more tolerant of all those around us. That includes the straight, the gay, the lesbian and us.

Yes, we are the most 'free' country in the world, even though some countries may be more tolerant of our particular situation, freedom to choose how we live openly would be wonderful but our choices does carry consequences, and we must live with them.

[Nigella]

Eutopia doesn't exist and even if there were only two people left on this earth, you wouldn't be free.

One "persons" freedom is another "persons" chains.

[AliceJaneInNewcastle]

I have no problem going out in Thailand but just don't do it in Australia which is similar to the US in the bigotted attitudes that exist.

Interesting. I live in Australia and go out often. There are a diminishing number of people who cause problems. Acceptance is noticeably better than it was even 5 years ago.

In terms of real freedom, a person who presents themselves as a female even if their body is male has as much freedom in Australia as any other person. The risks of being beaten, robbed, etc are on par with any other female in the same circumstances.

From talking to others, I'd say that the USA is almost as free as Australia. I say almost because the general increase in security there due to the perceived threat of terrorism has reduced freedom, and that affects everybody, not just the transgendered.

The best way to improve acceptance and increase freedom for TG people in general is to be out in public, interacting with people. Most of the perceived lack of freedom is a barrier that most of us build in our minds, and it can be difficult to break down that barrier, even if you know that it is imaginary.

Alice

[Eric/a]

If I understand the question right as it refers to the freedom of what we can wear, I wonder if any of us would still enjoy dressing the way women do if nothing they wear were considered to be just for women anymore. Whatever you get excited about wearing, be it lingerie, high heels, dresses, make-up, etc., wasn't it because you saw GGs wearing it in the first place? If it were within the power of President Obama to sign into law, along with all the other stuff he's signed this week, something that said nobody could ever again say it was wrong for guys to wear everything women wear, would the excitement of wearing it still be there? To put it another way, how many of us get excited about wearing what's already OK for us to wear?

[Nicki B]

But - how do you define 'free'??

... I think not since society dictates that men shall not dawn dresses and if they do all will point and laugh,, well to be honest isnt that true anywhere and not just so in America?

Not IME - in the four times I've visited the US (NYC, DC, LV) no one has ever pointed, laughed, or treated me with anything other than respect? So, some areas of the US may be less educated, but it's not always as black as you are painting things..

The best way to improve acceptance and increase freedom for TG people in general is to be out in public, interacting with people. Most of the perceived lack of freedom is a barrier that most of us build in our minds, and it can be difficult to break down that barrier, even if you know that it is imaginary.

Well said, Alice - but this does need repeating, over and over again, until people start to realise that, actually, it's true..

[Karren H]

Freedom is relative....

[trannie T]

I have the right to wear whatever I wish.
You have the right to point and laugh.

[battybattybats]

This is a hot one! Yes we have choices, and yes we must live with the choices that we make. If we choose to ignore other peoples feelings and they get hurt, yes they can choose to "get over it". But we will live with the thought that we hurt some one. I know, its "not my problem"; but are you sure about that? Are we not all equal in the eyes of God? Are we not all brothers and sisters? Are we not our brothers keeper?

Well for starters you have freedom of religion, which means you have to consider that some will belive in a godess not a god or in multiple gods or in animist spirits but no gods or in no god-equivalance of any sort too.

As for hurt, there are several kinds of hurt that should be considered.

1. The hurt caused to person A by person B using their own rights in a way A would rather they not use (A's selfish hurt) or

2. the kind where person A is hurt by the interferance of their right by person B overstepping their rights (injustice) and of course

3. the hurt caused to person A when person A's rights are limited by the existence of equal rights of person B (justice).

Some examples of each to make them easier to grok.

1. examples include Goths looking like Goths, Interracial marriage, same-sex marriage, tattoos, body piercing, blue and green worn together, min skirts, women not wearing veils, rock and roll music, comic books etc.

2. includes racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, theft, murder, rape, forced sterilisation or surgical 'normalisation of Intersex children, circumcision of infants etc

3. includes people not being able to rape, murder, assault, steal etc.

All three are felt as genuine emotional hurt. 1 is essential for people to suffer. It has to happen. People must overcome their own pain with this. 2 is an evil that must be stopped as much as possible. 3 is the point where you introduce equality to liberty, where freedoms are only restricted by the mutual obligation of respecting the equal freedom of others ie fairness. It too is a pian that must be borne.

So some hurt is inevitable, neccessary and fair. In fact avoiding or attempting to limit the first and third types of hurt is arguably bad, wrong, harmful to society and contributing to the worst hurt, the second one.

Yes, we are the most 'free' country in the world,

How are you certain of that? I expect some European countries may in fact be far more free. It depends on how you measure freedom and how you define it.

even though some countries may be more tolerant of our particular situation, freedom to choose how we live openly would be wonderful but our choices does carry consequences, and we must live with them.

Indeed. And we must live with the consequences of not choosing too. To choose to fit in means weakening tolerance while to choose to stand out increases vulnerability. If we take personal responsibility for the reactions of others to us then we must take it further and be responsible for what happens to the person who takes our place later, when people are even less tolerant!

If we are not ready to inflict the hurt of justice, the hurt of exposure to difference which all if us should suffer and overcome then by that choice we inflict the far worse hurt of allowing and encouraging injustice!

[Barbara Dugan]

The US might not be perfect in your eyes, but as for civil liberties, It is far ahead of the rest of the world. I have traveled all over the world and have lived in a number of different countries.

Trust me-- enjoy what we have here in the US.

Jodi

totally agree

[Kelsy]

"Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose" Janis Joplin

Kelsy

[Anna the Dub]

The US might not be perfect in your eyes, but as for civil liberties, It is far ahead of the rest of the world. I have traveled all over the world and have lived in a number of different countries.Jodi

Far ahead of the rest of the world? Including Western Europe? There are employment laws here in the UK which will stop me being discriminated against because I am a TS, and a law which allows you to change your birth cert to your correct gender post SRS. I think I am pretty much free here and certainly don't think that civil liberties in EU countries are in any shape or form behind the US.

[Melora]

"LAND OF THE FREE".. America = YES IT IS! As long as you can privotise and make up a corporation and make lotts of $$ and pay off corrupt law makers and lay off lots of LONNNG time employees without pay, While hireing Low cost Illegalls.. While 2 GREAT COPS = Ramose and Compion.. (I think the names are spelled right?), Are imprissioned because they shot an illegal Mexican in the ass while he was smuggling druggs into Our country, and got each 8 years in prisson for doing it AND NOW Just getting some consideration?
Free Country = YES.. IT IS ABOUT THE BEST!!
Think about living IN THE WORST!!
YOU could not even CD with out thinking of Death!
GOD BLESS THE USA!!
Katie

[jillleanne]

There are two common 'rights' for everyone anywhere; the right to pay taxes and the right to die.

[JoAnne Wheeler]

There is NO LAND where crossdressers can be FREE
JoAnne Wheeler

[Kate Simmons]

The really sad thing is that most people don't know how to utilize true freedom once they have it.

[Tashee]

Freedom is relative....

I will give the cryptic answer and add to Miss Karen who is wise witty and wonderful.

I am struck with a pretty serious condition. And have served with men who were POW's too.

So is freedom always a land. Such as The USA. Yes in a way its an idea..

But when your freedom is taken from you. By a debilitating health issue or by force. We can say we are no longer free. And rightly so..Or we can dig deep into the Spirit which make Us great and not rely on outside stimuli to effect who and what and why we are.

Yes we are free if our mind believes we are..

[JamieDP]

It is the land of the free, so long as you pay your HOA fees in order to conform to the rest of the neighborhood on property that you own??? A free country yet I may not change my front door from Green to Black without my neighbors approval....

just kidding...it has its ups and its downs...no where is perfect...

[Debutante]

I am a CD living 9 months of the year in Thailand and 3 months in Australia. I have no problem going out in Thailand but just don't do it in Australia which is similar to the US in the bigotted attitudes that exist. In Thailand, transvestism is widely accepted: some schools and universities have introduced TV toilets because of the large numbers of TVs attending those institutions. Even the Girl Guides allow CDs to join - I know because I have seen them (Girl Guys?) Nowhere is perfect but this is way ahead of our "advanced" western countries.

Linda,
Well,I stand corrected! Thailand seems much, much better than the U.S. for CDers... Let's hope the U.S can truly be called "the land of the free" if i can do for Tgs as Thailand has done...

[Debbie new]

Peoples attitudes are changing towards cding, it would be nice if everybody could accept each others choices but unfortunately there will always be a few that mock and sneer. I do wonder if a group of 8 men give me abuse for expressing my femme self, is there one in that group that dresses up or would like to try it, but feels he has too be like his mates.