I emphatically disagree, a support group may be the ideal place to dress. One of the problems with going out for the first time is that often means going out alone, going someplace that may not only not be a friendly environment but may actually be a hostile environment. On the other hand going to a local support group meeting the first timer is pretty well secure in their belief that the place will not only be friendly but safe and they will be welcomed.Originally Posted by Jenniferathome
I had wanted to go out for some time, but the only cross dressers I knew were those here on the forum. There is no way that I’d ever go out dressed en femme and walk into a restaurant or go shopping, not alone anyway. When I applied to join the group I was asked if I was out and about and when I said no I was advised to come to my first meeting in drab; I was not the only one there in drab. The President of group sat next to me and after a round of introductions the meeting sort of settled on me, and my Daughter who accompanied me. Neither of us felt like we were being interrogated, it was just a friendly conversation that covered our likes, dislikes, fears, goals, etc. I went to the second meeting in drab as well, this time accompanied by my Wife – that was a near disaster and she has never gone again.
A couple of the members suggested that if I was ready to come en femme that I come early, they would come early and we would meet in the parking lot and walk in together. That didn’t happen as my Daughter accompanied me again and the two of us walked in together. The four of us had the better part of an hour together before the other members began to arrive and that time allowed me to get more comfortable sitting there en femme.
If it wasn’t for the support group being a place to go dressed I’d probably still be entrenched in the closet. As it turned out after a few meetings dressed I actually was able to dress and go see my Therapist. I was scared to death walking into the medical center but I kept telling myself that if I could walk into a restaurant en femme, then I could do this.
Gaining the confidence to step out the door for the first time is very difficult for many of us. Many of us have never met another cross dresser and have no idea how to go about meeting other cross dressers. A local support group affords the means to meet other cross dressers and going to meetings dressed builds confidence.
