Being a Crossdresser around Children

[Gabrielle Hermosa]

I am a crossdresser, plain and simple. I do not yet have children, but will likely soon. Should I be hiding my feminine side from my children?

No, you should not.

I cannot imagine doing so. Part of what makes me want to dress is the femininity to which I have access, which is something I feel strongly should be passed to a new generation. I have no interest in raising another generation of closed-minded, stereotypical boys and girls.

That is EXACTLY why you should not hide yourself (your complete self) from your children. If you allow your children to get to know you from a young age, having a crossdressing father will be perfectly normal to them... except for when they realize that their friends' dads don't do it too. You will need to explain how the world works when it comes to that, but that must be done by all parents on various levels anyway. It's a crazy world out there, and that has nothing to do with crossdressing.

However, given the way that many people feel about crossdressers, being out with my own child may cause significant problems for me, my child, and my whole family. (See Gabrielle Hermosa’s blog posts about crossdressing myths, particularly numbers 4 and 3 on mental illness and perversion, respectively here: http://www.mycdlife.com/category/crossdressing-myths ).

I am somewhat familiar with those crossdressing myths. I'm sure there is a very good reason Gabrielle Hermosa spent so much of her time properly BUSTING them.

Some people are likely to consider me a pervert who is not safe with children.

Yep. Some people will also think the same of an old man, who comes from a more gentile time, who stops to say hi to a little boy at a park, having only the friendliest of intentions. 30 years ago, people could say hi to kids without being looked at as potential child predators. Today that is not the case. What happened? The point is people will always have a problem with other people. You don't need to be a cd for that to take place... although it does increase the odds.

Now what do we suppose will happen if these people find out that I am a crossdresser? Not only am I an adult male who enjoys the company of happy children, but I wear a skirt, too. Watch out moms everywhere, there is a pervert in your midst!

What happens depends greatly on how you carry yourself. People have a problem with other people all the time. It can start because someone looked at someone the wrong way on the street one day, and then all of a sudden - neighborhood war breaks out. It's a crazy world out there. You can allow that to take away your right to be yourself. We ALL have to deal with crap sometimes. The same goes for any non-cd.

I've encouraged other parents to be open around their children. I truly believe it is the right thing to do...

Perhaps it is better said that in the not too distant future, that is exactly what will be the norm. People WILL in fact be themselves around their children because in the future there will be no more social stigma attached to crossdressing. At some point, society will evolve. It has been evolving for some time now, but there are still some stragglers yet that must be worked out - crossdressing is one of a bunch that still exist today.

Blacks drinking out of the same drinking fountain as whites? It was crazy talk 50 years ago.

Women voting? Again, crazy talk some time back.

Do you need additional examples? I have several more.

Be yourself, Stephanie. Make the world a better place for your own children by allowing them to know the truth. Do not cower in fear because of the jerks that exist today. Cd or not, you WILL deal with plenty of jerks who will cause you trouble in your lifetime.

You will do fine, and I bet your kids will turn out better than the others. Not because you're a cd, but because you will not perpetuate the cycle of lies and hatred in your own kids. I wish more people were as brave.