Did crossdressing effect the way you dated growing up?

[AllieSF]

" IMO, they were making a subconscious choice that the crossdressing was more important to them than any relationship with a GG ... which makes sense"

I don't understand where you get this reason. It may or may not be subconscious, but I do not believe that it is because crossdressing is more important to them. Rather, I think that if one crossdresses they are much more concerned with how does he tell a girl friend as a young teen or a mature adult, how would anyone think of him if they knew that he was doing something so outside the norm and that is popularly believed to be perverted. I think that there is a lot of shame and guilt associated with this years ago and even today reading some of the posts here. When one is younger fitting in and being cool with one's peers is very important, also dating someone is for most boys and men is an important goal. I don't think it is based on choice, consciously or subconsciously. I believe it creates the very real internal conflict of desiring a girlfriend or mate while at the same time fearing the shame and guilt associated with the activity and with the great possibly that that once revealed the revealer would be embarrassed, shunned or shamed, and then most likely lose that which he is seeking in the first place and may have actually found, a female partner.

As it relates to me, being a very late starter who is totally out and about in the real world, I am very hesitant to pro-actively pursue a serious relationship with a woman because I am very concerned that it could end a relationship before it gets to a very serious stage. I am also a bit afraid to have the "big" conversation. I definitely want to have a mate for my final years, and I have this very big elephant right in the middle of my life. I am hoping, maybe beyond hope, that I meet someone in while dressed who I could be very interested and hopefully she would be very interested in me too.