Charlene

Sara · Post by **Sara** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 11:10 pm

Hello, Charlene:

Let me add my welcome. I think you'll really enjoy it here. A great bunch of warm humorous, sensitive people.

Sara

Alexandra · Post by **Alexandra** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 1:13 am

*slightly off topic alert!*

<soapbox>

sadly . . . not too many gay people are welcoming of TG/CD people . . . "drag queens" are "normal" in their circles -- TG/CDs are not.

This is why TG people have the most difficult time with others under the GLBT umbrella . . .

In addition, as many of you know, society as a whole seems to "accept" gay people more easily than TG/CD people. So girls, we face a double whammy.

But the world is ours as much as anybody else's so we've just got to stand up and claim our piece of it!

</soapbox>

RikkiOfLA · Post by **RikkiOfLA** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 5:45 am

Sadly, I have faced rejection by gay people before too. Not all gay people, but some. One gay acquaintance put it this way--"We have paid our dues and fought for acceptance; you haven't yet."

For a PhD and gay activist, I guess he doesn't know much about the background of the Stonewall Riots!

But this was a few years ago; we now have, in California and a few other places anyway, legal protections for transgender and gender-variant people. That's something that wasn't in place yet.

One of the reasons for the rejection by gay people is that they sometimes mistakenly see crossdressing as "drag." Drag queens are the clowns of the gay community. Most drag performers do it for laughs. That's why they camp it up--the green fright wigs, silly costumes, etc. They are not only lampooning and degrading women, they're also lampooning and degrading us. Funny drag queens often take the mistakes newbie crossdressers make, such as cheap wigs, sky-high heels and sky-high hemlines, and very-visible makeup, and play them up for laughs.

A few years ago, there was a restaurant in Los Angeles called La Cage aux Folles. You guessed it--all the waitstaff and performers were in drag. The restaurant had a rule that crossdressed customers were NOT allowed.

That obvious discrimination may be one reason the restaurant folded.

It would have been fun to challenge that!

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 9:28 pm

I went out a couple of weeks ago dressed. It was fun but I didn't get out of the car.

SharonRose · Post by **SharonRose** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 9:26 am

Welcome to our forum Charlene.

I came out to a gay coworker a couple of months ago. It went fairly well. He respects my privacy and won't ask about my crossdressing unless I bring it up. But he has been supportive when I discuss it with him.

Sharon Rose

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 5:47 pm

When I was accepted on the forum I came out on I was hoping people would ask me questions bout it but no one did athough a few did ask me for pictures, which I did give them.

Beauty · Post by **Beauty** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 5:57 pm

Hi Charlene,

How long have you been a member of that club?

I believe eventually they will ask.

Beauty

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 6:04 pm

I've been on that forum for more than a year, and know them from another one for a year before that.

Beauty · Post by **Beauty** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 6:35 pm

Hi again,

So how long ago did you tell them?

Beauty

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 7:08 pm

I told them last February.

Beauty · Post by **Beauty** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 8:53 pm

Hi Charlene,

Curiousity should get the best of someone.

Thanks for answering my zillion questions.

Beauty

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 9:26 pm

You are welcome Beauty. I hope that answering questions wouldn't be a problem for anyone. It's how we learn about things.