First time meeting another cd.

[Carolyn Summers]

When we first started crossdressing I'm sure most of us (if not all) thought we were the only one in the world with this "affliction". Then to meet and talk with another person that was just like you must have been a special time in your life. I was hoping some of you wouldn't mind telling what that time was like. Did it happen early or late in your life? Did you become friends or never meet again? Did this lead to other cd friendships?

[April Rose]

I've tried to connect with other CD's in the past. I met some nice, and friendly people, went to a couple of support groups,but, to be honest, I never made any lasting connections. I think that may have more to do with me than with the people I've met. I never had a really negative experience. My support network nowadays consists of my wife, and one other woman, a very intelligent creative person who I met through my wife, and who has known about me for years. I had another friend, more involved, someone who I shopped with, but she passed on a few years ago.

Years ago I had a friend who I came out to. She was an out transsexual. I met her through a non-gender involved friend. She was beautiful. After her surgery, my wife and I accompanied her to the Pharmacy to pick up her prescriptions and post surgical diapers. We were that close. But she disappeared. I guess she wanted to blend in. I know she was still in the area. A mutual friend ran into her a few years later. My wife and I discussed it, and we understand why she would do this, but honestly, it hurt.

[JoAnnDallas]

The first time I met another CDer was when I attended the Tri-Ess Holiday En Fem which was held here in Dallas, TX that year. Not only was it the first time I met another CDer but was my first time out in public dressed. When I signed in at the Sign-up desk, the girl asked why I was so nervous. I told her it was my first time out and first time to meet others like myself. She very quickly found a girl to escort me around, introduce me to others, and made me feel compy and at ease. It was one of the best weekends I have ever had.

[Leeza]

The first time I met another cd was last May. We had tried to meet on numerious occasions, but things just didn't work out.

We were able to meet for brunch and had some time to talk afterwardes.
I enjoyed the time we had and consider that person a good friend. We have not been able to meet since, but I think a little things called about 300 miles plays into that.

Leeza

[Kittie]

I chat text/voice daily with a fellow cd-ier about the same age as me we give each other mutual advice

[Susan]

It must have been 20 years ago when someone I was working with - but not the same department (who went on to become my best friend) went full time. It was as much a surprise to me at the time as anyone else and I was one of the people who went over to talk to her. We started chatting online when the internet started up on IRC - the rest is history.

I have met and befriended dozens of CDs and TS people in the intervening years.

[Martina]

I met a crossdresser this summer who dosn't know I know he crossdresses. I have known him for years but at a barbique this summer he bent over to take care of a child and I was supprised to see the unmistakable elastic of very light cotton panties when his t-shirt rode up. I will never say it to him. There could of course have been "domestic" reasons why he was wearing them rather than intentional crossdressing. However I have felt more comfortable in his company ever since.

[Anita]

I started going to support meetings before I became a "gal." There weren't any crossdressers in the support group; it was all transitioned women. They were friendly, but their issues were not my issues.

Then I started dressing and performing lip-sync, and I met drag queens. Again, not the same issues--friendly enough, but no talking about the things I was going through.

I was going to websites, and I started to write to a CD in New Jersey. She had been going out since she was 17; she was in her 50s, and married. Her wife had just found out. We hit it off, and when I went back east, I arranged to meet with her. So that was the first person who really knew what I was going through. We had a great time, and went into New York for one night.
Since then, we've visited back and forth over the years.

[Kimberly Kael]

I had no real-world exposure to any CD/TG people until quite recently, at least knowingly. The first time I was aware of talking to someone was a trans woman who spoke at a technical conference I was attending. We chatted for a while following her talk but I wasn't openly expressing my gender at the time so it was, unfortunately, a purely professional conversation. Even if I had been out at the time it would have been difficult to veer into the subject because of the unwritten "prime directive" that prevents us from acknowledging one another. After all, who wants to know that they've been read as trans?

No, my first significant social interaction was at Diva Las Vegas, an annual CD/TG vacation with 170+ folk from across the spectrum. While I met and talked with dozens of people during the week there were only three that I felt a real kinship with and have kept in touch with since. Having one common interest or characteristic is no guarantee of enough common ground to build a friendship around, but it's a good place to start.

I've since met a few more TG people that I maintain a dialog with and would go out of my way to see, some in my area, and others scattered around the world.

[DonnaT]

Met one CDer from another forum, in drab, and we talked, but nothing afterwards. Not a big connection.

Met a couple of CD members here, we became friends, one more so than the other in that we were able to get together more often.

Met one from another forum in Hawaii, and had a good conversation.

Heck, I'm in a couple of non-trans clubs, but don't hang out with the other members. Friends enough at the club meetings, etc. Not really "hang out with" type friends, like in school, growing up, etc.

So I reckon it can be hit or miss. A lot depends on personalities, which can be different from online ones.

But I consider most everyone here to be a friend, at least enough to like to meet with if given a chance, and my wife having no objections.

[KenetaO]

Well I'm sure none of you have ever done this! This past Saturday was Pride and the whole east end of campus was rockin! I had a pretty good time but it was so hot! Too hot to be comfortable with all the folks. I did not stay long, just visited a few booths and found a couple of shady locations to watch the parade.

Later that evening I had a gender alliance meeting and I got there 20 minutes early to dress for the meeting. The meeting facilitator was 15 minutes late, which threw me behind in getting ready, once in the Ladies Room, I began to dress and discovered that I had forgotten my jewelry and all my makeup! I was so rushed, I went into the meeting in my Pride sandals, Jeggins and a new pale blue loose fitting top with my blonde curly wig. I enjoyed it and felt slightly underdressed. There were two GGs there who had no makeup on at all so I felt better seeing them there.

I met a new friend there at the meeting. I have read her postings and was hoping to meet her, There she sat across the meeting room from me, as soon as she spoke I knew who it was. She was flawless, completely en fem, I was in awe of how great she looked! Robyn was so sweet and nice, we chatted after the meeting about the recent SCC in Atlanta that she had attended! I need someone at her level to aspire to present myself better than what I had been at that meeting!

Have any of you ever met someone you have been wanting to meet and when the opportunity presented itself, you felt you were less than what you wanted to convey?

Sweetness and Love,
KenetaO

[Absaroka]

Kenata I've felt that way many times, though not in context of CDing. Job interviews come to mind......

Zari

[Andrea(Wa)]

Hi Carolyn!
Yes I sure do remeber the "first" time going out Dressed! I was early 50's, divorsed and living in an apt. I fully dressed and drove 90 miles to a TG Group meeting. I WAS TERRIFIED!!! Over time attending weekly meetings I became more comfortable and attended TG Group meetings about 20 miles away. I met sevral very nice CD's during that time. I remeber one CD, we both dressed "under" all the time. We became VERY good friends, and did a lot of things together both dressed M and F., and stayed at each others houses occasinally. Then in Dec. '96 I went to a TG Group Christmas Party. That evening is totally not understandable to most persons. Karen a TS and I simply were Blessed and totally "fell in LOVE"! I think we were that "talk" of the party! We have been together now for 14 years and I say wonderful years!!! We are more "happy" and more "in love" now !!! I am now retired (71 now) and Karen still works, I do all the grocery shopping and cooking, we share the other house keeping chores. Life is beautiful and we were and are simply "blessed"!!!
Andrea (Wa), Andi

[Carolyn Summers]

Andrea what a beautiful story. I hope you and Karen have many more wonderful years together. It makes all us single girls want to go to a TG group party.