[Pansy-Mae]

Beverley,
I could write a book in response to this post of yours!
I fully understand what you said about the clothes being merely a means to an end and I felt the same. OTOH, although there are certainly the exhibitionist drag queens I was perhaps lucky in meeting a crowd of TV's who were not in that mould and who generally recognised their own limitations and shortcomings. Sure we went out as a group occasionally but only to an 'event' of some kind and not to show off in public.
One of the most unfortunate occurances I ever saw was to a friend in that group. She was probably mid 60's at the time (about 25-30years ago) and to be honest did look like Mrs Doubtfire on a bad day! However, about half a dozen of us had been to Madame Jo-Jo's ( which for those who don't know is a Drag Cabaret Bar in London's Soho district) and after the show we were walking back to the car park when a group of lads came racing past us and grabbed her wig, ran down the street and just threw it up in the air and ran off laughing. Poor Rita was totally mortified, but it all happened so fast that hardly anyone noticed I think.
On the other hand, at around the same time I was pretty passable myself and used to go out to just blend with the crowd. One occasion that I shall never forget and it always brings a smile of pleasure was when I was staying at a B&B in Blackpool, run by a couple of gay guys, who were quite happy for me to come and go 'dressed'. I stayed there regularly every week for about 6 or 8 weeks and always either arrived or departed en femme. The normal breakfast time was from 8-00, but they used to do mine at about 7-30, because I had to make an early start, and it got to be routine so I didn't actually book, it just happened. One day I got up, did the routine, and wandered down in the empty dining room as usual...to find it crammed with people, and one empty table right in the middle of the room! One of my hosts promptly appeared and ushered me to the empty table before I could say anything.
It transpired that it was the week of the Labour Party Annual Conference and these were all delegates. The table facing me was occupied by the 'Womens Section' and that was so funny...there were 4 of them, absolute caricatures... a short spiky haired lesbian in dungarees and bovver boots, a very tweedy Miss Marple type slumming it, a big fat 'black mama' type and a down-at-heel east-ender wot new 'er rights...and there was me looking really smart with perfect make up and nice pink suede suit and matching heels and bag!!
Nobody took the slightest notice of me but I hated being trapped in a situation like that even if I was also enjoying every second of it.

[beverley.rose]

Beverley,
I could write a book in response to this post of yours!

Oh... please! I promise to buy a copy...

I fully understand what you said about the clothes being merely a means to an end and I felt the same. OTOH, although there are certainly the exhibitionist drag queens I was perhaps lucky in meeting a crowd of TV's who were not in that mould and who generally recognised their own limitations and shortcomings. Sure we went out as a group occasionally but only to an 'event' of some kind and not to show off in public.

It is nice to know that 'stealth' TVs exist as well...

One of the most unfortunate occurances I ever saw was to a friend in that group. She was probably mid 60's at the time (about 25-30years ago) and to be honest did look like Mrs Doubtfire on a bad day! However, about half a dozen of us had been to Madame Jo-Jo's ( which for those who don't know is a Drag Cabaret Bar in London's Soho district) and after the show we were walking back to the car park when a group of lads came racing past us and grabbed her wig, ran down the street and just threw it up in the air and ran off laughing. Poor Rita was totally mortified, but it all happened so fast that hardly anyone noticed I think.

Another well-known personality of this parish has confessed to me that a similar occurrence once happened to her but she punched the cheeky S.o.B. on the nose. More I cannot say.....

On the other hand, at around the same time I was pretty passable myself and used to go out to just blend with the crowd. .... The table facing me was occupied by the 'Womens Section' and that was so funny...there were 4 of them, absolute caricatures... a short spiky haired lesbian in dungarees and bovver boots, a very tweedy Miss Marple type slumming it, a big fat 'black mama' type and a down-at-heel east-ender wot new 'er rights...and there was me looking really smart with perfect make up and nice pink suede suit and matching heels and bag!!
Nobody took the slightest notice of me but I hated being trapped in a situation like that even if I was also enjoying every second of it.

Brilliant! Well done Pansy-Mae. I do think you prove my point that I have posted several times - the key to successful 'passing' is total self-confidence. If you look nervous then they will pick it up. Look confident and no one pays you any attention at all.

Beverley

[chrissie]

Beverley,
I am really pleased and amazed at the progress you have made, in the last few months; to a point, where you embrace the person you are. To me the clothes that you wear, are simply a mirror, to the person inside and I feel well accepted as Chrissie. I wear the clothes that I am comfortable in and reflect my body shape. The former means, I eschewe female cross dressing, but that is totaly linked to my eariest realisations, of being born in the wrong gender. I want nothing that, in any way, reminds me of being male. I am fast approaching a crisis, however. What the hell am I going to rear, to go sailing?
Like you, I do not get the TV thing, yet have a dear friend, who is TV.
I fully agree, with one caveat, about the itelligence of TS girls. Unique does have a few members, with learning difficulties and autism . I suspect that it means that you need a very strong mind to cope with being TS, or one free of the fears, constraints and prejudices, thar rule most people's lives.
I do find it notable, that prejudice/ unpleasant "clocking"; and I have received relatively little, comes from the yoby end of young / early middle age men; rarely from women.

[Pansy-Mae]

I do find it notable, that prejudice/ unpleasant "clocking"; and I have received relatively little, comes from the yoby end of young / early middle age men; rarely from women.

Back in my 'going out' days, I had only one personal bad experience, of the "Hey you're a tranny" kind, and that was from a mixed group of male and female mid-teenagers in Edinburgh.

OTOH I was 'read' by at least 3 women with husband/boyfriends in tow... In every case I walked past them in opposite directions and then heard from over my shoulder, a semi-whispered, "Thats a man!", usually followed by a grunted reply, "Who? What?" Women do check out what other women are wearing, and most TG's of whatever flavour can't stand up under that level of scrutiny.

[beverley.rose]

Back in my 'going out' days, I had only one personal bad experience, of the "Hey you're a tranny" kind, and that was from a mixed group of male and female mid-teenagers in Edinburgh.

Teenagers enjoy the laugh of outing you, but they rarely seem malicious

Women do check out what other women are wearing, and most TG's of whatever flavour can't stand up under that level of scrutiny.

Ummm.. I both agree and disagree. Women do scrutinise you but they do not necessarily 'read' you. I have had many, many interactions with women I have never met before and few of them clock me for what I am, but then what I wear is probably not worth more than a casual glance unless I am going out somewhere special in which case I scrub up and put on a nice frock.

Beverley

[beverley.rose]

I want nothing that, in any way, reminds me of being male. I am fast approaching a crisis, however. What the hell am I going to rear, to go sailing?

Wear these http://direct.asda.com/george/womens/jea...lt,pd.html because there is nothing masculine about them. They are what I wear or these http://direct.asda.com/george/womens/jea...lt,pd.html if I want to be a bit more 'discrete'.

I have PM'd you

Beverley

[beverley.rose]

Beverley,
I am really pleased and amazed at the progress you have made,

Thank you

To me the clothes that you wear, are simply a mirror, to the person inside

In that case, you are a mermaid...

I do find it notable, that prejudice/ unpleasant "clocking"; and I have received relatively little, comes from the yoby end of young / early middle age men; rarely from women.

Women are much more accepting and as the PM works on me I find myself becoming calmer and more accepting too.

Beverley

[bryony]

This thread will run and run!

B.x

[chrissie]

Last night, I went to a ladies night at Debenhams, in Chester, with some of the girls, from Unique. I had carefully planned what to wear and the time, I would need to change and walk to the station, in heels. Great, until I found my dress would not do up; no way. Re think; red shirt, but had to accept, I was bursting out of it. Panic, run for car, get to station, with 2 minutes to spare and forget to turn lights off! What is more useless, than a dead car, late at night, when your feet have had enough and your AA membership, is the subject of a cock up? I have an answer; can you guess it?
Now for the silver linings; the top I wore, I liked, but, it had always had a will if it's own and I was always fiddling with it, to keep it in place; it seems to love my new figure. Further, I just had to weigh myself and reckon, if anything, I am lighter, than when I last wore said dress: oh happy days. I just keep feeling more and more fem.
One of the few men at Debenhams, was heard to say, to his girlfriend "Oh, the cross dressers are here" I security guard heard it and told him that any more of that and he was out. Have we not come a long way?

[beverley.rose]

Last night, I went to a ladies night at Debenhams, in Chester, with some of the girls, from Unique. I had carefully planned what to wear and the time, I would need to change and walk to the station, in heels. Great, until I found my dress would not do up; no way. Re think; red shirt, but had to accept, I was bursting out of it.

I can just see you running round in a mad panic, blouse on backwards, tripping over the dogs, mismatched shoes...

Panic, run for car, get to station, with 2 minutes to spare and forget to turn lights off! What is more useless, than a dead car, late at night, when your feet have had enough and your AA membership, is the subject of a cock up? I have an answer; can you guess it?

Err... no. Go on then, enlighten me.

Now for the silver linings; the top I wore, I liked, but, it had always had a will if it's own and I was always fiddling with it, to keep it in place; it seems to love my new figure. Further, I just had to weigh myself and reckon, if anything, I am lighter, than when I last wore said dress: oh happy days. I just keep feeling more and more fem.

Sounds like a good night out. Coming out of Debenhams, all dressed to the nines, at least you all would be exempt from that old law that any welshmen found within Chester's town walls after dark are to be killed. I am sure it does not apply to Welsh women.

Anyway, what happened after you got the train back? Did the car start? Did the AA rescue you? Or did you call on the services of Shanks Pony?

What a night.....

Beverley