Crossdressers-Haven.com

As some of you know, I'm out almost everywhere and I dress for work when I can get it into my personal schedule. I was out before Caitlyn. Since her coming out, it seems she less of a topic now. Is that a good thing? I don't know. Will her rumored TV show be a good thing? That should be another poll question once it has aired for a few episodes.

What has Caitlyn done for me? Nothing. What can she do for me? Nothing? Can she do harm to my life? No. Can she improve it? No.

She has more people talking about trans issues. She's given a talk to trans youth. She was in NYC for the pride festivities, and received a lot of shout outs.

But for me, nothing. And I don't expect her to.

Very interesting to see how quickly this all dropped off the national radar. If the next dress we see is made of a Confederate battle flag . . . ? Even so, nothing for me, and I would not expect it to be any other way.

As a post-op I can honestly say that the Caitlyn Jenner saga has done nothing for me and I doubt at my age she will do anything in the future that will affect my life. I do believe that she possess's the potential to shape the landscape for those out there still in the fringes as well as those still in the closet. However I am a bit dubious. When something sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Much of my concern comes from her announcement of her "reality" show. I fear that it will become the circus that this genre has become. Caitlyn Jenner lives in a world that I doubt any of us can even truly fantasize about. For the general transgendered community aren't going to be on the cover of Vogue. We aren't going to have people falling all over themselves to be nice to us nor do we have the resources she has. We have to live in the everyday world, go to work to support ourselves, pay for everything, and still battle the stereotypes and prejudices of our work-a-day lives.

I hope and pray that her intentions are honorable and she truly shows the angst and inner conflicts all transgendered people live through and with everyday of our lives. Perhaps I would have that warm fuzzy feeling if when she announced the show and she also said all the proceeds from this "reality" show would go further transgendered causes or donate them to a national LGBT organization. Yes I will watch the show at least in the beginning, that is as long as her stepdaughter Kim isn't going to be on it. Let us hope that this doesn't become another farcical view of life ala the "real housewives of wherever"!

She accomplished something that some strive for but never quite get there for whatever reason. Desire, attitude, some say (physical attributes) and a lot of damn hard work!!!!! To be the best, not locally, state, nationally, but to be the best in the world at something! How does someone reach that pinnacle and yet carry this "gift" that we have? Not many of us have that "claim to fame." I wonder, actually, how many of us have that "trophy?" To be transgendered and to have accomplished that goal------ to be the best in the world-----at something!!

To stand on the #1 top of that platform, in a foreign country with the American Flag drapped around your shoulders while the AMERICAN National Anthem is being played knowing that for that moment in time you are the best in the world and knowing in the back of your mind you are transgendered. How cool is that! Been there done that! That is why I admire Caitlyn! She let that gift she has come out for all the world to see!!!

As Sir Churchhill said, ".....never give up; never give up; never give up!"

Keep the faith ladies!

Love you all,

Virginia

While I tend to agree with ny dear friend Diana in her comments there is a certain validity to Virginia`s post. Yes I reespect Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner for what she accompished in the Olympics and I am sure that helped give her inner strength and fortitude to help her through her transition and life as she goes forward it is no different than many of us who left successful careers to become who we really were.To me it is not an issue of who he was but rather the person she becomes and I am not taking about gender.

Being in the public eeye Caitlyn has the opportunty to define and clarify the world`s perception of transgenders.I pray she not only understands that but also that she enbraces it. The world, well at least those fascinated with celebrities, will be watching. Please Caitlyn do not let us down.

The comments I heard about her in the part of the world I live in were all derogatory. They ranged from how a mild how could he do that to things that were downright disgusting and homophobic.

My wife at first wasn't even sure who he was, but then we didn't know who the Kardasahians were were either. Still not sure if I understand all that hype about them nothing there to get peak my interest.

If that's what SRS does for a sixty-five-year-old athlete, then I'm almost willing to try it on my seventy-five-year-old body. Almost.

It would be nice to be better and younger looking en femme than I do now. But the image in my head is the age I was when I first discovered the delights of imagining myself a woman, and tried to dress as one. I was about twelve. There's no amount of makeup, or surgery, that will do that for me.

This is the reason I put my dressed picture up here: to get used to seeing myself as I am. It took me over a year to recognize myself. It's still hard, sometimes.

So how does Caitlyn's picture affect me? About the same as any other beautiful woman's does. It is not my ideal or my goal., but it's nice and I wish her well.

I do think it's strange that almost nothing is made of the fact that he married into and was then, and is still, "managed" by the Kardashian family, renowned for their micro-crafted sexual-imagery-as-business images. You really think he just walked into the offices of Vanity Fair and said "shoot me!" That took at least a year of planning.

I believe that any positive publicity about transgendered individuals makes it better for all of us. It shows the general population we are not only out there but we may just be your son`s soccer coach, the guy who sits two desks away from you at work, or even your next door neighbor. Her upcoming show offers the potential to look into how we live, think, act, and the fact we are just people not freaks. In my own personal life it has prompted several conversations with neighbors of my lifestyle, I am very out and make no attempts to hide Trudy from anyone. I can honestly say those conversations have all been positive and I truly believe those conversations would have never takn place without Caitlyn Jenner`s coming out.

In general, as turned off as I am by the whole Kardashian media cesspool, I am feeling pretty positive about Caitlyn Jenner and her contribution to the general public's understanding of and empathy for transgender and gender non conformance issues.

She has inspired some interesting conversations with my wife, who is also positively disposed, but who was somewhat irritated by the racy teddy that Caitlyn chose for the "Vanity Fair" cover shot.

Oh that's a bit harsh...nothing? nothing at all? I know she is transexual and many of us are not we are a diverse community but as a highly visible person representing the T's I believe she has been able to open up some minds, or caused people to consider and think about us, perhaps to understand us a little. She has inspired others of our community to open up or to even come out. For myself she is an inspiration to go forward. She gives hope. So I do believe she did or even now is helping to make a difference to shake up those social norms a little. So I think you are wrong to believe even personally that she has done absolutely nothing that in someway trickles down and effects you. Half full or half empty? We are all micro activists in our own little world and together we all have some impact on helping society to evolve for those who come after us. Should we say the internet has done nothing?

But I am not attacking just expressing my thought we are all free to do that there is no right or wrong here...PAX.

AS I said before, I'm happy for her. However to me it's all about publicity and money. I'm sure I'll catch some flack for this but she didn't do anything for me. I agree with Paulette. At 74 it would be nice to look like that but it ain't gonna happen.

I am very pleased for Caitlyn as she had the courage to come out and follow her dream.

By doing this she has assisted with the continued acceptance of the LGBTQ community by the general populous and made the decision of transition easier for the future.

However, in general terms Caitlyn has not achieved anything for me personally as I remain a male who just enjoys the comfort of feminine apparel.

Wendae wrote:However to me it's all about publicity and money.

If she wasn't already famous, and wasn't already making money as a member of the Kardashian clan, you might have a point.

She's been on this journey for many years, and like many here, has tried to keep it hidden for a long long time. Unable to keep it hidden any longer, she has determined to face up to who she is, and instead of trying keeping her transition out of the public view, is using her notoriety to help others. Having a television platform on which to do that seems like a good thing. We'll see in the long run, I reckon.

The question is "What's Caitlyn done for you?". My first instinct was to reply with "nothing"; however, after thinking about it... the topic of Caitlyn has actually come up twice in conversations I've had with non-crossdressers while I was dressed. Therefore, I'd say she's brought awareness to my state of being as a transvestite.

Obviously she faces the same judgements we do, just on a different scale. There will be acceptance as well as blatant discrimination. Looking at the big picture I feel that her public position won't damage the topic of transgender whatsoever. Like everything else, it'll be old news to those who are not interested, and conversational to those who are.