As I've said before, one of the first things I did to express my TG was to get an adult site profile and throw up a couple of pictures that were reasonably flattering and sexy. No intention of actually meeting anyone through it (well, guys at least), but it was fun. And I got a lot of positive reactions, heh.
Nearly all of them were "straight." As I've said before though, men will never identify as bi just because they've got some ideas in their heads. It's social suicide.
The main belief I held was what Doc expressed. We're seen as vulnerable, we want to be women... "Here's a dick" - Chris Rock.
There were a couple of young guys (20-25) who contacted me, but the vast majority were at least 40, most in their 50s. A lot of them expressed interest in cross dressing, a few mentioned either no or very little gay interaction, but the desire to be with TG. A few offered to make me their little girl. A lot were married and said that their wife didn't approve of their crossdressing.
I talked to a couple of the young guys, and they were just rather awkward. I think that all of the reasons expressed in this thread are valid for different people. There are always parasites who exploit those who are vulnerable, there's confused people, there's people who don't know why they are the way they are in periods of their own transition, confused kids, people who've repressed things all of their lives and have been warped a bit by it...
I can also believe the whole thing about us being more liberated and open to things. I've also heard that TG will put more effort into their appearance than GG, since it's always an uphill battle for us. The extra feminine-effort that's required to pass attracts men who want their women to be that way.
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I had a 3.5 year online relationship with a woman, and I came out with her help basically. Eventually, after 2 years or so when I began to put the pieces together about myself we swapped gender roles in our fantasies. She enjoyed it a lot and became quite dominant and enjoyed the switch. And of course for me, it was divine escapism since I knew no other ways of dealing with it. Of course, this was something that came up after a lengthy relationship and was less about the physical (being online anyway... blargh, mistakes of youth.) At the time, I couldn't feel feminine without the allure of penetration. Now, of course, I'm older and wiser and recognize that that comes from within, not from what someone's putting in you. She never really understood the true nature of TG, she thought it was entirely sexual for me. I over-sexualized it because I knew no other way to express it at the time.
Oddly enough, it was by her suggestion that I crossdress the first time, without any prior inclination expressed by myself. I was still in my manly denial stage when we first met and for the first half of our time together.
She had an attraction to women, but because of the whole self esteem/women being in competition with other women thing, she said she could never actually be with another woman. She got to explore her own curiosities with regard to that with me.
I miss her

. Different circumstances, and she would have been the perfect person for me. As is, if I hadn't had her support and love I wouldn't have been able to begin chipping away the costume like I have.
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Of course, since a lot of ->-bleeped-<--->-bleeped-<-s want to be topped, that just doesn't work out for (most of) us

Though, let's face it, to a male brain putting your wang in something is a good thing. I can see why those ignorant of the depth of TGism would think that they're doing us a favor by switching off.